This started from the Spooktober prompt 'putting the romance in necromancer', and then reading a lovely story called Forge my Heart, Forge my Soul by Darkliesra, as well as some inspiration from Campaign 1 of Critical Role.
Also, this is my 31st fanwork, published on the 31st of October...so I thought that was kinda nifty.
Ochako let out a deep, bracing breath as she closed the final door behind her. There was no going back from what she was about to do. There would likely be no forgiveness from her friends and loved ones, not when what she was going to do would violate every one of their tightly held morals and beliefs. And yet, still…she'd chosen this path, and would walk down it until the end of the world if need be. She would break the world for them.
As she strode across her ritual chamber, the one she'd spent the last five years constructing to her exacting specifications, she gently trailed her hands across the intricately carved walls. Magical runes and wards flickered with arcane energy beneath her fingers, sparks of deep purple and crimson red following the trail of her fingertips. The sounds of dripping liquid from the numerous vials and tubes along the back wall accompanied the distant rumbling of lightning, a storm outside her tower keeping all others far, far away from her remote getaway.
It was all so dark, anymore, her very world losing all color and saturation since that day. Sometimes it still didn't feel real to her…fifteen years ago, she'd met the people she would come to call her truest, deepest companions and family. Ten years ago, they had finally, finally, rid the world of the terrifying demon lord All For One…and lost that which was most precious to her in the process. Nine years ago, she stood on a platform as she and her friends were celebrated as the greatest heroes the world had ever known, yet all she could do was stare blankly at the statue before her, the final honor the kingdoms of the world had shown to him.
She had hated how accurate that statue was. It was so accurate it hurt worse, because it wasn't actually him. The smile was right, but it lacked the warmth and kindness inherent to his spirit. The pose was perfect, but it didn't have his almost sheepish nervousness whenever he had to stand before others to encourage them. The details of his sword were impeccable, but it didn't have that strange glimmer the blade had, nor did it show how well he kept care of it. Even his damned cloak, the one she always scolded him for ripping, was depicted exactly as he always wore it…but without the hastily made stitching he would do to repair it between fights while she smiled indulgently at him.
Eight years ago, she'd found it. A single tome from the demon lords library that had been in the bottom of her magical bag, from before the castle was destroyed. A single book she would never have trusted anyone to read, not even herself…before. Before he'd been gone, swallowed up in that explosion as he took unto himself the arcane energies of the demonic bastard to save everyone else from the destruction.
Every time she faltered in her mission, she would picture his final moments once more…the sad smile he gave her, the memory of the gentle kiss he'd left on her lips, the warmth of his touch even as he shoved her with all his strength through the gate he'd cut open with his sword, back into the arms of her best friend as she pulled Ochako away from the slowly closing portal. Only to fall to the ground as the entire castle erupted into black flame and emerald lightning, erasing it, the demon lord…and Izuku from existence.
The world celebrated him as its greatest hero. Her friends mourned him as their companion. And she…she lost it all. Maybe if she hadn't distanced herself from everyone after it was all said and done, she could have managed her grief. Maybe she wouldn't have drowned herself in the madness, in the tragedy of what she planned to do. There was a part of her that railed against this path, believing he'd hate her for eternity if she did what she had set out to do. And yet…she still would follow through. She had come too far to stop now.
She spent three years seeking the materials she'd need, the knowledge she would have to barter and bargain for, treating with demons and fae alike, with undead monsters and aberrant horrors from beyond the veil to get what she would require. The sacrifices she had made, the deals she'd cut, would likely haunt her nightmares for the rest of her existence. Or they should, she supposed, if she was still the bright-eyed young witch who had gone on that journey to save the world. But time makes fools of all, and theft of those who matter to a person can take away their heart and soul in a single fell swoop.
Five years ago, she'd begun construction of the tower she was in, placed in a faraway land upon a convergence of magical ley lines, deep in the mountains where none dared to tread. She'd chosen this place for one other reason, one that hopefully would help mitigate her plans, but it had not been easy to get control over this region. She'd had to shatter the spine of the dragon who had lived here before, but he would not be moved…and she would not be stopped.
And now, it was all here. She'd planned and plotted for years, brought together every single thing she'd need to bring back her beloved to this world, even though the cost would be great. Even though he might curse her for eternity not that she wasn't already damned, but he would be back. And that…that was all she needed. No matter the price, no matter the cost, she'd chosen her path.
But maybe one sane part of her remained, just enough that she found herself sitting at her scrying table, where rested the enchanted mirror she used to communicate with her old friends. She hadn't spoken to them in years, but for one final time, for one final night, she'd reach out to them and let them know her plans. Knowing they could not interfere, knowing they could not stop her, that no one knew where she was (and she would keep it that way), she'd at least give them the chance to know. She owed them that much.
She would start with the one who she knew would judge her the harshest. Tenya was truly a wonderful friend and a great knight, but he would never understand what she'd done or what she planned to do. Yet she'd open herself to his condemnation, because she knew what she was doing was wrong…she just no longer cared.
As the mirror flickered on, Tenya accepting her communication, she couldn't help but smile sadly as she saw his face light up upon seeing her. "Ochako! Ochako, I cannot believe it!" he shouted in joy, nearly filling the mirror with his face as he leaned in as if to see her closer.
"Hello Tenya. It's been a while, huh?" she replied, still smiling.
"A while? It's been almost a decade! I knew you'd be safe, but I still worried you'd fallen into some strange time magic or something of the sort! I'm so pleased to see you! Wait, let me grab Shoto, he's just down the street!" Before Ochako could protest, Tenya had run off, nearly knocking the enchanted mirror off whatever table he had it placed on. She couldn't help but let out a giggle, even in her current state Tenya's over the top antics would make her laugh any day. A reminder of how much she missed her friends, and would miss them further once she'd done this.
It was a good few minutes before Tenya returned, but Ochako sat patiently. If this would be the last time she saw them, she was willing to wait however long it took. Tenya skidded back into frame, the dual-colored hair of Shoto visible behind him, the normally expressionless man's face lighting up with a brilliant smile that she mirrored, feeling tears welling up behind her eyes as she saw her old friends again.
"See! It is Ochako, as I said!" Tenya pronounced happily, chopping one hand in the air in emphasis.
"I never said I doubted you, Tenya. Hello, Ochako. We missed you," Shoto said in his blunt fashion.
Ochako sniffled. "I missed you both too."
Shoto paused, tilting his head to the side as his smile slid off his face. She hated it, really. Shoto had once been the most oblivious person in their party, but over time he'd learned all of their little ticks, all of their quirks, and became eerily perceptive and in tune with his friends' emotions. Even after almost ten years, it seemed that had not changed, not when he gave her that look. "Ochako…this isn't a social call, is it?" he asked, his voice soft.
Ochako shook her head sadly, knowing she'd have to get to the point sooner rather than later. Oh how she wished she could have sat and listened to them catch her up on how their lives had changed since she last spoke to them, but Shoto had caught on too quickly. Oh well. She had limited time anyways before she had to begin the ritual, so she may as well get to the point. She cleared her throat, leaning back in her chair as she rubbed at her eyes tiredly. "I…I've done something. Or rather, I've done many things, and plan to do one more this evening. Which…you won't approve of. You may hate me for it. But I felt you deserved to know."
"...whatever it is, it cannot be that bad, Ochako," Tenya replied, confused.
Ochako chuckled sadly. "You say that now. Wait until I explain."
By the time she finished her explanation, the silence was deafening. It did not last long, Tenya's expression darkening within moments of the beginning of her story and had gotten more and more pained as she continued. He began exactly as she expected he would. "Ochako, you cannot be seriously considering this! This is a violation of everything we stood for! Of everything we fought for! Of everything he fought and died for! How could you dishonor his memory like that?!"
"You think I don't know that?" Ochako retorted, so prepared for his condemnation she was already on a hair trigger. "I know exactly how much he'd hate this!"
"Then why do it?" Shoto asked, calm and steady, his gaze piercing into her through the mirror.
"...because I have to," she whispered, her head dropping as she couldn't find it in herself to meet their eyes when she said this.
"That's absurd! You don't have to do this! You can find another path! Why would you think-"
"Because it wasn't supposed to be like this!" she screamed, her head snapping up with tears swimming in her eyes, cutting Tenya off. She angrily rubbed at her eyes, her voice a growl. "We were supposed to save the world! We were supposed to have our fairytale ending! We did everything right, we sacrificed over and over again, we did everything we could and it still wasn't enough!"
"...Ochako, Izuku chose his fate, of his own volition. We should respect that. We did save the world-" Shoto began softly, but she cut him off as she had Tenya.
"Not my world. We didn't save that. My world was shattered…and I am going to put it back together, no matter the cost," she hissed.
"Ochako, please, think about what you're doing. He wouldn't want this, and you know that. You have to know that!" Tenya pleaded.
"...I know. I do know that. But it doesn't change anything. I called you, knowing you'd try to talk me out of this, but nothing you say will alter my path. I've spent eight years preparing for this day, and I will not be deterred."
Tenya opened his mouth to try and argue further, but Shoto cut him off with a raised arm. He peered directly into the mirror, heterochromatic eyes meeting chocolate, and sighed. "...you are committed to this?"
Ochako swallowed thickly and nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry, but I've made my choice. It may be the wrong one, but I won't stop now. I have to see this through."
The mirror was silent for a good half minute, before Tenya spoke again, anguish in his voice as he struggled to keep it steady. "Ochako…if you do this, we will lose you too. You'll never be able to come back to the kingdoms, never be able to walk the land safely without being hunted. We don't even know if the mirrors will work for you anymore! It was a gift from the gods, and what you plan to do spits in their face. We already lost Izuku…please don't make us suffer through losing you as well."
Ochako couldn't help the choked sob that left her as she felt the tears fall, but she shook her head sadly regardless. "...I've been lost ever since Izuku died, Tenya. And I think you know that."
Tenya stared at her, his own tears swimming through his eyes as she saw it within him…not acceptance, but resignation. He closed his eyes and let out a deep, bracing breath, before opening them and staring at her with an intensity he rarely gave anyone but his foes. "If I cannot dissuade you from this course, very well. But you must swear to me, that if you succeed…do not lose yourself. Do not surrender who you are."
"I will ask a vow of you as well…find a way to contact us and let us know. You may not be able to come to us, but I will find a way to get to you if need be. We will find you. Can you do that much for us, Ochako?" Shoto asked.
Ochako gulped, wiping at her eyes once more as she nodded furiously. "I promise. I give you my oath."
Tenya sighed. "Very well. Have you spoken to Tsuyu about this yet?"
"No, she was going to be my next contact."
Tenya let out a second sigh. "...very well. We'll leave you to that. Just…remember what we said."
"We will always love you, Ochako. And…if you succeed…let him know we said hi, and we missed him," Shoto added, a watery smile on his lips as his eyes glimmered.
Ochako sobbed, nodding along. "I love you both too. Please stay safe." With a last nod, she closed the contact with them, curling in on herself as the mirror faded to a dull silver once more. She knew the conversation would hurt, but Gods did it pick at her soul and her will, shaking her carefully placed foundations of faith in her path. She took a moment to compose herself, clenching her fists until her nails dug so deep into her palms she felt the blood begin to trickle, and took a deep, bracing breath. She had one more call to make.
"I won't repeat what they said, Ochako," Tsuyu began, after Ochako explained her plan. "But I will say this…Izuku would not want this. And you know that."
"I-I know. But still…I need him. I won't keep him here if he doesn't want to stay. I'll let him go. But I need to at least see him once more, talk to him, tell him I love him. I-I need to try, just once, to get our dream to come to life. The ritual won't work if his soul doesn't want to return, so…I can't even guarantee it'll succeed," Ochako replied, her voice getting hoarse from all the crying she kept doing.
Tsuyu was silent for a brief moment. "The whole ritual will fail?" Ochako nodded sheepishly, realizing her druidic best friend had picked up on what the two men had not. Tsuyu narrowed her eyes at Ochako. "In other words, if his soul does not return, and he would have no way of knowing this would happen if he doesn't…you'll be gone. Forever. And we won't be able to bring you back, will we? Not after all the deals you made."
Ochako smiled, a broken, brittle grin as she tilted her head in acknowledgment. "Power requires payment. We always knew that."
"...you damned yourself for the slimmest chance of having five more minutes with Izuku?"
"Five more minutes would be worth the eternity in the Hells I'm destined for. Tsu…it doesn't matter to me anymore. The world took so much from us, stole so much of our lives, and we gave it and the gods everything to fix their mistake…and they took the brightest star from us. Plucked him from the night sky and extinguished his light. I…I don't regret what we did. I know it sounds like I do, but I don't. I'm glad we saved the world, and I'm glad everyone is happy and free, but…I'm not. I'm not free. I'm trapped. I've been trapped since that day. And if I must be trapped…I just want one more moment to have my freedom. One single moment more would be enough for me."
Her voice cracked as more tears trailed slowly down her cheek, choking on her words. "H-he didn't even give me a chance to tell him I loved him back. He told me he loved me, stole a final kiss from me and pushed me away!"
"He knew you loved him though," Tsuyu said.
"It was Izuku, Tsu…maybe part of him knew, but part of him would always doubt me if I didn't say it. I didn't tell him before we entered the castle because I didn't want it to be like some story where you confess your love and then you're lost. I didn't want that! I wanted to be able to tell him as we celebrated, as we were full of joy and happiness and freedom! Instead…I never got the chance. I just want one more chance…one more."
Tsuyu stared at her, her wide, inhuman eyes only having grown wider in the intervening years as she'd grown into her druidic nature. The green-haired woman sighed. "Very well. So long as you keep your promise to the boys. If you don't, I will find you myself, and don't think I can't. The world will tell me where you've hidden yourself away."
Ochako chuckled sadly. "Assuming it works…I can't keep the promise if it fails. Izuku has to agree to return, after all."
Tsuyu shook her head with an indulgent smile on her face. "He always came when you called, Ochako. He'll come to you once more."
Ochako felt her chest tighten at the faith Tsuyu had in her, in them. Another crack in the wall she'd built around her heart…but not enough to shatter it. She nodded quickly. "A-alright. I…it's almost time. I have to start the ritual soon. I-I'll see you later, Tsuyu. I love you."
"I love you too. Be safe…and give Izuku a smack from me for leaving us for so long," Tsuyu replied, tears swimming in her eyes as she smiled at Ochako. Ochako smiled back, pressing one hand to the mirror and watching as Tsuyu placed her own in a matching position, the closest they had come to touching one another for a decade, before the magic blurred over the mirror and faded away the connection.
Ochako took a moment to compose herself once more. She took deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling, until she could steady herself. Opening her eyes, she whispered to herself. "It's time."
She'd prepared everything she needed. Now she just needed the final few ingredients, and…his body. Getting his body had not been exactly feasible…as far as anyone could tell, it had been obliterated in the explosion. A bargain with a fae had gotten her an empty body that his soul could fill, one who somehow could somehow create his flesh whole once more. Still, it was a poor facsimile of him, being lifeless and without his sheer vibrancy. But what she had looked so much like him already, it brought tears to her eyes to see the unmoving, pale corpse laid out on the stone slab in the center of her ritual chamber.
Still, she had him positioned carefully upon the slab, the cadaver cold and lifeless and making her shiver uncomfortably. She made sure he was in as comfortable a position as possible (for a corpse on cold stone), and once she finished that she went over to the safe in the back corner of the room.
It took her ten minutes to disable every one of the magical wards and traps she'd placed, to remove the physical barriers and key in the correct codes. She couldn't risk what was in this safe ever being released into the world, not only as it would prevent her from succeeding in her quest, but also in that it would be of utmost danger for anyone else to get ahold of them. Taking the dark wooden box out of the safe, she cradled it to her chest as she bit her lip, returning to the stone slab.
With careful movements, she opened the box with a single click of the latch, her eyes drawn to the two black crystals laying side by side in the center of the box, laid on a bed of crushed velvet and silk. Immaculate black diamonds, a perfect pair…and holding uncountable souls trapped within them. Souls that would soon be sacrificed as fuel for her ritual, something so unspeakably evil she knew she could never go back. It had taken years of bargaining with the denizens of the lower planes for these gems…bargains she feared coming to pass one day, as she requested a very specific type of soul diamond, ones the demons were not keen to surrender.
But she had cajoled, threatened, destroyed, bargained, and dealt with each one in turn, until she had the gemstones she needed. Once she had them, she'd delved deep into the depths of the mountains where she'd built her tower, seeking the imprisoned beings within it…and drawn their souls into the gems over the course of years of fighting and destruction. These cold mountainous peaks were now truly lifeless, the aura of death and decay she'd left behind driving off all wildlife. But that suited her just fine, really. Better for those animals to stay away and live somewhere else in safety, than here, amongst the corrupted region she was about to create.
It was almost time. She felt the thrum of magic beneath her feet, the leylines reacting to the approaching winter solstice. The potions she'd bartered for and brewed were awaiting her, the words of the ritual burned in her mind. She hustled now, with quick, assured movements, placing out her various ritual pieces where they belonged. The diamonds, one laid upon Izuku's chest, one laid out beside him. Her knife, a blade so covered in blood it looked rusted, glinted in the light as she laid it out next to the soulstone.
As she strode over to her potions table, she removed her tunic, each piece of clothing one by one, leaving her as naked as the day she was born. She needed as much freedom as she could use, and her mind was now clear, the tears that had tracked down her face before were now nothing but memories.
One by one, she drank each potion in turn robotically, the taste of each of them dismissed by her mind as she focused her magic upon the ritual. She had no room to flag or falter here, a single misstep would ruin everything and send her soul careening to the Hells and leave everything unfinished. She would not risk it now. Even as she felt her skin begin to burn, the very blood in her veins boiling as she drank the eleventh draught, she cared not. Two more to go, one by one, piece by piece she drank each one. Her eyes burned with a cold fire, a stabbing pain in her skull as she felt the magical liquids churning within her and changing her.
The thirteenth potion she held in her hand as she began to speak the words of the ritual, needing to hold off on drinking that one till the last second. She stepped to the slab and let the words flow from her, feeling the leylines fighting against her pull, against her violations of the natural order, but she wrested control of them from the world itself, refusing to be cowed. She could almost feel the judgemental gaze of the gods upon her, but she didn't care, not anymore.
Power flooded through her body, burning, freezing, electrocuting, lighting every pain nerve in her body up. Yet she did not flinch, her voice smooth and calm as she chanted the words, the very stone of the tower around her glowing with a nauseating pink-purple light. As she reached the final stages, the tower shaking about her, the blizzard outside the tower roaring its fury at her magic rippling out into the landscape, she clambered up onto the stone slab and knelt over Izuku's chest.
One hand gripping the knife, the other the soulstone, she bit her lip at the one step she feared the most. Izuku had always been ashamed of the many, many scars he'd picked up over the years, and here she would add one more. But she took one deep, bracing breath, ignoring the pounding of her skull and the blood now trickling from her nose, and brought the knife down with supernatural force, piercing his chest and ribcage.
She had to carve through the bone and flesh, pulling the bones apart long enough to give her room to access his heart. Once she did, she took the black soulstone and gripping it tightly, channeled as much of her magic into it as possible, watching as it glowed a brilliant, shimmering pink, before she swiftly ripped out the heart from Izuku's body and replaced it with the soulstone.
A second later, the heart burned up in her fingers, the magics sacrificing it to fuel the ritual further. The last steps, the last moments, she stood above him and swayed in place, the potions wreaking havoc upon her body. With one hand, she downed the last potion, her spine snapping back as it began its work upon her, the pain excruciating. With berserk fury, she slammed the knife into her own chest, ripping and clawing at her own flesh and ribs to pull them apart, exposing her own heart to the world.
With fury, even as she felt her eyes go dark and the world dimming around her, she ripped her heart out and slammed the stone in its place. Blood dripping from her fingers, from her lips, from her chest, spilling out to cover the stone beneath her, she raised her hands to the sky and began the last stanza of the ritual.
Her voice screaming to the heavens and the hells, echoing across the desolate mountains, the earth shaking and the skies crying, as she brought her hands down. She felt her eyes flutter closed, her mind go blank, and knew that this was the moment of truth. She felt the final shreds of her magic rip from her material form, her essence, her very soul itself, tearing free from her and being swallowed up the gemstone in Izuku's chest, binding the ritual's final moments in a pain-filled embrace. She felt her flesh ripping and tearing, felt her mind and body shift and transform into the final stage, and knew this was it. Izuku would now make the final choice…and she happily left her fate within his hands. Whatever he chose, she'd accept it…whatever the cost.
"...Ochako?" a voice called, a soft, cracking one that was oh so familiar to her. It filled her with warmth, which…was odd, since she felt oh so cold. Her eyes flickered open, blinking rapidly, as she saw blurred images…purple, pink…green?
"Izuku?!" she shouted, sitting upright as quickly as she could, her vision clearing enough to see the pale visage of the man she loved before her. He nodded at her, looking both confused and worried as he scanned over her form, making her realize they were both nude, and…she was still covered in blood.
Shame had gone out of the window long ago for her, so she did not even flush (not that she was sure she could), as she launched herself at him, her arms wrapping about his neck with a bruising strength that…likely could never bruise again. Though he was hesitant, he accepted the hug, his own arms wrapping about her and holding her closely. His skin was cold, but to her flesh, it felt searing, burning, warm and comforting as it always had.
He pulled away after a moment to look into her eyes, his expression both curious and concerned. She knew he had questions…and now she had to answer them. Which they were quick to come. "Ochako…what did you do?" he asked, his tone soft and non-judgemental (which she was thankful for.)
She swallowed thickly, belatedly realizing she had no saliva to swallow yet had done it on reflex. "...I broke the world for us."
"What did you do?" he asked again, more insistent this time. So she clenched her teeth and fists, closed her eyes for a moment, knowing this would be where she lost him once more…but she owed him the truth. After she did one thing.
"I-I'll tell you…but I have to say something first. Let me say one thing, then I'll tell you everything," she said softly, praying internally he'd give her this chance. He stared at her for a moment, his expression inscrutable, his eyes glowing a soft green, before he nodded sharply. She clenched her fist once more and spoke. "I love you, Izuku. I've loved you for so, so long, and I never got to tell you. I needed to tell you, to make sure you knew. I-I needed this chance. I just…I need you to know that. I love you."
She closed her eyes, bowing her head, having finally said what she desired for oh so long. It was strange…it was only three words, three words she'd broken every vow she had, every rule she once followed, every belief in her heart, and yet she threw them away for three simple words. Ones that may not be returned, now, once he knew what she'd done. She was startled out of her thoughts by a gentle hand touching her chin, cold fingers searing her skin as he lifted her face to look at him, his expression soft.
"Silly Ochako, I knew. I always knew. As I have loved you. My love for you is why I had to do what I did, you do understand that, don't you? I couldn't bear the thought of you or the others dying when I could stop it."
Ochako sobbed for a moment, hating the feeling and hating it more that she felt no tears welling up in her cold, dead eyes. "Y-you won't feel that way once I tell you what I d-did though."
"Nothing you say could make me stop loving you. I may not approve, and I may not be happy about it…but I will still always love you. Besides…I can um…kinda get the gist." She blinked up at him, seeing his sheepish grin pointing at his mouth, prominent fangs visible within his mouth. He shrugged. "Also, uh…coming back I did um…get to see what you were doing. Sort of. I'm no expert in magic but uh, the whole ripping out the heart thing was noticeable."
"Y-you saw that?" she asked, confused. Why would the gods above let him witness such horrors?
He shrugged again. "I mean…I was stuck in the Hells for this entire time so it's not like I had anything better to do once the ritual began."
"WHAT?!" she screeched. The very thought of him being anywhere but the heavens where he belonged was antithetical to everything she'd ever thought. He'd…he'd been in hell this entire time?!
"Absorbing the magic of the Demon King and exploding doesn't exactly lend itself to proper soul sorting," he deadpanned. "I was tossed into a broken corner of the Hells with All For One's soul. It was…annoying, to be frank. Kept killing each other but the damned place kept bringing us back, so eventually we just…went our own ways. Not much point in fighting at that point."
"B-b-but why would the gods-" she sputtered, lost, unable to comprehend that Izuku, with his goodness, would not be given rest in the worlds above.
He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe they couldn't do anything. Still…I was fine with it, so long as you were safe. I found a place where I could survive, only having to fight every other day or so, and so I simply settled there. Eventually I felt the tug from you and it let me see, for lack of a better term, what you were doing. So…I decided I'd take it. So…what exactly did you do?"
Ochako sighed, once more realizing the lack of breathing was very much strange as she kept doing the motions of living folk. Maybe she'd eventually stop, but for now she stuck to it. "I-I performed a ritual to bind our souls to our bodies. You've um…become a vampire, and I'm a lich, now. It's not um, permanent if you don't want. I-if you hate it, I can um…release your soul, and you'll be able to pass onto the upper planes now. Since you did nothing wrong, I'm sure they'd accept you."
"A lich? Don't you need a phylactery for that? Where is it?" Izuku spun about as if he expected to see it. He was taking this…remarkably well, she thought. But maybe it was the shock.
She reached out and laid her palm flat on his chest, gently tapping her fingers against his collarbone. "...in here. I made you my phylactery," she whispered.
His head snapped back to her, staring at her with wide eyes. "But…then if I were to die, you-"
"Would die as well, yes. I-I wouldn't want to live in a world without you."
"...but you wouldn't see me in the afterlife, would you? You…what you did..the gods won't accept it," he said slowly.
She shook her head sadly. "I know. I made my choice knowing what I've done. I am damned, regardless, and I accept that. But don't let the guilt hold you back if you wish to pass on. If I release your soul, your body will persist. So I could um…persist, without you here, if I had to."
"...but you wouldn't, would you?" he asked softly. Her silence and refusal to meet his eyes was answer enough. He let out a deep sigh. "I…Ochako…a vampire? A lich? We'd…we'd need to feed on others to survive. I don't know if I can do that."
She jolted, the thought he was even considering it bringing enough hope to her heart she had to show him what she'd prepared. "W-well, yes, b-but I had an idea you might be okay with! Um…come here!" leaping off the slab, she grabbed his hand and dragged him behind her, towards a basin of cold mountain water she had ready for this very moment. As she moved, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, almost tripping at the sight.
She was still naked, covered in blood, a long, bloody scar across her chest nearly bisecting her frame. Her eyes were now glowing a furious pink, her skin incredibly pale, almost paper white. Her chocolate brown hair was now streaked with white and pink, stained by her magic, but most of all, a runic emblem of magic was now positioned over her sternum, the pink-purple glyph slowly pulsing.
She shook her head. She could examine her handiwork later. She had something to show him. As she pulled him to the basin, she waved one hand over it, the water rippling and shimmering, showing a familiar sight to her…and to him, as he gasped in recognition.
"...the Jail?" he whispered, eyes narrowed at the sight before him. The once proud and mighty gates that had held back the hordes were broken and beaten, the magical runes now cracked and sputtering.
Ochako nodded. "While I was um…on my quest, I realized the binds were breaking. A-and it occurred to me…the demon king's forces were inhuman monsters that we trapped here, in these very mountains, intending on letting them kill themselves off over time, right? But turns out they were way stronger, and our barrier was already fading. So um…I built my tower here, over the gates, and um…I thought…we could feed off them, and in return, keep them trapped? Those um…they were the souls I stole to make…us. I knew you'd hate it if I used innocent souls so…I made sure I didn't use a single one."
"You used one, Ochako," he replied, his gaze still locked on the water. His expression was blank once more, inscrutable, a look she hated on his kind and caring face because she couldn't tell what he was thinking.
She thought back to her list and shook her head in negation. "No, I'm quite sure I didn't."
"Yours, Ochako. Your soul. You sacrificed that…and it was innocent and good and kind," he replied, turning to face her.
She let her shoulders slump. "You always thought too much of me, Izuku. My soul was very much not innocent."
"Agree to disagree. Some things never change I suppose," he said, a chuckle escaping him.
Ochako felt hope rear its ugly head once more at hearing his laughter, like the sunrise itself, warmth flooding into her chest. She missed that sound. But him joking was a good sign, right? Maybe? She didn't know. She did so much wrong, and he was nothing if not a true hero, not like her, the one who broke and in turn, broke all around her.
"So…that's your plan then? You want us to stay here and live together as undead guardians, never free to roam the earth, feeding off these monsters as long as we can, being their prison wardens?" he asked, turning to look at her with his glowing emerald eyes.
"...yes. I-I know it's terrible. I know it was selfish to ask you to return, to bind you as I have, to force this on you. It's the worst act of evil I could commit, and I won't ask your forgiveness for it. I won't even ask you to stay. The tower on its own can hold the line now, it's strong enough to keep them trapped for decades, a-and I already prepared a missive to the kingdoms to tell them to come and reinforce the barrier periodically, so it's fine if we don't guard it."
She gestured towards the basin, continuing. "You can do whatever you so choose now, and if you want to simply move on…I will let you. No matter what, I want you to be free…I just selfishly wanted five more minutes with you. You've…you've given me more than enough, just by returning and listening to me. A-and if you need time to think, I understand, I-I can leave and go hide in the mountains or something while you consider, o-or I could send you somewhere else if you want to be away from me, or-" her rapidly increasing babbling was cut off by his finger on her lips in a shush gesture, making her stop with a startled squeak.
"I don't need time to decide, Ochako. I already made my decision," he replied, no trace of emotion in his voice to let her know one way or the other. She braced herself…even with all the hope she'd built up, she knew what he would pick from minute one. Being a vampire would go against everything he believed, damning him for eternity the second he drained blood from any being; even if it was an evil one, the gods were not forgiving to the undead. She'd known from the start what he would choose, and though part of her foolishly hoped, she knew better. At least she'd finally gotten to tell him how she felt, and when she was dragged into the Hells for her crimes, she'd take comfort in knowing she managed to do that much.
"Ochako?" he asked, making her turn her attention to him. She did, meeting his eyes with her own, already channeling her magic so she could release his soul at his request. Best to do it swiftly, so she could let herself be taken by the demons sooner rather than later. She'd rather not dwell on- "I'll stay. If it means staying with you, an eternity as undead is a small price to pay."
The magic disappeared from her nerveless fingers, eyes wide, uncomprehending his answer. He…he would stay? W-with her? "Y-you'll-"
"Stay? Yes. Ochako…I can't say I approve of what you've done…but I also can't say I would have done differently. I think you may think too highly of me," he replied with a soft smile, his new fangs glinting in the low, flickering light. One hand reached up to cup her cheek, the press of fingers now a gentle, loving warmth on her cool cheek. She lifted her hand up to cup his hand in her own, to press her skin against his and feel his touch once more, disbelief in her eyes and hope in her heart.
Izuku leaned in and pressed the softest, gentlest kiss to her lips, every magical nerve in her body now flickering with energy, with love and life, even her undead body thrilling to his touch. He drew back, her eyes flickering open as she realized she'd closed them, seeing his bright smile once more. "I'll stay, Ochako. If you'll have me, of course."
She needed no words. She leapt into his arms, fusing her lips to his, nearly tackling him over and into a table full of volatile chemicals and dangerous substances. He barely managed to stop himself from knocking them all over, one hand gripping the edge to balance himself against her sudden weight pressed into him. Sheepishly, she broke the kiss, glancing behind him to stare worriedly at the vials that shook dangerously on the edge of the table.
"Um…maybe…we go wash up first, and uh, go to a different room? If you have one?" Izuku asked, scratching the back of his neck.
Ochako felt something unfamiliar welling up in her chest…pride, injured pride at the thought she wouldn't have such a thing. She swatted at his chest goodnaturedly. "Of course I do. You think I went through all the trouble to make sure our undead bodies still kept their form and flesh and sensations and wouldn't make a comfy place for us to live? I have all the amenities in the upper levels of the tower!"
He chuckled, threading his fingers through hers. "Well then…why don't you show me around? And uh…maybe get us some clothes?"
She took one glance at him and back at herself, the two of them still naked and bloody, and felt a smirk cross her lips. "If we're going to get a bath, we don't need clothes now do we?"
Izuku paused for a moment as the words percolated through his brain, before she watched the most curious sight. His shoulders scrunched up, his face twisted, a similar fashion to the old days when he would blush, but not a trace of pink flooded into his face. This would take some getting used to…but it was still funny to watch him get flustered. "I um…you mean uh…bathing…together?"
"Unless you don't want to?"
"O-oh, n-no, no, I'm um, fine with it!"
She rolled her eyes. "All confident when you say you're going to stay, all fine with us both being naked for the last ten minutes, but the moment I say a bath you're all flustered."
"Look, I've been dead for a decade, cut me some slack!" he retorted, a grin threatening to cross his fake pouting face.
"I'll do anything for you, Izuku," she replied with emphatic conviction, watching his smile grow soft and loving.
He lifted her hand up and kissed it gently on the back of her knuckles. "And I will do anything for you. I love you, Ochako, and I shall continue to do so for eternity."
"And I you, Izuku. Let's go start our new lives."
"Is it lives or unlives?"
A loud sigh escapes Ochako's lips, as the magic takes hold and moves them to another part of the tower, her voice echoes through the now empty ritual chamber. "Never change, Izuku. Never change."