Eden rode off in wild fury. She stopped for nothing and no one. She felt her rage and concern boil right beneath her skin, threatening to overtake her and have her destroy everything in sight. Yet, the one thing that kept her from taking that one, simple dark step was her connection with Arielle. The pain and indescribable fear she felt through their bond sometimes nearly drove Eden mad, but at least she knew the bard was still alive. The warrior knew that if she let the hateful dark take over then she would lose her tie to the blond and never find her. And that would have destroyed Eden completely.
Never in their history did so many guardians aid in the search for one of them. Part of it was the natural warmth of the bard; everyone who met her liked her instantaneously. But a bigger part of it was Eden. Those who could see what the warrior and Arielle shared also feared that the loss of the bard would crush Eden and that she would, in turn, crush everything else.
Eden didn't sleep; she couldn't. The warrior only sometimes slipped into near unconsciousness when her body simply refused to take any more strain. Yet, the moment Eden's consciousness regained the upperhand, her eyes would snap open and within minutes, she would be up again, searching for her best friend. She had already been searching for nearly 7 days for the young bard. She grew nearly frantic, combing the sands, rocks, hills, trees, mountains, rivers, and grasses for her no matter the weather. She cursed every village that Arielle wasn't in and threatened every person she met with unspeakable horrors until she was sure they knew nothing of her friend's whereabouts.
After charging towards the north, Eden passed Ibelin and almost reached Jaffa when she noticed that the bond began to grow weaker until she almost didn't feel it anymore. She finally slid off her horse and landed on the ground exhausted and at her wit's end. Eden wailed to the angels and demons in her despair at the thought that perhaps Arielle was dead. But once her agony had howled out its suffering, Eden pulled herself back up, determined to never believe that Arielle was gone until she saw the body with her own eyes. Eden focused on the bond, felt a very weak warmth in her right arm and turned southeast. She rode back towards Jerusalem and passed it, continuing south to Hebron where she then turned east again, riding along the southern tip of the Dead Sea in the direction of Kerak. Here she slowed, feeling the bond burn within her painfully and she looked for the bard under every rock and behind every tree.
A few days after Arielle's kidnapping, Lawrence was driving himself mad. He could find neither Eden nor Arielle through their thoughts nor anyone who could help him. In a fit of frustration, he locked himself up in his quarters and went deep into meditation, searching for anything that could help him in his search for his friends. He meditated for hours and his fellow knights began to worry about him.
"Lawrence, do not despair for the Lord is with you."
"Gabriel." Lawrence acknowledged quietly, "Arielle is in danger... Eden went after her."
"I know." Gabriel answered, "That is why I have come. You must find Eden. Ride to the south to Hebron."
"I will." Lawrence replied and then in an afterthought asked, "Why are you telling me this?"
"Eden will need you." Gabriel said in a grave tone that was unlike him.
Lawrence rode off that same day to where the archangel had told him with the only person he could find who both the bard and warrior would probably trust and was brave enough for the journey and mission. He and Aldric raced south to catch Eden at Hebron. Lawrence couldn't sense Arielle no matter how hard he tried which worried him and he knew that he would have to support Eden either in battle or grief and he prayed to God that it wasn't the latter.
Humans were capable of horrible things when pushed to the edge of despair. Guardians were capable of even greater horrors; their rage and pain letting their power loose without any control. It wasn't a thing that happened often and most of the time, help was able to reach them before they toppled over the edge. Yet, there were times when they completely feel apart and then either lost their minds and roamed the earth as lunatics or were fought and killed. Guardians were accustomed to much hardship, but were completely lost when they no longer heard their maker. And Eden had stopped listening to God.
When the two men reached the warrior, she growled at their presence and threatened them. She didn't need anyone's help and didn't want anyone slowing her down. They argued and faced each other, each ready to fight if need be. Aldric decided to leave Eden alone, but Lawrence didn't give up. The young man noticed that Lawrence had a certain way of speaking to Eden that never underminded her or backed her into a corner even when he was explaining that she was wrong. He differed from Garrett because he wasn't fighting to prove he was right, but to show Eden that this was what was best for her and all of them. In the end, Eden unwillingly agreed, reminding them fiercely that they were to stay out of her way. Eden was angry, Aldric was scared, and Lawrence was relieved.
As they trotted down a rarely used path, the pain in Eden's chest grew more painful to the point where she would sometimes fold under its crushing pain. Eden didn't need her eyes or ears to steer her to the bard, she simply followed their connection. They rode until the path ended deep between small mountains with a small, dark cave in front of them. They stopped in front of it and dismounted.
"We need a plan-" Lawrence started.
The sound of Eden unsheathing her sword with fury stopped him and she walked into the cave armed with vengeance and a black energy that even a demon would cower in front of.
"We should follow her." Aldric said quickly and started forward.
"No." Lawrence said, blocking the young man's path with his outstretched arm, "This is her battle."
Eden practically stomped through the cave, focused on reaching Arielle as quickly as possible and nothing more. All her senses strained to find any evidence of the blond's whereabouts. When she finally walked into the larger, dim cavern within the cave, her eyes rested upon a miserable sight.
Arielle was sitting near the back of the cavern, slumped against a large, slender boulder jutting upwards from the ground. She was bound to the rock by a thick rope wound several times around her body and tied too tightly. Arielle's head rested against her chest and she gave no recognition of the warrior's presence. Eden took a few tentative steps forward, her eyes quickly adjusting to the dim light and with each step she saw more clearly a sight that made her wish she was blind. The bard's clothing was in tatters, her body a whole slew of cuts, bruises, and scrapes with lines upon lines of dried or fresh blood mixed with dirt. In all her battles, Eden hadn't ever seen someone so battered; Arielle almost didn't look human. Eden grated her teeth and her hands balled into fists while tears filled her eyes and she locked her knees to keep them from giving out. Arielle's sight simply broke her.
"Arielle?" Eden whispered, for a moment fearing that she had arrived too late.
But her ears caught the sound of a raspy breath. She took the last few steps and knelt on one knee in front of the bard.
"Arielle?"
She very cautiously and gently put her fingertips under the bard's chin and tilted it up slowly so that she could see her face. She watched as the bard's eyes slowly opened, revealing the green that Eden coveted so much from amongst the dirt, blood, and bruises.
"Eden... you found me..." she whispered and Eden watched with a cracking heart as the slightest smile appeared with blood trickling from its corner.
"You told me where to look." Eden replied, "Now it's time I take you back."
"Eden... it's a trap..." she rasped.
"I know." Eden said softly, gently caressing the bard's cheek.
Eden had sensed the evil waiting for her when she had walked in. Now they slid out of the shadows with quiet cackles and smacks of their lips. She let the demons, sinister spirits, and evil men crowd around her as a feral grin crossed her lips and she rose to her feet.
"I will teach you to fear the Lord," she hissed in a voice that sent a chill down the spines of the black spirits, spinning her sword lazily in her hand, "and the vengeance of a guardian."
The demons cackled and howled at her, baring their teeth and claws. Eden calmly raised her sword in front of her and took a deep breath. When the demons lunged at her, Eden unleashed all the rage and despair that she had been feeling and began to hack, swipe, and slash with no pity or thought. She growled liked a starved goddess of war let loose. For a while, Arielle stared at her in shock, feeling something in her heart burn in an ugly fire until she had no more strength to keep her eyes open. Blood ran freely and the bone chilling cries of the demons being torn to shreds and sent back to Hell filled the cavern. Eden had no mercy whatsoever and didn't care what the Heavens would think of her now. If God wouldn't bring justice then Eden would. She was tired of the constant fighting that always seemed to be only a losing battle. She was sick of paying for her sins and enraged with the thought that Arielle would pay for them too. The injustice and complete imbalance had simply sent Eden to the edge of her humanity. They say that God gives the heaviest burdens to those He loves the most. I wish He would hate me for at least a day.
The screams and cries of agony died down as the life escaped the kidnappers one by one. Eden stood in the middle of the havoc she reeked, covered in blood, breathing heavily, rage burning in her eyes. She had implemented her justice, but as she turned to look back at Arielle, she noticed that it hadn't made her feel better and nothing in the world had really changed. It was all still her fault.
Lawrence and Aldric heard the echoes of screams and the clanging of metal coming from the cave, but patiently waited. They now saw a possessed man limping out of the hollow. And the warrior came stomping out right behind him.
"Dear God..." Aldric whispered in horror.
Eden looked like the personification of Hell itself, a being that even Satan wouldn't dare touch. She was covered from head to foot in blood and Aldric could find no fear of anything on her face, but only a vengeful fury that any being would be daunted by. The man tripped and began desperately pulling himself along the ground, trying with all his might to escape Eden, but slowed down by his deep leg wound. Eden was patient. She slowly followed him, making his fear eat him from the inside, the quiet disturbed only by the sounds of him groaning, whining, and gasping and her even, concentrated breathing. And after Eden had tired of that game, she slowly put her foot on the man's leg and stopped him. He tried to break free, but couldn't. He turned himself around and looked up at the warrior standing over him. His face contorted in utter terror as he looked up into two, dark blue eyes that held murderous intent.
"Now where do you think you're going?" she snarled as she slowly lowered herself down until she was practically hovering over him.
"Pl-pl-please..." the man stuttered, holding up one hand in feeble defense.
"I will show the same mercy you did." she growled in response, rage flashing in her eyes, "abyssus abyssum invocat."
And with those words, Eden began to slowly and meticulously drive her sword into the man's chest. He constricted when he felt the blade slide between his ribs, wrapping his hands around it, trying to make it stop, his mouth agape. But Eden was merciless, wanting to inflict as much pain as possible. The man's breaths turned into short, sharp spasms, his eyes filled with disbelief. Eden glared at him with a stare devoid of any emotion and continued her bloody deed. And when her sword had gone deep enough, she yanked it out, chose another spot, and started all over again. By the second time, he was dead, his wide, lifeless eyes staring up at the sky. But Eden didn't stop; she wanted to kill him over and over again, his one death not being enough to pay for what he had done. A chill ran up Lawrence's spine as he motioned for Aldric to stay behind and walked up to Eden.
"Eden?... Eden?... Eden!" he called.
The warrior finally slowly looked up at him.
"Eden, stop." he said calmly.
Her stare was more frigid than he had ever seen before and, for the first time in his life, he was actually afraid of her. He watched her yank the sword out of the body and just stand there like an angered god with no followers.
"I'll kill them all." she growled, "I'll kill every last one."
"They're gone. They're dead. It's over."
"It's never over." she hissed as she walked forward, "It will never be finished."
"Eden, they're all gone now."
"I'll kill them all. I'll slay each and every one." she practically chanted.
"Eden, stop." he said more forcefully when she reached him and bravely put his hands on her shoulders.
But she didn't seem to even notice him. She continued to want to move forward, pushing against the Hospitaller who was holding her back.
"I'll send them all to Hell."
"Eden, stop it." he said loudly, growing worried.
"I'll cover the lands in death and flood rivers with blood. I will teach them my wrath."
"Eden!" Lawrence cried, shaking her shoulders.
"They will pay for the innocence they took."
"Eden! Eden, stop this madness!" Lawrence shouted loudly into her face, shaking her as hard as he could, "Eden! Eden, Arielle needs you!"
And at the moment Lawrence was afraid he would have to draw his sword and fight her, he slowly felt Eden stop pushing against him and stand still. She stared out ahead of her, her face taking on an expression of perplexed disorientation. Lawrence watched her struggle to regain control of herself, her humanity clinging to his words like a rope and now hysterically trying to climb up it.
"Arielle..." she whispered, finally remembering why she was there and who she was there for.
Lawrence inwardly sighed in some relief as he watched the black clouds slowly begin to break up in her eyes, revealing a clearer blue. Her rage was slowly being replaced by a great sadness. Eden looked down at her sword and was suddenly disgusted with what she saw. She wiped it against her pants and sheathed it. She looked up at Lawrence and he gave her a weak smile, finally letting his hands slide off her shoulders. She silently turned around and went back to the cave for Arielle.
Arielle had been watching the entrance for the whole time with all her might, a part of her afraid that the warrior had left her behind, disgusted with what she saw. She watched Eden return and for a moment, Arielle thought that she was a demon. She drew in a sharp breath and backed up against the rock as far as she could go, whimpering quietly. Eden crouched down in front of her and the weak light caught her face and Arielle saw the blue in her eyes, a blue that she knew could never be demonic and the bard calmed down, knowing that she was safe.
"I'm going to take you back with me." Eden said softly.
"I dreamt you would." the bard replied, a single tear falling from her bruised eye.
They gave each other ghosts of smiles laced with great pain. Eden leaned forward and gently scooped up the bard into her arms. She got to her feet and felt the bard weakly wrap her arms around the warrior's neck and rest her cheek against her chest. Eden fought to keep her hammering heart under control, her anger bubbling up again, wanting to scream the wounds and pain away.
Eden carried the bard out of the cavern and Arielle had to close her eyes against the light that she hadn't seen for days. She was thankful for the fresh air and breeze and felt like she could finally breathe again. The clean air flowed through her lungs, filling her with a small amount of new life.
"My dear God, what did they do to her?" Lawrence let slip, completely dumbfounded with how battered the bard was.
Arielle looked up weakly at Eden with apprehension when she heard the voice.
"Lawrence and Aldric came with me." Eden told her quietly.
The bard cringed and Eden could feel her try to roll up into a ball in her arms and hide her face in her chest.
"It's alright." Eden tried to soothe, "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. You're safe now."
Arielle didn't want to see or talk to anyone. She wanted to be left alone, to clean the dirt and horror from her skin and mind. It made her want to scream at the top of her lungs, but she simply didn't have the strength. She took comfort in the strange warmth that seemed to radiate from Eden even through her armor. She pressed her cheek up against the warrior's chest and calmed to the sound of her strong heart, a part of which, she liked to hope, beat for her. Eden had come back for her just like she knew she would and Eden didn't know that that thought was the only thing that had kept Arielle clinging to life.
Eden carried the bard over to the litter the men had prepared and tied to Arion and laid her down. Aldric walked up to Arielle and crouched down next to her, completely stunned.
"I'm so sorry..." he said gently, reaching out to her.
"Please... don't touch me..." she rasped and flinched.
Aldric and Lawrence looked at Eden in shock and the warrior could only clench her jaw tightly. Aldric slowly moved away and Eden covered the bard with a blanket, crouching next to her. She took out a waterskin and gently brought it to the bard's lips, letting her take a few small swallows.
"We need to find a place where we can stay." Eden explained gently, "Try and rest."
They mounted and rode off as quickly as they could without disturbing Arielle too much. They traveled in silence, no one knowing what to say after what they had seen. The bard had fallen asleep, but after some time she began to moan softly and twitch. Eden automatically stopped, dismounted, and walked over to the blond.
"Arielle, what is it?" Eden asked with gentle concern.
The bard opened her eyes, but said nothing and used all her strength to grab Eden's nearby hand. Arielle wanted to tell her to stay next to her, that she was the only thing that didn't disgust her, that she was her safety, but she simply couldn't get the words out. Instead she slid back into a fitful sleep. The warriors continued on their journey until Arielle began to moan and twist again and this time Eden could hear an audible pleading. The warrior stopped them all again and without a single word took out a rope from her saddlebags and tied the litter to Lawrence's horse as well.
"You take Arion." she said to the Hospitaller shortly, "He won't trust Aldric."
The men nodded and silently remounted and Lawrence watched sadly as the warrior who had slaughtered 30 demons singlehandedly now lay herself down beside the bard and wrapped her arms about her gently. And Arielle's moans almost instantaneously ceased.
They rode until they reached a small village on the edge of the Dead Sea. They knew that the nearest castle, Kerak, would have been the safest option, but they couldn't pull Arielle all that way; they would have been too much of a target and Arielle needed care right away. As they neared the village, Lawrence could see the women and children outside eye the travellers warily and then scurry away to one dwelling near the center of the village. After a short while, an elderly woman made her way out and walked over to them, followed by a few villagers.
"Assalamu 'alaikum."
"Dominus vobiscum." the Hospitaller answered, dismounting.
"Go!" the woman now shouted with the formalities out of the way, "No ghanimah!"
Lawrence knew that they wouldn't be welcome here even though they were in the lands that belonged to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He tried to explain and reason, but the woman would have none of it. Everyone grew silent when Eden got up and walked up to them.
The warrior said nothing, but looked at the woman who now recognized the warrior from the siege of Ascalon. Eden was covered in blood and dirt, but the woman saw the pain in her blue, tormented eyes; a pain that only someone else who had known great loss could see or understand. They exchanged no words, but the woman seemed to know that Eden wouldn't have asked if she wasn't desperate. A life for a life, the woman thought. She slowly pointed towards the sea and when Eden followed her finger, she saw a few abandoned hovels near the shore off to the far side of the village. Eden returned her gaze to the woman.
"Hasan." Eden whispered.
The woman sighed, shook her head, and pointed up at the sky.
"Muslim." she said.
They understood each other, they both seemed to know the weight of carrying out God's will against what they would consider to be their better judgment. The woman was no Saracen, but a follower of Islam, a leader of a tiny village of those who had been cast out and abandoned. She stayed only because she saw the greater good in it just like she saw it in dealing with the woman warrior who was feared by both the dark and light, who was covered in death but claimed to be of God. Eden bowed her head slightly in recognition and turned back to Arielle. Lawrence and Aldric mounted and turned their horses around to the place the woman had pointed to. Eden walked alongside Arielle, holding her hand in silence. When they came into view, the woman's hard eyes softened and she put her hand over her chest in shock.
"Yarhamuk-Allah ghazi!" the woman called out after them and Eden turned her head, gave a faint smile, and then turned forward again.
They arrived a while later at the abandoned hovels and Aldric and Lawrence took one for themselves and another was taken by Eden and Arielle. Lawrence helped bring in all the supplies they had into the women's hovel before Eden carried Arielle in. After laying Arielle down, Eden checked the door and windows, making sure everything was as safe as it could be. She finally let out a sigh, relieved they were at least protected from the elements and pulled off her chainmail. She gathered some water and a few cloths she had in her saddlebags and sat down next to the bard. She tried to keep a stoic face when cleaning Arielle's wounds, but after a dozen, cracks in her facade appeared. As if they felt the exact same pain, Eden winced and cringed when Arielle did and she let out heavy sighs that were attempts to push away tears ready to spill onto the surface as Arielle's freely did.
"Don't cry." Arielle whispered weakly when a tear finally fell.
Eden stopped what she was doing, trying to keep herself under control. She was filled with great regret and a guilt far worse than she had ever known.
"I should have been there." she said in a cracking voice, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."
"You're here now." Arielle countered, "Just... please, just don't leave."
"I won't." Eden said quickly and took hold of the bard's hand and absently kissed her palm, "I won't."
Arielle gave her a weak smile and Eden returned to gently cleaning the bard. She undressed her very slowly, stopping every time the bard felt in the slightest way uncomfortable and wrapping her in a large tunic so that she wouldn't feel completely exposed. Eden had to change to the water five times before Arielle was finally free of the blood and dirt.
Eden made the bard some herbal tea and decided that Arielle might try to eat something after having rested. Eden gave her the tea in spoonfuls, the two friends looking at each other, but not able to find the right words because there was simply too much to say. When the tea was finished, Eden covered Arielle in a blanket, told her to sleep, and promised that she would stay there with her.
"You came back for me..." Arielle whispered, the soothing tea starting to take effect.
Eden simply nodded.
"It's you, Eden..." the bard whispered, her eyes growing heavy, as the words slipped out before succumbing to sleep, "You're my warrior... My guardian..."
Under Eden's diligent care, Arielle was recovering quite well physically. The cuts and scrapes began to scar over, the bruises were fading. While Arielle lay in bed, Eden brought her a large bouquet of wildflowers which she scoured the land for just because she knew that Arielle would like it. She even told a few stories about their adventures when the bard couldn't sleep and Arielle would either laugh, blush, or adore when Eden would describe her and her exploits. After a few days, Arielle was strong enough to take light walks along the shore of the sea with Eden, her arm usually linked with the warrior's. Sometimes they talked about all kinds of things and some days they didn't say a word. Yet, the thing that worried Eden was that the bard generally spoke much less than usual.
There were times before when Eden thought that Arielle never stopped talking and would actually stay up at night to enjoy the quiet when the blond was sleeping. But now the warrior missed the talkative bard. Eden thought back to a time not all that long ago, but that now seemed to be ages before when she and Arielle had danced to the sounds of crickets and cicadas all happily chirping away. The memory brought a warm feeling to her heart and Eden let in a small, endearing thought she rarely allowed herself- the bard was her little cricket. Arielle said very little about her ordeal, but Eden could see that it was always on her mind when she was worrying her lower lip or nervously wringing her hands. Eden didn't know what to say and cursed herself for being so helpless.
Arielle constantly had nightmares about her ordeal. She would hit and thrash against Eden until she woke up and then would cling to the warrior for dear life. Eden would hold, stroking her hair and whispering that she was safe in her ear as her heart tried its hardest not to break. But there were nights the bard didn't want to be held and would just curl up into a ball, hold Eden's hand as the warrior lay awake beside her, and whimper back to sleep. Arielle tried to believe that it would soon pass and she would feel safe again, but there were moments when even she no longer believed that.
It was those nightmares that reached Constance and sent her racing over to them. She sensed an evil she wasn't able to fully identify, but she had a feeling that she would be needed. She didn't know why she was helping two women she hardly knew and one of whom evidently didn't trust her, but she felt it must be done. Perhaps it would be atonement for her husband's sins. Perhaps it would be an offer in return for a peaceful life for her daughters.
When Constance arrived, everyone was surprised to see her, except for Eden who was angry.
"What are you doing here?" the warrior demanded.
"Arielle-"
"How do you know about her?" Eden snarled, pushing the woman against the wall of the hovel, her hand holding the neck of her dress, "Did you have anything to do with this?"
"I sensed her nightmares." the physician revealed, remembering why she feared Eden and beginning to regret her decision.
Eden looked at her hard for a while and just when Lawrence thought he might have to intervene, Eden let her go.
"What can you tell me?"
"Not much. I would have to examine her first."
"Only with me present." Eden quickly said.
"Of course."
Constance examined the bard thoroughly, yet gently. Eden watched her closely from the corner of the room. The physician finished and turned to Eden with a tired look on her face.
"Everything seems to be just fine. She's healing very nicely. You did very good work."
Yet, Eden saw a strange look in the umbra's eyes, one that looked like a foreboding look of worry as if she knew that there was something that was out of place and didn't make sense.
The warrior noticed that just when the bard seemed to be strong enough for them to finally return to Jerusalem, their walks began to grow shorter and Arielle slept longer than usual. The blond seemed to always be tired and became even more quiet. Eden said nothing, studying her friend closely, relaying her observations to Lawrence and, rather unwillingly, to Constance.
Arielle was scared herself. Her body was healing, but she felt a strange heaviness within her and echoes of whispers that would float through her head. The whispers spoke ill of Eden, trying to convince her that the warrior had brought her nothing but misfortune and pain since the day they met. The bard fought against these whispers, knowing in her heart that they weren't true. So the whispers turned to ones doubting Eden's good intentions and suspecting that sooner or later, Eden would choose the darkness that she had never really ever forsaken and leave the bard behind. Images of Eden and Garrett together would flash through her mind and it felt like someone needling her heart, making her suck in a small yet sharp breath every time they appeared. And sometimes it would all lead Arielle to doubt the warrior guardian, to second guess the friend she admittedly loved greatly. She would pace in her room from wall to wall in the short instances when Eden was gone, biting her lip and running her fingers through her hair in frustration and hesitation. But, in the end, Arielle didn't want to believe it and fought against the echoes and images to exhaustion.
That day Arielle was too tired for a walk, so the two women sat outside the hovel, their backs against the wall, looking out onto the water.
"Lawrence sends his regards." Eden said slowly and quietly, "He always asks about you... He'd like to see you..."
"I can't see him now." the bard whispered.
"Alright. You don't have to."
They said nothing more. Eden worried that Arielle still preferred to keep to herself though there was a part of her that understood. It was just so unlike the blond to keep away and silent, especially since she knew she was among friends. But Eden didn't want to push or pry and decided that they would do things at the bard's pace. The quiet was disturbed by the sound of Arielle's tears falling against her own sleeve.
"Eden..." Arielle managed until her voice cracked.
The warrior turned to see a shattered bard looking back at her. Eden would have given up anything asked of her just to have the bard smile again.
"Oh, Eden," the blond said, slumping into the warrior's arms, sobbing, "please, make it go away."
"You know I would." Eden said, holding the bard tightly and trying to ignore the painful squeeze around her chest and heart.
Eden held the bard for some time until her sobs finally died away and her tears soaked into the warrior's tunic.
"It was so dark... so cold..." Arielle suddenly said very slowly, "There were so many of them... constantly appearing and disappearing... They were everywhere..."
Eden could hear the bard's breath grow shaky and she tightened her embrace ever so slightly.
"They would laugh at me... taunt me that I would never leave... Never see my friends again... And they told horrible stories about you... Such unspeakable horrors... I didn't believe them and they would only laugh more... And when they stopped laughing, they... they would... touch..."
Large tears rolled down the bard's face as sobs began to ripple through her again.
"Oh, Eden, I can't." she admitted, burying her face in the warrior's chest.
Eden cradled her gently, rocking her back and forth while stroking her hair as the bard cried into her chest. Her heart twisted in a pain she had never known before and that a million battles wouldn't have prepared her for.
"You can read thoughts..." Arielle said after a while, her sobs now under control, "Read mine."
"Are you sure? You don't have to tell me."
"I want you to know," the bard assured her, though afraid Eden might be disgusted with her later, "but I just can't say it."
Eden held the bard close as she closed her eyes and concentrated on her thoughts. It took only a few seconds for the warrior to see the same things that Arielle remembered. She saw the terrified bard surrounded by men and demons, witches and shapeshifters and felt her muscles tense in anger. The bard felt it and embraced the warrior more tightly. Eden saw the demons poke and prod her, inflicting pain and torture while they howled in delight. She saw the men touch her like no woman should ever be touched. The demons stroked her soft skin with their claws, licking it with their forked tongues. And when they were angry they would slap, kick, bite, punch, cut, and hit the bard with anything they could find. They would taunt her with food and drink, give her plants that caused her to hallucinate and then become ill, they would keep her awake, question her for hours, and do demonic things in front of her, forcing her to watch. As Eden ran through the bard's memories, she felt herself clenching her teeth so hard that she was afraid she might finally crush them. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think. And finally Eden opened her eyes as she was pushed out of Arielle's mind.
Eden let Arielle go and sat back, now noticing that she hadn't been breathing that whole time. Eden felt dirty, disgusted, and vile and it pained her to think it was just a fraction of what the bard must have felt. She looked at the bard to see relief in her eyes that Eden now knew what had happened and Eden's eyes told her that she thought no less of her because of it. Eden rose and stretched out her hand.
"I'll make you some tea." she said as Arielle took her hand and pulled herself up.
Arielle smiled at the warrior until she felt a sudden dark heaviness flowing over her, making it hard to think and breathe.
"I don't feel so well." Arielle managed to murmur before collapsing.
Eden caught her at the last moment, lifted her up, and carried her back to bed. She shouted for Lawrence and Constance and they both came running into the room.
"Do something." Eden ordered and Constance rushed over to the unconscious blond.
"What happened?"
"She was trying to tell me what had happened to her... She let me read her mind... Then she collapsed."
Constance listened to her breathing and heartbeat and couldn't find any sign of sickness. The bard's bruises and wounds had also almost all healed. The umbra opened Arielle's eyes and looked at them for a long time.
"Something isn't right." she muttered quietly to herself and closed them again.
Arielle began to grow weaker and weaker. It reminded Eden of the bard's coughing sickness except that Arielle wasn't sick at all. Her strength faded along with the color in her cheeks and the last of her cheerfulness. It almost seemed as if the life was being sucked out of her through the air. Eden paced back and forth, driving herself nearly mad with worry. She tried everything she could think of, threatened everyone she saw to help the bard, prayed every prayer she remembered, and spent every minute she could holding Arielle's hand. The memories of when Eden had thought she had lost the bard plagued her mind and she couldn't stand going through it again. It was all her fault.
Arielle no longer got out of bed, simply lying there, rasping away the minutes. Eden fed the bard some soup, spoonful by slow spoonful, forced to sit by and watch the bard fade away. The blond had only eaten half, but didn't have the strength for any more and Eden set the bowl aside with a sigh as Constance quietly walked in and began to prepare some treatments in the corner of the room.
"Eden..." Arielle whispered, very pale and with slightly trembling lips.
"I'm here." the warrior replied, reaching for the bard's hands and holding them in her own.
"I want you... to promise me something... If I die-"
"You're not going to die." Eden said quickly.
Eden's stern gaze battled with the bard's fragile one and lost miserably.
"If I die... then take me back across the sea... and bury me underneath an oak tree... where I can lie next to you..."
"Arielle..." Eden replied in quiet shock, "What about your family?"
"You're my family... I thought you knew... Please, promise me..."
"I promise." the warrior said in a defeated tone, giving Arielle's hands a small squeeze and then rising to leave.
"Eden."
"Hm?"
"I love you."
Eden could only smile, a gigantic wave of emotions threatening to take over her. She brushed her hand over the bard's forehead once and then promptly left without a word. The bard's sad eyes followed her out of the room, fully understanding that Eden just couldn't stay there.
"Watch over her." Arielle whispered to Constance while still looking at the door, "I don't want her to ever be alone again."
And outside the door, Eden leaned against the wall and slid down it when her legs gave out, clutching her chest as her heart threatened to tear itself apart in anguish.
One day, Arielle slipped into sleep and didn't wake from it. She simply slept, her breathing slow and somewhat labored, her face and skin pale. Eden refused to leave her and sat by her bedside night and day, watching over her. Aldric brought her some pieces of wood she had asked for and she spent the time whittling away, making Arielle an army of angels to protect her. There were times when Eden would think that the blond's eyes were opening or that there was a movement in her hand and the warrior would jump from her chair and say the bard's name over and over again until she understood that it was only her hope playing tricks on her again.
Eden racked her brains for any kind of solution. She knew that something was wrong, but she didn't know what it was. Of all the things she felt, she felt helpless most of all. The feeling drove her nearly insane; she hated it. She knew she should help, she wanted to help, to save Arielle, but she didn't know how. She wanted to tear the world apart, hack it up, and burn it down. She imagined herself riding up and down all the known lands, destroying everything in sight in her despair and rage. She could if she wanted to, maybe it would be a way... But it wouldn't ever be something Arielle would be proud of. Eden took a deep breath and reached deep into herself for just a little more strength.
"Oh, my dear bard, what has chased your smile away?" Eden said fondly while gently pushing the hair off the bard's forehead.
Eden sighed heavily, got up and poured herself some wine, and looked out the window at the sea.
"Gabriel." Eden muttered when she caught the flash of the angel appearing in the room.
"Greetings, Eden." Gabriel said with a warm smile on his face that now annoyed her.
"To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure? I was beginning to think everyone had already forgotten about me."
"Forgotten? No one has forgotten about you." Gabriel replied with surprise and genuine concern.
"Really? Well, then I must have just overlooked the waves of attention I was getting." she retorted sarcastically.
"We are always nearby." Gabriel began and tried to clasp Eden's hand which she quickly pulled away.
"Save your pity on someone who wants it." she countered sharply and her sarcasm gave way to anger as she took a swallow from her goblet.
"Do you think it wise to seek your truth in wine?" Gabriel asked quietly and leaned back in his chair.
"What does it matter to you what I do and don't do wisely?" Eden asked, her eyes narrowing.
"It does. Whether you want to believe that or not."
"Well then I choose not to." she said, taking a theatrical swallow to prove her point while Gabriel only shook his head.
"What do you want, Gabriel?" Eden asked after a few moments of silence, "You're a message bearer, archangel. Give me the message then."
"I don't know now if I should."
"Then go." Eden retorted, shrugging her shoulders.
"You know that you are destroying yourself as punishment for something that was not your fault. What is worse, it brings you no solace." the archangel noticed.
"Don't you dare speak to me of solace, archangel!" Eden thundered and threw her goblet across the room.
It hit the wall with such force that it left a small hole as wine dripped down it. Eden's chest heaved in a fiery rage that was threatening to take her over. Gabriel didn't move, but only sighed heavily.
"Eden," he said slowly and calmly, "your dark is creeping too close to the surface. You are falling out of balance."
"My dark has always been there." she scoffed.
"But you should fight against it."
"How can I when you took away my spirit?" Eden shot back, her voice an inch from cracking.
"Eden, we did not take anything from you."
"Perhaps. But you also didn't bring anything back." she retorted and met the archangel's eyes with a look of raw hurt and suffering that touched him, "You just left her. And now she's neither here nor there... And all I want is to find myself in the same place she is. And then I can bring her back... or just stay there with her."
Gabriel knotted his eyebrows and peered at her intensely. He could see that she spoke from genuine hurt and concern, emotions which he himself had sometimes doubted the warrior still possessed and that now truly amazed him.
"I just don't want to be here anymore, Gabriel." Eden admitted quietly, her anger giving way to despair and fatigue.
"Have faith, Eden."
"Faith is a rare commodity in this place, in these times." she countered sadly.
"Hold on to it. Desperately even." he continued.
"Despair is something I have much of." she admitted painfully.
"Eden... You know that God's promise is a kept promise."
"Have you noticed that it's only the angels that are ever convinced of that?"
Gabriel sighed and saw that his presence brought the warrior no comfort. He gazed at her, knowing her dread and uncertainty.
"Do not let your anger and fear cloud your judgment. See through your heart."
"My heart? My heart?!" Eden seethed through her clenched teeth in a cracking voice and tears welling up in her eyes, "My heart is breaking, you divine fool."
"Then where is your faith?" he asked quietly.
"Where is your mercy?!" she cried out.
She was merely a human and no longer had the strength to fight her despair. She lunged at the angel, grabbing his shoulders. Yet no sooner had she barely felt the touch of his garments, she felt a strong force explode from him and propel her backwards, throwing her into the wall. She grimaced, but was quickly on her feet, breathing hard.
Her rage came to the surface. Injustice was all she ever seemed to know. It was always an uphill battle, a high price to pay, a sacrifice to be made. She had had enough of it. She was tired with giving and losing, never able to take or hold anything for too long because it either left, died, or was taken away from her. And Arielle had begun to let her believe that maybe she wasn't an evil being after all, that maybe loss and destruction weren't all she deserved, that perhaps there was another way. But now it all seemed to be a blatant lie, a clever, sadistic trick played on the warrior and she felt foolish and betrayed. Half of the known world feared her, she thought, perhaps it was time the other half did also.
With an almost murderous intent in her eyes, she hurdled herself at the angel again. He caught her easily and Eden realized she couldn't move in his iron grip.
"Do not think me simply some bright, soft speck of light only because I am God's messenger." Gabriel advised, his tone strangely low and charged, "I have battled evil since the creation of man and have vanquished demons more powerful than a thousand of you, guardian. So now choose wisely."
There was a part of her that just burned to take on the angel, to take on God Himself for all she had had done to her. And there would be nothing left when she was done, only her and she would rule all, everyone and everything would fear her, and no one would hurt her or take from her again.
But there was another current that now also flowed beneath her skin. A thin, golden thread that wrapped itself around Eden's veins. It cooled her boiling blood, soothed her angry wounds, calmed her rage. It floated whispers of truth and hope up to her mind and wiped away the crashing lightning from her eyes. Her anger drove her to be something much more than she was, but so did the golden threads. Yet, they did it in a different way that Eden couldn't explain, but seemed to have been searching for since she could remember. She closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and let herself be overwhelmed in the most gentle way possible.
"Forgive me." she whispered through her still clamped jaw, as she took a large step backwards.
"All is forgiven." Gabriel said gently, the wrath gone from him and the gentle flame returning to his eyes, "Believe me when I tell you that I understand your pain."
"Do you?" she asked with skeptic sarcasm.
"I do."
Eden gave a single nod of recognition. Angels may not always answer questions, but they were absolutely incapable of lying. The warrior sighed heavily and dropped into a chair. She no longer felt compelled to pretend she was a walking stronghold. She didn't have the strength for it now and for that moment she wasn't going to be the impenetrable fortress, but rather the crumbling castle she really was.
"Tell me what to do, archangel." she said quietly.
"You know I cannot do that. I can only bring you messages."
"Then give me a message."
"I have none."
Eden winced and bit her knuckles.
"I've been abandoned then." she whispered, her voice cracking.
"No." the archangel disagreed, "It means God's intervention is not needed."
Eden looked up at him and didn't know whether to be hopeful or offended.
"You are a guardian warrior, Eden. Fight."
Gabriel disappeared in a bright glow, leaving Eden alone again in the room as she sunk her head into her hands. She took large, slow breaths, fighting to retain her composure. She felt like everything that surrounded her was covered in black shrouds of loss and grief. No matter what she did, the dark clung to her, refusing to let go. But there was another force that was also clinging to her for dear life. But unlike her dark, it didn't expect Eden to drown herself in it, to give herself over and succumb completely. Instead it enveloped her, embracing her protectively and told her that she hadn't been abandoned and never would be. It fortified her conviction and strengthened her resolve and continually convinced her to hold on to her humanity and the tatters of her soul just as tightly as that force was holding on to her. Eden was perplexed at how something so gentle could be so strong. Before now, she had only understood power in terms of strength and aggression. She noticed how parts of her dark had already succumbed to that new force of good. Now she noticed how that good didn't seem to succumb to her reappearing rage. She lifted her head and turned to look at Arielle.
"It's funny," Eden said quietly, peering quizzically at the unconscious bard with tear filled eyes, "that which makes me strongest is also my greatest weakness."
Some time later, Lawrence walked into the room quietly and approached the warrior.
"How are you?" the Hospitaller asked, seeing Eden slumped in the chair.
"She's dying, isn't she?" Eden asked with an absolutely blank stare.
"I don't really know what it is." he confessed after a few moments, "She shows no physical symptoms... It almost seems that Arielle is fightning something inside her and they've simply come to a standstill."
Eden gave a weak nod in recognition and resumed staring blankly at the wall. Lawrence sighed and ran his hands through his hair.
"How do I protect her?" Eden said weakly to the wall in a cracking voice.
"Go rest, Eden. I'll watch over her. There's no sense in driving yourself mad." the knight said with concern.
But Eden didn't move and Lawrence hadn't really expected her to. If Arielle was to get better, Eden wanted to see her open her eyes. If Arielle was to die, she wanted to remember her last breath. If Arielle was to remain sick, she wanted to hope she would contract the sickness and be with the bard that way. The knight sighed and seeing that it would be another long night, left to bring them back something to eat.
When he was gone, Eden got up, walked over to Arielle's bed, sat on the edge and leaned over her.
"I'm lost without you Arielle..." she whispered lightly, "I just wish I knew how to bring you back..."
The sight of the unresponsive bard made her heart hammer in a desire to protect and the fear she wasn't able to.
"Please come back... Why won't you come back?" she rasped and rested her forehead against Arielle's, closing her eyes.
Eden suddenly felt lips begin to touch hers and for a split second she thought they might be Arielle's until she registered how unbelievably cold they were. Eden jumped back as a black smoke snaked up through Arielle's mouth and formed the outline of a demon.
"Mmm, wine..." the demon hissed, floating above Arielle.
"Be gone!" Eden shouted and raised her hands to attack.
"Ah, ah, ah." the demon countered, "that's not a good idea. I have her."
"Have her?" Eden repeated.
"Oh, yes." the demon replied, "she's all mine."
Eden's eyes flickered from the demon to the bard and then back to the smoky outline.
"You lie." Eden chanced.
"Ah..." the demon acknowledged, "she does seem more immune to my charm than I thought."
"Leave her be." Eden snarled, taking a step forward.
"I wouldn't if I were you." the demon threatened, his tone turning into a low, rumbling, echoing thunder.
The smoke swirled around the bard's forehead and she began to moan in pain. Eden clenched her teeth and took a step back.
"See? You're not as stupid as Paimon said you are. I hate it when he's right..."
"Who are you and what do you want?" she demanded.
"Oh, what I've always wanted, my dear guardian." the demon chuckled, disappearing back through Arielle's mouth, "You."
Eden stood there in shock as hundreds of thoughts spun around in her head until they finally fell away, leaving only one. She approached the bard cautiously, feeling her right arm burning.
"I wanted you to tell me what to do," Eden whispered, running her fingers gently through the bard's hair, "but instead I'll tell you something... I will protect you with all my strength, all my faith, and all my heart and I won't ever let you go."
Eden finally decided to see what weight pendants, prophecies, visions, and faith really held. She stood over Arielle and outstretched her right hand over her body.
"Domine, exaudi oratianem meam. Et clamor meus ad te veniat." she said quietly.
A silence and strange stillness hovered in the room and Eden took a deep breath, not noticing Lawrence and Constance walking in.
"Exorcizamos te, omnis immunde spiritus, omnis satanic potestas, omnis infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica. Non ultra audeas, serpens callidissime, decipere humanum genus, ac Dei electos excutere et cribrare sicut triticum. Imperat tibi Deus altissimus, cui in magna tua superbia te simile haberi adhuc praesumis; qui omnes hominess vult salvos fieri, et ad agnitionem veritatis venire." she chanted quietly, yet powerfully, "Imperat tibi Deus Pater; imperat tibi Deus Filius; imperat tibi Deus Spiritus Sanctus. Imperat tibi majestas Christi, aeternum Dei Verbum caro factum, Imperat tibit excelsa Dei Genitrix Virgo Maria, Imperat tibi fides sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, et ceterorum Apostolorum. Imperat tibi Martyrum sanguis, ac pia Sanctorum et Sanctarum omnium intercessio... Imperat tibi ego."
Lawrence looked on in shock at the warrior who was daring to elevate herself to the ranks of angels and saints. He knew she was powerful, but he realized that he might not have any real idea of what she was truly capable of. There was an energy about her the likes of which he had never sensed before. He noticed Arielle's eyes open and widen, her hands opening palms upward, her lungs drawing longer breaths. With a knowing, solemn gravity etched into her face, Eden lowered her hand and took a deep breath and Lawrence had the impression that she was taking that moment to somehow say goodbye.
"Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit." Eden said falling to her knees, raising her arms into the air, and looking up, "Accipite me ut anim amea."
And with those words, Eden lost consciousness and crumpled to the floor.
- Hell calls hell.
- Peace be upon you.
- The Lord be with you all.
- No spoils of war.
- Good/ admirable.
- One who submits their will to Allah.
- May God have mercy on you, holy warrior!
- O Lord, hear my prayer. And let my cry come unto Thee.
- We cast you out, every unclean spirit, every satanic power, every onslaught of the infernal adversary, every legion, every diabolical group and sect. No longer dare, cunning serpent, to deceive the human race, to strike God's elect and to sift them as wheat. For the Most High God commands you, He to Whom you once proudly presumed yourself equal; He Who wills all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of Truth commands you.
God the Father commands you. The Son of God commands you. God the Holy Ghost commands you. Christ, the Eternal Word of God made flesh, commands you, The exalted Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, commands you, The Faith of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and the other Apostles commands you. The blood of martyrs and the devout prayers of all holy men and women command you... I command you.
- The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Take me to my love.
Author's Note: I just wanted to say thanks for all the reviews from everyone (as always, a special shout out to Fluval66); they really make my day and keep me going!