"What's happening?" Lawrence asked, running to Eden and cradling her now limp body.
"She's passed over the realm of the soul." Constance explained calmly, studying the warrior closely, "To where she might rescue Arielle's spirit."
"How is that even possible?" the Hospitaller asked in confusion.
If she had to be honest, Constance didn't really know. She was aware that such a realm existed, but had never heard of anyone other than angels or demons entering it. What she did know was that although the soul and body were ultimately separate, in life they were connected enough to let one severely effect the other. She closed her eyes in a doubtful moment as she heard Aldric run in, hearing the commotion. The physician pictured her precious daughters. This would be their redemption, she thought. She opened her eyes, determined to not lose a single soul that day.
"Lay her down." she told Lawrence shortly and then turned to Aldric, "Bring me clean cloths and a large basin with water."
Aldric nodded and did what she asked in a hurry and without a word while Lawrence picked Eden off of the floor and lay her down on the bed next to Arielle's. Constance worked in focused determination; she loosened the warrior's tunic and pulled up her sleeves, then soaked the cloths Aldric had brought and put them on Eden's forehead, neck, and forearms.
"Bring me some rope." she told Aldric and again he ran off.
"What?" Lawrence asked, looking at the umbra with hesitation.
"She's battling a powerful demon... We can't take any chances." she explained without looking at him.
Aldric returned with the coiled rope and the physician took it from him and placed it on the floor beside her, hearing the Hospitaller sigh in relief. Constance checked Eden's eyes, breathing, and heartbeat and then took a step back, folding her arms.
"Now we wait."
"Do you know what's happening?" Aldric asked in a tense tone.
"There's a thin layer between what's on earth and in the heavens and that's where the soul dwells." Constance explained to both of them, "If she defeats the demon, they'll both be free. If she doesn't... she remain forever in limbo without a soul... They both might..."
"How do you know all this?" Lawrence questioned.
"I know how demons possess a person. They don't exactly just walk up and introduce themselves."
Lawrence knotted his brows and looked at his two unconscious friends. He envied the bond they had; they paid no attention to sacrifice or consequences when it came to saving each other's life; one simply couldn't live without the other no matter how blind they might be to that. But in the middle of it Lawrence felt painfully helpless. They were his friends too; Eden was like a sister to him and he had grown very fond of the bard. But all he ever seemed to do was watch events unfold in front of him like a pathetic bystander. It frustrated him because he wanted them to know that he would be there for them.
"I have to help her." he stated and made a move towards the warrior.
"No." Constance interjected sternly, blocking his path with her arm, "If this doesn't work, then you have to be here."
He looked at her sternly, wanting to ask what right she had to give him orders, but there was something in her eyes that told him that she understood more than he did.
"I don't want to have to comfort Arielle." he whispered.
Constance said nothing, knowing that Eden's decision was, at best, completely insane. They simply stood there waiting. The minutes seemed to drag on for centuries and Aldric finally shook his head and left, unable to take the helpless watching. The physician and knight continued their vigile, their arms crossed over their chests, their eyes glued to the two friends, their minds frantically trying to convince them in every way possible that it would all be all right in the end.
"Do you think the stories are true?" Lawrence suddenly asked skeptically.
"It's said to be prophecy..." Constance rebutted gently.
"They're the ancient writings of an unknown time, place, and author that haven't come true." Lawrence countered, not knowing whether he ever wanted them to be true.
"If they are true," Constance said with a sigh of acknowledgment, "then we'll know soon enough."
There was a prophecy found somewhere in the sands of the desert once a long time ago that told of a powerful guardian, God's most elite chosen one. The prophecy had been repeated through the ages, but no one knew what it actually meant. The fragment of the scroll was kept nevertheless, closely guarded by the Templars. "The White Guardian shall this one be named, one in all the pieces. And this chosen one shall be heralded by the sign depicting two halves of a whole and a weapon which bears divine words of truth, timeless and reoccurring as the angel". But no one had ever seen these things and though many knew of the scroll, few chose to actually believe it.
Eden opened her eyes. She had a secret fear that when she asked to be taken, she would end up in a dark place. But she could sense the calm that surrounded her and the gentle mist that brushed her skin. She slowly got up and looked around.
"Sonneillon..." Eden taunted, looking all around her, "Why don't you come out to play?..."
In truth, Eden had little idea of what she was doing. She kept her mind focused on saving Arielle, hoping that her instincts and sharp mind would tell her what to do in the end.
"Oh, I do believe this is my lucky day!" the demon cried out, the mist thinning out around him, "You must think highly of yourself to come here and challenge me. I'll take my sweet time in teaching you your grave mistake."
The demon was a huge and terrifying monster. He had four arms with hands that ended in long claws. His massive legs drew down to haunches that ended in clawed feet. He had a thin, red mane that went from his lower back to his head which was crowned with two long, sharp, curved horns. His eyes blazed red in hate, his long, sharp teeth always on display, veins of heat running right beneath the entire skin of his being. But the warrior knew that his power and the destruction his hate brought were much more frightening than his appearance. After all, they did have a history together.
"And who thinks highly of themselves now?" Eden rebutted, raising an eyebrow and drawing her sword.
"How did you get that here?" he nearly squeaked, his eyes wide with shock.
"I'm sure you've heard I have many skills." Eden rumbled and a feral grin stretched across her face, "So are you just going to stand there? Maybe you're afraid..."
Eden taunted the demon to make him mad, knowing full well that she was playing an incredibly dangerous game. She knew that in the soul's realm he was stronger than she was, but she also knew that he wasn't sure how powerful she was and she needed to play that to her advantage; she had to purge him out of the bard as quickly as possible before he killed them both. Sonneillon stood in place, firmly attached to Arielle's soul, draining the light out of it little by little. Eden had to make him move.
"Do you really think you stand any chance against me here?" he boomed in laughter, spreading his arms out, "I control this place, this is all mine."
With that he snapped his fingers and everything began to ripple like waves on the sea. Eden looked around, but saw no enemies coming for her. Instead, she heard Arielle's doubts and bad memories.
'I am sick of you knowing everything!... I'm sick of you telling me what to do!... I am sick of you suffocating me and protecting me!... Are you guilty of all these crimes?... I don't need someone pretending to be God!... All your constant fighting and darkness, it's like being in hell!...Believe you? How could I if you haven't told me the truth?... I would never want to end up like you!...'
The lies and accusations echoed around her loudly, threatening to split her head open. She covered her ears, but heard them shouting still. There were so many and they were so loud and hurtful that Eden sunk to the ground under their weight. Sonneillon only laughed, delighted with his upper hand. His laughter only made Arielle's negativity louder, screaming in her ears and blasting against her body, making her bones shake. It hurt the warrior to feel so much hurt within the bard who always kept a smile on the surface. She wondered whether it was all her fault, she wondered if her absence wouldn't be better for the blond. Faith.
"I will protect you with all my strength, all my faith, all my heart, and I won't ever let you go!" Eden shouted at the top of her lungs.
Sonneillon looked on in amazement as the echoes died away. Eden got back up on her feet, a cold grin on her face. She now knew that in his obsession to get her, he had never bothered to find out who and how powerful Arielle really was. He hadn't even given much thought to how long the bard had fought off his influence.
"Is that all you can do?" Eden taunted, standing back up and raising an eyebrow, "I'm not impressed."
"Don't test me, warrior." Sonneillon growled menacingly, smoke funneling through his teeth.
"I wouldn't dream of it... It's just I'm a little surprised you'd pick such a... clean soul."
"Contrary to you, Eden, I'm not growing soft. It was the quickest way to get to you."
"Well, here I am." Eden announced, spreading her arms out.
The demon swung at her with his claws with a terrifying and fiery roar. Eden had to use all her strength and agility to keep out of reach of his four powerful arms while trying to find an opening where she could strike at him. They grew nearly breathless as they swung at each other, Eden rolling out of the way, vaulting into the air in somersaults in every direction and jumping away when she was hit. The warrior was barely able to stay one step ahead of Sonneillon, but she taunted and provoked him nonetheless.
"So did you want to fight because this is really boring." Eden asked, pretending to yawn loudly, "One of the seven deadly sins, my butt."
There was nothing a demon of his rank hated more than having his power berated and made fun of. He roared loudly, flexing his arms in fury and Eden watched the fiery air escape from his throat as he turned his red eyes towards her.
"I'll make you regret the day you were born!" he cried, baring his sharp teeth.
"Been there, done that." Eden answered with a shrug.
And then he lunged at her. Eden barely jumped away and for a couple of seconds, a small wave of relief washed over her.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Lawrence!" Constance cried as she watched the bard begin to open her eyes and slowly look around.
Lawrence dashed over to the bard, hovering over her and beside Constance.
"Lawrence?" Arielle whispered slowly.
"Arielle..." Lawrence said, smiling at her, "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been sleeping for ages..." she replied, furiously blinking the sleep from her eyes.
"It worked." he said in a tone of relief and awe, "it actually worked. You're free."
"What worked?" she asked quietly, knotting her eyebrows and moving her eyes from Lawrence to Constance and then back to the knight.
They took a breath explain when a gurgling sound was heard from next to her. The physician turned to Eden's prone form and began to soak the cloths and reapply them. Arielle propped herself on her elbows to try to see what Constance was doing.
"Eden?" she whispered.
"Arielle, you just woke up. You should rest." Lawrence suggested, but the bard wasn't listening at all, her eyes transfixed on the friend lying beside her.
She slowly sat up, swung her legs over the side of the bed, and walked over to Eden, ignoring the arm Lawrence offered. She stood beside Constance and stared at Eden's unconscious body, her mind furiously trying to understand what was going on. She could see Eden's body sometimes contort and then relax, like someone trapped in a nightmare.
"What's going on?" she asked Lawrence with a confused yet stern look on her face.
"I'm not entirely sure." he admitted, "Eden seems to have entered the realm of your soul to battle whatever was slowly killing you."
"Eden is in my soul?"
"The realm of the soul." Constance corrected, "The soul doesn't belong to the physical body. It exists in its own frail realm."
"What is she doing there?"
"Saving you." the physician answered quietly.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Battling the demon of hate before was nothing compared to fighting him now. When he disattached himself from Arielle's soul, he set the bard free, but he was also free and Eden had nowhere to hide. It didn't take long for Sonneillon to begin to overpower the warrior, Eden picking up slashes and punches from the demon. But she wouldn't give up until she was sure that Arielle was free.
He finally hurdled himself at her and landed right on top of her. Pinning her to the ground with two arms he beat her with his other two and Eden swung her head to the sides, narrowly escaping his huge front horns. He vented all his rage on her and she was defenseless. She took as much as she could, his hits jarring her teeth and bones and when she felt that her body was at the breaking point she called for him to stop.
"Giving up so soon?" he snarled.
"You're stronger than I remember... If I had known, I might have reconsidered fighting you."
"It's too late now."
"Really?" Eden asked calmly, spitting the blood from her mouth, "We both know that it's me you really want. You've lusted after me for years."
The demon breathed hard through his nostrils, sending hot air over her face.
"You see that now?" he snorted and then leaned down, near her face, "You had potential, I could have given you the world... but Karas wasn't enough for you, no one and nothing was... I won't spare you this time..."
Sonneillon began to pummel her again to the point Eden was afraid it might be her end as her head shook under his fists. He raised his hand again and stopped when he heard Eden let out an insane laugh. He grew angry that she wasn't terrified of him or pleading for her life. He had imagined their confrontation and had dreamed of humiliating the warrior who had defied him in the end, but again it was the guardian who was humiliating him. He roared and pounded her chest so hard that it knocked all the air out of her and nearly stopped her heart.
"I thought you'd be more of challenge. You've grown soft." he rumbled.
"No, I've grown subtle..." Eden choked out and then drew a large breath and quickly raised her hand as high as she could, "Daemon, esto subiecto voluntati meae!" (Succumb to my will, demon!)
With that Sonneillon bellowed loudly, letting her go. Eden watched as he slowly turned back into black smoke and floated over her and then poured through her mouth and into her. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the searing heat of the smoke as it traveled down her throat and she fought back the violent urge to cough him back up. It was painful, so very painful that her eyes almost rolled into the back of her head and her muscles clenched to the point of snapping.
When he was finally within her own soul, she was able to breathe again and her muscles relaxed. Eden opened her eyes and looked around, feeling the calm of Arielle's spirit.
"Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor contritum, et humiliatum Deus non despicies." she whispered, an angry heat pulsing in her chest, "Domine, exaudi oratianem meam. Accipite me ut anim amea." (A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn. O Lord, hear my prayer. Take me to my love.)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Eden's breathing became labored and she began to shake and writhe.
"Eden? Eden? What is it?" Arielle called to her with confusion in her voice and turned to the others, "What's happening to her? Do something!"
"She's battling the evil that poisoned your soul. There's nothing we can do from here." Constance answered quietly, her eyes never meeting the bard's.
Arielle looked at them for a while in disappointed surprise and anger that she was helpless once again. She had felt the evil within her after her kidnapping, but had hoped that she would be able to battle it herself. And when she felt that she couldn't, she thought that it might have been her punishment for all the wrong she had done. She had finally found a friend, a true soul mate. But the bard had been foolish enough to nearly throw it away so she understood that it would now be taken from her. But Eden, as always, decided that she wanted the last word; the warrior wouldn't let anyone take Arielle away from her. And now it was the bard's turn.
"No!" Arielle yelled, turning to Eden, holding her by the shoulders, "You'll fight this! You'll fight this like you always do!"
The only response was a growing contraction of Eden's entire body and more gurgling and struggling for the simplest breath. They all watched in horror as wounds began to appear on her face and hands.
"Fight to come back!" Arielle yelled, shaking her by the shoulders.
Eden's eyes flung open and she began to shake violently and Arielle could see a frightening, burning nothingness in her strangely red eyes. Blood flowed freely from her mouth and nose and moans of pain escaped the warrior's throat. And after a few moments of bitter struggle, Eden's body began to relax, her eyes closed, and her convulsions ceased. Her breathing slowed... and then it stopped.
"No, don't you give up on me." Arielle warned the warrior who wasn't moving as she brought her hands to Eden's face.
But the dark haired woman showed no signs of life. Tears began to stream down the blond's face, unchecked and unhindered.
"No, no, please..." she whispered in her growing horror, hovering over Eden's face and caressing it with her trembling hands, "Please... come back."
Eden wasn't listening and the bard's lips were trembling too much to say anything more. Why is it always like this between us? Why do we always have to battle to stay together? Why do we have to constantly prove our friendship?... Where would I be now if I had never met you? It doesn't really matter... All I know is that I don't want to be anywhere without you.
"Come back!" Arielle shouted in Eden's face and hit the warrior hard once straight in the chest.
Blood sputtered out of Eden's mouth, speckling the bard's neck and chest. The warrior then suddenly lurched forward, sucking in a large breath and opened her eyes, bewildered.
"Eden!" the blond cried, wrapping her arms around the stunned, gasping warrior, "You're safe now."
"Arielle?" Eden gasped out.
"I'm here." the bard soothed, stroking her hair, "I've got you now. You did it."
For a moment, Eden still feared that perhaps she was tricked and Sonneillon had won. She wrapped her right arm around the blond tightly and only when she felt the familiar burning sensation did she let out a breath of relief. She then let herself close her eyes and relax into the bard. Arielle held her closely and rocked her gently, waiting patiently for her to calm down. Arielle felt such pain: the pain of being helpless, the pain of near loss that she would never get used to, the pain of seeing her best friend hurting and that she was to blame.
"What did you think you were doing, hm?" Arielle asked gently into Eden's hair, "I already know you're a hero."
"Invoca me in die tribulationis: eruam te." Eden murmured into the bard's shoulder. (Call upon me in the day of tribulation: I will rescue you.)
Arielle felt the sweet pain of a promise Eden had made and would never break.
Physically, the two women quickly recovered. When Eden returned, Arielle felt the heaviness in her chest fade away and though the memories of her ordeal remained, they had lost some of their crushing weight and the whispers that hissed against Eden were gone. Arielle refused to leave Eden's side, never letting go of her hand as Constance dressed the wounds of the slightly irritated, stubborn warrior. Every time Eden decided she was well, Arielle would gently push her back down and give her a hundred reasons to rest although only one reason every worked: 'do it for me'.
The next morning, Arielle was astounded to see Constance remove Eden's bandages and reveal not even a single scar. Eden was restless to leave the confines of the hovel that held too many fresh, bad memories and Arielle agreed, but only under the promise that the warrior wouldn't force herself. Nevertheless, the bard had known her long enough to know that she would have to constantly keep her eye on the warrior anyway. In the afternoon, they argued over returning to Jerusalem immediately. Eden wanted to finally put it all behind them, but the bard was adamant that they first need to be sure that Eden was well. Talking was never Eden's strong suit and in the end, she found herself agreeing to Arielle's terms with a frustrated sigh.
Their roles reversed during the next couple of days; Arielle would take Eden on walks along the wide shore of the sea. The warrior claimed that she felt just fine, but Arielle had noticed how Eden's breathing slowly became heavier and that she would sometimes clutch her chest or rub it with her hand. The bard said nothing, knowing Eden would brush it off and say it was nothing. So she decided find the answers elsewhere.
"Tell me how she is." she asked Constance in her hovel one morning.
"With all due respect, I shouldn't really share her health with you."
Arielle said nothing, but folded her arms over her chest and patiently waited. There was no clear aggression in her stance, but the physician could see that the bard's request wasn't up for discussion. Constance was pleasantly amazed with the young woman who looked like she would never hurt a fly, but was able to demand fiercely without word or weapon. She wondered who of the two of them was, indeed, more powerful.
"Physically, she's fine." Constance answered in defeat, "It's her soul I'm worried about."
"Why? Didn't she defeat the evil in me?"
"She purged you of it." Constance acknowledged, wiping her hands with a cloth, "But she couldn't defeat it."
Arielle looked at her with a look of confusion as if they were talking about two different people. Eden was always victorious, she was God's chosen and sent every evil she met back to the shadows.
"What did she fight?" she asked quietly, slowly realizing the gravity of the situation.
"Did you notice Eden's red eyes when she was still in the spirit realm?" the physician asked and when Arielle nodded, she added, "Well, that was Sonneillon, the demon of hate."
"Hate?" Arielle repeated unimpressed, "Eden defeated the gatekeeper of Hell and leader of the watchers."
"Sonneillon is different." the physician explained, shaking her head slowly, "Violence is the very thing he thrives on."
Those words added to the physician's very solemn expression made Arielle understand very quickly in what trouble Eden really was in. The warrior tried very hard to change, to pull out the good that remained within her back out into the light. The bard couldn't begin to describe how proud she was of Eden and was glad to help her every step of the way. But there were still moments that the dark came up to the surface and threatened to unleash its wrath. The bard was once terrified of it, but now began to understand that it also had a purpose, that it actually saved their lives more than once, and that without it, Eden wouldn't be Eden at all. It was the balance between light and dark that needed to be maintained because without one, the other faded and began obsolete. But if the dark now overtook her...
"What has he done to her?" Arielle whispered in concern.
"I... I don't know." the physician admitted, shaking her head slowly and looking at the floor.
"Can you do something?"
Constance was silent.
Lawrence and Aldric were returning with some supplies and food when Arielle noticed them through the doorway and went outside to meet them.
"Arielle." Lawrence acknowledged with a slight surprise in his voice, putting down the supplies, "How are you feeling?"
"Better. Thank you." she replied warmly.
The men said nothing more, not knowing really what to say. They had kept their distance at Eden's request, afraid of making Arielle feel in any way uncomfortable. No one was really sure how much of Arielle's aversion to the men had been because of her ordeal and how much because of the demon within her, but Arielle felt bad with the foreign distance between them and felt more comfortable with them now without the heavy darkness weighing on her chest.
"I never thanked you for your help in finding me." she said with a smile.
"You're our friend. We would never leave you behind." the Hospitaller answered because to him saving a friend in danger was the most natural thing in the world.
Arielle smiled at the knight. Eden always made heroic attempts and insane rescues, but Lawrence was the quiet hero; the one who calmed and supported. She thought herself lucky to have such a friend who had stood by her even in her weakest moments and continued to put his faith in her. And it calmed her that he would always stand by Eden and the warrior would never really be alone. She saw the look of acknowledgment in his eyes- he was proud that she had proven him wrong all those weeks before outside Jerusalem.
"Maybe I could help you with something?" Arielle finally suggested, as everyone stood awkwardly, not knowing what to do.
"And take away a chance for us to show off our muscles? Never!" Lawrence quipped and smiled warmly, picking up the supplies with a quiet grunt.
"Aldric, have you grown?" Arielle asked with a slight tease, turning to the former steward.
"No, of course not." he answered with a shy grin, "It's good to see you doing better, my lady."
"Aldric, please, I'm not your lady anymore. Please, call me Arielle."
"As you wish, my- Arielle."
"I must say," the bard noted, taking a step back, "you are turning out to be quite a fine man... just like I knew you would."
Aldric blushed and looked at the ground. After Dorian had run off and left the manor with no master, Aldric left. He talked with Lawrence and then decided to join the Templars. Arielle wasn't too thrilled with the news, but her worries were calmed when Lawrence promised that not all Templars were like Garrett and that the half crazed Templar would probably have little to do with the young man. The Templars accepted the young man eagerly and Aldric was now in the service of one of knights, studying and fighting hard. He had grown physically stronger and some of his youthfulness was replaced by a kind of hardened determination. But his eyes still betrayed that he was kind hearted inside and Arielle had to admit that she thought it would be good for certain Templars to learn something from Aldric.
"Come," she said to them as they fell in step with each other, "I'll make you some tea."
"Do you know that I heard you?" Arielle said, looking up at the warrior who raised an eyebrow as they were walking along the wide shore one day, "When you were in the spirit realm, I heard you say that you would protect me."
"You heard that?"
"I did... Which means that you heard me when I said it to you."
"It seems I did... but I was too far under to react."
"I really did almost lose you then, didn't I?" Arielle asked very quietly, looking at the ground beneath her.
"It's in the past. I'm still here." Eden answered, wrapping her arm around the blond's shoulders.
Arielle took comfort in the warrior's closeness, but Eden felt a burning sensation in her chest which told her that Sonneillon was observing everything closely. She tried to ignore it as they made their way back to their hovel.
When they returned, Arielle set about making tea for them while Eden sliced some bread, meat, and cheese. They ate quietly and Eden chuckled to herself when she saw Arielle suppressing a yawn.
"Long walks make me sleepy." Arielle explained with a shy smile when she caught Eden looking at her.
"Everything on this earth makes you either hungry or sleepy." Eden teased.
"That's not true!" Arielle cried out, but then saw the warrior raise a skeptical eyebrow, "Alright, so maybe it's partly true... alright mostly true."
Eden chuckled lightly and shook her head while Arielle giggled. Eden noticed how different everything seemed when the bard was happy; everything just seemed to be... right.
"You made these, didn't you?" Arielle asked after a moment, pointing to the little table in the corner covered in wooden angels.
Eden remained silent, but the eyes she shot to the floor gave the bard her answer.
"And you made those that you gave to me when I met Dorian, didn't you?... Why didn't you tell me then?"
"It's nothing." the warrior mumbled.
"Nothing?" Arielle repeated in surprise, "Eden, you carved a whole army for me... And then... then they also meant a lot to me... You never cease to amaze me."
"They're just rough, wooden figurines, Arielle." Eden countered, raising her eyes to meet the bard's.
"No, they're not. There's also the thought behind them... Eden, I couldn't find flowers anywhere around here to bring you a bouquet. If I tried to carve something for you, you would probably end up with a square wheel. I don't know what your favorite sweet thing is or if you have a favorite of anything at all. I would write you a poem, but I can't find the right words. And now when I've said this all out loud I feel like a complete imbecile." Arielle blabbered out.
Eden looked at her friend who was both a little shocked over how much she had said and nearly on the verge of tears over how juvenile it all sounded... and the warrior was actually touched.
"Oh, you must think I'm pathetic." the bard groaned, dropping her face into her hands.
"Apricots." Eden stated simply after a while.
"What?" Arielle asked, lifting her head up.
"Apricots. I really like sweet apricots."
Eden watched a wide grin spread across the bard's face which was then accompanied by a laugh.
Arielle practically forced Eden to unwillingly see Constance everyday until they were sure the warrior was well. Eden opposed all she could, but was defeated by the green eyes Arielle had learned to use so well. The physician's visits were usually as short as possible with one worded, gruff answers from the warrior to the physician's short, practical questions. And Constance would have left it alone, but she saw the worry in Arielle every time she asked how Eden was doing. The bard sensed something wasn't right and the physician knew it too.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
"Fine generally or fine for someone carrying a demon?" Constance asked, secretly praying for Heaven to protect her if necessary.
Eden's eyes shot upwards to Constance and glared at her. She didn't know whether to admit it or deny it, to confess or become angry. She had every reason not to trust the umbra, but she also had a growing list of reasons to trust her in the end. Constance had raced over to them after sensing Arielle's nightmares, putting her life and the life of her children in danger. The warrior had spent enough time with Constance to know that even though she was an umbra, she was not at all powerful or evil enough to do them harm. Eden only sighed and dropped her eyes to the floor.
"Did you think that no one would notice?" the physician asked gently.
"I knew you probably would." Eden answered slowly, "I have it under control."
"Tell me, does that weight on your chest get heavier everyday?... Does your skin grow hot for no reason and do your eyes blur and burn? Is there a mounting tension in your muscles?... Yes, I'd say you're quite in control."
Eden looked at her with a mixture of irritation and defeat as she quickly buckled her swordbelt. She had been experiencing everything Constance had listed. The nights were most excruciating. What was once pleasant turned into discomfort when the bard would curl up around Eden to fall asleep. It would become so hot that Eden could hardly stand it, but would patiently wait for Arielle to fall asleep and then gently pull away from her. But lately, even Arielle had begun to notice something very wrong and two nights before she had touched Eden's forehead, commenting that she was warm. Eden said nothing and gently pushed the bard's hand away.
"Does Arielle know?" Eden asked, hoping the answer was no.
"She senses something is wrong." the physician acknowledged, "She asks about you every day."
"Don't tell her."
"Doesn't she have the right to know?"
"I don't want her to feel guilty. It was my choice."
"But she's your friend."
"She is. But it's my utmost duty to protect her. No matter the consequences."
"But it's much more than that now..." Constance pointed out cautiously, "She loves you very much..."
Eden gave her a pained look that the knowledge of that fact carried. It was the bizarre pain of a person who wanted very much to love, but shouldn't, a person who wanted to be loved, but didn't know how nor thought she deserved it.
"I spent the last days begging for a chance to switch places with Arielle..." Eden admitted with a strained voice Constance rarely ever heard, "And I got that chance and I took it. But I don't want her to know, even if something happens."
"She should know... especially if something happens."
"She has the right to a long, happy life."
"Have you considered she might not want that life without you?"
Eden gave her a somewhat astonished look. Was it that obvious? Eden didn't see it that way. There was always a loud, convincing part of her that explained that Arielle's attachment was simply hero worship, that sooner or later the adventures would become too demanding and heartbreaking and Arielle would want to settle down and start a family of her own in peace and quiet. Constance studied the warrior and wondered if someone could truly be that stubbornly blind. Was it that hard for Eden to see? Even she, though still quite fearful of the raven haired woman, could see that there was something more to her, something that sparked care and friendship. Perhaps she did see, but it was just that hard to believe.
"It's too late for naive thoughts like that." Eden replied shortly, turning her gaze back to the ground, "I heard the misgivings and doubts she keeps inside... Maybe she won't cry over me at all... The soul doesn't lie."
"But Sonneillon does."
Eden bit her lower lip as if she actually had to think about it and Constance only sighed, frustrated with the warrior. But the umbra also knew that, it truth, Eden's coldness was only a defense mechanism that kept her mind clear of emotion and led her to make decisions that were best for Arielle, no matter the consequences.
"What will you do with the demon?" the physician finally asked, folding her hands in front of her.
"I... I don't know." Eden admitted, "I was only concerned with Arielle's safety. It was the only way to get him out."
"Eden, if Sonneillon takes you over-"
"I know."
"Please, tell her." the physician pleaded.
"No." Eden countered with some irritation, "Maybe you can suggest something more useful than tearing Arielle apart?"
"The bond you share," the physician started slowly after a few moments of silence, "might have been strong enough to expel Sonneillon without putting you in danger... But I doubt Arielle can enter your soul or if you would let her... I don't know if it would work here... I just don't know..."
"That's that then." Eden said shortly, quickly making her way to the door.
"Eden, do what you must..." Constance said when Eden opened the door, "and I'll watch over her if the worst happens."
Eden studied the umbra and knew that they both understood that Eden's decision to take Sonneillon could have dire consequences, ones that the bard would never forgive herself for. But to Eden it didn't really matter whether she was walking the earth or not; the only thing that mattered was the Arielle was alive and well. She couldn't bear the thought of losing the bard, she had had enough loss for one life. But she took a strange comfort in the thought that Arielle came from a peaceful, practical life full of wealth and prospects and would be able to return to it after Eden was gone.
"Why are you helping me?" Eden asked, observing the umbra closely, "You and I are mortal enemies."
"Maybe because both you and I have had enough of being everyone's enemy just because of a name." Constance answered slowly.
"What will you do now?"
"Why are the most popular questions always the ones I don't have the answers to?" Eden grumbled, turning around towards the familiar voice.
The dark haired guardian angel looked at her with a stern, yet friendly gaze, settling her wings slightly.
"It was the only way to make Sonneillon leave Arielle." Eden explained, "That's all I was thinking of..."
"You can't hold him back for long."
"I know."
"And you summoned him."
"I know that too." Eden said with irritation, "Did you want me to just stand by and let Arielle die?"
"Of course not," the angel countered, "but Arielle held him off for so long because of her pure heart... You could have used that in the spirit realm."
"How?"
"You are connected."
"I don't know how far that connection goes..." Eden replied, flipping her hand through the air in frustration, "And I won't drag her into battles if I don't have to."
"You underestimate her."
Eden looked at the angel, stunned at the statement. She knew that Arielle was a good person and probably a powerful guardian, but she didn't want the bard to experience the pain, stress, and loss that came with it all. She didn't want to think of how well Arielle might do in battle or in the ongoing war with evil. She didn't want Arielle waving around her sword of abilities, knowing that a brandished sword always attracted trouble. In a sense, Eden wanted to save Arielle from herself, unable to understand that the blond embraced her newly found calling just as much as Eden cursed her own. The warrior sighed heavily as she began to think that all she did, she did in vain because it turned out all wrong in the end. Arielle was safe, but Eden was in a danger she couldn't find the way out of.
"You're not alone in your troubles." the angel noted.
"No... people like me are always alone in their troubles." Eden remarked sadly.
"Oh, yes, the warrior with crosses to bear and paths to blaze, am I right?" the angel added, slightly raising her eyebrow, "You have to let your past go, Eden... Otherwise it will become a burden you won't be able to carry."
"What do you know of burdens, angel? Don't you know what I've done, the blackness that's driven me?" Eden asked with raw and bitter emotion, "Do you want to tell me all has be forgiven? That I should simply live my life like nothing ever happened?... No, it's a bloody cross that I will drag behind me for the rest of my days."
"I've seen my fair share of loss, redemption... and love. I know what it's like to lose a soul, but I also know what it's like to have it given back." the angel answered slowly and quietly.
"Then you belong to the lucky ones." Eden acknowledged.
There was a strangely tense silence between them. The angel chuckled silently at how similar they really were in their stubbornness and loyalty. But she could only guide and guard; the final decision was Eden's.
"Isn't there any other way?" the angel asked Eden, wanting her to rethink her actions.
"I'm not afraid to die." Eden said in a moment of broken bravery, "I've spent half my life wishing I was dead... It's just..."
"She'll be heartbroken." the angel offered.
Eden's gaze bore into the dirt beneath their feet. In contemplations over her own death, she worried about the bard most of all. She knew Lawrence would keep his promise and take care of her, but Eden had a nagging feeling that it simply wasn't enough. The warrior had found herself caught squarely between a promise to protect her and a promise to never leave her behind. But Eden was a warrior, protection was in her blood, protection was the first thing that she had ever given to the bard.
"She'll survive." Eden said coldly, trying to convince herself it was true.
"She loves you." the angel emphasized, seeing Eden's stubborn will fighting with her, "It's the simplest lessons that are always hardest to learn."
Eden studied the angel for a few quiet moments. Something in her words told the warrior that she had been down this road before. The words weren't those of an archangel which either demanded or announced, but more of a friend who was offering to learn from her mistakes before Eden went off to make the same ones. There were hints of longing, loss, and regret underneath the tranquility of her low voice. There was something in the guardian angel that made Eden think that they had a lot more in common that she realized.
"Will you watch over her?" Eden asked quietly.
"She's has a very good guardian angel of her own."
"Arielle could use another angel... She always gets into trouble." Eden remarked fondly.
"Just like Gabrielle." the angel mentioned, smiling at the words and shaking her head twice.
"Gabrielle?"
"Arielle's guardian angel."
"You know her?"
"Quite well." the angel replied, a rare grin on her face.
"You never told me your name." Eden noted, not really expecting an answer.
"I am Xena."
"That can't be..." Eden whispered, looking at the angel in surprise and taking a step back, "I've heard of you..."
Eden began to grow quiet and very reserved. She spent more and more time away from everyone, sometimes blatantly avoiding them as if she carried the plague. Arielle asked and pleaded with the warrior to tell her what was wrong, but usually received nothing more than silence or one worded mumbles and sometimes Eden would stomp off to be alone, leaving the worried bard behind. Her concern with the warrior's state of mind grew with each lingering absence, with every unspoken word.
Sonneillon began to play with Eden's mind, feeding her doubt, anger, and self deprecation. He drew from the care she felt for Arielle and turned it against her, mocking her with it and playing on her own doubts. Whispers not unlike the ones Arielle had heard now filled Eden's mind, distracting her and making her begin to second guess everything she thought and heard. She was able to block parts of her mind from the demon, but he was efficient and did enough damage with what he already had. Eden knew what he was doing, but was also aware that there wasn't much she could do to stop him. He was simply too strong for her in the spirit realm. She simply used all her strength to keep him from tapping into her darkness; if he controlled that, then she could become more dangerous than she ever thought possible. But she promised that she wouldn't let that happen.
'Did you really think that you stood a chance against me?' the demon hissed in her head.
'And what if I told you that your precious little bard keeps things from you, hm? That she is to blame for all this...' he baited, noticing her listening, 'Ah, piqued your interest, have I?'
'Silence, serpent.'
'She couldn't stomach that you would be the hero again... She wanted the victory this time...'
'Arielle isn't-'
'She found Dorian in Ascalon.' he finally unveiled.
'What?...'
'Surprised?' Sonneillon chuckled coldly, 'Ah yes, she found him and attacked him... but, well, she's no you.'
'You conniving-'
'Yes, I know... You never told her about the clasps, did you? She might have stayed back if she had known... See what your stubborn protection did... again?'
Eden balled her hands into fists and her jaw tightened.
'I was actually going to put her out of my misery right there, but then I remembered a certain warrior she follows around like a lovesick puppy. And then I thought of all the advantages of letting her live... she would lead you to me... And I have to say it was worth it. A kidnapping... I'm brilliant!'
Eden's heart sank. She had thought she had outwitted the demon in letting Arielle go. Yet, he never had any intention of keeping her or killing her; he only wanted Eden.
'You won't win, demon.' she told him, hardly believing it herself.
'On the contrary, my dear warrior, I already have.'
Sonneillon began to quickly gain control over Eden.
'This was your fault. All the evil that surrounds you was drawn in by you.'
The voices wouldn't stop. They howled, teased, and taunted incessantly, playing on her every doubt and insecurity.
'Everyone around you eventually suffers. You destroy everything you touch.'
Eden knew what was happening to her. Arielle had never been tainted by hate and so the demon was relatively easily purged from her. But Eden had known all kinds of hate and the demon's claws had more than enough places to latch onto. The demon would continually torment her and she would either become someone worse than she once was or she would be driven mad.
'You choke the good and light in everyone like a thick smoke.'
The reasons and arguments didn't matter to Eden; being any kind of threat to the bard was out of the question. She knew that the voices would wear her away. Faith. Eden decided on a single gamble- here she had no chance, but if she could somehow make it to Heaven then perhaps the archangels would be able to cleanse her soul and send it back it resume its physical life. She knew that there was a very small sliver of time in which man was neither here nor there entirely and was himself a bridge between both worlds. That's where Eden saw her chance, a chance she would have to take alone. And if it didn't work... well, it wouldn't matter.
'No one really knows you... No one really cares...'
Everyone could see that there was something happening to Eden as she grew more reserved and sadder. She was doing all she could to fend off Sonneillon's influence, feeding him everything she had so that he wouldn't feed off her dark and let it grow, but she could feel herself slipping down the muddy slope she was trying so desperately hard to climb, the black quicksand below waiting to swallow her whole.
'You will never be loved and will never know peace.'
That evening the voices were too much and her staring at the moon brought her no peace. Eden noticed her hands trembling, it was becoming harder and harder to breathe, and when she looked in a small mirror, she saw her eyes taking on a darker and redder hue. Try as hard as she might, she was slowly losing her battle. She cringed when she thought of the ordeal Arielle had had to go through when he had tried to overtake her. She turned her gaze from the sky to the sleeping bard.
Arielle looked so peaceful and innocent that Eden wondered for a moment why anyone would ever want to hurt her. She was no longer a naive, little girl. The warrior saw the muscles ripple under her skin even when she slept and there was a childishness lost in her face replaced with experience and knowledge. She had seen so much evil in the world, but remained true to herself. She was not like Eden at all, but nearly everything Eden had always wanted to be.
"You were tainted by hate, but didn't succumb to it... You call me the brave and powerful warrior, but look at you, my bard..." she whispered to her sleeping friend and smiled lightly, "You daunt even me..."
Eden turned her eyes back to the night sky. She had promised to the protect the bard, to never let harm come to her. It didn't matter whether that threat would come from others or from herself. And although Eden knew she would lose to Sonneillon, she wasn't going to let him make her break her word.
'I will have your life... your soul, guardian... And you will be forgotten by everyone.'
With a sad, heavy heart, Eden slipped out through the door quietly and out towards the shore. She didn't stop to look at the bard or say goodbye knowing that if she did, she would never be able to leave. She knew that Arielle would be angry with her at first, but maybe with time she would understand. And the bard would finally be free to choose the life that she wanted, a life without the constant threats and danger and perhaps with someone who would finally give her everything she wanted and who she would be proud of.
She slowly walked out to the shoreline, dropping her sword along the way, leaving it lying in the sand. She pulled her dagger out of its sheath and held it in her right hand. The warrior stopped at the edge of the water and took a deep breath. Eden wanted to remember the scent of the night and the water, that there were still things in this life that brought her peace.
'Ending your pathetic existence before I do... How commendable.' Sonneillon hissed, 'Now get on with it.'
Eden ignored him a few moments more and looked up at the bright moon and then out onto the water that it reflected off of.
"Forgive me." she whispered and step by step walked into the water, disturbing its evening quiet, never knowing that Constance had noticed her leaving.
The umbra was watching the warrior's strange behavior through the window of her room. When Eden's sword fell gracelessly to the ground, Constance found herself suddenly running to Arielle. She barged into her hut, ran up to her, and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Arielle! Wake up!" she shouted, shaking the bard, and waking her with a large start.
"What is it?!" Arielle cried, frightened and a little bewildered.
"It's Eden!"
"What? What happened?" the bard asked, forcing her mind to wake up and think.
"It's Eden! Something horrible is happening."
Arielle suddenly sat up and grabbed Constance by the wrists.
"Where is she?" she asked with focus.
"She went out into the sea." she answered and then her voice lowered to a whisper, "Arielle, please hurry."
Arielle shot out of her bed and the hut and scanned the shore for her friend. Her eyes finally rested on a dark figure, waist deep in the water.
"Eden!" Arielle shouted, but received no response.
As Eden walked deeper and deeper into the water, the bard ran towards her, calling her name every few seconds. A chill ran down the bard's spine and into her legs when she saw the moonlight glint off a blade in Eden's hand.
Eden was already chest deep in the water, standing one step away from a sandy ledge that fell away into deep waters that would finally swallow her. Yet in case her instinct decided to be stubborn, she also placed the dagger right below her ribs, the blade pointing upwards.
"Eden!" Arielle shouted and bounded into the water, feeling a frightening tightness in her chest.
Eden forced herself not to listen. She released her breath.
"Eden! Stop!"
Eden closed her eyes. She fell to her knees and felt the water cover her and all sound was gone. The warrior had run out of time. She steadied her dagger and readied herself to plunge it up into her chest and then tumble over the ledge into her dark, watery grave.
'Do it! I want to watch you die!'
She felt two hands plunge into the water, grab her shoulders, and with desperate strength pull her back up to her feet.
"What are you doing?!" Arielle screamed at her in panic, holding her firmly by the shoulders.
"I was going to..." Eden replied quietly.
"How dare you?!" Arielle yelled, shaking Eden soundly.
"There's no other way." the warrior explained in something between a whisper and a growl as she felt Sonneillon's anger grow within her.
"How dare you?!" Arielle demanded again, the loudness of her voice irritating Eden's ears, her shoulders aching under the bard's vice-like grip, "You kneel before no one except God, remember?"
"I did." Eden replied weakly, her head hanging, water dripping from her hair.
"No, Eden, there is no God there."
"God is everywhere."
"No, He isn't there." Arielle insisted and then pulled Eden into a fierce embrace. "Feel this? Do you feel it? This is where God dwells. This is where God is. Do you feel it?"
The desperation in the bard's voice cut into Eden's mind, slashing at her dark, fiery thoughts. Arielle was on the verge of hysterical exasperation when Eden broke the silence.
"Yes," the warrior whispered, "I feel it."
Arielle pulled back to look at the warrior. Eden was using the last of her self restraint to hold Sonneillon back from the very thing she always feared- hurting Arielle. But the bard was no less determined. It didn't matter to her what demon lay inside Eden, she was going to demand her best friend's soul back and she'd be damned if she was going to leave empty handed.
'I won't be denied, guardian!' Sonneillon shouted in Eden's mind, trying to regain the upper hand.
"I've already lost everything..." Eden whispered in a harsh, cracking voice, trying to save Arielle as best she could, "I don't want to lose you along with myself... Go."
The utter defeat that Arielle could hear under everything in Eden's voice sent a chill through her body.
"Eden, you aren't lost." Arielle told her adamantly, "And you will never lose me. Do you hear me, Eden? You will never lose me."
"I was lost to begin with... You just didn't want to see..." Eden countered, her words like crumbling stones of a besieged castle.
"No! No, I'm tired of almost losing you! I won't lose you to any demon, to anyone. Do you understand me?!" the bard shouted, tears filling her eyes.
Eden only shook her head and looked off into the distance with a forlorn look, feeling the hate, doubt, and darkness pulse through her veins, pulling her away from the bard. It was a battle Arielle couldn't win. It was a battle Eden had already accepted losing.
"This world... everything and everyone... are so rotten to the core... Look around you, Arielle. There's nothing here but hate, destruction, squalor, and deceit... And as people live on and their knowledge grows, they only become more revolting... I've ridden with the wicked and the good and at least the wicked know what they're doing; they know there's no point in saving anything just to have the next person destroy it..."
"You can't mean that. This isn't you talking."
"The world is so full of malice that even God has turned a blind eye to it." Eden nearly hissed, turning her reddish glare back to Arielle, "And so will I... Let the Devil have his world of constant war... Hate save the king."
Arielle saw the slight trembling of Eden's body, she saw the tightening of the grip around the dagger, she saw the red in Eden's eyes, she heard the cold decision in her voice. As the hateful power fed off of Eden's hurt, it grew stronger and more vicious. Eden's past plea for Arielle to stay away from demons echoed in her mind as the bard realized that this was no longer just a duel, but the last deciding moments in a battle to the death.
"If you are so convinced of that," the bard stated fiercely, "If you think that it's anger and hate that rule the world, then take me."
Her hand slid down Eden's arm to her hand until it reached the dagger Eden still held. Eden looked at her in utter shock as the bard guided the warrior's dagger towards her chest, fixing the blade right below her heart.
"What?" Eden asked quietly, shock spreading over her face as the last of the good in her surged to the surface.
"What's the point of fighting for anything if darkness rules in the end?" the bard asked fiercely, "I'm not made for a world like that."
"I can't-" Eden said, turning her gaze away.
"Look at me!" the bard shouted, tears running down her face and defiantly standing against the dagger, "Set me free! I don't want to live in a world of hate! If hate is all there is... if hate is all that you can give me... then set me free."
"Please-"
"No. I'm asking you. I don't want to live in a hateful world, Eden... and I don't want to live in a world without you."
The bard had reached the limits of her exasperation and didn't know what else to do. Daring suddenly flashed in the bard's eyes and menace flashed in Eden's. For a single moment that seemed to drag on for a year, the two stood facing each other, neither willing to back down, both knowing that this could spell their end. They didn't know if something would save them at the last moment. They didn't know if something would save them at all. The bard felt the dagger point push against her for the slightest moment and she sucked in a shaky breath, her determined gaze never leaving Eden.
"Kill me!" the bard shouted, daring her to do the one thing she knew in her heart the warrior couldn't.
This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. The part of Eden that Arielle had captivated, the part that had belonged to her for some time thrashed against Eden's dark with all its might. Eden's death made no difference to her, but Arielle's made every difference in the world. Even if the world was ruled by greed and deceit, it was the light that Arielle carried that made the world bearable for the short time they were there. The gift was to rid the world of hate by getting rid of herself, not by plunging it into darkness by taking Arielle along with her. And Eden somehow knew that all the darkness she had seen would be nothing compared to a world without the bard.
With the last of her energy, Eden let out a defeated breath and lowered the dagger which trembled in its lust to be driven through the bard's heart. Feeling the blade move away, Arielle finally began to breathe and closed her eyes for a moment in silent thanks to whatever armies of angels had saved them. She opened her eyes again and saw that Eden still held the dagger in a death grip, the same cold decision on her face.
"There must be another way..." the blond whispered painfully.
"Go." Eden said sadly.
"No."
On raw instinct and with her hysterically pounding heart leading the way, Arielle quickly lifted her hands, brought them to the warrior's face, pulled Eden down with all her strength, and kissed her. She felt the sudden rigidness of Eden's body, but didn't hear the scream in her mind.
When she pulled back and saw an absolutely stunned warrior, her reason finally caught up with her and around a hundred different disastrous scenarios plowed into her mind. But Arielle wouldn't let go, wouldn't stand down, and she could have Eden never speak to her again, but she would have Eden alive. However, the continued silence from the guardian began to unnerve her.
"Eden?" the blond asked quietly, stroking the side of her face, "Eden?"
The warrior finally looked up at her, her expression one of complete and utter astonishment.
"Are you alright?"
"I... I don't know..." she admitted with a stunned look.
That look, the confused concession of one of the most feared warriors in Christendom made something within Arielle melt. This wasn't Sonneillon's conquest. This was her Eden, the one she knew and befriended, the one who had cared for her, rescued her, and seen more in her than anyone ever had. She smiled up at her, pushing her raven hair away from her eyes, and saw her smile reflected in Eden's eyes which, for that moment had the strangest, clearest color the bard had ever seen. And then the bard knew what Gabrielle had meant by using her strengths. She understood how to fight even the greatest evil without a sword.
"Eden," she said very seriously and softly, "you know that I love you, right?"
Eden nodded. Arielle felt their bond suddenly pulsate and begin to pull at her and she let it.
"You know that I love you very much."
Eden nodded again. They now both felt their bond come alive, pulling them towards each other, a gentle force that they couldn't contain. Sonneillon wouldn't let Eden's body move, but the warrior's heart did towards the nearing bard, seeing its only rescue in her arms. Eden now felt Arielle's quickening breath mingle with hers, her warmth and scent covering the warrior.
"Eden... let me save you." Arielle pleaded in a hushed whisper that only Eden and God could hear.
They both heard the loud creak in the gears of the world this time, the loud crack of something finally shifting into place after a very long time. Arielle pulled Eden gently down and kissed her again. But this time it was without desperation and haste and instead with gentleness, care, and hope. She didn't want to shock her into stopping and staying, she wanted to make her feel welcome, wanted, and adored, to envelope her and never let her go.
That kiss sparked off the greatest war ever fought within Eden's heart. Her dark and light clashed, letting such sparks fly with such a crash that it made lightning dull and thunder quiet. Her past dueled with her future; her doubt warred with her hope. The emptiness in her called out to be filled and then refused to believe it could be done. And when Arielle was about to pull away, fearing a gigantic mistake, Eden's heart beat one ferocious beat that made everything else within her stand still in a silent blast of devotion. And that was the last word.
The warrior finally reacted and kissed the bard back. First, very gently for fear of scaring Arielle away. But finally a force was let loose that even Eden couldn't control. It spread like fire from her lips to her brain and then the ends of every nerve in her body screaming at her to hold Arielle and never ever let her go for any dream, riches, or promise. And once the truth of her greatest dream had caught up her, Eden kissed the bard with passion equal to the bard's. The warrior suddenly embraced the bard tightly as if she was afraid she would disappear like a dream at the edge of dawn.
Arielle responded in her kiss and when she felt Eden pull her in closer, Arielle did the same, almost wanting to simply merge with the warrior. Eden pulled her upwards toward herself and Arielle wrapped her legs around Eden's waist. Eden held on to her tightly and began to slowly turn around like she wanted to show the beauty, love, and good she had in her arms to the four corners of the earth, her lips never leaving the bard's.
Arielle finally broke away for air and leaned her forehead against Eden's, both women taking deep breaths. Eden slowly let her back down, but kept her tight embrace. The bard pulled herself away a little to look into Eden's eyes. Arielle was overwhelmed with a pleasantly burning feeling that she wouldn't be able to describe even if all the words in the world fell at her feet. Her bloodless triumph over the demon unfurled the wings of her love for the warrior and she could swear that she would fly straight into the clouds if Eden had let her go. But the warrior was looking down into the water.
"Eden, are you alright?" the bard asked in quiet concern, stroking Eden's cheek with one hand.
Eden said nothing. She felt Sonneillon curl up, shuddering in painful agony and then fall apart to seep out through her skin and back to the shadows where he always lurked. Of all the weapons of the world, it was a true kiss that expelled the demon of hate. They would have never won the battle separately, but they finally began to realize the power they had together. Eden had been so close; it had been another time that they had come much too close to losing everything. That which had boiled just beneath her skin a minute ago was now gone, leaving an empty peace behind it. But instead of feeling hollow, Eden felt Arielle's presence and her love fill the void, making her feel more whole than she ever had in her whole life. She was exhausted and still haunted, but she felt grounded by the bard; Arielle told her where her place on earth was and kept her anchored there. And Eden then realized that there would be no more talk of having no purpose, no place, and no one.
She finally looked up at the bard. Arielle saw that Eden had a strange expression on her face as if she had just seen the very face of God and was awestruck by it. Eden felt a part of herself ignite and crack open the cold, iron shell it had been in for so long. It was such a strange feeling that Eden didn't know what to do with it. She was alight, glowing in the darkness of the evils she knew, forcing them to stay back and fear the one that had sparked that fire within her. And that force made her stare in awe, it made it hard to breathe and think.
"It's just so..." she whispered after a time and in between very slow, deep breaths, "beautiful... and you... you are so beautiful... that I can barely stand it..."
"Eden..."
"I can hardly believe... this is real... It's so... impossible..." Eden forced out of herself, "When you touch me... I'm not able to control... all the beauty within you... and the fire you spark... within me..."
Tears began to fill Arielle's eyes and she threw herself around the warrior's neck; the brave, fearless warrior who was dumbstruck and terrified with the power the bard had by doing nothing other than giving her her heart. No one had ever told her anything so beautiful.
The others had watched the scene from afar and somehow sensed that the two friends should be left alone. Arielle and Eden slowly walked back to their hovel and stayed there, enjoying the calm quiet. Eden was so exhausted that she didn't even manage to change out of her wet clothes before falling asleep in Arielle's embrace and the bard pulled a blanket over her and rocked her gently while she slept. Eden awoke a half hour later and they decided to go to sleep, both quite tired. They changed into their night shirts and lay down next to each other on the bed.
The bard gave Eden a slightly sad smile and put her hand on the warrior's cheek.
"The next time you think of a swim in cold, dark waters you either take me with you... or don't go at all." Arielle said decisively.
Eden said nothing and the bard sighed heavily as she leaned her forehead against her friend's.
"Promise me." she whispered.
The warrior had her eyes closed and gave no response. Arielle pressed her forehead more closely.
"Promise me." she growled lightly through her teeth and with a slight shake of Eden's face.
Eden felt Arielle's warmth spill over her and seep into her blood. A new kind of calm warmth spread within her and let her breathe freely for the first time in years. Arielle was her angel, her protector. Eden took orders from God, but found refuge in Arielle.
"I promise." Eden whispered as she looked into Arielle's eyes.
The bard looked long and deep in the warrior's eyes and caressed her cheek softly with her hand. Eden didn't know whether to float away, or drown in that green, or let her heart explode so she simply closed her eyes and let out a contented sigh. She felt a hint of total peace and wondered if it was the peace that she had been looking for for so long. And if it was, the warrior thought that it might have been worth all her ordeals after all. She opened her eyes to see a tear rolling down the bard's cheek.
"What's wrong?"
"Eden... you're smiling..." the bard replied, a happiness peering out through her misty eyes, "I've never seen you really, truly smile before."
"Sure you have." the warrior replied as her mind sifted through her memories, trying to find a time.
"No... not like this." Arielle countered gently, shaking her head twice, "It's a shame. You're so beautiful when you smile."
"Oh, am I?" Eden tried to tease and raised an eyebrow.
"Yes... yes you are."
Eden's face lost its jest when she saw that the bard was being more than serious. It was hard for her to accept the words, to believe that she could be something other than deadly and fearsome. Yet, there was something that the bard seemed to see in her despite anything the warrior might say or think. So Eden just gave a small smile in response and decided to accept the blond's words, at least for the day.
Arielle shifted closer to the warrior and nestled herself against her, tucking her head right under Eden's chin and wrapping her arm around her waist. Eden wrapped her arms protectively around the bard and waited for her to fall asleep first, just like she always did. And in that one moment, Eden felt still. There was no war, no pain, no open wound, no lurking evil. It was just Eden and Arielle and the incredible bond they shared. And as the warrior felt the bard's breath slowly float against her collarbone, she realized that she was now holding something that she never thought she'd ever find. It was her purpose, her treasure, her... Eden sighed and felt a bittersweet recognition settle in her mind. None of this was supposed to ever happen. Eden wasn't ever supposed to live to see this day. For the first time since she had learned she was a guardian, her life had again changed irreversibly. And it would lead to her ascent or to her downfall. Faith.
"Arielle..." Eden whispered into the blond's hair and felt the bard shift against her chest, "I love you."
The warrior held her close as she got a tightened grip and warm tears falling on her skin in response.
Author's Note: I'm going to put the translations right afterwards in parentheses from now on. I figure it's going to be a lot more convenient than scrolling up and down the page. Also sorry I didn't come up with this before, evidently I'm not all that bright;)