Forever Entranced ~Book Two Of The Soul Bound Series

Chapter Thirty ~ Heart of Stone

Rain poured, making muddy messes as boots trudged through puddles, towards a cave. Thunder rumbled in the distance as dark storm clouds cut out the sun. Illius moved behind a slab of obsidian stone several demons carried on their shoulders. On top of the stone's cold, smooth surface, lay a body covered in a black, satin blanket.

Ava was just behind him with the sins at her heels, but he couldn't look back at her. He wouldn't. He kept his eyes trained on the satin fabrics drenched from the rain, hanging off the sides of the obsidian. Lightning struck somewhere in the distance, lighting up the sky. He felt heavy, his body refusing to carry its natural composure. Instead his shoulders slumped and his head hung, wet locks of hair hanging in front of his face, dripping water.

They entered the cave, torches flickered on the walls, sconces of coal hanging from the ceiling. The sounds of drums beat behind Illius and the hall of the cave opened up into a giant, circular room. In the center sat a standing sconce with a black flame dancing inside of it.

The Eternal Flame.

They placed the obsidian slab of stone in front of the Eternal Flame. A demon, dressed completely in black with a hood pulled over his head stood before the flame, "Today," He began, his voice booming through the room, "We remember a fallen soldier, one of our own. Remove the Shroud of Death." Illius leaned forward and took the top corners of the black satin, pulling them down to reveal the stony face of West. His heart clenched and he felt his stomach twist, "To release his soul from its carnal state, into the hands of Hell itself. This demon, we give back to the fires he was born of." The man with the hood raised his hands and his black wings unfurled from behind his back. Illius felt his own shrugging out from between his shoulder blades. Every demon now had their wings in full bloom in honor, respect of the fallen demon, "We present the Eternal Flame," He placed his hand through the black, roaring flames and scooped up a flame that danced in the palm of his pale hand. He passed the flame to Illius who stared at it as it whirled in his own palm, "Set him free."

Illius allowed his hand to move towards his brother's still body. The Eternal Flame roared to life as it touched West's cold skin. It cascaded over his body, spreading like wildfire as it swirled around him and then it lifted, taking a red orb with it that left West's body, before darting back down into the sconce, "You are free, my brother." Illius whispered as he raised the black satin back over his brother, allowing it to settle.

"We will remember you," The man in the hood raised his voice.

The demons bent their heads down, "We will remember you," They repeated. The words mumbled from between Illius' lips, but all he could feel inside was coldness, darkness that was seeping through his entire being.

It was so dark...

~*~

He stood, leaning against the opening of the cave he had been standing next to for the past hour as the demons buried West's body under hard soil. He felt numb, lost, dislodged from reality. He stared down at the blue orb he held in the palm of his hand, tendrils of blue light churned inside of it.

He would travel alone. It was the way it had to be. Everyone he loved ended up dead. He had already lost his brother, he would not loose Ava. For her own protection, he would lock her out. Rebuild those brick walls around his heart he had began taking down long ago.

He shifted his tight jaw, his icy, blue eyes filled with a harsh, cool gaze as he stared into the orb's swirling surface. He gritted his teeth and popped the silver case off. Lifting the orb from its home, he held it in the palm of his hand, his fingers caressing its smooth surface. His heart ached. He would not allow himself to feel this kind of heartache, not now, not ever again. He placed the orb on the ground in front of the black toes of his boots and lifted his foot. It came down on the fragile orb, shattering it into millions of pieces. A puff of blue powder escaped from beneath his boot, absorbing into the air.

He had to protect Ava, not just from himself but from her angelic soul mate and now, that angel, was gone. Instead of the rush of relief he had expected, he felt nothing. Finally, he had turned off the switch, the one thing that allowed him to feel more than he ever should have allowed himself to. He formed a hard composure, his face setting into a stony look.

He was back, the darkest part of him he had battled with for centuries.

The Ripper.

"Illius?"

He slowly turned around, meeting Ava's gray-blue eyes and somber expression, "Are you okay?" She asked, her voice soft, barely more than a whisper.

"Never better," He grinned, a grin that was more a threat than anything else.

Her brows knitted together, "What?"

"Dang! It's so liberating to not feel anymore!" Illius exclaimed, chuckling, "Why didn't I flip that switch again a long time ago?"

"What are you talking about?" Her voice was filled with startled confusion and worry.

"I'm not the monster they think I am. I'm the monster they wanted me to be," He tilted his head, studying her and gripped her chin, forcing his lips harshly on hers.

She pulled back, shoving him away, "What has gotten into you?!" She snapped, eyes wide with sudden anger.

He threw his hands up, "The Ripper is back, love," He tugged on a strand of her hair, "People say that I am heartless, remember? You know, they're absolutely right."

"You can't lock yourself up Illius! You can't do this, it's not what West would have wanted," Ava countered, her hands curling into determined fists.

"West is dead!" He shouted and she jumped back, fear passing over her features, "He's dead Ava, and there isn't a thing anyone can do about it." He pulled away from her and turned to face the stormy, troubled day. His icy orbs flew to the sky where rain continued to pour down on him, washing away his troubles.

He began sauntering forward, leaving a horrified Ava behind. She did not know nor could she understand what had just happened to Illius, emotionally, mentally, but he was broken no longer. He was free, free from the chains of pain and the Ripper couldn't have been happier.