The Petals of A Dream - II

Sacrifice ((Chapter 23))

Hey... can you guys help me for a bit???

Question: For you, what is the most destructive power and why?

Thank you in advance!! =) Enjoy reading...

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*** Yhuelle's POV***

"Yhue... you will die..."

Even now, I could still feel the dread I experienced when those very words escaped her lips. It has been six hours since then, but I couldn't find the strength to erase the meaning behind her words. I couldn't believe what I've heard. I have stayed with her for a great deal of time, and that was the first time she talked in her sleep. Even Alaire was as surprised as me. Fortunately, he didn't hear that part, only the words she muttered afterwards. I don't need him to worry about me.

Was she having a premonition? Does that mean that my Death...? I shouldn't think about it...

I was restless. I knew sleeping tonight, after all that happened, will be impossible for me. Giving up, I hopped off my bed and went out of the room.

The dome - shaped ceiling and the smell of herbs immediately caught my attention. It was like deva ju. It resembled the time when I first came here, and I was warmly welcomed by her.

This house became Abrielle's home when she ran away from the Circle back then. It was a spacious house near the Silver Glade. This was really good place to hide, if I were to be asked, since the Silver Glade acted as a natural defense against offensive spells.

I remembered bits of my past as I passed through the familiar hallways. Those memories seemed silly to me now, considering how far we've gone. I became frozen mid-step as I saw a man's shadow just outside the windows.

Who was that? I thought everyone was asleep.

Everyone retired early. As soon as things were settled, Era and Wrynlace started healing our injuries. Everyone was tired, physically, mentally and psychologically. If everyone's asleep, then who - ?

I strained my ears as I took another step. Perhaps a Castell? You got to be kidding me! That was next to impossible. But what if it was someone stronger, someone cleverer than a Castell? An Alpha?

That thought made my heart race in fright. Even the pace of my pulse has dramatically risen. If any trespassers enter this territory, I was sure I will notice it. The traps I set outside were not yet triggered, so that meant we're still safe.

It must be Tharne or Steven, I told myself. I pushed the front door open and was greeted by the chilly evening breeze.

"Alaire?"

My breathing evened out.

"Yo, old pal," he grinned as I gave him a high - five. I sat beside him on the front porch. "What are you doing here? You need your sleep. Don't force me to haul your ass back to your bed."

"I need the air. It's too crowded inside," I said as I yawned.

"You feeling good now?"

"Yeah," I responded as I watched the starry sky. The twin moons shone in a pale glow, remaining mysterious and beautiful despite the darkness of the night. I was enjoying the silence when Alaire interrupted me with a pained look.

"Yhuelle, why is she not waking up?"

"She's just tired."

"Damn it Yhuelle. I know that you know something's not right." He stared at me with great intensity, his heterochromic eyes sending off shivers to my spine.

"She's in the third state of Trance. Her mind was wrecked beyond help. Even Era couldn't do anything for her... we need to trust her own consciousness to repair itself." I watched my hands close and unfold as my words sank in.

"Huh," was all he managed to say. Although I didn't mention it to him, he knew what that implied.

There was an awkward silence between us.

"I don't understand the Alphas. Why did they harm her if they needed her so badly?" I couldn't ignore the venom in his voice.

"They just want her powers," I replied in an acidic tone. "It doesn't matter to them whether she's sane or breathing."

Another minute of silence passed by.

"Is there a way to save Celes, without putting her in danger?" he asked without lifting his gaze from the ground.

"Yeah. One was to create a new Core, which requires a hundred lives in the process."

"I wouldn't do that."

"Of course," I sighed. "Life is too precious." I eyed him for a moment before I pat his back.

"Other ways?" he murmured.

"I don't know..." I admitted. I stretched out and rested on the porch steps. "I know where this is leading. You want to say something, but you couldn't. Stop with all this trivialities, Ali. You're just wasting your breath."

"It's not within my power, no matter how much I would want to tell you," he replied softly. The moment I saw the pain in his face, I know understood what this was about.

"Only Abrielle can tell me, right?"

He nodded weakly.

*****

I went to her room before I decided to do so. It was already an hour past midnight, yet I still felt agitated. I approached her as she rested on the bed with atypical stillness. She slept peacefully, despite the fact that her mind was on the brink of destruction. If only I have the ability to enter her head, this would be a lot easier.

Or not.

Alaire, Jaed and Aldina tried to, but ended up failing. The three of them said that her mind was swallowed in eternal darkness. The damage Embry did to her was overwhelming, that they had no choice but to retreat. If they didn't, they will get suck and lose their sanity.

I tried to read her dreams, to no avail. Tendrils of shadows that resembled wispy smoke emanated from the cracks of her mind's walls, pulling her memories into the thick, gray mist at the very bottom of her psyche. It was a terrible sign.

There's no choice. I sighed. I need to use Abyss, the only plausible spell I think that could work on her. Only I would dare to use that. I don't care whatever strain it would put on my mind, as long as Abrielle would wake up.

Abyss is an ancient dark magic, lost for some ages, which I learned from the Dark Earl. He warned me how dangerous this spell can become. A double-edged sword. He said that it can kill the spell caster. That it cannot guarantee the desired results. It was a prohibited spell. But I was done considering the consequences.

I wiped away the traitor tears from my eyes. Slowly, I twisted my fingers on hers, shuddering at how icy cold they have become. I caressed her gently, memorizing every detail of her till the last. I leaned my face closer to her, touching her soft lips with my own as I softly whispered her name.

"Abrielle, I love you."

With that, I pulled my Essence attached within me. I snapped all other strings that tied my magic on my body and pushed it upward. My body revolted at the action, but I continued on. I focused on molding my Essence, my soul, into a small ball of compressed magic. I could feel at once the effect of my action. My whole spirit was wilting, but I couldn't care less. The pain was excruciating, like my head was going to explode.

I was literally killing myself. A body without its spirit is nothing more than an empty shell. But I don't care; I needed to bring her back. Only a soul could call forth another soul. She's the missing piece in my life. Only I could call her back.

Thinking that this might be the last time I could see her, I kissed her more passionately, forcing a response I knew would never come. I parted my lips, tasting her breath as I prepare for the final stage of Abyss. The transfer of my Essence.

I slowly forced my Essence to her. As soon as my soul left my body, I didn't see the darkness I've been expecting. There was nothingness. Everything disappeared. The emptiness was what made everything more painful.