Page 73 of Outcast
I stroked our inner flame, inviting it to answer my call, and it roared to life immediately, awaiting my command. Reaching out and softly gripping her soul in my palm, I felt how it barely thrummed, the tether weak, and it seemed to beg to leave her body.
No, you can't leave yet.
Directing the warmth of my azure flames to encompass her soul and burn the traces of the Daimona's poison out, I waited impatiently to see the flecks of black waft away. But nothing happened. No matter the amount of energy I directed into her, the poison remained.
It has taken over her body completely, Kira. If it's seeping into her brain, I'm worried that this is the start of transformation. Her soul wants to leave, but this infection is controlling her brain as if not giving her the opportunity to give into death.
No! I'm not giving up on her!
Kira. We have to respect her soul's wishes and help her find peace.
I can do this!
Straining until the shadows pulsed and my vision became hazy, I continued to imbue her with my flames, screaming in my mind as I did.
I felt a searing sensation in my palm and released her soul, horrified to see a black shell beginning to form over her soul completely. Just a sliver of pink remained.
Why is this not working like it did with Jameson?
Her wounds are too severe for even her to even shift into her wolf in order to heal, Kira. We need to help her in the only way we can.
I felt Lux’s mind fighting to take over, and I gave in.
Returning to our normal plane of vision, I saw Seneca's soft eyes gazing up at us as a single tear leaked from the corner. "Free us, Kira."
Her plea broke me when I realized what she wanted of me. I couldn't kill her.
Lux enveloped me with pure love and comfort in our mind and gently spoke to me.
Shut this out. I can do this for us. You don't need to see it.
At first I wanted to accept her offer, but then I realized that it would be the weakest decision I could ever make. Seneca had shown me kindness and support when it mattered. The least I could do was repay her in her final moments and respect her wishes.
I need to do it. I need to watch and say goodbye.
Our heavy paw moved to lay above Seneca’s heart, and her tears began to fall in earnest as she nodded her head ever so slightly. Closing her eyes, she whispered, "Grant Nicholas the same reprieve so that our souls may find one another in the afterlife. I beg you."
Dropping our muzzle to her face, we nudged her lightly and licked her cheek, both in answer and as a goodbye.
"I believe in you, Kira," were her last words as Lux plunged our sharp claws easily into her chest, piercing her heart. Turning to Nicholas, Lux repeated the same process as he whispered, "Wait for me...my love."
A howl tore from our throat and our souls felt like they shattered as we watched them leave this life. Knowing they left this life together was the only lifeline that kept me above the waters of sorrow.
I fucking hate the Daimona, and I hate the alpha for allowing this massacare to happen to what was supposed to be his pack! We are killing him. Today.
Our body has healed enough that our wounds are not life threatening, if you wish to speak with Milo.
Control of our body easily switched from Lux to me, and the shift occurred with only a faint pain pulsating from my stomach as I stood to my full height. Looking down, I took in the angry red marks, breathing a sigh of relief that the bleeding had stopped.
My anger and grief morphed into an overwhelming wave of emotions that I didn't know how to process as I stared down at the entwined hands of the now-dead elders I had come to respect so much in the past two days.
Check to see if the Daimona's grip is still on them. We need to know how the infection works.
Quickly hopping back into the Shadowscape, we breathed a sigh of relief. The poison seemed to dissipate without the host alive. There was no burning soul and no remnants of the Daimona’s black infection.
Pulling back to the present, I felt hot tears tracking down my face as warm arms encircled my waist. I leaned back into Milo's comforting embrace, allowing myself just a moment to compose myself. Sniffling and wiping away the wetness, I turned in his arms, preparing to tell him the truth of what transpired since they left me in the Pit.
With my focus on him now, I suddenly realized how odd it was that he still wore clothes if he’d been fighting. "Did you not shift to fight?"
