Chapter 79 Chapter Seventy-Nine - Gabriella

Chapter 79 Chapter Seventy-Nine - Gabriella
I look at my hand in disbelief. Did I just do that? I wasn’t even trying; it was just a reflex.

My thoughts on what just happened are filtered out of my mind when I quickly become aware of how thick the air around me is. I take a deep breath through my nose, and while I can smell every little thing in ways I never have before, there’s one scent enticing more than any other. It’s indescribably mouth-watering and I can taste it on my tongue, making my body shiver. The air around me feels like being wrapped in a warm hug and as I look behind me I gasp, tears pooling in my eyes when I look upon the face of my animai.

His hair is flying wild around him from the energy he’s emitting, his body is bathed in this incredibly white light…but it’s broken. Fractured and fragmented like a shattered diamond, yet at the same time these prisms of light surround him, drawing me to me. Telling me that he is my soulmate. I well up when that instinct once again answers my unspoken questions. I now know what these radiant lights are. They’re the light of people’s souls, or essrams in the case of the Gods, and Jartre’s is broken…because of me. I broke him.

His eyes are shining silver, yet hollow and lifeless. Nothing like the man I have grown to love. But I know he’s still there. I just need to reach him. He’s too out of it to even feel our bond click into place once again.

“Gabriella?!” a voice excitedly cheers.

I look over to see Ezillus, smiling ecstatically and can’t help but feel happy to see them too as I admire that bright red light that shines all around them.

“Miss me?” I wink at them just as Zarseti and Oshmin join us.

“But how…” they tapper off.

“Didn’t I kill you?” growls an enraged voice. I look toward the voice and see Azadou, staring me down in anger and confusion, but not even he can hide the fear in his eyes. Dark shadows surround him, almost smothering him; cold and unfeeling as they weigh on him.

“Yeah…I decided I wasn’t a fan of that,” I shrug casually.

He looks me over, studying me suspiciously, “You can’t be the Goddess of light,” he scoffs.

“Oh honey, I’m the new and improved edition,” I smirk confidently.

He laughs mockingly, “And what’s so improved about you?”

“I’m not afraid to kick your ass.”

I throw my hand out, a burst of light erupting from my hand like a canon, hitting him square in the chest and sending his malice-ass flying. I once again stare at my hand but shake it off as I turn my attention to Jartre. I step up to him, still adjusting to the fact I no longer have to strain my neck to look up at him as I cup his face in my hands, the contact of our skin burning my flesh like the most exquisite fire, more intense than it ever was when I was human. I now understand how it felt for Jartre whenever he touched me, and I’m amazed he had the restraint he did when we met.

“Jartre. It’s me. It’s Gabriella. I’ve come back to you, now I need you to come back to me. I’m so sorry I hurt you, and I hope you can forgive me, but you have to stop what you’re doing. You have to stop running from the pain. Innocent people don’t deserve to die for this,” I beseech him.

I feel the energy around him start to die down, his hair settling as he slowly lifts his hands and grasps my wrists.

“Whatever you’re doing, keep at it. The fissures are stopping, and the cracks in reality are holding,” Ezillus encourages me.

“I love you, Jartre. I’m so sorry I caused you this pain.” With tears in my eyes, I place my lips on his, fire burning through my lips so deeply it could scorch them. There’s a moment of nothing, but then I finally feel Jartre’s lips move against mine. A vision flashes in my mind, but I temporarily ignore it as I hold onto this moment, knowing I need to pull Jartre back from his own darkness once again.

Our lips slowly part, and as I look into his eyes, the silver filling them starts to dim, gradually retreating to their normal size and as they do, I see the real him again, and I can see in his eyes that he sees me too.

His eyes examine me as he tentatively touches my face, inhaling a shuddering breath as he cups my face in his hands, tears pooling in his eyes as he looks me over in disbelief.

“Gabriella?” he whispers.

I let out a relieved laugh, smiling wide as the tears fall down my cheeks. “It’s me,” I say, holding his hands to my face. “I’m right here, Jartre. I’m so, so, sorry for what I put you through, please forgive me,” I beg.

He pulls me to his chest in a bone-crushing hug, holding me tightly, cradling the back of my head in his hand as he buries his nose in my hair, breathing me deep into his lungs as I wrap my arms around him.

“I thought you…”

“I know,” I breathe out, caressing his back soothingly. “I was. But I’m okay now, I promise,” I assure him.

I feel and hear him rubbing strands of my hair between his fingers. “How is this possible?”

“The Orraikam…” I hear Morrtemis whisper in revelation. “You knew all along she was Fretez’s vessel, didn’t you?” I don’t have to look to know she’s speaking to Zarseti.

“Would it have killed you to fill in the rest of us?” Merlos huffs in indignation.

“No. But it might have killed everyone here,” Zarseti counters.

Jartre pulls back and takes another look at me, that reverence and love returning to his eyes as he stares at me in wonder. “You’re a Goddess…”

“Hold that thought.” I throw my hand out behind me, blocking another of Azadou’s bolts of lightning as he stands a few yards away, his chest heaving in anger. “Seriously dude? Who tries to sneak up on a psychic?”

“I killed Fretez, and I will kill you too. I AM NOT GOING BACK IN THE GROUND!” he roars, the ground shaking as bolts of purple lightning strike across the sky.

A vision changes the scene before my eyes and I blink in realisation, glancing over at Zarseti, now understanding what she was holding out for. I may have cussed her out a few times, but I’m starting to recognize and admire how devoted to ensuring the best outcome for everyone she is. She truly leaves no stone unturned. But back to the matter at hand.

I place my hand on Jartre’s, halting him from doing something stupid – I’m loving being as strong as him by the way! – as I turn my focus to Azadou.

“Is that what you think I’m here to do?” I ask sadly.

“It’s what the last Bitch of Light did.” He holds his hands at his sides, conjuring balls of purple electricity as his eyes flare in rage, putting all Gods on alert once again. Well, almost all of them.

“You’re wrong, Azadou,” I correct him. “And you didn’t kill her. She sacrificed herself to give you a chance. Don’t you see? She never wanted to hurt you or punish you for things you couldn’t control. Yes, she imprisoned you, and I’m sorry that happened, but why else would she freeze you in time? She didn’t want you to suffer or ever be aware of the time going by or the loneliness forced upon you. She could have fought back, maybe even won, but she chose to let you land the final blow so she could devote her last moment to preserving your future and everyone else’s!”

I see the glimmer of shock in his vibrant, purple eyes. I know he hears what I’m saying, but I can see the war he’s waging with himself. He can’t accept it. He can’t accept that anyone would ever make such a sacrifice for him. He’s only known malice; he doesn’t believe in kindness. At least not for him. How can he? He’s never experienced it.

“You expect me to believe that shit?” he snarls.

“Honestly? No. Not yet at least. But I do know your future is yet to be written. Fretez wanted me to tell you that,” I say sincerely.

“Then you’re as delusional as she was,” he spits.

He holds his hands out in front of him, conjuring a giant ball of black energy and purple electricity. I watch as it draws darkness into itself, but then I notice where the energy is coming from. As I glance around to the barely recognisable field, I see the eyti getting pulled towards it. I don’t think he’s even aware of what he’s doing, but he’s using them to power up his attack, and that’s one thing I can’t let happen.

I glance at Zarseti who gives me an encouraging nod. She told me to trust my instincts, and that’s what I’m going to do.