Finding back
Leia's POV
Fear emanated from Lilith as I held her by the neck, dragging her toward the dungeons. I didn't plan on letting her die easily. Conjuring my magic, I crafted handcuffs and leg shackles, securing her in them.
"I know what you want. I can give it to you," Lilith bargained, desperation clear.
"It's too late to barter for your life, Lilith," I responded, keeping my emotions tightly controlled.
"Don't bury your mates. Take them to the Moon Goddess Shrine and use the book that Alpha Reo used. You can revive them," she whispered, her consciousness fading.
"I'm not lying, Leia. Give it a try before it's too late. Their souls are still intact within their bodies," Lilith added before passing out completely. I turned to leave, my eyes landing on Eric, battered but alive, his gaze filled with grief.
"What's the status of the pack?" I asked.
"We've lost 200 soldiers. The rest are injured and being cared for by the healers," Eric informed me.
"Good. I need your help, Eric." He nodded, accepted my request, and followed me. Jennifer sat nearby, tending to her own injuries. Her gaze drifted between me and the lifeless bodies of Xavier and Kai lying on the ground.
Seeing them so lifeless was agonizing. I felt numb, my legs refusing to move. However, Lilith's words stirred a glimmer of hope within me. I knew she could be lying, but what harm would there be in trying? After all, trapped and restrained as she was, she posed no threat. Her dark magic had been depleted in our fight.
We just followed her suggestion to see if the book Alpha Reo had written, which my father used on me to get me back to life at a young age, could bring them back. It was a small sliver of hope, but it was all we had. I looked at Eric, determination replacing the grief in my eyes. We had a mission now and would stop at nothing to accomplish it.
"Eric, can you take Xavier and Kai to the Moon Shrine?" I asked. Eric looked puzzled at me but complied without question. Jennifer turned her attention to me.
"Are you trying to revive them?" she asked.
"I am. Lilith said their souls were still intact and suggested using Reo's dark book to revive them. I know it seems strange to follow the advice of our enemy, but there's no harm in trying," I explained.
"I will help you," Jennifer said immediately. Eric hoisted Xavier's body while another soldier took Kai's. Heading into the manor, I retrieved the book from Xavier's office. As I exited, I noticed Susan and the rogue witches had returned from the Blue Wood pack. Jennifer must have informed them of what had happened as they offered sympathetic looks.
"Let's go," I commanded. We stepped into the shrine, the residing priest offering a fearful yet respectful bow. "I need everyone to step aside except for Jennifer and Susan," I added.
Opening the book, I instructed Susan to help create a magical circle around Xavier and Kai. Jennifer summoned herbs with her magic, scattering them within the circle. As instructed by the book, I began chanting, my eyes shut tight as I felt the magic emanate around me in waves. I tried to connect with Xavier and Kai's souls, to guide them back to their bodies.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself neither in the shrine nor in front of Xavier and Kai's bodies. Instead, I was floating in darkness. In the distance, I could see souls aimlessly roaming. Determined, I ventured further into the darkness, intent on finding Xavier and Kai's souls. I would bring them back to their bodies and restore them to the living world, no matter what it took.
"Xavier!" I cried out into the void, praying he would hear me. My call was met with silence.
"Kai!" I shouted, hoping against hope, but still, there was nothing. The countless faceless souls, each tinted with a unique hue, remained unaffected by my calls.
"Can I even find my mates' souls?" I wondered, a crushing wave of despair washing over me. I was lost in this timeless abyss, where souls awaited judgment to be sent to Heaven or Hell. Time held no meaning here, and I had no way to gauge how long I'd been searching.
Tears rolled down my cheeks as the harsh reality of my solitude hit me. Yet, I couldn't leave this abyss until I found Kai and Xavier. I called out their names again.
"Leia!" A voice echoed back. I spun around to see a soul glowing yellow. I recognized that voice; it belonged to Xavier.
"Xavier!" I exclaimed, elation surging within me. I tried to embrace him, but my arms passed through his spectral form.
"You're dead too?" Xavier asked, his tone filled with surprise.
"No, I'm here to bring you home," I clarified, wiping my tears. "Before we leave this abyss, we need to find Kai."
"Kai!" Xavier exclaimed in surprise as I explained the events and how Kai had defended me.
"Kai's soul is not here. If it were, I would have sensed it," Xavier told me, his voice weighed down with confusion.
"So, where is Kai?" Desperation laced my words, my heart echoing the same question.
"I don't know, Leia," Xavier admitted. I could feel the window of opportunity to stay in the abyss dwindling. I needed to act swiftly. I used my magic to attach Xavier's soul to the opened vortex. When I opened my eyes, I saw Xavier's once blue-tinged body returning to its normal hue, a reassuring heartbeat thrumming beneath my touch. I moved towards Xavier, my relief immense.
"Wake up, Xavier," I whispered, channeling my light magic to infuse him with strength. Xavier's eyes slowly opened as the bond between us flared to life. Looking around in astonishment, he ran his hand over himself and caressed my cheek.
"It's real, Xavier. You're alive," I assured him, understanding that he must think this was all just a dream.
"Thank you, Leia," Xavier murmured, pulling me in for a kiss. A wave of warmth flooded through me, banishing the pain of loss and replacing it with pure happiness. I broke the kiss only to find my gaze returning to Kai, who still lay lifeless. The worrying grip of uncertainty returned, the pain of his loss resurfacing. Xavier and I moved to Kai's side, our eyes reflecting shared grief.