Chapter 114: Sacrificing For The Future

Ezekial

I sat behind my desk, sighing deeply as once again the hair on the back of my neck, along with the hair on my arms stood up.  My time was growing closer, and I knew I had to say my goodbyes to my mother. I rolled my sleeve up, revealing the vine that had embedded itself in my skin the day I turned 18 all those many moons ago. It lifted itself out of my skin, leaving behind a small indent in my arm as it wiggled its way up to my face, where it nuzzled against my cheek. I ran a finger over it, saddened by what would be happening later that day.

“It’s been a long time, Ivy. I’m going to miss you,” I murmured, trying to hold my sorrow back. “You must promise me that you won’t mourn for me too long.”

It shifted away from me, raising itself to my eye level, almost as if it were looking into my eyes. I sighed again when a drop of its nectar gathered on the tip of it before falling onto my skin, where it was immediately absorbed. I knew it was already mourning my death, and I didn’t know how to comfort it. It had been my best friend for decades, choosing to live life alongside me. It was my permanent connection to the woods and the intricate network that was formed by the vines and vine keepers. I gently scratched the underside of the vine, smiling softly when it almost purred with happiness. After a few more minutes of petting it, I wrapped it around my wrist as I called out to Mother Esther. Out of all the vine keepers in existence, she was the one I had since birth. She had been the one to protect me through childhood before proudly introducing me to all of the other vine keepers. Almost before I could finish requesting her presence, the floor in my office opened and Mother Esther stepped out, smiling at me.

“Ezekial, my son,” she greeted me happily as she floated over to me.

When she bent down to hug me, I stood up to envelop her fully in my arms, holding her close. After a moment, I let her go, blinking furiously to keep my tears at bay.

“Hello, Mother,” I whispered, my voice cracking with emotions, which immediately made tears start to fall from her eyes.

“No! It can’t be time yet!” she cried, her hands trembling as she reached for me.

I let her pull me back into her arms without struggling. I knew she needed this. She needed every last second she could have with me. Afterall, she had been my mother figure since the day I was born, and the connection between the two of us was untouchable by any other relationship I had ever had. I hadn’t been lucky enough to find my mate, even though I had searched for her for years, and now it was too late to ever find her. Mother Esther had known for the last 7 months that my death was looming over my head, and she had begged me to let her send me underground so I could stay alive. Her desire to break all the rules she lived by to protect me made me realize just how much I meant to her. I pulled a handkerchief out of my pocket and gently wiped the tears off her face.

“I love you, Mother,” I murmured softly, my heart already aching for her. “Just because I die, doesn’t mean that we will be separated. You can come visit me whenever you want, and when it’s my time to come back, I will be your chosen one again, but right now, it’s Annie time. You have to promise me that you will do everything you can to protect her.” I wiped another tear off her face before giving her a sad smile. “But I also want you to promise to come visit me.”

She nodded, sniffling. “I will. Everyday, my son.”

I kissed her cheek. “Thank you, Mother.” I looked down at the vine that was pulsing around my wrist. “I need you to take my blood. When he comes to take my life, he’s going to take my blood. The last bit of my power is stored in my blood, and the only one that I want to have it is Annie. With the war that starts today, she’s going to need it. Since I’m going to die anyways, I want to die on my terms, not on his.”

Mother Esther remained quiet for a moment before nodding slowly. “Very well, son. I will make sure that Annie receives your blood.” She closed her eyes for a moment, and I knew that she was calling to the vines. As the vines began to come up from the floor, she gave me a heartbroken look. “I’ll make sure your death is on your terms. It will be the last thing I’m able to do for you. Please, sit, my son, so we can get started.”

After I took my seat again, vines immediately began to wrap around me, sinking thorns into my skin. As the thorns began to drain my blood while simultaneously filling my body with nectar. It would keep me alive for a few hours, but would render me unable to stand up, or protect myself, and that was okay with me. At least he wouldn’t get my blood. Annie would, and it would offer her a protection and power that nothing else could. I sighed as my body grew weaker, which caused me to slump in my chair a little. When the vines had taken every last drop of my blood, Mother Esther put her hands on my shoulders, and a warmth passed through them and into my body. I struggled to move my hand up to cover hers, returning her silent words. She stood there for a moment before swallowing hard and bending down to kiss my forehead.

“I love you, Ezekiel.”

“I love you too, Mother.”

She remained in place, unmoving for a moment as she struggled to find the words that she wanted to say. After a few moments of her struggling, I patted her hand.

“It’s okay, Mother. I understand. I’m going to miss you too.”

She kissed my forehead again, and let her hands fall from my shoulders. “Goddess speed, my son.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

I watched her walk back to the hole in the floor, where she cast me one final devastated look over her shoulder before she stepped in and was swallowed whole. I let myself melt back against my chair, unable to hold onto my tears anymore. All I could do now was pray for all of their safety. I knew that Mother Esther would keep her promise to me and protect Annie. Passing everything over to such a young girl was not what I wanted to do, but there had been too much turmoil in the council and if I hadn’t, then everything that the Vine Keepers had worked so hard for would be ruined. My death secured Annie’s future, and right now that was all that mattered. An hour later, my office door burst open, and I did my best to straighten up to face who would be my murderer.

“Hello, Orion! What brings you to my office at this time of day and without notice?” I asked sharply, already knowing the answer.

“We both know you know why I’m here! I’m tired of being your slave, and I’m here to claim my rightful place as the council head!” he snarled.

I chuckled softly as I picked up my letter opener to slice my hand open, being too weak to shift even a claw. I held my hand up to show him the nectar that dripped from my wound.

“You’re too late, Orion! Did you think that I would let you come into my office and steal something that didn’t belong to you? Did you think that I would ever let you rule in my place? If you did, then you are a bigger fool than I thought you were! You can do what you came here to do, but you will not gain any power! It doesn’t belong to you!” I told him.

He let out a loud roar as he lunged forward to yank me over the desk. I grunted when he shook me, sending the nectar still free falling from my wound everywhere.

“YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!” he yelled. “YOU CHEATED ME OUT OF MY POSITION! YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS! I PROMISE YOU THAT!”

I raised my eyebrow at him. “This is what you never understood. The power that I wielded was never meant for a bear like you! You weren’t chosen. You will never be chosen. You can’t change that! And as for getting away with making sure the right person gets my power, I already have! That’s why it pisses you off so much, because there’s not a damn thing you can do!”

He bared his teeth at me before letting his hand shift into claws and tearing into my throat. As the nectar gushed from my throat, he threw me to the floor and glared down at me.

“We’ll see about that! We’ll see if your blood protects her. Spoiler alert, it won’t, and her death will be on your hands!” he spat.

I gave him a cold smile. “They won’t let you lay a finger on her!”

He smirked at me. “And that’s what you don’t understand. They won’t be able to stop me…”