Chapter 155: The White Sword

[Evander].

I can feel the moment that Rosie gives into the Void. It feels like a cold chisel cracking into my heart, seeking to break the ties that bind me to her, that bind all three of us to her, leaving only the darkness within.

Axel thinks that by welcoming the void in, he is getting his opportunity to be with her forever. But he isn't. The void does not need his soul once the darkness completes its work.

As she kisses Axel, sealing their union, I know that even with the Universe’s blessing shining within me, I understand that If I do not act swiftly, we may all be tied to the void forever. Or worse, we could lose her to it.

“We claimed her first and that bond cannot be broken so easily,” the Universe speaks to me, through me, filling me with the knowledge of what it sees as it fills my body, taking command. Reaching deep within myself, I can feel the truth of those words. The void tried to break us, but it failed. All three of us are still tied to her with shining cords of faith and commitment. Even if Axel and Rosie didn't quite complete their bonds more formally, their connection is just as strong, if not stronger.

They may not be married in words, but they have been married by deeds and love for longer than the rest of us.

I step forward. The barrier holding me back dissipates like a bubble of soap, nothing more than residue on my feet. I take another step forward and the sword of light I created with my soul flares brighter as the power of creation fills the weapon. I can feel the Universe fortifying me, strengthening my will as it bestows its power of creation and destruction as armor made of light springs from my muscles and bones, building around my form as I move towards the couple.

A hand touches my shoulder.

Looking to the right I see another shining form shaded in a mist of gray and shadows, holding a shield of stone and steel made of aether and prayer. On his head is a helm of twilight, but as he turns towards me there is no mistaking that crooked smile or intense, intelligent gaze.

Gideon.

I reach out to him with more than just my body and I know immediately that he is free of Vincent's taint, cleansed by a holy fire powered by our beloved herself. He is her avatar, her soldier of flesh, working her will next to me.

She may have said yes to the darkness with her words, but in her heart and soul, she said no, allowing this manifestation to occur.

Together we take another step forward. The Void, so engaged in this union, is not paying attention to us...yet.

We take another step forward.

Vincent holds Slone back from the engagement, staring wide-eyed at the miracle occurring before them. She is fighting against the bindings of his arms, but he is keeping her back, keeping her from joining the fray. She has a shining athame of obsidian in her hand. Why is he keeping her from attacking while the void and Rosalynd are both at their weakest? Wouldn't he want to end things, to take what power he can?

Why is he holding back?

Gideon and I lock hands. He reaches a hand forward to touch Rosie's back.

Axel's pitch-black eyes angle to the side, watching us. He doesn't turn his head, captured by the same kiss he initiated to trap Rosie and the rest of us, he is now just as much her prisoner as she is his.

As Gideon places a hand on Rosalynd's back, I put a hand on the back of my cousin. Sending a tendril of my newfound power into him, I pierce his heart, tying him to me as Gideon anchors Rosie into place. This connection mirrors the connection of our first union when we tried to save Slone for Rosie's sake. We may not have had the conclusion we had hoped for, but we did learn something valuable--through Rosie, we can make miracles happen. Joined as one, we are far stronger than any one of us is alone.

Love is a double-edged sword--and the Void, after fighting against the overwhelming light of the Universe for all creation, is finally discovering a power he cannot topple.

Acceptance.

In my mind, I can hear Rosie's words as clearly as if they were spoken. "We accept you, Void, but not like this. Join us, but give us Axel. He is ours and we are his. Shadows need both light and darkness."

In this moment she glows with a power that is neither bright nor dark, taking on her true form.

She is the Goddess of the In-between. Rosie's body is just a vessel for a soul more powerful than the Universe and the Void on their own. Without her, the entire act of creation falls apart.

And Rosalynd, created as she was, not born of love but born of necessity, created from parts that were not whole on their own, she is the embodiment of this.

She wasn't just born to this, she was designed for it.

The Void thought he was creating his perfect mate, but what he didn't realize was that he also built his perfect adversary. He can no more control Rosalynd than any other force because she is a force of her own.

The Universe understands and accepts this and now the Void is being confronted with this truth.

"We welcome you into this union," I say to both Axel and the Void, two souls that have felt neglected and alone, on the outside of our love. "You are one of us, you always have been."

"We don't want to take her from you," Gideon adds. "You are a part of us, as much as we are a part of you."

Rosie holds on to the kiss, keeping the soul of Axel with her, unrelenting as she tries to free him from the void. "Give him back to me, damn it," she swears without speaking, using her mind instead of her tongue. "I will be yours but give us back what is ours."

The energy within Axel shifts, growing wide, but also less deep. In a blink, his tuxedo blends into a cloak of pure darkness, but rather than possess Axel, he wears it like a mantel, a dark crown on his head.

An equal to us in every way. Her third knight.

Rosie smiles as she breaks the kiss. Axel is back but is now something more than he was before, the power of the void itself pulsing through his veins.

Standing in awe of one another, we don't notice Slone's dagger until it pierces Rosie's heart from behind.

Rosie stumbles, but she does not fall. The three of us catch her, our glares focused on the attacker.

Slone takes a step back, the blood of her best friend wet on her hands, she looks down horrified. She stumbles off of the altar, almost falling into Vincent.

"What have I done," Slone screams as if waking up from a spell, her torn and ragged body shaking in fear. Vincent wraps his fingers around her shoulders, seeping his greedy corruption back into her veins.

Rosie stands and then reaches higher until only the tips of her toes remain on the floor, lifted aloft by her power.

"No" the rumble of her voice shakes the room. With a twist of her eternal wrist, Rosalynd brings Vincent to the ground, his body twitching and screaming until it is still.

Slone looks back involuntarily, her eyes wide with fear.

"I love you, Slone," Rosalynd says as she floats forward, placing a hand on her forehead, reversing all the damage and pain of the months preceding, returning her to herself as she was before, gifting her with another chance at living. "You need to learn to love yourself before you can be ready for more. Please learn your lesson this time."

Slone disappears in a puff of smoke.

"She is free now," Rosie smiles, satisfied. "I hope she finds herself, and her way back home."

As Rosie returns to our sides, we all clasp hands.

"Let's go home," she begs, looking at the three of us. "I'm tired of this place."

Laughing, I pull out my coin. "Your wish is my command."