Chapter 14 A Soul's Descent
Chapter 14 A Soul's Descent
Aethon’s voice didn’t falter, his incantation unwavering despite the chaos that had erupted in front of him, fueled by a singular focus: Izzy’s revival. His determination was rooted in his purpose: to stand by Dixon’s side, to shoulder the burden of his struggles, and to alleviate the weight of his stress, even if only by a fraction.
The thread above them dismantled, its energy dissipating as Dixon’s form fell out of the configuration, leaving Aethon to summon Zephryine to adjust to the new dynamic.
Zephryine swiftly appeared to fill the void left by Dixon’s crumpled form, taking his place within the triangle, and the thread stabilised, its energy recalibrating to the new configuration.
The Nekrothyma hovered above Izzy’s heart, its obsidian black surface shimmering with violet and blood-red undertones. A cold, eerie glow pulsed from within, like a fading heartbeat.
Tiny silver flecks drifted lazily through the liquid, suspended like ash in smoke. The vial released a scent of old earth, wilted roses, and metallic blood memories, thickening the air with mortality's weight.
Its presence was a grim reminder that death had brushed close, and might yet return.
“Y en el silencio, escucha el llamado de tu nombre. Izzy, Izzy, el eco de la vida te reclama. Rompe el velo de la sombra, y emerge a la luz…”
Aethon's hand moved in a deliberate, counterclockwise arc, his fingers tracing a complex sigil as he channelled the mystical energy into the water in a calabash above Izzy's head. The water moved out of the calabash, forming a circular shape as it hovered in the air before it slowly seeped into Nekrothyma.
It circled the Nekrothyma and released a faint vapour, carrying the essence of the ritual into the atmosphere. The silence vibrated with an otherworldly tension as the ritual reached its climax.
“Con el corazón lleno de amor, y el alma renovada. Que la esperanza te impulse, y te lleve a la victoria. Que la fe te guíe, y te lleve a la gloria. Despierta, Izzy, y encuentra tu lugar, en el mundo de los vivos. Con el espíritu libre, y el corazón lleno de vida.”
As Aethon’s lips paused, the vapour hit Izzy hard on the chest, and her eyes instantly widened.
She screamed and flames split out of her mouth as water flooded out of her ears. She sat up like a robot, her movements uncontrolled, as if an unseen force was driving her. She panted heavily for a moment before lying back down, her eyes widely opened, with fire burning in her right eye and water filling her left.
Aethon took a soft, deep breath, and with his eyes still closed, he whispered an incantation, dismissing the spirits and jinns that had guarded the ritual—to regulate the cave’s air temperature, sending them back to their realms.
"Por el poder del rito ancestral, os ordeno regresar a la noche de vuestro dominio. Espíritus del aire, genios de la llama, atended mis palabras y retiraos de nuevo…”
The jinns and spirits vanished into thin air, their ethereal forms dissipating as a gentle whirlwind swept through the cave, rustling Aethon's robes.
“A vuestros reinos de origen, que reineis, dejándonos en nuestra llanura mortal.”
Izzy slowly came to, her eyelids fluttering open as a warm ray of sunlight streamed through the window, bathing her face in its gentle glow.
The air was filled with the scent of incense and herbs, and the soft, golden light of a fire cast flickering shadows on the walls.
She tried to lift her head from the pillow, but it felt like a weight was pressing down on her, holding her in place. She lay there for a moment, her gaze drifting lazily around the hut, taking in the thatched roof above.
Finally, she managed to push herself up, her movements slow and cautious, as if expecting something to jump out at her. As she straightened, her eyes landed on the mirror, and her breath caught in her throat. The reflection staring back at her was nothing short of stunning.
Her mouth fell open in shock, and she blinked hard, wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her. She squeezed her eyes shut, thinking it was just a trick of the light, but when she opened them again, the vision remained.
Her hand flew to her chest, as if trying to contain her racing heart, and her eyes remained fixed on the mirror, drinking in the unfamiliar beauty that stared back at her.
"This can't be me…" She whispered, slowly standing on her feet, holding the bed for support. She took a cautious step forward, her eyes fixed on the mirror.
As she reached the mirror, she pinched her cheek, hoping to wake up from a dream. But the reflection staring back at her didn't change. Her skin glowed, her hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her eyes shone.
Her mouth hung open as she stared at herself, still unable to believe what she was seeing.
“What's going on?”
She turned around, rubbing her face and neck, searching for the wound that used to be there. But it was gone, replaced by faint scars that’d only revealed themselves to the closest observer.
As she stood there, a sharp pain shot through her head, making her feel dizzy. She hurried back to the bed, sitting down and holding her forehead.
After a minute of silence with her furrowed brow, trying to remember something, memories of that night began to flood back, and her eyes widened in alarm.
"Ah!" She gasped, springing to her feet again. "Did he..." She couldn't complete her sentence, her mind racing with possibilities. She rushed out of the hut, her eyes scanning the surroundings frantically.
As she emerged into the bright sunlight, she spotted a figure crouching beside a stone hearth, fanning the flames with a large leaf. "Who… are you?" She demanded, her voice shaking slightly.
Her voice, cool and sweet, drifted down to him—a welcome respite from the ravaged, pained tone he'd heard that night. Her gentle voice instantly warmed his heart, bringing a light smile to his face.
He was carried away on a wave of excitement that his struggles over her hadn't been in vain, making Izzy, who was patiently waiting for a response, throw her question again with a raised voice..
“Who are you and what have you done!”