Finally, the gem was out. The Gardener dropped it on the Cave floor, letting it roll however it would like.
He held Gaya in his arms while she drew her last breath. As she moved closer to death, his chains glowed green and began to fade away.
“Oh my love, if only you had stayed in love with only me, it wouldn't have been this way.”
She smiled up at him, fighting to speak. “Many I may love, but you will always be my Moon.”
Fools.
Alaris thought at their display of stupid affection for each other. How could they be Iobe after everything they had done to each other?
The venom from the snake bite had only paralyzed him for that moment and done nothing more. He had recovered from the bite even before he had been tossed into the lake of lava and had hung on to the snake on his way down.
He had heard every single detail of their love story, and he didn't think any of that was worth dying for or grieving the death of another about.
However, that was none of his concern. His only concern right now was Nightshade who he had over a shoulder, and the gem that had rolled to his feet.
He picked up the gem, wiping the blood away to see the whites glow beneath with a little bit of black in them.
Yes.
This was it.
Finally!
The floor shook beneath him, and at that moment he heard the loud wailing of the Gardener as he wept over his lover.
Was he a FOOL?! Was—
The cave!
It was falling apart, the snakes disappearing too.
Tucking the gem away, Alaris began to escape from the cave. He ran while avoiding falling rocks from above, and the floor parting beneath him.
He needed to get to the mouth of the cave as soon as possible. If this cave should perish with them in it, it would take them along.
But if they got to the mouth of the cave in time, they would be able to escape and if they were lucky enough, they would make it back to their Realm in one piece.
From the place of contact between him and the gem, he could feel something changing.
He could feel his dragon awakening to more life than it had ever had, his wings stitching together.
“What is going on?”
A wicked smile crossed his lips at the weak voice that spoke to him.
Finally, she was awake!
“You will not believe it. I wanted to trade you for my escape, but they got mad that all I had to aid my bargain was a mere mortal.”
“What? You wanted to leave me?!”
“Something like that.” He brought her closer, steadying her on the floor before wrapping his arms around her again.
“What are you doing?”
“Hold on tight.” He winked at her. “We fly.”
His wings sprouted from his back immediately, and happiness sparked in her eyes, but before she could speak, he took to the air with a spread that left her clinging to him.
He was heading to the mouth of the cave, watching their salvation before him, while she looked back as everything they passed crumbled into non-existence.
They would make it, she could feel.
Besides, it was Alaris.
He would make sure that they would make it.
He was too full of pride to accept anything but his victory, and for that, she might just love him for it.
___
___
{LYCAN’S REALM}
“What happened?” Ikrus asked, his head ringing with a wrecking headache. He couldn't remember how he got here, or how he got into these chains that bound his hands and legs to the wall. He rubbed his fingers over his forehead as if to rub the confusion away. “Oh,” he said quickly, as the memories flashed back to him, “I know.”
Any time his beast would take over like that, Veris was usually the one to help him.
To see himself in these chains, he knew it had happened again, but now it was even worse to require such an amount of bondage.
“It is getting worse,” Veris' words confirmed his thoughts, as he walked around in his white robe, the crescent moon image on his forehead glowing lightly.
“I can see that.”
“I can't say why it is,” Veris continued, pressing his hand against Ikrus' forehead while Ikrus looked around at the room that he had been chained in.
Different images were drawn on the walls, moonlight seeping in through the small glass roof above, the small space and little furniture - It was the same room, Veris’ room.
“But you are losing control, and soon enough, you will be more beast than man,” Veris took a step back as he spoke the next two words. “ A rogue.”
Ikrus sighed, resting against the wall, his hand over his knee as he sat on the floor. “Another obvious thing.”
“Ikrus—”
“Maybe my departure to the North border would be a blessing after all. No one will see me when I go mad, when I am no longer myself anymore. Spare Oana and my stepmother from the disgrace. My death will be a gift from the Moon Goddess.”
“Do not speak like that. We can still do something. You should take the herbs and the—”
“I am tired of trying to delay the inevitable with those.”
“They work—”
“Not good enough!” He snapped, looking at Veris for only a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was no longer hard with rage. “Why hasn't there been anything from the North Border yet? Death should come quickly.”
“I don't know. Maybe your father is sending some troops there to mitigate any attack on the walls. Maybe he wants you to stay.” He said with a light smile.
Ikrus scoffed. “You think too highly of my father to think that he cares about me.”
“We still have a chance.”
Those words had triggered his rage; Ikrus rose up, crashing any furniture close to him to the ground, breaking vases, and yanking down anything his claws came in contact with.
“We cannot stop; we must keep trying; maybe one day, it will work.” When Veris couldn't keep ignoring his tantrum, he snapped, too. “Ikrus! Stop this madness!”
He stayed still, breathing heavily with his back turned to Veris.
What was wrong with him? This wasn't the first time his beast had taken over. It was now something normal for him.
“I hurt her,” his voice cut across the silence.
“Your mate?”
“Death awaits her. Why must I disturb the little moment she has before she is forced to embrace it.”
“You…” he paused, as he turned to look at him, “care about her.”
Ikrus shrugged. “We share a bond.”
“No, Ikrus. This is more than the bond. You really care about her.”