“She passed two tests!” Ama sprung up from her seat., “There must be something—“
“You are not one of this council,” the Ghost High Being turned to her sharply, “so keep your voice out of the decisions.”
Belladonna's eyes widened. Two tests! So Eli—- Ah by Ignas, she had been right.
Where was Eli? Why hadn’t they let him come in yet?
Ama smirked, “Still holding a grudge, Phosi? I see.”
“Passed the two tests? It is obvious that she has failed. The rules are the rules,” The Sea High Being spoke, “she has failed. Pass the judgment, I have places to be.”
Failed? Belladonna felt that painful jolt in her heart. What were they even talking about?!
The hall seemed to share the same confusion as Belladonna, they whispered amongst one another.
“Failed?!” Luna snapped. “How did she fail? It is not her fault that her soul didn’t align——“
“The rules are the rules! And you are not a part of this Council, stay out of it!” The High Being of the Sea snapped. “End this already,” he said to the Fates, “I have places to be.”
“Oh you are always claiming to be so busy, we are sick of it,” The High Being of Magic chuckled, “Busy doing what, Eptu? Many of your sea beings are at war as we speak, the blood of innocents spilled into blue waters. So much chaos under your reign, pathetic. What exactly have you been busy doing?!”
He slammed his fists against the table. “Get your nose out of my realm!” Then he scoffed. “You are the one to speak?”
There was more back and forth and Belladonna was losing her mind watching them.
“Wars are interesting things, Juhar,” Ina spoke, turning to the High Being of Magic. “They are needed, you must agree.”
“You are not the perfect scale for the measure, Ina. Your beings are always at one another’s throats. The Kore might still be here if it wasn’t for one of them.” He replied.
“The Kore was stupid. How is that my fault?”
“Decorum, please,” one of the Fates finally said and the hall fell into silence. “We seem to all agree that she should be taken care of as the Kore.”
“Oh, no,” Ina said. “I don’t agree, I only said wars are interesting. But Ama is right, bring out the bird, and if she fails that too, then so be it.”
Belladonna felt a cold feeling wash over her. The bird? What bird?
“I agree with Ina,” Juhar said.
“As you should.” Ina nodded, then turned to the rest, “Eptu? Phosi?”
“True, fairness is essential for true justice,” Eptu said
“I agree,” Phosi added.
“It is unfortunate that the bird is dead,” A Fate replied.
“You killed it?” Phosi snapped and the hall broke into murmurs once more.
“We see no reason for a second chance. Every Kore has fallen to the same fate and messed with the balance, they are of no use. We need no Kore.”
“You have no right! This council should be restructured! Another trial must take its place without the fates.” Luna snapped.
Bird, Kore. They must be talking about the phoenix. Luna had told her to avoid that realm at all costs because of the rumoured curse but if she was fighting for it so much then it must really be the only option.
“There is no council without us,” The Fates responded.
“You are plagued with unfairness and bias!”
The hall seemed stunned at the exchange. The Fates did not hide their shock at her disrespect.
“How dare you, Luna?! How dare you—-“
Suddenly everyone stopped and looked up, a massive bird was flying above them. Belladonna took a step back when she realized that the bird was coming for her, but it was so big, there was nowhere she could possibly run to that it wouldn’t reach. The bright colors of the bird felt blinding but then— wait! There was Eli hanging by the bird’s talons.
A smile crossed her lips sharply. He fell from the bird’s hold and into the pit, making his way to her immediately.
“Eli.” Just as she started running to him, she was stopped by the light weight she felt on her shoulder. Eli stood in front of her, to shield her, his attention on the council as he assured her that she wasn’t alone.
She had so many questions, but this wasn’t the time.
“You were supposed to kill the bird. You were supposed to kill the boy. It was all in your favour. How dare you against the oath you gave to receive the bird?” The fate asked in unison.
For the first time, the UnderLord spoke. “I went against nothing. I only gave an oath to do with them what would be to my advantage. Besides I did toss both of them in the abyss, for the boy to have made it here in time with the bird impresses me. I have grown fond of that boy and my mate seems to want more for the ghost. Ama’s desires are mine.”
“You have made a mess of justice, of fate.” The Fates turned to her in unison and despite Eli shielding her with his body, she could see them clearly, and hear their voices like they were standing right next to her. “The curse of the Kore will catch up to you and when that time comes, we will not be hesitant to give you the punishment you have avoided today.”
“You will be waiting for too long for a day that will never come,” she said back to them.
The Fates didn’t seem shocked at her response. “That is what they all say.” With that, they left.
Eli turned to her immediately with a victorious smile, he pulled her into an embrace and pressed a kiss to her lips, their laughter melting into the kiss.
They pulled away for a moment and when he pulled her into an embrace again, her feet were off the ground, her arms tight around him, the weight of the bird on her shoulder.
She won, they won and now she was… she was… By Ignas, she was the Kore!
“Oh my Love, finally. My gratitude is ever to you for making such huge sacrifices; risking it all for me. Donna, you are more than I ever deserve.”
“You risked it all for me first. Eli, I love you.”
“I love you the most.”
They soon stood apart as Luna, A
ma, and the UnderLord rushed into the pit to take them out and welcome them to the High Realm.