SWNOVELS Chapter Sacrifice
She threw her arms around Marcus and kissed him deeply, tears running down her face, "I love you," she murmured. Turning away from him, she took a deep breath, surveying the area around her. Already, their plan was coming into action that they had spent hours planning. The alpha's of the other packs were already in formation, crammed together as tightly, their own howls filling the air. One thing that the other alpha's did not know, or anyone for that matter, was that Aria was already forming a dome of electricity around them. She had never done it before, never attempted, but the moon goddess had told her that this was the only way. The rogues will run right into the dome that protects you and the others. The rogues will not be able to see it, and each time they run into it, they will be absorbed by the electricity. However, this protection comes at a cost. Each time that a rouges is absorbed by the dome, you will become weaker, until, by the time that last wolf has been absorbed you will be nothing. If you don't do this, Aria, everyone will die. There will be no survivors from your pack or the others. The rogues have been planning this attack for years and years. Their hatred for you and the others will be their own death. They will be so crazed that they will keep on running into your dome. You will know how to do it, Aria, have faith.
The moon goddess's words came racing back through Aria's mind as she concentrated. Imaging the dome protecting the ones she loved, the ones who had come to defend against a threat, her mate, her hatred for the rouges, and Ellia, she felt a new part of her power open within her. Like a damn breaking, she felt the power flow through her, and out of her, stretching like a blanket over the heads of the warriors. She let the packs see her shield, let them know that she was protecting them, and as the first of the rogues broke through the trees, she felt strangely calm. Marcus's voice and all the others around her faded, and it was just her and her power's humming. The rogues closed in, and some of the warriors stepped forward to meet them, but quickly backed away as her dome thrummed brighter, warning them.
The rouges came closer, and she willed her dome to glow even brighter, feeding more of her energy into it.
Closer.
Closer.
Ten feet.
Five feet.
The first of the rogues lept for a warrior, colliding with her dome. A flash of light and it was gone, a pile of ash being swept away in the wind. More of them kept coming, their red eyes glowing with burning hatred. The fires in their bellies fueled by hatred, raging so hard that they kept coming by the hoards. Aria's knees wobbled slightly as hundreds of rogues began pouring out of the trees, the packs within her dome staring wide eyed at Aria. She could see them, but she couldn't hear their voices, or feel their touches as she focused on keeping the dome up.
The time seemed to slow as the hundreds of rogues were killed by her dome, each flash of light an indicator of another death. Aria wasn't worried about their deaths though, she was worried that she was becoming increasingly weaker. The rogues continued to barrel into her dome, each flash of light dimmer than the next. Her dome was weakening, and everyone inside knew it. They resumed their fighting stance, eyes hardening as the rogues poured out of the trees. She felt so tired, and a burning feeling had started to ache deep in her chest. Her vision was going black, and dozens of wolves were still attacking. She felt her hold on the dome start to slip, wavering for a slight moment before she forced more energy into it.
A faint voice rang through her head. It sounded again, louder this time. Aria waded through the cotton stuffing her head, reaching out to the voice as she became dimly aware that she had fallen to her knees. Her arms were sagging in front of her as the voice became a powerful shout. YOU CAN DO IT!! HOLD ON FOR A FEW MORE MOMENTS! The moon goddess. The burning heat inside her chest became scorching, and she opened her mouth in a silent scream. Her vision had long since gone black, she was unseeing. Blind. Hold on, Aria! A little bit of warmth flooded her, pushing the fire that was scorching inside her at bay as a beam of white light appeared amidst the black. The beam of light became brighter, and Aria made it out to be a figure sprinting towards her, arms outstretched. The figure knelt at her side, pulling her into its arms, and she looked up at its face. Marcus. She didn't know if he was really there with her, in this dark place, but she was aware that he was keeping the fire away to a dim pain and that was all that mattered. He whispered things she couldn't hear, pressing her into him as tears soaked his face. He was so bright that it hurt to look at him, and yet Aria couldn't look away. He touched her face and as he began to fade away, as she began to die, she made out the three words he was mouthing the whole time. I. Love. You. She didn't have the energy to reply, and as he faded away, leaving her in her own darkness, the fire returned. There was no one to hold it back this time, no one to hold her as she died. So instead, she drug herself to her feet with her remaining energy and opened her arms, letting the fire consume her.