Fallen Saint #2

Mila

I returned to the tower to find Zion seething in anger. Arms crossed, and face contortedly welcomed me as I stepped into the room.

I looked away from his questioning gaze, but once I sat back in bed, Zion finally sighed.

“Did he do anything to you?” Zion asked, voice full of concern.

“No,” I shook my head. “We just talked.”

“What?” Zion frowned. “You guys chatted while I was locked in here?”

“Yes?” I shrugged, then leaned on the headboard. Zion’s eyes still linger for a while longer before he dashed out of the room.

I heard his cursing words while he walked to the opposite room and slammed the door. I rubbed my forehead as I sigh. He got angry for a simple talk. Was that him being jealous or worried?

Shifting my eyes to my bag, I looked back at the bedroom door that was opened from side to side. It would take at least two more hours before morning arose. And it’s not like I could see the sun, but it would be another day.

Standing from the bed, I walked over to the table where my bag lay. I opened it, then rummaged until I found the small bottle with the purple liquid.

I eyed it carefully as the sluggish liquid swayed inside the bottle. Nervously, I hid it in the pocket of my dress and left for the kitchen.

***

The water boiled as I poured some calming medicine into it. The smell of vanilla mixed with medicine brought a calmness I hadn’t felt in the last weeks.

This would help soothe the tension in the air. It would calm Zion down and helped me.

Once it was ready, I grabbed two wooden cups and served the tea. Setting it on the table, my hand moved to my pocket where the bottle was. My hand gripped it hard before I took a deep breath and pulled it out, pouring some into one cup.

A few drops of it would do, since I would need him half-awake.

Hearing a door open, I put the bottle back in my dress and pour some sugar into the teas.

Zion walked into the kitchen as our eyes met.

“What are you doing?” Zion asked, taking a seat in front of me.

“Tea, you’re stressing me,” I answered, which was half true. Zion sighed loudly before leaning his head on the table.

I took a seat and pushed the cup to him.

“Have it and let’s go to sleep,” I ordered. Zion raised his head from the table before he grabbed the cup and stared at it. I pretended to be drinking mine and ignored his stupid look.

“If you don’t want it, then leave it,” I retorted.

Zion rolled his eyes before he brought the cup to his lips. My eyes shift to him as he drank a good amount of it.

Looking away, I stand and grab a small bag that had cookies we brought from the town. I set them down and offered some to Zion, who gladly ate.

We remained silent, drinking and eating.

My fingers tap on the warm cup as the clicking of the clock on the wall made me impatient. I knew any moment it would make some effect.

Once Zion was full and I had my portion, we both stood and cleaned up. I saw how Zion blinked a few times before he walked out of the kitchen.

I remained with my back to the door before I heard a loud crashing on the other room.

Walking over to see, I find Zion cursing under his breath. Eyes unfocused as I stand on the door and looked down at his body.

“W-What did you do to me?” Zion stuttered in pain. I stood unfazed by his pain.

Walking over to him, I move to the table and opened my bag. Removing the cloth, I opened the book I brought with me.

My fingers turned the pages as Zion tried to crawl to me.

I didn’t hesitate, so I skim the contents. Then, I was sure; I set the book down and pulled a dagger out of the bag with some other items.

Zion’s eyes widened as I moved closer with the holy dagger in hand. Muttering under my breath, I summoned a circle to trap Zion.

“M-Mila!” Zion shouted as the light appeared, making him cringe. I stepped into the circle and ripped the necklace off his neck.

Zion turned on the floor as I notice his eyes change color. His painful cries. I blocked them.

As Zion’s body goes still, I cut my hand, drawing blood, and forming the words on the floor around the circle.

“Bitch!” Zion’s voice shouted as chains appeared and held him firmly on the ground.

He tried to stand, fight the chains, but was kneeling before me with no escape.

“When your father finds you-“

“He won’t,” I cut him off coldly. “And if he does, I will kill him.”

My bitter voice made Elios silent. He knew I was not joking. I was ready to kill Frey.

Moving closer to the circle, I raise the necklace that bid him. Letting drop to the ground with a small clacking sound, I step on it until it breaks into tiny pieces.

Zion remained surprised before he started laughing like a maniac.

Seeing that, I started laughing as well, making Zion fall silent, confused by my outburst. His eyebrows furrowed with confusion as I wiped a tear away.

“Stupid, are we?” I hissed in disgust and stepped into the circle, making him recoil.

I was using all my strength to make him submit, which also meant breaking the protective barrier around the horses and leaving them at their mercy.

“What are you doing?” Zion asked, as his eyes shift from green to black.

I stood before him before crouching to his level. Zion or Elios looked troubled.

“You know what this is?” I said, showing him a piece of black parchment.

Zion seemed confused but then realization hit him. Eyes wide, he pulls on the chains.

“NO!” he yelled. “Don’t you dare!”

“Oh, why?” I asked, swaying the dagger in his face. “Scared of what will happen to you?”

Zion panted as his eyes turned completely black.

“You don’t know what you’re doing!” Elios blurted. “You-“

“I what?” I asked, pressing the dagger to his throat. “I gave you a lot of warnings and opportunities. I told you to leave Zion’s body, but you stubbornly refused.”

“You can’t do this to me!” Elios roared. He was furious, but I could see the fear that crawled into him.

“I can,” I smirked, closing the space between us and kissing him. “Now, it’s time you leave this body that doesn’t belong to you!”

Moving the dagger, I stab him on his thigh, then I chanted the words as blood slid down onto the floor.

What I was planning was something dangerous. It could put my life and the baby in danger, but I didn’t care. I had done it since the moment I knew of it.

“An exchange for an exchange, I command you to leave that body and come forth. Blood exchange for a second chance,” I exclaimed as the light on the circle turns blinding. “I called upon you, the cursed. The one who roams in the dark, causing chaos. Put this child of yours to sleep for eternity. And I offer my soul to you just to set this innocent one free.”

My chanting words continued for ten more minutes until the light circle subsided and everything turned silent.

“I claim you, your new owner. So please take this soul back to the pits of hell,” I muttered, eyeing Zion, whose body they covered in black veins.

My voice echoed before some birds caw outside the tower. A hissing sound makes me lower my eyes to the wound on Zion’s thigh.

Black liquid started pouring out of Zion’s body as he throws it up as well. Head forward, he gags and strange contents come out of his mouth. His body was trembling as sweat slid down his neck.

The flapping of birds and cawing intensified outside while Zion’s voice screeched as in pain.

I hastened to the next step and cut my wrist, forming a circle around the black thing and me.

It slowly started crawling up my body, covering me, taking my body as it belongs to him. But before he could reach my cut wrist, I stabbed it with the holy blade, stopping it and making it screech.

My body trembled as I coughed blood.

Leaving the dagger on the ground, stabbed on the liquid. I pulled the other dagger from my thigh and looked at Zion. His eyes were turning back to normal.

Standing with wobbly steps, I kick Zion on the chest, making him tumble backward.

“Mila?” Zion said as his eyes focused on me.

I straddle him as the black liquid continued leaving his body. I shifted my eyes to check how long would it take. It was close.

Feeling an icy shiver run down my back, I raise my dagger. Zion’s eyes widened. He tried to move, but he couldn’t.

Tears started streaming down my face as he looked at me with horror.

“I have no choice,” I said with trembling lips.

I could feel a presence behind me, watching me. Ignoring it, I focused back on Zion. The black liquid had left his body, so I did what I had and stabbed Zion in his heart.

My hair cascaded around my face as a sob leaves my lips. Zion’s hand fell to the side, staying still. I felt his heart stop on the beating blade.

Letting a painful cry out, I lean my head on his chest and cry my heart. The presence behind me walked out of the shadows. His heels click on the wooden ground as he stops behind me.

I slowly raised my head. Snot and tears covered my puffy, red face.

Getting up from Zion’s body, I pull the dagger. His body wasn’t bleeding, but was still lifeless like the dead. His eyes were cold as my heart tonight.

Hearing some screeching sound, I looked over my shoulder and saw Caiden taking the strange liquid that once had a form. Elios screeched as Caiden smiled down at it.

Like mist, it evaporated, leaving its painful cries behind.

“Finish it,” Caiden said from behind. “Once you have completed it, I should do as you requested, Saint. But remember, every choice has a price, and yours is not an exception.”

“I know…,” I mumbled as blood dripped from the corner of my lip. Picking the other dagger, I bring it to the front. The silver blade pointed at my chest.

“There’s no turning back,” I whispered and stabbed myself. Falling to the ground, I turn to the side, crawling over to Zion.

Using my blood, I summon another circle. It was time to reverse it and do the right thing.

I needed to keep my focus, so I jotted the enchantment on the ground as dark purple light surrounded us. This was no longer my power; this was the darkness that roamed in me.

With my last strength, I summoned the last light powers and scribble the phrase on Zion’s arm and chest.

I engraved it into his skin like a tattoo. An upside-down moon appeared with a dagger and a snake wrapped around it. Gold veins appeared on him as I coughed blood over him.

I was losing my consciousness.

Lowering my trembling hand to my belly, I smile weakly before I whisper the last incantation of words. As my vision blackens, I see Zion’s lips open. He breathed again.

I smiled weakly as tears slid from the corner of my eyes and I lay next to him.

“I love you,” I whispered before letting the darkness engulf my unconscious body.

***

Caiden

The glowing circle slowly disappeared as the engraved words turned white on Zion’s body.

She had done it. She has reversed it and saved Zion.

She had given him a second chance.

Shifting my eyes to her, I bend over and picked her up. Head wiggled to the side as blood dripped from her body. Laying her in bed, I turned back to Zion, who was recovering his consciousness.

Moving closer, I looked down at him.

“A dangerous exchange,” I muttered, looking back at Mila. “You have done taboo, my little one.”

Crouching, I put my hand over Zion. Pressing it over his forehead, I close my eyes and search on his mind. Once I had pointed it out, I send him there.

Done with my job, I stand back up and turned to Mila. The magic spell over me disappeared, revealing my true form. As I got closer to her, I watched her.

“Now, should we go?” I smirked and took Mila with me.

The only thing left was the deadly silence of a place that once knew life. The once dark place was finally seeing the light, as the morning dawn breaks for the first time on the land of the curse.