As She Burns, She Flies

Luka was thrown back into her cell after the trial, left to scream and cry out her heartache. She could feel her heart grow cold and dark from the pain. As the days passed, she grew quieter and quieter until the morning of her burning she was completely silent. Her blue eyes stared at the door of her cell, blank and pale. There were dark circles under her eyes and dirt smudged all over her cheeks. She was a hollow shell of her former self. Not once did Gakupo come to her. Did she even want to see him? She didn't know, she only knew of the emptiness that filled her.

The door creaked open, a man in black robes stood in the light. She could make out the cross pendent he had on his chest and a gold gilded book tucked into his elbow. "May I come in?" His voice was quiet and calm, kind even. He took a step in as she turned away from him. The cot groaned with his weight. "Do you wish to repent before your punishment?"

A soft chuckle escaped her dry, chapped lips. "Repent? Father, I have done nothing. Even God knows that my only crime is being what I am, not what I have been accused of. The ones needing to repent are the ones begging for my death."

As if he ignored her, the Father opened his book to the proper scriptures. The reading grated on her ears and she was thankful when it was over and he left. However, it wasn't long before the door opened again. She was pulled roughly to her feet, instead of cloth strips a cloth bag was placed over her head. The hands on either side of her dug their fingers into her arms leaving deep marks.

Sounds of the town became louder as they came outside. WHACK! Something smacked into her face. Jeers came from her hurt side. She let out a deep sigh, it was only the beginning. If felt as though her escorts were purposely walking slow so that the townspeople could throw more things at her. Mostly it felt like soft, rotted foods and eggs. At last they came to a stop and the bag was removed. A small wooden platform was laid before her, a large pole like cross grew from the center. She tried to recall if it was there when she first came here, but failed. It was made specifically with her in mind. A rock flew through the crowd and hit her near her temple. It took her by surprise and she stumbled. She reached her hand to the sore spot, it was warm and wet. Seeing the blood seemed to egg the people further and more rocks projected at her.

"Enough!" A hand came near her face. She shied away from it and straightened herself up. The glove on the hand was so familiar, she didn't dare look up in fear all the pain of her heartbreak would flood free from the deepest part of her soul.

There was a hard shove in her back, "Move, Witch." It was a smaller hand, but it came with such force. The shoving and stumbling repeated until she was standing on the platform, the cross mere inches from her face. Roughly she was turned and her wrists and body were bound to it. She looked up to the crowd, tears were beginning to form in her eyes. No, please no. Let this be a nightmare. PLEASE!

The Father's lips were moving but she couldn't hear his voice, the sound of her heart pounding drowned it all out. As he spoke, pile after pile of straw and wood was placed around her. Then the judge spoke out her sentence, oil was thrown on the wood. Lastly, Miku stood before her. A cruel smile was on her face. "He is mine, bitch." She motioned for Gakupo to join her. For the first time in God knows how long Luka saw her beloved. Tears escaped her eyes and emotions flooded her.

"May this fire take your magic with you and lift the enchantments you've so callously spread!" Miku shouted. She motioned for Gakupo to step up next to her.

"May this fire take you to God to repent your sins." He swallowed hard and could barely look at Luka. Like her, his heart was broken into dust. He looked thinner, paler, a weaker vision of himself. He couldn't blame her if she hated him now. His hand gripped the torch Miku had in her hands and together, they lit the fire.

It started off slow, but the flames quickly began to lick her skin. Its heat began to burn her as she lifted her head to the sky. "My God, see all these fools before me! See the lies they so easily gobbled up! If my love was black magic, then let it be a curse to those who have defiled your name for their sake!" Her tears flowed down her cheeks but would quickly dry from the flames heat. Her cries were drowned by the crowd laughing and screaming for her to burn faster.

Time went by, Luka's screams grew in crescendo as the flames climbed higher and higher before there was dead silence from the platform. A stone grew heavier with each quiet second in the pit of Gakupo's stomach. He couldn't bear it anymore and prayed he did the right thing. The flames grew taller than that of the cross, surely it would die out soon. He gulped down his guilt and grabbed for Miku's hand. If only he had listened to her, he wouldn't have felt this way.

Miku kept her face hidden from Gakupo as she snuggled up close to him. She was enjoying this. Finally she had made a name for herself, made bank, and had the love of her life to herself. What more could she ask for?

There was a sudden scream from the crowd. She turned to glare at the person who did it, but was met with fingers pointing back to Luka. Her gaze followed their direction. Oh God, she's cursed us all. Before her was something she thought impossible. Luka stood on one arm of the cross, the flames tickling her feet. Miku could feel the cold stare of the witch digging into her.

Luka looked otherworldly, her skin was flawless and smooth, her hair blew with the wind, black wings had sprouted from her back. "Feel now the weight of death and lies upon you!" She spoke, cold and deep her words pierced into Miku. In the blink of an eye, she changed her form into that of a raven.

Miku, shook her head screaming in terror. "God, no! Please have mercy!" She ran as the raven chased after her.