Choices

These voices in my head won't cease there chattering. They all want something but I can't tell what. Why won't they stop? I just want this to end. What have I done?

###

Scholars run in every direction, trying to save what little they can, as the City of Antiquity is burned to the ground. Only embers remain. The knowledge preserved by the Elders since our creation is no more. Familiar energy pulses as shadow blades spiral towards me. Roan flies above me, glossy black wings blowing a gust of dark wind towards me. The earth begins to freeze as Eira emerges the Winter Crown on her brow. I deflect their attacks with ease, or at least it feels that way.

My blood begins to freeze as shadow frost coats my veins. "You'll never understand," I say, as Roan flies down. A simple question in his violet silver eyes. Why?

"I understand more than you think?" he says, encasing me in Shadow Frost. Eira continues to put out the fires as Roan opens a gateway to the Nether Realm. Part of me wants to plead with him. Tell him I regret it, but the other part the one controlled by that cursed voice pushes it down, telling me to fight it. It wants me to give in to hand it that least peace of my soul and break free.

Roan shakes his head sadness in his eyes as he throws me through the gates of the Nether Realm sealing behind me. The world goes black as I spiral through the gateway. I come to just as the ice prison shatters, I hit the ground.

###

I seal off the gateway to the Nether Realm just as Selene hits its barren lands. For now, this will have to do. Only, mother can strip someone of their immortal soul. Well, her and father being as they've unlocked their godly status, they cannot interfere. Now we just need to wait for Cerin's return.

Eira comes to stand beside me as River drags one of the Witches by the throat. Her skin is ashen her hair the color of moss her eyes hollow pits. Blood bubbles out of her mouth as she struggles to speak.

I don't need to touch her to enter her shattered mind. Their Queen isn't here, Selene was to lead this attack as a symbol of good faith.

"What now?" Eira ask.

"Now," I look up at her, "we train the Elite, and wait for Cerin's return."

"Does it have to be her?" River asks, shifting back into her human form.

"According to grandfather, it must be done this way," I say, "only by losing it all can she be a just ruler."

###

"They did well," Ryan says.

I look up from the pool of obsidian water. His honey-green eyes are like pools of obsidian, he blinks and his eyes become the honey-green I love.

"For now," I say, summoning a silver dagger with the face of a screaming woman for its hilt, a ruby rest in her open mouth.

Ryan arches a brow as I throw the dagger into the obsidian pool. We watch as it lands in the River of Sorrows. Whoever finds it will be the next Queen of Assassins.

"Who do you think it'll be?"

"Only time will tell."

###

"It's been ten days since we sealed Selene away," Eira says, "why haven't the witches retaliated?"

"Their waiting," I say, "their secretly consuming power from the earth. While I cannot rule the Shadow Realm I am still connected to this world and can feel it pleading for help."

"Why not just take them out?" Naomi asks.

"Their Queen is connected to Selene," I say, "like me, Selene is connected to the earth."

"To kill their Queen is to kill us all," Eira says, "only Cerin can sever their connection and end them both."

"Continue to hunt the Witches down annihilate them," I say before Noah can speak.

###

I find Roan standing atop the tallest mountain in the Dark Realm wings folded back.

"Roan," I say, pulling him from thought.

"Eira."

"She's fine," I say, "her trials almost over."

"How can you be certain?"

"Remember when she was ten and you were worried, she'd get hurt, in the hunting game the Dark King arranged as part of our training."

"She made it through without a scratch," Roan says turning to look at me, "she even kept me from falling to my death."

"That's right she gave you your wings."

"But...

"Cerin's resourceful even without her memories shell figure it out," I say, placing one hand on his shoulder careful not to touch his velvety wings, "this isn't her first trial and it won't be her last."

"I know," he says, taking my hand into his, "I'm only worried about how she'll take all of this."

"There's a reason immortals' only have one female every tenth generation," I say, "they both had to know at any given time one would have to die."

"I doubt that makes it easier," he says.

Roan gives me a wicked grin as he pulls me to him and we spiral downward, he opens his wings just in time taking us higher up. Until we're flying over the Dark Realm.

I have to admit it's quite beautiful with its tall obsidian buildings and cypress forest. Crystals of every shade line the streets giving of violet, red, yellow, green and blue light. Even the flowers seem to be iridescent there are night blossoms in every window, the symbol of the Night Court the Dark Kings father and moon blossoms the symbol of the goddess Luna.

We land in the middle of a lavender and rose field. A pomegranate tree stands to the right while a persimmon to the left of a gazebo made of moonstone and obsidian, four wolves are carved on each side howling at the moon. Winter blossoms surround the wolves' feet. There is a path to the north lined with spider-lilies and cypress trees. Another with maple trees towards the east and plum and peach trees to the west, cherry, and apple to the south.

"Father built this place for mother," Roan says, arm still wrapped around my waist, "he built the garden with all the things mother likes. No matter which life they live this garden is constant."

"Why are we here?" my heart skips as uncertainty fills me.

"It's up to you if we bind our eternal souls or not."

"Roan."

"I mean it," he says, violet silver eyes locking with my own, "the choice is yours and always will be."