As You Wish

Shane wanted to let the pain take him into the dark. At least then his torment would end.

"If you die, you'll be going against my wishes." The words were an angry rasp from Loralie, her eyes closed against the pain. Shane almost laughed. Leave it to his sister to command him to live.

"As you wish,."

Shane pulled himself up and lurched to his feet, swaying at first.

The air sizzled and sparked, an electric energy created through magic and might to hold down a grim reaper.

Shane gathered the last of his strength and charged. With each step, pain engulfed him. It coursed through him like a thousand volts.

another groan of pain escaped.

Fire swept around Shane, through him, into him.

Pain became his world.

Then a voice called to him. "Shane! Fight it!"

Jihoon? Was he alive? Or was he calling him to join him in the world of the dead? Shane's eyes flew open and found Jihoon's. He lay across the ground. The bujeok pasted to his chest burned as bright as the flames around SHane, but Jihoon watched him calmly.

"Fight it," he said again.

"Shane!" Like an avenging spirit appearing from the shadows, Jessica leapt into view. She grabbed Shane's soul from the makeshift altar on the ground. As Jessica cradled the soul, she began to scream.

"No!" Death shouted, falling out of his chants.

And for a blissful moment, Shane's pain subsided.

Jessica lay on the ground, her arms covered in mottled blisters. She cradled them against her chest, tears tracking down her cheeks to pool in the dirt.

Death took up the chant again, even as his own daughter lay burnt and battered at his feet. As his chanting reached a crescendo, he lifted his hands to the sky. Loralie's soul caught ablaze. The jar burned away with a flame that arced into the air. And when the fire died, it revealed ash instead of stone.

"No!" It was meant as a shout, but it came out as a whisper from Shane's dry throat.

Shane spun toward Loralie and almost fell in shock. Where his sister had lain before, there was now a grim reaper, however weak. Wearing a dark grey robe with greyish red eyes. Like she was reverting to her basic form on her way to death.

Death bent to pry open Jessica's fingers. The child moaned in pain.

"Foolish girl," Death said with a snarl. He pulled Shane's soul from Jessica's hands.

"This is wrong," Jessica moaned. "We're not murderers."

"You can't murder a worthless piece of shit," the king of hell muttered, placing Shane's soul back into the center of the circle of incense. It now sat on the ruins of loralie's soul.

"Again!" Death said before he took up the chant.

Shane stood on trembling feet.

His forward motion was so haltingly slow that he knew he wouldn't reach Death in time.

"You said you cared about me."

"It is better you are gone from this world, where you can no longer hurt anyone."

"If you're sending me to the afterlife" Shane lurched forward, his voice gurgling on his own blood—"then let me take you with me."

With all of her might shane dove, slamming herself into his father's body. He gave a cry of distress as they went sprawling into the altar.

Shane felt the burn of the incense as it dug into his skin. Stars exploded behind his eyes as he slid across the hard-packed dirt.

The soul was a bright beacon, fire licking through Death's fingers as he gripped it. Loralie's teeth clamped over his fists.

Miyoung watched as they fought for ownership of his soul.

A light pulsed from them. The clearing became awash in luminescence. It plumed up, encompassing the trees, the sky, the stars. Shane lifted a hand to shield his eyes.

In the middle of the clearing stood a figure. At first a shadowy silhouette that Shane couldn't make out. Then, as the light faded, Loralie was back to her form.

"You won't ever hurt my brother again," Loralie said. But when she took a step, her legs folded beneath her and she collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Shane ran, skidding to his knees beside Loralie. he stripped off her jacket quickly, throwing it over his sister.

"Loralie?" Was that his voice? It sounded so young and afraid. "What should I do?"

"Take souls. Live," Loralie whispered, tears dripping down her smooth cheeks.

"I can't," Shane said.

"Shane." Jihoon stumbled over, wincing as he knelt beside him.

Shane glanced around the clearing, searching for the others, both Death and Jessica were both gone.

Loralie held out her hand, in a tight fist. "It seems the human protected it well for you." She glanced at Jihoon as she dropped Shane's blue wisp into his hand.

The bead grew warm in Shane's palm, tapping a beat that matched his pulse—like she held his own fluttering heart. The heat of it swept through Shane , as if living within Jihoon had stoked the flame so brightly that it could now burn on its own.

Loralie's body began to shake so violently it looked like she was about to shatter.

"No!" Shane gasped. he cupped the soul over Loralie's heart.

Jihoon grabbed Shane's arm, stopping him. "What are you doing?"

"She's dying," Shane said. "I have to help her."

"Shane." All of the pleading in the world was packed in that one word. "We don't know how this could affect you. You're so weak already."

"It could kill you."

"My soul isn't what's killing me. I could never live in a world where I didn't try to save her."

It looked like Jihoon wanted to argue more, but he nodded with understanding and released Shane's hand.

Loralie had stopped shaking and now lay so still, she could have been carved from marble.

"Don't worry," Shane's crooned. "I'm going to save you."he placed the soul on his sister's chest. It beat fiercely beneath his hands, a steady tempo that calmed Shane.

Shane concentrated the energy he could gather from within. Not much was required, just a spark to jump-start the soul. It already burned against his palms like a furnace.

It thrummed as a white light escaped from between Shane's pressed fingers.

Loralie's body jerked like a person shocked back to life.

"I think it's working," Jihoon murmured beside Shane.

The bead was so bright in her hands, shane feared it would burn Loralie to ash before it revived her. Herbody began convulsing.

"What do I do?" Shane asked no one in particular.

"Keep going," Jihoon answered. He pulled off his jacket and bunched it under Loralie's neck.

Shane pushed on the molten-hot soul with all of his might.

Loralie's body shuddered like waves of energy ran through her. Her mouth wrenched open, and her wailing pierced the air. Then, echoing silence. Loralie's body no longer shook. And the soul was gone.

Shane watched Loralie's face. "Lor?"

His sister's eyes fluttered open, and Shane let out a breath of relief. "It worked."

Loralie's cracked lips tilted into a sweet smile. She gripped Shane's hands.

"We'll get you somewhere you can rest, Lor."

"You haven't called me that since you were a baby." Loralie's voice sounded faint, like it was cast from some faraway place.

"I'll call you that every day if you want."

"I'm proud of you, brother," Loralie said. "I never told you that enough."

"Well, you have a chance to now." Shane's tears caught in Loralie's hair like falling stars.

"There are so many things I never got a chance to tell you" Loralie paused to catch her breath before continuing—"because of my pride."

"Why are you talking like this is it? Don't you get it? I did it. I saved you." Shane was desperate.

"I'm sorry for so many things that I can't make up for now."

"Don't talk like that. Don't talk like you're still dying," Shane demanded. "You're scaring me."

"No, nothing can scare my brave brother." Loralie sighed the words.

"Shane, who are you?"

Shane tried to reply, and it came out a sob. He took a deep, shuddering breath and tried again. "Oshane Larson Kensington, half brother of Loralie Esther Kensington"

"And what does that make you?"

"Smart."

"And?"

"Handsome."

"And?"

"Strong."

"And loved."

Shane felt when Loralie's life left her body. Her cold hands loosened around Shane's. Her body let out a final sigh with the relief of letting go.

"No," Shane sobbed. "I saved you. I saved you. I saved you." he repeated the words again and again. A mantra he couldn't give up.

Then Shane did stop. And he wept.

Shane wept as Loralie's body faded to nothing. Not even leaving dust behind, but becoming air and vapour.