fingers in my direction and I cried out as agonising pain wracked every inch of my weary body. When it stopped I tried to run, but was thrown back my power greater than any being of this world had any right to possess. As another bout of agony attacked my body, I felt a band encircle my finger.
The ring was wrought in silver, a black moonstone interwoven into the metal. The stone sparkled, an eerie reflection of the innermost depths of her soul. The band was carved with the runes I had been taught before could pass my lips. I read them, each of them bringing about a different feeling; Halagaz – to change me; Algiz – to protect me; and finally, Uruz – to strengthen me. A single tear escaped my eye, tracing its way down my face, forever tattooing my heart. It had finally come to me, though it had taken its time. I realised at last what she was trying to do to me; another throb of pain crippled my soul.
My mother approached my jail, her eyes glittering with the malevolence that she had tried to conceal from the rest of the world. It was always there, however, lurking beneath the surface, a monster ready to take her over whenever the situation called for it.
In her wrinkled claw she held a dagger. The gold gleamed in the moonlight, announcing its worth to anyone who beheld it. Embedded in the blade were stones precious enough to pay for a life much greater than what we had. It was also engraved with sigils, only these I did not recognise, but my soul cowered instinctively away from the marks of evil, of pain, of suffering. Oh mother, I thought, what have you done? She stood in front of me now, and I steadied myself for the cold, unfeeling touch of the knife. I closed my eyes. Circles of emerald disappeared behind shut lids. I took a deep breath. I heard the slick sound of flesh being cut…
And opened my eyes. There she stood, just another shadow in the void. I opened my mouth to scream but no sound came out, nor did I want it to – for to disturb the silence would be to make it real. A waterfall of red fell to the ground, saturating the ground with its suffering. My brother was on his knees before me, the skin of his throat gaping obscenely. I felt wetness on my face and thought I was crying, until I touched my cheek and my hand came away stained red. His eyes were frozen in a look of pleading as he fell backwards. The face of an infant met the soft light of the moon, the eyes vacant, staring, the life gone from them – the soul had departed. Something broke inside me, an essential piece of my soul fractured and dissolved into nothingness. I screamed then, all the pain and rage poured out of me in a tidal wave of hatred, hitting my mother and knocking her down. My hair crackled with power and my already luminous eyes glowed. I felt it when the life, I cannot even say whether or not she had a soul, left her body. Yet it was all for nothing. It was over, done, finished, whatever you would call it, it was the end. My mother had finally gotten her wish. I was immortal.
I could feel the new strength in my body, the power in my core. I knelt down beside my brother and brushed the hair away from his angelic face, at least he was where he belonged – with the angels. Tears made pathways down my dirty cheeks. I stood up and ran as fast as my legs would take me; my heart showed me the way to go until I landed on Gavin’s balcony. I tapped on the glass and started as Gavin’s face appeared. He opened the door, apparently shocked. He raised his hand, as if to stroke my cheek but then pulled back. “Cassandra, what happened? There is blood on your face…” He asked hesitantly. I collapsed into his arms and burrowed my bloody face into the crook of his neck. In turn, he buried his face in my hair and stroked my back as I sobbed. A silver light swathed us in its glory, merging our souls until we were on. Gavin looked up, awe written on every plane of his face. Before he could ask I put my finger to his lips and then kissed him, a chaste kiss, but nonetheless I could see that he was moved by it. Suddenly, his pupils dilated, his eyes widening as the change transformed him. I was not alone, for now he would stay at my side forever.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared, rousing me from my restless slumber. Wetness trickled from my eyes as I remembered everything I had fought so hard to forget. My Gavin was gone, and for that I eternally cursed the heavens, and this particular night always drove the knife in deeper, tearing open the wound and destroying the stitches that did little to aid my healing. And yet, remembering all of it changed nothing. My brother was still dead; I was still immortal; and humanity was still doomed – but still the world went on spinning.