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CHAPTER 17:
Incendio’s P.O.V.
I could feel my body trying its hardest to heal itself, drawing upon Allisters life force to save my own. I took a few shaky steps, trying to reach Kric. I fell to my knees by his side, my body shaking from the strain.
Allister was screaming, unable to talk as his body absorbed most of the pain.I tried to tune out the sound, knowing I would need my full concentration to make this work. I pressed my palms against the cold, blood soaked floor, trying to harness my connection with the earth. I held out my hand, watching as one of my very own cultivated seeds began to take form. “You know, Allister, i lied to you a lot.” i said aloud, speaking through the pain as the seed slowly came together. “I lied about who kric was to me and I lied about how many people can have a seed at one time. I knew you would force me to strengthen your healing and I knew as long as kric was connected to me, he would suffer if I did. So, being the stupid little fairy i am, I tricked you into believing that he had to die. I tricked you into combining your flame with mine and now you will see my final trick.”
“You bitch.” allister got out between his sobs.
I smiled at the perfect little seed in my hand. “You are so beautiful.” i told it as I quickly began to undo the buttons on Krics shirt. I pressed the seed into the hole in his chest, pleased as I watched the skin close around it.”Come back to me now, my love.” I kissed his forehead, listening as his heart slowly began to beat. “Kric?”
“Incendio?” His eyes snapped open, panic clear on his face. Kric initially looked angry at me, his most recent memory being that I killed him. Then, it morphed to relief as he realized that he was alive. Finally, it was concern as he took in the bloodied state of my stomach. “What happened?”
“I can explain it later. Right now, i need you to listen to me very carefully.” i told him, the blood loss finally seeming to affect me. “You are going to start feeling my wounds soon. I need you to kill Allister first. You have to rip the seed from his…” I stopped, feeling dizzy.
“From his chest?” Kric asked. I nodded, trying to regain my senses.
“Quickly, and then..bring the seed t-to me. Then you have to take m-me outside, lay me on the-” My head was spinning from the blood loss. I would have fallen over, if Kric hadn’t carefully laid my head to the ground. “Lay on the grass, in the sun.”
“Shit!” Kric gasped, his hand clutching his stomach.
“Hurry!” I cried, my eyes filling with tears. “Seed out and then.. Then please-“
“Incendio?” I could hear Kric calling my name, but my eyelids wouldn’t lift anymore. “Incendio?”
“Quick…ly.” I mumbled, my arm reaching out to touch him. “So cold.”
———————
Kric’s P.O.V.
Incendio was mumbling, his eyes rolling back into his head. I knew I had to hurry, the pain in my stomach growing more pronounced. I walked toward the witch writing on the ground, leaning down to smirk in his face. “I guess this is goodbye then.” I repeated his jeer from earlier, forcing my claws into his chest until they touched something small and hard that burned my fingertips. “You should have never fucked with my soulmate.” I told him, ripping the seed out.
Allister screamed, his hands going from his stomach to his chest.
I couldn’t stay to enjoy his agony, unfortunately. I could feel blood beginning to soak my shirt. I looked down at the seed in my hand, shiny and red with blood. I rushed toward Incendio, Who was groaning in pain. “Hey, I’ve got it.” I told him, patting his cheek to try to get him to open his eyes.
“H-ha-hand.” Incendio stuttered, unwrapping his fingers and holding his palm out to me. I placed the seed in his grasp, watching as it slowly pressed down into his palm and then seemed to disappear. “O-ou-out.”
“Right.” I told him, scooping his fragile body into my arms. My stomach was burning and losing more blood by the second. When I stood up, Incendio in my arms, my vision began to blur. Incendio’s head was rolling back and forth, as if he couldn’t support it himself anymore. “We’re going. We’re almost there.” I kept telling him, trying to keep him awake.
Incendio hummed, his arms wrapped loosely around my neck. Occasionally, he would give me a gentle squeeze to let me know he was still with me. It seemed like the winding hallways would never end. I just kept running, Incendio in my arms, praying to the goddess that we would make it out in time. I began to silently pray to my mom, begging her to help me.
Incendio hadn’t squeezed me for a while, i realized just as I saw a door that led outside. “Incendio?” I called to him as we walked outside. I rushed toward a patch of grass, laying him down as carefully as possible. My vision was slowly blacking out from my wound and exertion. “Incendio? We’re outside.”
He didn’t move. Incendio laid perfectly still, the sight scaring me to my very core. Then, as it always had, the grass began to grow around him. Thick, vine like growths began to sprout from the ground and wrap around incendio, bearing down on his wound to stop the bleeding. Flowers began to grow around him, pressing their nectar into his skin.
Incendio moaned, a moan of pain, but a proof of life all the same. I smiled, my eyes beginning to close. I was careful not to disturb the plants that were tending to him and laid on the ground beside him. “Thank you.” I told the earth. “Thank you for helping him.”
———————-
“I said i’m fine!” I groaned, smacking the nurses hands away from me. “Cyan, call them off!”
“Stop being difficult!” Maja cut in, smacking the back of my head. “You’re the only person i know who could be soaked in their own blood and still refuse medical help!”
“I healed! I’m fine! Everyone leave me alone!” I told the roomful of people. “I want to see Incendio.”
“He’s being taken care of by the elders. They have their own healing rituals.” Cyan explained.
“I don’t care. I want to see him.” I grumbled.
“Don’t pout.” Maja squeezed my cheek painfully hard. “It’s an ugly look on you.”
“For the love of Solar, leave!” I groaned, covering my face. “Obsidian?”
“Of course, Kricky.” Obsidian smiled, knowing exactly what I was asking. His response was immediately followed by loud protests and shrieks as he forcibly removed as many people from the room as possible, including my annoying ass maybe siblings.
When I opened my eyes, Obsidian was standing innocently beside me, the room almost empty except for Cyan, Elijah, and Marco. “Thank you.” I gave a sigh of relief.
“Anything for you, Kricky.” Obsidian hugged me tightly. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“We all are.” Cyan added. I could see Obsidians mood instantly darken as Cyan spoke. “You had us scared.”
“Fear is for the weak.” Obsidian countered. “I knew that if you were deserving, you would live.”
“Fear is natural.” Cyan insisted, not allowing Obsidian to openly disrespect him. “It’s not weakness to care. In fact, it proves that you do care.”
“Oh really?” Obsidian’s tone was icy, making me instantly tense. “Funny that an outsider would even think to criticize the care between two people who have been friends for centuries.”
“Obsidian,” it was Elijah who spoke this time, “Cyan is not an outsider. He was only saying-“
“I was saying that i’m a better friend to Kric than he is! I was saying that all he does is cause everyone trouble!” Cyan finally snapped. As someone who had known Obsidian for almost as long as i’d been alive, I knew that these words cut deep. Obsidian was amazing at putting up a tough front, but i could see the hurt in his expression. “We’d all be better off if you just got out of our hair! For Solar’s sake, why do you think I had you stationed so far away? Take a hint and keep the fuck away from us!”
“Oh really, the blood whore who got Kric’s spine broken wants to lecture me on causing trouble?” Obsidian shot back.
“Watch your mouth!” Elijah jumped back into the argument, rushing to Cyan’s aid. “You don’t ever speak to your king that way and you don’t ever speak to my bonded in such a manner, do you understand?”
“I’ll do you one better.” Obsidian said after a moment’s pause, unaccustomed to Elijah’s anger. “I will save you all the trouble of feigning hospitality and return to the castle you all banished me to.”
“Obsidian,” i reached for his hand, but his guards were up. He stepped away from me, going into the default mode he spent most of his life in, “My friend-“
“Good riddance.” Cyan smirked. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Obsidian was out of the room before Cyan had finished talking.
“Hold on,” I tried, attempting to defend one of my dearest friends.
“Now that’s uncalled for.” Marco spoke up before I could, shocking everyone in the room. “What, he plays a few pranks on Cyan and he’s the devil? Come on Cy, you talk about him like he’s absolute shit and you do it in front of him. I don’t know what the beef is between you two, but I do know that you feed into it.”
“Marco-” Cyan began, but was cut off.
“I love you, Cyan, but you’re acting like a spoiled brat.” Marco continued. “So, you don’t like the guy. You can even hate him if you want, but you can’t make kric’s opinions for him. You can’t tell someone who has devoted their life to helping the kingdom prosper, all while sacrificing his relationship with his closest friends, that he’s not wanted in their home.”
“You’re really defending him?” Cyan cried. “Marco, he likes Elijah! He constantly taunts me!”
“So then he has a crush that he has a hard time getting over and yeah, that sucks for you, but i’m sure it sucks more for him.” Marco countered. “You get to be with the one you love at the end of the day. Obsidian doesn’t. It’s not like he’s trying to break you two up. He’s playing harmless pranks on you and you just essentially banished him from seeing his best friends. For what? For being childish and jealous? I recall a certain someone who threatened to ruin a girls life for talking to Elijah in high school. You may be king now, cyan, but that doesn’t make you a god.”
“Marco-” Cyan tried to defend himself again, but Marco was already storming out. “What the fuck?” Cyan cried, unused to being reprimanded by Marco. “Obsidian must have him brain washed.”
“Don’t.” I spoke up. “I defended you to Obsidian just like i’m going to defend Obsidian to you. He’s my friend. Sure, he’s a pain in the ass sometimes, but we all have our faults.”
“He’s the one who hates me!” Cyan cried.
“He doesn’t hate you!” I disagreed. “Obsidian has an enormous capacity for hate and if he did hate you, we would all know it. His life mission would be to destroy you. I know it’s fucked up that he broke some of your lightbulbs and drained your wine cellar, but you had him stationed in a town so far away he’s in a different time zone. You did that before any of this happened! You both pick on each other! No one is innocent here, but that was too far. The point is, marco is right. You can’t tell my friend that all he does is cause me trouble. The truth is, I would be dead if it weren’t for him. I love you cyan, you’re one of my closest friends, but so is he. I won’t pick a side. I won’t let either of you push the other out of my life and so far, you’re the only one trying to do that.”
“I didn’t meant to-” Cyan began, but I cut him off again.
“And you, Elijah, you should’ve dealt with this a long time ago. Just because you love Cyan, that doesn’t mean you turn your back on your friends. This isn’t about Obsidian being in love with you! This is about Obsidian trying his hardest to feel like you still cares about him. The resentment, the jealousy, it would be gone by now if you didn’t give into all of Cyan’s demands that are fueled by his own resentment and jealousy. For fucks sake, Obsidian and you never fucked around. If Obsidian wanted you that badly, he would’ve had you already. So stop flattering yourself.” I rushed out, knowing that either of them could kill me if they wished. “When I was lying there, bleeding our waiting for help to arrive, I realized something. This war, being a Commander, consorting with Kings… it’s changed me for the worst. I thought being a good dragon was about fighting and winning, but the most important quality in dragon culture is loyalty. My loyalty is to my family and my friends… but not to this war.”
“What are you saying?” Elijah asked, grabbing my shoulder.
“I’m saying… I formally resign as commander.” I told him. “I was leading armies into certain death and risking the life of my soulmate without even realizing it. I have betrayed the loyalty of my soldiers and Incendio. I don’t want to be that person anymore and I have the freedom to walk away from it. You guys aren’t so lucky, but you can definitely acknowledge what this war has done to us, all of us. You’re our kings, whether you like it or not, but that’s nothing more than a title. You’re still people. I forgot that and… honestly… I think we all did. It’s difficult to remember when you feel invincible, but it all shifts into perspective when you’re dead.”
——————–
Incendio’s P.O.V.
“It’s important, as a future elder, that you remain hidden now.” udiya told me from within the confines of the Elders hidden sanctuary. “We, as Elders, are a pillar of our coven. If one of us is lost, we all are. That is why we are always kept safe and away from the world.”
“So that means…” I trailed off, looking at the dirt walls that surrounded us, beautiful blooming flowers and plant life filling the room with warm energy.
“We stay here, forever. We only leave when the kings call upon us or there is trouble within the coven.” Udiya explained, motioning to the room around us. “This is our home. No harm can befall us here.”
“If I am to be an elder… i will never see Kric again.” I said aloud.
“I had a mate as well, many years ago.” Udiya told me, coming to sit down on the grass beside me. “She was beautiful, wonderful, and all that I could ever ask for. However, to be an elder was my destiny. I serve a great purpose here and you can too.”
“I would have to give up everything.” I pointed out. “I would lose so much.”
“There is much to gain from loss.” Udiya countered. “It is your choice in the end, incendio. Your powers have the potential to raise the coven up to a higher caliber. We would be able to protect ourselves, in a way that we never could before. It is your choice, Incendio. Whatever you decide, know that all we want for you is peace within your heart. I believe you could find that here.”
“I… I think i could too.” I told her honestly.
“And.. you know… the universe has a way of aligning things exactly how they should be.” Udiya stood, looking to the sky, where a hole in the earth allowed light to filter into the tunnels.
“Incendio?” Kric called from above our heads. “Incendio?”
“You can call out to him.” Udiya told me. “Perhaps this matter is not a matter of picking one or the other. Perhaps you could have both.”
“What? Move Kric into the sanctuary? He has obligations in the world. I could never ask him to give that up.” I told her.
“You have always been so selfless, incendio.” Udiya sighed. “Perhaps you and your mate share that quality. You will never know if you never ask.”
“Incendio?” Kric called again.
“I have avoided looking into Kric’s future.” I confessed. “I am afraid that even after all of this, we still are not meant to be.”
“If you truly were not meant to be, how could he have stumbled upon the sanctuary?” Udiya asked me. “The goddess is sending you a message, Incendio. Listen to her.”
————–
“Live underground surrounded by the fairiest fairies?” Kric raised an eyebrow at me. “That’s quite a request.”
“I know. It is impossible.” I looked down at my hands. “To ask you this was-“
“Incendio, I have died for you and I would do it again.” kric spoke, lifting my chin to look into his eyes. “Now, I will live for you. If that means living in hidden tunnels and only coming out when we have to, well i’ll do that. I’d do anything to not have to live without you.”
“What about the army? What about your life? You want children and glory and all of those things would be lost to you in the sanctuary.” I questioned him, trying to make him see that it wasn’t such a simple decision.
“I don’t need children or glory, Incendio. I have you. You fill my life with so much meaning, there is room for nothing else.” Kric assured me.
“You will regret it.”
“I have raised enough children for a lifetime. I have won enough battles. The only thing my life is missing is you.”
“And if I check your future, will this be certain?” I countered. “If I take you on a walk, will that be what I see?”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” He held out his hand to me. “I’m ready if you are.”
I took his hands, hesitantly scooting toward him. I tried my best to calm my nerves as I brought our faces closer together. “I’m scared of what I might find.” I confessed. “The last time I did this, I saw myself killing you.”
“Good thing that turned out so well.” Kric joked, pressing his forehead to mind. “It’s okay, Incendio. Whatever you see, we’ll face it together.” He brought his lips to mine, the fire taking over our entire beings.
Then I was one with his flame, seeing his life as if it were mine. I saw him, clear as day, move into the sanctuary. I saw Kric and I fall desperately in love with one another, more and more each day. Relief flooded me as I saw it all, every beautiful and blissful second of our future together.
I pulled away, feeling my eyes watering. “What’s wrong? What did you see?” Kric asked, concern in his voice, he rubbed away the tears as they fell from my eyes.
“I saw everything.” I sniffled. “It was wonderful.”
“Then why are you crying?”
“Because I do not want you to move into the sanctuary.” I finally said aloud. “I do not want to be an elder.” I paused letting those words sink in. “I do not want to be an elder.”
“You don’t have to be.” He chuckled softly. “We can do anything we want now.”
“Anything we want?”
“Of course.”
“I want to be with you… just you.” I admitted.
“Then that’s what we’ll do.” He kissed my lips. “We’ll build a big house in the middle of the woods, far from everyone else. It will be me and you… forever.”
“But is that enough for you, kric?”
“More than enough.” He insisted. “Believe me, Incendio. My future is yours to decide.”
So there’s the last chapter of INFERNO, maybe… are you guys interested in one more chapter just showing how the couple has settled into their life together? Let me know!
Anyway, feel free to leave me the feedback I so desperately crave:
-What are you guys still waiting on? Any questions?
-Is there anything you don’t understand or need clarified?
Thanks so much for reading my darlings <3
Vote, comment, follow, etc. <3
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