Cheating Death

 

Collab with Azrael

The sounds of revelry fill the night air, and the full moon above washes us all in its ethereal glow. We won. We defeated the Knights of Stronghelm and broke the Blood Oath. There’s much cause for celebration. I’m laughing at something Scarlett says, a grin playing across my features, when I feel a shift in the air. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end, goosebumps forming on my arms as the sensation of being watched hits me.

I turn around, and when I see him, my love Azrael, it’s as if time stands still. Blood pours out of my goblet, as I’m frozen in place with my mouth hanging open like a lovestruck fool.

“You look as gorgeous as ever, my queen!” His booming voice cuts through the din, gaining everyone’s attention. I fumble to right my goblet, but only end up dropping it in the dirt.

“Oh, screw it,” I exclaim, forgetting about the damn drink and go to him. My pace quickens until I’m full out running. I throw my arms around his neck and laugh as he spins me. Tears well up in my eyes as he sets me back on my feet. “Y-you came back to me.”

“Of course, I did, my love.” He pulls me in, planting a deep kiss on my lips. I kiss him back passionately, my desperation seeping through as I cup his face in my hands. A part of me was scared I would wake up and find out that this was all just a dream.

“You’re really here,” I say in awed disbelief as our lips part. My hands feel up and down his chest trying to process that he’s actually here. I had lost track of how many months had gone by since he first left with Obsidian to go on some errant mission for the Demon Lord. And then when I learned he had somehow broken his Blood Oath, I feared I would never see him again.

He takes my hands in his, kissing the backs of them. “I am here,” he reassures me. He looks around, before adding. “How could I miss this celebration and all these new faces!”

At his words, I remember that we aren’t alone. Feeling self-conscious, I bury my face in the crook of his neck to hide the tears still falling. “C-can we take this somewhere more private?...”

“We have time for that later, but you must continue your celebration with your people. They are looking towards you right now for your guidance and rule,” he whispers back to me.

I knew he was right. He was always right. “Give me a few more minutes to get my shit together,” I mutter, pulling him closer, if that was even possible. He embraces me tightly, placing a kiss on my forehead as he waits patiently until I’m ready. Gods, I love this man, I think to myself.

Taking in a shaky breath, I eventually peel myself away from him. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I hope I don’t look like too much of a hot mess as I reluctantly turn back to face the expectant crowds. Glancing back at him with a soft smile, I take his hand, lacing our fingers together. I lead him back over to the others.

Scarlett bumps shoulders with me with a smile, before raising her glass with a nod in Azrael’s direction.

“So, this is the amazing Scarlett, who has been an enormous asset to my queen,” Azrael remarks.

“Indeed, I am,” she replies, before turning to wave a servant over. “Get this man a drink!”

A servant soon rushes over, handing him a goblet of some kind of alcohol and replacing my earlier drink.

“To new beginnings!” Scarlett exclaims, raising her glass to us.

“To new beginnings!” we chime back.

###

I lose track of time, merely living in the moment for once, as the party goes on well into the night. The time Azrael and I spent apart seems irrelevant and that hollow ache in my chest has been eased by his love. The night couldn’t possibly get any better… well. I glance over at him, my gaze sliding over his athletic form. I lick my lips. On second thought.

I take a large swig of my drink and hand it off to a passing servant. I turn back and am about to call it a night when I see a sudden change in Scarlett’s demeanor. She nearly chokes on her drink, face paling as she glances nervously between me and Azrael. What the hell?

I look over at him confused, and the hollow look in his eyes is like a bucket of ice water on my heated flesh. “Shall we adjourn to another place?” he says, but I don’t get a chance to reply before he’s already teleporting us.

My heart sinks as the ruins of his mausoleum materialize before me. “So, this is why you actually came back…” A twinge of hurt creeps into my voice.

“No, my queen. I came back for you once my presence no longer endangered your plans,” he says, but the solemnness of his demeanor and the way he doesn’t meet my gaze makes me feel otherwise. He lets out a sigh. “This place had been my home for over 10,000 years. It will be missed.”

I chew on my lip, glancing over at him before averting my gaze again. “I did what I felt I had to. They attacked us on our territory. It was only a matter of time before they made a move for our compound. I would not see more of my people slaughtered. Surely, you understand that…” I plead with him.

He walks amongst the ruins, leaving me behind, and it feels as if a chasm, one of my own creation, has opened up between us. “I completely understand, and that is the hard part because you don’t understand me.”

I wince, looking down. I suppose I deserve that.

“We have been connected since the day we first met and attached the first time we kissed,” he continues. “You would not have been able to use the scythe without my blessing, which I granted the moment I felt you enter this area. These souls are its protectors!”

I look up at his words, my breath leaving me as I meet his now crimson eyes. Millions of tortured souls now surround us. A chill goes through me, and a tear rolls down my cheek as I take them all in. I shake my head, averting my gaze again. “And what does this mean for us? Have I fucked it up beyond repair?” I ask, as I wipe the tears away.

“Beyond repair is hard to tell. We have lived for centuries and will live on for centuries more. But, by allowing you to use the weapon, a sacrifice must be honored, as is the way of our rituals,” he replies with a sigh. “But I will not sacrifice Scarlett as they demand.”

My gaze snaps back up. “Scarlett?!! What the hell does she have to do with this?!! It wasn’t her idea to take the weapon!!” I growl defensively, before grimacing at my own sharpness. I couldn’t help but be defensive of my friends, my people. Not to mention the fact that I owe Scarlett my life.

“She encouraged you, didn’t she?!!” he snaps back at me. And so did Atë. The thought occurs to me, my eyes darkening. You touch her over my dead body.

“Like I said, the sacrifice will not be her, but she will bear witness to what must be done,” he continues, before sighing deeply. “By allowing you to handle a sacred weapon, I now must sacrifice something else dear to my souls.”

“Was Scark’s life not enough, huh? Or the Knights of Stronghelm? Or all the people who’ve had to die so that my people and I can just live in peace?”

"Like I said, you don’t understand me even now. You are so used to being defensive and self-focused that you can’t see the sacrifice I made for you.” The sadness in his voice catches me off guard. What sacrifice?

“The sacrifice is that I’m not allowed to be in your realm with you for the next thousand years. Before time I have been, but even I must follow our rituals, or I become no more.” I’m stopped dead in my tracks, legs quaking underneath me.

“W-what? No no no,” I cry, tears stinging my eyes. A dark crimson tear falls down his face, his pain echoing mine. I can hardly hear the laughter of the damned over the sound of my heart shattering into a million pieces. My legs give out, sobs wracking my body as I fall to my knees. My worst fears realized. “I-I c-can’t lose y-you too.”

Scarlett suddenly appears by my side, taking me into her arms. “Shh shh,” she tries to soothe me, but I’m inconsolable.

“No NO NOOO!! I’ve already lost Scark, I can’t lose you too!!” I wail, struggling to free myself from Scarlett’s grip. I’m desperate to get to him.

“I will love you for all eternity, my queen, and in time we will be whole again,” he says, the raw pain in his voice ripping me apart. I want nothing more to embrace him, to kiss him, to be with him one last time. But, before I know it, a portal appears and transports Scarlett and I back to my chambers.

“NOOOOOOO, AZRAEL!!” I scream, sheer agony in my voice, but it’s too late. He’s gone.

. . .

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