Chapter Five

Death/Rebirth

When she woke up, she was back in the forest. Still too weak to stand, she chose to remain in her current position, lying down on top of dry leaves and dirt, her vision capturing the beautiful night sky which was filled with bright stars. It was difficult to breathe and she quite enjoyed the soft breeze caressing her skin. The cold air was a relief, she was sweaty and felt too hot, like her body was in an eternal hell. Every movement hurt and her mind ached.

But the stars were beautiful. She should've admired them more often.

It was not a bad place to die.

"You're awake."

She faintly smiled at the sight of him.

"Thank you, Marshall."

"You're welcome." He smiled, gently caressing her burning forehead. "My friend."

"My friend," she repeated, in a tired whisper.

"You should rest."

"I will have plenty of time for that. Marshall, did you-"

"I didn't kill him," he replied, with an angry frown. "Although I should have."

"No."

"He is alive and unharmed, don't worry."

She smiled and sighed with relief. "Thank you. For not hurting him."

"You're incredible. After all you've done for him, he was going to-" He looked away, visibly angry at the thought. "He doesn't deserve you."

"I disobeyed."

"As if that justifies anything."

"It does, in a way."

"Well, it shouldn't!"

"It's a crime."

"I am proud of you. You did the right thing."

"It felt right," she said. "So why does it hurt so much?"

"I don't know," he whispered. "But it's not fair."

There was soothing and comfortable silence for a moment and they both used it to stare at the stars. It was ironic that, in the midst of all her pain and guilt, she felt so at peace.

"I am going to die, Marshall," she said, the realization wasn't shocking or frightening, but it made her sad.

He didn't reply.

"I am glad I met you, though."

He finally looked at her. His eyes were shining, although she couldn't decipher his feelings.

"I am glad I met you too, Alanis."

***

Alanis had fallen asleep again. He got up and headed towards the same place where he had met her. Instead of a ferocious Warrior, fiercely gazing at a burning Kingdom, this time he found Keloni, looking at his Master's tomb.

They stood side by side, silently lost in thought.

"How are you feeling?" Marshall asked, finally breaking the quiet.

"Better. And worse."

"You owe her your life."

"I know."

"And your freedom."

"I wanted neither."

"Liar," Marshall said, smiling with bitterness. Keloni finally looked at him, his expression unreadable, as always, and Marshall continued, "You can't possibly be this weak."

Keloni didn't answer, but kept his gaze on Marshall.

"And if you are," Marshall proceeded, "don't dare diminish her sacrifice. I won't let you. She traded her life for yours, you better make it worth it." He then returned Keloni's gaze. "Or I will kill you myself."

For a moment, both exchanged cold stares, none of them moving. The atmosphere was heavy, as they both made sense of what had been said, but one of respect nonetheless. Finally, Keloni broke his stare and returned it to the silent Kingdom bellow. He sighed and, with this, the air seemed lighter again.

"I am not planning on wasting her sacrifice," he said. "I value what she did, even if it cursed us both."

"Ah well... It's not like we weren't all cursed from the start, anyway." Marshall took a deep breath. He looked tired and almost melancholic. "The life we are born to have... Damned to slavery and unquestionable servitude from birth. That is a curse heavier and more cruel than any other."

"I know your story," Keloni told him. "You killed your Queen." He eyed Marshall again, although not with disapproval or accusation, but with something close to honest curiosity.

"I wanted to be free," was Marshall's simple yet sincere reply. He smiled with bitterness, although his eyes didn't match that expression, they emanated sadness and nostalgia, but not regret. "Yes, it was that selfish, but not shallow. I asked for her to let me go, I told her I was suffering, living in that eternal cage, forever bound to her, imprisoned to her every will, no choice, no life outside of hers... Nothing."

He sighed and his smile widened. "She said she loved me, you know? That she needed me and that was why she could never let me go." Marshall laughed, but there was no joy in the sound. "Apparently, I was the only one she could trust." He then lost his smile and looked away, as if a sudden and terrible realization had just come to him. "I loved her too. I really did. It just turned out I was even more selfish than her. Now I am cursed, but I find comfort in knowing that, at least, it was by choice."

Keloni nodded and after a few more seconds of silence, Marshall continued, "Alanis made a different choice though... And she doesn't deserve all this punishment."

"No, she really doesn't," Keloni agreed. "She will still die though. As long as her Master lives, she will be in terrible pain until her body finally gives up."

Marshall laughed, as if he had suddenly remembered a cruel joke. "Disobeying your Master is, apparently, worse than killing them. I don't think whoever created our kind ever thought any of us would do the latter." He quickly lost his dark humor again. "She loves him deeply and will never ask for his demise. She would rather die in torture than see anything harmful come to him."

"It's a good thing then that she doesn't need to ask."

Marshall grinned devilishly, like those were the exact words he wished to hear. Keloni returned the expression.

***

The King was sleeping. He looked peaceful and serene, despite the loss of his most loyal and devoted servant. He was, despite all the blood spilt and destruction, relieved that he had won back his rightful place on the throne. His dreams of conquest were disturbed though, for he was brutally awakened from his divine slumber. He looked around, frantically, heart beating fast, for he knew it hadn't been noise nor touch waking him - it had been a presence, one full of evil intent.

When his eyes fell on the tall window, directly in front of his bed, he immediately knew he was doomed.

The shadow, once standing directly in front of him, was slowly approaching. It bore a murderous, vindictive grin.

"I knew I should've killed you," the King said, his voice sharing fear.

"Yes," the amused shadow replied, "you really should."

And then unbearable pain followed.

***

She woke up in unbearable pain. In the distance, she could hear a piercing scream, one that expressed excruciating ache and mourning and misery and she could barely recognize it as her own. She could feel it, her heart breaking in half, part of her dying a horrible, punishing death.

Alanis felt the touch of a warm hand on her cheek, as she twisted her body in agony.

"You will be alright," someone whispered in her ear. "You will be alright, my friend."

***

Alanis took one last second to gaze at what once had been her Kingdom, her home. She sighed. Her body was still sore, still hurt, and her mind was mostly numb, almost as if she was in trance or sleepwalking.

She was free. But didn't feel it. Instead, she felt empty, her guilt and grief would be her new prison.

"Are you ready?" Marshall asked. She turned to him and returned his kind smile.

At least she had him.

Nodding, she walked towards him.

"Let's go, then," he said, looking excited and happy. "We have much to travel."

And now, finally, at least he had her.

Perhaps the burden would be lighter, divided by two.

"I will take you to see the world, Alanis," he promised. "And I promise you, you'll love it."

She hoped she would. She needed something to love.

They walked away from her old home, away from her past, bound together by a similar fate. They shared the world, the weight of their choices and shared a new curse.

Slaves to a whole new master.

THE END