Echos of my Soul

Cecelia sat on a cliff watching the sun set. Below, she watched the river carrying stray sticks and leaves. Her hands still shaking, wet from tears she couldn't wipe away. Next to her lay a vial and a sword, his sword. If you held it up to light at an angle, you could still see the blood, or maybe only she could. She closed her eyes and lay back. Memories came flooding back. Her talk with Nicholas and, more importantly, Damien. Despite what he said, it was her fault; she knew it was her fault.

She, along with Ophelia, Nicholas, and Kai, had been tracking Ivalo for almost a year, which was about how long since the war started. Olly and Quinn had gone to the front lines to assist the warriors, Nya and Camedon were rendering aid, and Sam, Theo, Ben, and Sannah had stayed back home to help where they could.

Cece had managed to chase Ivalo into one of the old columns. The dome above glittered with a mirage of stars. Her footsteps echo on the marbled walls.

"Why do you torture yourself?" his soft voice ringing loudly in her head.

She gripped the sword at her side, tentatively walking forward.

"Tell me, is it worth it? The pain and destruction for your personal satisfaction?"

He stopped short, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Make no mistake, my love, I take no satisfaction in this. But know this, there is smoke before a fire, and the sun still shines after a storm."

Quietly, Cece unsheathed the sword years ago, too heavy to lift now, only slightly out of balance.

"You and I are alike, you know, we're both realms above the others we walk amongst."

Cece gritted her teeth, " I am nothing like you."

He laughed, the sound reverberating in her skull. " Everyone says that, it's easy to be faithful when your life is good, but everyone is one bad moment away from becoming me."

Cece swung the sword towards him, losing her footing slightly.

"Would you like to know your problem?" Ivalo asked innocently.

"I'd prefer your head on a silver platter." She retorted.

"Well, since you asked so nicely. You're afraid of the truth, you're afraid of the fact that deep down, whatever happens next is your fault, your soul forever in turmoil, your hands never clean."

As he talked, Cece steadied her feet. Gripping the hilt tightly, she closed her eyes and swung the sword, feeling it connect and go through his body. For a moment, it was silent, even her breathing was unnaturally loud.

"Look what you've done." He sneered

Slowly opening her eyes, she saw a body on the ground. Dropping the sword in horror. Her eyes met his.

"Damien," Her voice choked

She knelt beside him frantically trying to stop bleeding from the roughly two-inch gash wrapping from his right shoulder to his left side. He looked up at he, taking a shaky hand to caress her cheek.

"Don't-" He drew a raspy breath, his shirt soaked red.

"Don't blame yourself, butterfly."

Butterfly. She couldn't remember the last time he called her that. She cradled his head in her lap, stroking his hair as his breathing slowed, then finally stopped. As soon as it did, a dark figure appeared out of the corner of her eye. For a brief moment, she thought it was Ivalo, but as the figure came closer, she recognized him.

"Please don't, can't I have a little longer?" She pleaded

The figure in a black suit leaned on a cane.

"You know I can't."

"Please," she begged, " if you need a soul that badly, I beg you to take mine. My presence means nothing, I know not a world without him in it." Tears were streaming down her face.

The figure raised his cane, transforming it to a scythe.

Thantos laid a hand on Damiens forehead

“He has a good soul that will do him well.”

Cece sobbed quietly, watching Thantos carry away Damien.

“He wants a traditional burial.” She managed to choke out

He nodded softly.

A few minutes later, Ophelia, Nicholas, and Kai came running in and found her still sobbing.

Nicholas helped her up, pulling her in close as she sobbed awful, gut-wrenching sobs.

A few hours later, back at her old home, Cece had calmed down a bit. Not by choice. She had to prepare for Damien's burial. She pulled out her traditional long white gown embroidered with small silver rhinestones that glittered like stars. Thantos had done her the favor of wrapping him in the burial shroud as she couldn’t bear to see his face. The look of shock and pain on his face is now permanently etched into her brain.

She lit the torch, then the bottom of his shroud. As it burned, white smoke rose to the sky. Once it burned completely, there was nothing left, no ash, no metals. In her culture, it was the best way to die a pure soul and a life lived with no regrets.

She stuck the torch in the ground, waiting for the flames to die down. Nicholas came out and offered her some tea.

“Promise me you won’t do anything rash.”

She didn’t answer. Even he knew he was asking a lot of her right now. Cece was a normally level-headed person, but accidentally killing your own brother was enough to turn anyone irrational.

It wasn’t until months later that the war had ended. The group now scared, Quinn missing a leg, and Cece still not quite herself. As the goddesses sat and thanked the group for their help and bravery, a single comment rocked their entire world.

Meira, goddess of riches, looked at Cece.

“ I was troubled to hear of your brother, but in all, it was an acceptable loss for the carnage could have been worse.”

Cece's face hardened her normally snow white hair, dark as a midnight storm.

“You dare not speak of my brother in that way. My brother, Damien, was not an acceptable loss. No one’s life should ever be considered an acceptable loss. And if you truly believe that you are a fool to sit upon that throne in good faith.”

Cece was sure more had happened, but she couldn’t remember. She picked up the sword, and in the reflection, she saw his face.

“Ivalo,” she acknowledged, not turning around.

“How may I assist you?” He asked, his voice no longer echoing in her head

She didn’t need assistance, she didn’t need revenge, she wanted justice, she wanted retribution

“I want them to burn, I want their souls to beg for mercy while their flesh begs for death. I want their spirits shattered.”