Sage

Sage

Sage watched in horror as two clawed hands turned into arms and shoulders. The portal crackled with dark energy, and a terrifying figure began to emerge. It was the Demon King, his massive form wreathed in shadow and malice. The seal that had held him back for centuries had been broken, and now he was free to unleash his wrath upon the world.

And it was all her fault.

She’d failed to take all the power back from Vinciei before Zaniel took her blood, and she failed to steal her gift of healing. She’d tried, but she only managed to rip her soul out before the life left her body, and her soul held none of the healing powers she needed to purge Minx’s body of the poison.

Every inch of the cave was filled with the oppressive power creeping off the Demon King, who surveyed the area with empty eyes and mild interest. It was not lost on Sage - the realization that the last time he stood in this cave was when he killed the Goddess. Now he stood before her bloodline, her Maidens that held parts of her soul.

There was no way he was going to let them leave alive.

Sage pulled out the Tear, slowly backing away from the portal even as it changed. The skin portal slowly ebbed away to reveal the smooth, serene pool of black, rippling. Her world called to her behind the veil of magic, and suddenly a thought struck her. She turned to Alec, who was holding Minx close to his chest as he eyed his King warily.

Alec, she thought, and he nearly jumped in surprise. Alec, you need to get Minx through the portal -now. He raised a brow. The poison in her body is magic. You need to get her back to our home world or she will die.

His eyes widened, and she could have wept. He understood. Minx’s only chance of survival was to get to their magicless world, where the poison wouldn’t exist. At the same time, she needed to get everyone else out of the cave using the Tear.

She stepped near them, slowly, carefully, then gave Minx an apologetic look before she wrapped her hand around the knife in her shoulder. Minx blinked back, slowly. Sage pulled the knife out, her eyes on the Demon King.

Thankfully, they were all huddled close together, as if forming a wall against the Demon King.

Zaniel dropped to the ground, scraping the floor with his forehead as he bowed. “Father, welcome back.”

The Demon King, Dragula, regarded his son with stark disgust. He ignored Zaniel, his cold eyes flicking to where Kade stood, frozen before Sage. She could feel the waves of hatred mixed with fear rolling from him as he beheld his father - the man who murdered his mother to get him across the barrier. It was the last time they saw each other, and clearly, the memory was resurfacing by the way Kade’s body shook.

“My son,” Dragula said, his voice rippling over the air.

Kade didn’t respond, and Sage could see the irritation in his father’s eyes. A crack of magic tore through the cave, ripping the air from their lungs and forcing Kade to his knees. His golden horns glinted in the portal light as he struggled against the invisible magic holding him down.

“Still the reluctant heir, I see,” His father said, his voice empty. “And what is this I smell? A curse?” He turned his head at an unnatural angle, like an owl, to see Zaniel prone on the ground. “You dare to curse your heir?”

Zaniel shook as his voice quaked. “Father, it was merely a test. This world has become too lax, and I thought-”

“I did not allow your whore of a mother to whelp you for your thoughts.” Dragula retorted, his tone bored. “Undo it. Now.”

Zaniel rose, his face purple as he glared at Kade with unbridled hatred. Their father either didn’t care or saw it. He waited, his expression blank, while Zaniel stood and faced Kade. He raised his hands and began undoing his curse.

Alec was inching towards the portal while Dragula was occupied with Kade. Sage knew she needed to get everyone to touch before she used the Tear, but Kade was too far from her reach.

But she couldn’t leave him.

She swallowed thickly, then shot her thoughts towards Alec. Tell Naru to take the Tear and the others back to the cities.

Alec paused behind her. She could feel his eyes boring into her head.

They won’t leave without you, he said in her mind.

Tell them! She shouted mentally.

She side-eyed Naru, watching for his reaction. He had Gabriela in his arms, and when she saw his molten eyes flick to her, she knew. She dipped her chin to him and though she saw the hesitation there; she knew he would do it. He’d lost so much already. There was no way he’d risk losing the Maiden he held so close to his chest.

She turned her head, glancing at Alec over her shoulder.

Get her back home, Alec.

Then she did what she did best.

She took a step behind Kade, holding her hands behind her back as she passed in front of Naru.

“So, you’re the dick my family promised my soul to,” she said. The room chilled. She felt everyone behind her holding their breath while she stood directly in front of Naru, handing him the Tear. He thumbed it from her palm and she moved away, keeping her eyes on the Demon King who regarded her with cold interest.

“Miaka?” He said finally, surprising her. It wasn’t the first time someone mentioned she looked a lot like the first Blackwood Maiden, but somehow coming from him, the knowledge made her skin crawl.

“Nope,” she said, shaking her head, a slow smirk forming as she clocked the shock in his eyes. It was brief and quickly masked by his icy indifference, but it had been there.

Zaniel paused his work, his brows knotted in annoyance as she took a step to stand beside Kade. Her hand ached to reach out and touch him, to offer him comfort, but mostly to pull him back to the other so they could escape.

She must have let it slip and shown on her face. Zaniel snickered, then said lowly, “The second he has his power back, you won’t be needed.”

Cold dread washed over her. The only reason Kade accepted the ritual and tried to kill her was to regain his magic. Now Zaniel was handing it back - what would he do? She thought back to her bed, mere hours ago, when he said he loved her and offered to leave this world for hers. He was willing to give up his magic - and all magic, forever, to keep her alive.

She had to believe he’d still feel the same way. She glanced up at him, but his face revealed nothing. He was frozen still in the face of his father.

“He still has half my soul,” she said casually, her eyes sliding to the Demon King. “Which means-”

“I know what it means, girl.” The Demon King said, his voice rolling over her like a dark storm. Her skin felt like it was crawling with worms being so close to his power. His blood-red eyes flicked to Zaniel. “Did I give you leave to stop?”

Zaniel bowed his head, raising his hands again to continue.

Sage tore her gaze from Kade’s petrified face. If she moved quickly, she could get them all out. She just had to grab Kade’s arm and touch Gabriela before Naru used the Tear.

Alec was inches from the portal. Minx’s pale face hovered in his arms, her emerald eyes wide with fear as she watched Sage.

“If you know what it means, then you wouldn’t mind giving it back.” She said, meeting his gaze.

The Demon King’s lips twitched. It seemed even he, the famous villain, the powerful king, the one who slew her Goddess and had to be locked away - even he could be annoyed. She broke into a grin.

“You don’t need it. It’s only a liability at this time.” She continued, then took a step towards him. Zaniel stiffened, watching her like a hawk as she began to walk in slow circles around his father.

“You know, I pictured you taller.” She said, feigning boredom. “And Kade must take after his mom - not that you’re ugly, but this-” she waved her hand in front of his human-like face. “I think you need to rework this whole human mask. We don’t look so plastic. Well, maybe some people where I come from do.” She smirked.

The Demon King stood two feet taller than her, so she had to crane her head back to look him in the eye. His indifferent mask was cracking with each word, but it was cracking. She was confident he wouldn’t do anything to her - at least, nothing that would permanently injure Kade.

But her heart was still beating wildly as he stared down at her, unblinking. She knew he could erase her from existence - wipe her away like chalk on a board as if she never lived to begin with.

But she needed to give Alec the chance to run. She had to give Naru time to use the Tear. As long as Dragula’s eyes were on her, they wouldn’t see what was happening behind Kade.

His blood-red eyes narrowed, and a slow, humorless smile stretched out his lips. Sage felt her smirk falter under the unnerving smile he bore down on her. It was unnatural.

“Clever little Blackwood,” he whispered, causing goosebumps to roll over her skin. He didn’t say her name like Kade did - there was no ounce of love, hate, or annoyance in it. It was a void - empty and cold. “I think I will keep you as a pet,” he raised a claw.

She felt a jolt of pain where his sharp nails drew against her left cheek. Beads of blood slowly dripped down to her chin, and his smile grew.

Now,she screamed in her mind.

She heard a shuffle, then felt the crack of magic as Alec leaped through the portal. To her horror, the Demon King continued watching her, his nails gently stroking the cuts already healing on her cheek.

“Run little rabbits.” He whispered. “Run.”

Another crack and she felt the weight of everyone’s absence behind her.

“Just you and me,” The Demon King said.

Sage forced a laugh. “How unfortunate for you,” she let the knife slip from her sleeve into her palm, and swung with all her might. She put every ounce of magic into it, driving the poisoned knife deep into his gut.

He didn’t flinch. His smile did not falter. If anything, it widened until the corners of his lips reached his ears in a distorted Cheshire Cat smile.

Sage cursed beneath her breath before she felt claws digging into her shoulders. Zaniel threw her to the side with a feral roar. She flew back, slamming into the cave wall.

Zaniel stalked towards her, his face curled with rage, but stopped when his father cleared his throat.

“Enough,” he said quietly. “I expect nothing less from a Blackwood.”

Dragula tapped the knife sticking out of his gut with a claw, and it melted away.

Sage coughed up blood, spitting it onto the cold ground. Kade was kneeling still, but something was different. It took her a moment to see it, but the glyphs etched into his dark demon skin were beginning to glow. His horns had always glittered in the light, but there was a deep golden aura growing around them - the mark of a true heir.

Zaniel regarded his half-brother with cruel disgust. There was no going back now - Kade had his magic, and so long as he breathed, the Demon horde would regard him as their heir.

Sage felt a strange sense of pride in the fact. He’d been living without his magic and his title for so long, but within mere minutes, he’d been granted them back.

“Rise, my son,” Dragula commanded. Sage could see how Kade fought to resist the command, but his body rose regardless. “It’s time to free our people.”

Zaniel frowned, “Father, the curse-”

Dragula shot him a cold glare. “Do not speak to me of the curse. I have lived behind the veil of that bitch Goddess’s curse long enough to understand how it works.”

He held out a claw to Kade. “I cannot break it. She made sure of that. But my heir - my true heir - can.”

Kade’s red eyes slipped to Sage, and she realized this was the first he’d heard of this.

“Do not worry about her-” Dragula said, “You are no longer shackled.” With a flick of his finger, Sage felt her insides explode.

She screamed, falling forward as her body felt like it was being ripped apart from within.

Then she felt it - the endless void she’d felt since stepping foot in this world. It was filling. Her soul was being stitched back together. It was painful, but she could feel the warmth of it as it settled back in place.

But at the same time, the bond between her and Kade died. The bright line that tether them dimmed as it shrank and shriveled into nothing. And she was alone.

She could no longer feel him - and it occurred to her right than just how much of him she had felt, but never understood until it was taken away. She was whole again, but empty.

A sob ripped from her chest as she tried to find it - the tether between them. She looked up at Kade, willing it back, hoping when she saw him, it wouldn’t feel so alone. But once they locked eyes, she knew - it was gone.

The safety it afforded her - the healing gift that saved her so many times. The feel of his soul brushing against hers, the thump of his heartbeat as he drew closer to her.

All gone.

“Now, come,” Dragula commanded. Kade frowned but did not move.

“You may have her once we are done,” Dragula said, his tone bordering on annoyance.

Kade tore his gaze from her and pinned Zaniel with a look before looking at his father.

“She’s not to be harmed.” He said. “She’s mine.”

Dragula didn’t seem phased by his request. “I don’t care what you do with the Blackwood whelp - but you will come with me now, or I will take her for myself.”

Sage stilled under his words. They were bargaining for her, and there was nothing she could do but hope Kade won.

Kade stepped towards his father and held out a hand. Shadows wrapped around them, and suddenly they were gone.

And she was alone. She couldn’t feel where he was, where he’d gone to.

She wrapped her arms around her middle as a sob wracked through her body.

“Well,” a cold voice came from her side. She gasped and scrambled back to see Zaniel leaning against the cave wall.

“Looks like it’s just me and you,” a slow, humorless grin stretched across his face. His eyes were cold, hard as ice. Something in them made her stomach flip and her mind screamed at her to run, but her body was shaking with weakness.

“They’ll be back soon. He still needs this portal, but he needs to gather a few… willing sacrifices to do it. But still, he takes that simpering wimp with him instead of me.” He scoffed, his red eyes glowing. “Kade has always been weak, but still Father harbors some ridiculous fear he’s going to try to steal the crown - only because that’s what he did. He’s so blinded by his fear he can’t see how weak his beloved heir is.”

Zaniel pushed off the wall, his eyes on her as he slowly stalked toward her. Sage’s mind was screaming at her to move, to get up, but her body wasn’t listening.

Zaniel paused directly in front of her, leering down as he said, “His weakness is going to get you killed, little Blackwood.”