~~
Trinity
~~
After Reece was carried off from the battle, I was cornered by the other two monsters that were in Talia's vision. These were the other two that we needed to worry about, aside from Olorud that had disappeared earlier. I wanted to find Reece and save him, but I couldn't. I wanted to protect Talia from the knowledge that her father might be dead, but I couldn't. There was just nothing that I could do about any of this, except fight these monsters that were looming in front of me.
In the distance, I heard Talia screaming for Reece, the same that I had been doing a moment ago. Then she screamed for Lex. That was more daunting. If something happened to him, then wouldn't that mean that something was about to happen to her?
I couldn't turn to look at her at the moment, not without risking getting hurt, but I knew that I needed to finish this fight as soon as I could. I needed to save her. She was in danger. She was going to get hurt. I just knew that she was.
“TALIA!” I called her name, even if I couldn't look at her.
.....
I started to fight the monsters that I had looked at in front of me. They were fierce, more so than the ones that I had already fought. I think it was because among their kind, they were considered powerful and strong, even if to me they looked hideous and disfigured.
'Come on, I need to hurry.' I urged myself on while I tried to kill the beasts that were trying to cut me into little pieces. It wasn't helping much. Nothing was changing when I encouraged myself.
Oddly enough though, just minutes into fighting these two creatures, after holding my own against them and getting no more than a cut to my left arm, it was all over. It was really and truly over. And I knew that because the two monstrous things that were fighting against me turned to ash and disappeared.
“What in the hell?” I asked as I looked around me. That was when I turned around and saw Talia.
My daughter was standing behind a slowly disappearing pile of ash. And in her hand she was holding what looked like a small, glowing, and transparent version of that monster, Olorud.
“Talia?” I called out to her again, running toward her. “Talia, what is going on?” That was when I saw that she was glowing, a deep purple undertone was pulsing under her skin. And laying on the ground next to her was a scythe. I could feel the magic coming off of it, just like I could with my sword and whip. That was a conjured weapon like the ones that Reece and I used. She had made her own weapon, and it was a devil's scythe. I wonder if that was intentional, or if it was fate.
“Do not touch her, Trinity. Not yet.” Hades walked up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder. “She has the power of death coursing through her right now.”
“What is happening?” I asked him as I finally took my eyes off of my daughter and turned to look at him.
“She is showing us that she is indeed worthy of the role that we gave her. She is going to be the next ruler of the underworld, and in doing that she has power over life and death.”
“What is that thing that she is holding?” I was still curious about what looked like a child sized ghost version of Olorud.
“That is the soul of Olorud. She didn't kill him the same as you would have, Trinity. She took his soul and will either destroy it or imprison it. And I am guessing that she will gather the other souls. Ahh, yes, there they are.”
As Hades spoke, I saw that there were dozens and dozens of those glowing souls that were flying toward Talia at that moment. She was taking them into her hand, into her body.
“Will they affect her? With their souls inside of her, will my daughter change at all?”
“No, Trinity, she will be just fine. She is acting like the reapers used to. The original demons that we had sent to the human world. They were there to help guide the souls of the dead to where they needed to go. She seems to be inheriting all of those powers and more. She is truly a special girl.” He was smiling broadly at Talia, and I felt a swell of pride. I might not understand what was going on, but I was still proud of her. She was the reason that those things were gone.
“Wait! The fight isn't over. The Jaegan are still there.” I spun to look all around me, but I saw that there was no more fighting. None on the bridge and none on the ground. The Jaegan that were still alive just seemed to be standing around in confusion as they were being rounded up by the army that I had summoned.
“It seems that without the Ancient Ones here with them, they are no longer fighting. This is good news for you, Trinity. The fighting is over.”
“It won't be good news until Reece is back.” I looked around for him. I knew that the monster had carried him off, but I didn't know where he was.
“Mom?” Talia called for me. “Mom, Lex is hurt.” She had finished taking in the souls while I spoke with Hades, and now she was focused on what was around her. “And what about Dad, where is he?” She was kneeling on the ground and pulling Alexio closer to her.
“I..I don't know where he is, sweetheart.” I felt like there was a dagger in my heart. I couldn't feel Reece like I used to. Ever since we had mated, and especially since our powers have grown, I had been able to feel him when he was near, but I didn't feel anything now. “We need to find your father. And we need to get Alexio to Griffin. We need to heal him, and then heal your father.” I was still looking all around me. I felt lost, empty, and alone. Was Reece OK? Was he d.. was he dead? I didn't know for sure, and just thinking those questions sent my heart racing so fast that I felt like I was going to lose consciousness.
“I shall find your healer man.” Satan said as he stepped forward. “I can find him quicker than you two.”
I watched for a moment as Satan literally flew, with giant black wings, from the bridge and down to the ground below. While he was gone, I started to call the others through my mental connection. I needed them to know what was happening. And I needed them to look for Reece.
'Griffin, Satan is coming to look for you, find him please. Alexio is hurt here on the bridge. And to the rest of you, find Reece. One of those monsters managed to get its claws into him and carried him away. I don't know where he is, how far the thing took him from here, or.. or if he is even still alive. Find him, please. I..I will be helping you look for him after I make sure that Talia is OK. I want to find him now. I want to be the one to bring him home, but I also have a daughter that I need to help. I am torn here, guys, and I need your help. Please, bring my mate home.'
'Yes, Queen Trinity.' The voices of several hundred people echoed back to me moments before I saw the crowd start to disperse below. I could tell that not everyone was searching, and at first that angered me. However, I realized soon enough that the others were remaining there to take the Jaegan into custody, those that hadn't died in the fight that is.
“Talia?” I dropped to her side and gripped her shoulders as she cradled Alexio's upper body in her arms.
“Mom, he can't die. He is like family to me. H..he has been my guard since I was four.” She was crying over him. “I..I killed their leader, but not until after he and another monster hurt Lex. Help me, Mommy.” She looked so young and helpless as she sobbed over the guard that she had had for so long.
“I'M COMING!” I heard a frantic voice. “Talia, I am here to help.” When Talia and I looked up at that moment, we saw that Satan was flying through the air with Griffin and Lana in his arms. They didn't look scared, probably because they had seen some strange things in their lives, and also because they needed to get to work. “I will heal him, Talia. I will do all that I can.”
“Please Uncle Griffin, please save him.” Talia sobbed as they flew closer.
I had to pull Talia away from Alexio when Griffin started to examine his wound. She was heartbroken at the fact that Alexio wasn't even whimpering in pain from that. He was so pale and ashen faced as well, it was almost certain that he was dead, or would be soon.
“He is still alive, but just barely.” Lana said, almost as if in answer to my thoughts.
“I need to use magic, that is the only way. There doesn't seem to be any poison in his wound, so that is good, it just tore through his chest so thoroughly that he is on the brink of death.”
“Please, do what you can.” Talia begged again.
“I will.” Griffin nodded at her as he started to pull the magic toward him. Lana did the same and together they put their hands on Alexio's chest and abdomen. They were healing the ravaged organs and the shredded flesh. They were magically replenishing the blood that he had lost. And they were, miraculously, bringing the color back to his face.
“This will work, Talia. I promise that it will.” Griffin had brought people back from the very edge of death before. He had managed to save people that I thought were beyond repair. He could do this.
I watched on, my heart racing as it climbed up into my throat. I needed to see that I was right, and that I hadn't given my daughter false hope. I needed to see Alexio take a breath and confirm that he was alive. Then, and only then, would I be allowed to go and find Reece. I could look for him after I saw to it that my daughter was calmed. And Alexio was a part of my kingdom and my family as well. I knew that, but I still would rather be looking for Reece.
After nearly a full minute of magic being poured into Alexio, when I thought that all hope might be lost, he finally took a breath.
“TALIA!?” He called her name the moment that his eyes flew open.
