My Immortal

So many promises I will never be able to keep.

Waves lapped slowly against the side of the ship, rolling it up and down in soothing motions. At first she had been unsteady on the deck, speaking with Statesman, but she’d quickly found her “sea legs”. The older hero had chuckled softly the first time she’d gone flying across the deck, and had held her hands until she regained some semblance of balance. “That’s what you get for coming out here in the dead of night, and in a storm to boot, missy.”

He had clucked gently over her until they had fallen into companionable silence. There had been no one else out there that night, and the two had spoken quietly for some time before the first rosy rays of dawn had fallen across them.

“I respect your decision, Aestas. But going by yourself is suicide.”

“I can’t…do that to them. Trauma enough that I won’t be coming back, but do they really have to see me …die?”

“Respect them enough to allow them to decide for themselves.”

She nodded and left without another word. There were people to find, fences to mend.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The anger astounded everyone present – at least, those that were not intimately connected to the situation. Heroes at each other’s throats, intent on killing each other for the sake of wrongs long past. Aestas bit her lip, and Khlashtar rose up and brushed against her psyche soothingly, wrapping her in that wonderful, blinding peace. Silently Aestas thanked her Kheldian body-mate for the strength she provided again and again. I am here, always here, Khlashtar murmured softly, and Aestas sent her silent thanks.

The power is safe. Death is not death, not this time.

Both Fyre and E-VAC were still hounding on Masonry like wolves that had picked up the scent of blood. But these three she ignored, looking past to Frost – his pain and discomfort at the current situation were almost palpable around him. Her heart went out to him silently, for here was truly the man she stood to hurt the most; his unassuming innocence and complete acceptance of her both frightened and astounded her. This was her friend, her comrade – the one she most trusted to watch her back out of everyone present.

Shh, child. He will understand.

Aestas shook her head before brushing past everyone and jumping into the submarine headed for Grandville.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So this is what we’re fighting for, she thought to herself. Khlashtar wordlessly agreed, but her voice was distant and strained. Time was fast approaching when Aestas would simply be Ariel again, but at least Khlashtar would be safe.

Oh, what a surprise I gave you, Duncan. Keep her well, my love, since I cannot.

The flame burned brightly now, no longer dulled by confusion and pain. It was time.

It seemed Recluse thought of himself quite highly, judging by the statues and architecture of his grand city. It had also been evacuated and now only soldiers stood between Ariel and fate – soldiers that fell under her sword with every turn, soldiers that could not touch her or her compatriots. The bickering had quieted long ago, and now, as the six of them stood there, only a sense of purpose remained. Even Star, with her endless lectures and opinionated berating, was silent in the face of the danger.

The air danced with flame and promise and the subtle threat of fear and death. Ariel reveled.

I have been expecting you.

She cocked her head to the side, as if the faint whisper had been riding the wind to her ears instead of straight into her mind. The silence began to thicken around them, broken only she softly chuckled to herself. The looks they gave her were priceless – a long questioning one as to the stability of her sanity, a quizzical one as to what she could find so laughable, and a few of genuine concern. She caught Masonry’s eye and winked, before taking down off the stretch that separated her and destiny, a twisted smile on her lips.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She felt the sword bury deep within her gut and twist, the mad face of Scirocco staring down at her as she gasped from the shock and the pain. He leaned into the blade, severing her spinal cord and the last ties that bound Khlashtar to her dieing body – oddly, Ariel did not feel the pain of the blade as acutely as she felt the pain of losing her one true friend.

With a savage twist, he gutted her. Entrails began to fall from her in sickening, wet splashes, filling the space between them. Ariel looked down at the devastation of her body, but felt so oddly disconnected from it all. Madness glinted in his eye until he caught hers.

Fire blazed there – the very fire of Prometheus, as undying and unyielding as the woman who was behind those eyes. She smiled and touched Scirocco’s cheek with a bloodied hand in benediction before falling back.

He twitched a little bit as the hot blood ran down his neck.

Even as she fell, she rose up, renewed vigor in her weakened flesh. A harsh cackle caught her ears, and she watched another spirit rise up with her, free of the bonds that had held it for millennia. It didn’t even look at her as it sped off toward the pearly gates, didn’t acknowledge the sacrifice she had made for it. Typical, she grumbled.

Another cry rang out, this one in surprise and fear. Frost stood there, watching the darkness surging towards him, a triumphant Ghost Widow smiling in anticipation.

She leapt between them without a thought, her hands forming a barrier of fire and wind to protect and shield. The darkness fought to break through, but she held her ground long enough for Frost to regain himself and move.

Ghost Widow quirked an eyebrow in her direction and applauded in the most condescending manner possible before turning her back and floating off. Again, the ghost woman’s voice ripped through her head. I have been expecting you.

Mako and Black Scorpion, however, saw fit to keep continue the trend of homicide Scirocco had started. She raised her hands high above her head and concentrated for the briefest of moments before a large bolt of wind flew forth from her, knocking them back enough to allow the five time to run. Scirocco had already followed Ghost Widow’s lead and retreated.

“Our task is done, fools! Fall back!” Ghost Widow hissed at her fellow lieutenants– both Black Scorpion and Scirocco nodded, but Mako was proving harder to dissuade from his kill. Both men had to hold him back as Masonry and the others fled back to their waiting ship.

Ariel sighed and drifted with them, waving a solemn farewell as they went. Masonry looked back of his shoulder and widened his eyes in shock at the sight of her, hovering some feet above the ground and glowing with a ghost’s dignified white countenance. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he turned back, loudly proclaiming he had a grave to see to.

One day I will be free to keep those promises.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ghost Widow watched the heroes flee, still bickering amongst themselves like the idiot children they were. The only thing left to mark their passing was a body on the ramp - limp and seemingly lifeless.

And a shade, that was now staring at Ghost Widow with a calm, level gaze.

“You’re powerful even dead, my darling.”

“As are you, mistress.”

“Mako! Throw the body over your shoulders and take it to Recluse. He wanted it alive, but well…”

The shark man appeared not two feet distant from the pair and grinned wickedly. He rolled her over, exposing the nasty gutting she had endured at the hands of Scirocco, and it made him grin. He looked at her intently for a moment, then frowned, looking at the shade of the woman and back at the body quickly.

“Mako! What addles you? Take the body to Recluse!”

“No wonder you’re fucking dead, you never know when to shut up. We got a problem.”

“What, Mako, could possibly be a problem?”

“She’s not dead.”