Aftermath

“Em stop, the powers will kill you,” she exclaimed in panic.

Skylar’s eyebrows furrowed and she asked with confusion. “Why? what are you talking about Luc, spill we don’t have much time.” Skylar was in a real hurry. Lucy filled everyone in that Shax had forced little Cipher, one of the twins, to cast the spell of destruction on anyone who tried to absorb his energy.

Emerald’s eyes snapped at Lucy as she heard those words come out of her mouth, a tear escaped Emerald’s eyes; so did Skylar’s. She was too far gone now.

“Em stop, please,” Lucy sobbed as she moved closer to the wall separating them.

“It’s done Luc, it’s done now,” Emeralds said in a broken voice. “I am dead anyways.”

Emerald added as the purplish black hues stopped escaping Shax’s body and entering Emerald. She screeched in pain as her body tried to contain the energy. She turned towards the wall and removed it. Lucy went running towards Emerald as the wall dropped. Yes, they had a lot of grudges, but she didn’t want her to die, not like this at least.

“I’m sorry,” Emerald whispered to Lucy as she looked her in the eye and tears escaped. “Em, how are you feeling,” Lucy asked but Emerald did not reply, “You need to tell me so that we can help you. Help us save you, it’s not too late, we can do it, we can reverse the spell,” Lucy said as she tried to reassure Emerald that she could be saved.

“I don’t want to be saved anymore Luc; the Emerald you knew died long back. The hunger for this power overtook her innocent soul, you were right Skylar.”

Emerald was lost, deep down she was agonized, tears rolling down her flushed cheeks. Skylar jogged next to Lucy and took Emerald in her arms. Emerald’s limp hands hugged her back and rested her head in the crook of Skylar’s neck, Skylar slowly rubbed her silky red hair.

“You’re gonna be fine Em, you’re gonna be okay,” she said with a voice filled with guilt, sorrow, and immense pain of separation.

Emerald then collapsed on the floor as the dark spell started to unravel, it was slowly taking over her existence as her body started to turn blue. Lucy and Skylar panicked.

Elizabeth had already known what Emerald would do. It was no surprise to her that she had betrayed Skylar yet again for the hunger of power. Although she was feeling immensely sad for her granddaughter, as she could see directly through her soul, the pain she was going through as her best friend, soul sister, was going to die. For real this time!

Skylar and Lucy both held Emerald’s hand as Skylar kissed her knuckles, a tear slid from her red cheeks.

“Don’t cry, please, the two of you meant the world to me, and look at me I stabbed you right in the back even after getting another chance to make up … I had it coming … ” Skylar and Lucy both could not deny what she just said, the old Emerald with a pure soul was long gone, blinded by the greed for power.

“It’s t … time,” Emerald said as she murmured, her voice was broken. In a few seconds, Emerald’s body started to turn dark, and then into dust, starting with her legs to her neck. She whispered, “I love you two, may we meet again,” and gave a soft smile as she turned into dust. Skylar held the remains of Emerald in her hands as she sobbed uncontrollably; so did Lucy.

“We will Em, our time will come,” she said to herself.

Shax was dead, the fight was over, but the loss was appalling. Skylar couldn’t keep her word, she lost her best friend due to her delusions and also Thea, who eventually ended up becoming her friend. History repeated itself and it again claimed the two fallen souls.

Ace went up to Skylar and hugged her as she sobbed on his shoulder. Elizabeth too approached Skylar and touched her shoulder. Ace saw her and left with a nod. Elizabeth nodded back. Ace went to Lucy, “Hey, Luc, how are you feeling,” he asked, hugging her. Lucy was not in a good state, and she blamed herself. If she had made it there on time, she was seconds away from saving her. Now she was gone, completely reduced to ashes.

Elizabeth bent and sat on her knees next to Skylar, she kept her hand over her shoulder and assured her, “No one is to be blamed dear, this is the law of nature. We are no one to defy the balance of nature, we can just play our parts till we are allowed to. Those who come have to go. She lived too long and exceeded her time perhaps,” Elizabeth said with a heavy sigh. She was a wise old woman, she believed and knew the importance of nature’s balance, and deeply respected it. Never ever thought of overruling it as it is unforgiving. Those who defy it will surely perish.

As soon as Skylar heard those words, she glared at her, “You knew,” she faintly exclaimed in between her sobs. Elizabeth swallowed hard and gave a small nod. “Why do you think I preferred to stay away from my own family? I am cursed with the abilities of a banshee — foreseeing one’s death, I couldn’t stay knowing I’ll be losing my son and my beautiful daughter-in-law. I had to go. But with the kind of love that he had for his mother, I couldn’t. So, cooking up hate was the only viable option left for me.” She caressed Skylar’s cheeks and kissed her forehead.

“You saw what kind of a heartless monster I was and preferred to keep my distance. That’s what I always wanted. I did not want you in the presence of someone like me. All I brought was sorrow. So, I stayed away in the heart of the mountains, where no soul wanders. Without any connection with the world, that was the only way to tame my curse — I’m so very sorry Skylar … f … for leaving you, but I couldn’t stay there anymore knowing everything.” Elizabeth’s eyes were wet as her voice turned heavy.

“Hey, hey! it’s not your fault, this whole time I thought you were the bad guy, but no … you were not, you were always trying to protect me. I never even tried to let you in, never tried to understand you nor wanted to know more. I do not want it to go back to how it was, I need you to stay. Stay with me, grandma!”

Hearing these words Elizabeth’s heart melted, and she agreed in a heartbeat. In spite of knowing how she would lose her granddaughter and everyone around her to death, she chose not to run away but cherish the remaining time with her, making up for the mistakes committed earlier. Elizabeth had foreseen the death of Shax and her part to be played in it. It was destiny that wanted her to return, and she did just that to follow her fate.

They all gathered together as Skylar collected Emerald’s ashes in a cloth and tied it safely, keeping it with her. Augustus picked up Thea’s corpse and they all retreated. The twins stood beside Lucy. As they reached back, they were safely re-united with their mother, who cried tears of happiness on seeing her little children safe and sound. Cipher was young but she was mature she saw the pain in Lucy’s eyes, she gave her a small affectionate smile and hugged her whispering, “It will be okay, Sorella.”

Lucy looked down at her with distant hope, “Yes, it will be better, it always does.”

A deserving farewell was given to Thea and Emerald. Thea’s body was placed in a decorated boat with wildflowers and few other things going by the wolf customs for their Alpha. As the boat was pushed, it started to float through the silent, blue waves. Everyone stood in silence. When the boat was far enough Luna lit a bow and softly aimed it at the boat, causing it to catch fire. Thea’s corpse was consumed by the flames as her journey to Nirvana commenced. Nirvana was the land of peace in the superworld. It is through the doors of Nirvana they know their true fate caused by their actions. A tear rolled down Augustus’s cheek as the boat floated far enough making it look like a small dot of light from far.

Skylar and Lucy took Emerald’s ashes to the garden the next morning where they used to play when they were young girls. Emerald used to love this place. She would lie on the damp grass, gazing from underneath the shade of her favorite tree for hours, sometimes going without food and water. She longed for that peace … she just loved it there. The silence was too close to her heart.

As the duo walked through the garden, a wave of nostalgia rose in them. The trio they cherished was no more. It could never be the way it used to be. Skylar had made arrangements for Emerald’s tomb stone. She scattered her ashes around and whispered

“Rest easy Em!” So did Lucy as she smiled looking at the sky imagining Emerald to be resting under the trees doing the same. They put the soil back on and levelled the area. Along with her ashes were some seeds, so that they grow into a tree and provide emerald the shade of peace and tranquility in Nirvana so that she may rest well.

Although Emerald had done terrible things, she was not always like this — ruthless and insensitive to the consequences of her actions. She was a simple girl, gifted with special powers, too much power, which eventually corrupted her. She was just like you and me — she loved to dance, sing, eat desserts, and be with Skylar and Lucy all the time.

Her situation robbed her of her innocence.