Chapter 42- Fallen and Found

The Lonely Vigil

Cyrus’s POV

The iron dagger clattered to the ground, Liam’s eye still grotesquely attached to its tip, strings of bloody tissue trailing from it like some macabre puppet. My stomach heaved violently, and I had to clamp a hand over my mouth to keep from vomiting. The coppery stench of blood filled the air, mixing with the acrid smell of burned flesh from where the iron had seared Liam’s skin. It was a scent I knew I’d never forget, one that would haunt my dreams for the rest of my life.

“You idiot,” I muttered, my hands shaking uncontrollably as I fumbled with my first aid kit. “You absolute, reckless idiot.”

Blood poured from Liam’s empty socket in a steady, pulsing stream, staining his pale skin crimson. Each beat of his heart sent a fresh gush of red cascading down his cheek, dripping onto his clothes and pooling on the ground. The sight made my head spin, black spots dancing at the edges of my vision. I’d seen plenty of gore in my years as a demon hunter, but this… this was different. This was self-inflicted, a voluntary mutilation that left me both horrified and grudgingly impressed.

As I pressed gauze against the wound, trying desperately to stem the flow of blood, my fingers slipped in the warm, sticky fluid. Bile rose in my throat, and I had to swallow hard to keep from retching. Liam’s remaining eye was unfocused, glazed with pain, and I could feel him trembling beneath my hands.

“Stay with me, Liam,” I urged, my voice cracking. “Don’t you dare pass out on me now.”

My mind raced as I worked. What kind of dedication, what kind of guilt, could drive someone to such extremes? I thought of my own regrets, the weight of my inaction when Kate needed me most. Would I have had the courage to do what Liam did? The thought sent a chill down my spine, shame burning in my gut. I’m not sure I would have. And what does that say about me?

With Liam’s wound as bandaged as it could be given our limited supplies, we turned our attention to the door that had materialized across the room. It stood there, innocuous yet foreboding, a silent promise of more trials to come. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a reminder of how close we were to our goal – and how much we’d already lost.

“Ready?” I asked, offering Liam my arm for support. He swayed as he stood, his remaining eye unfocused, and I had to tighten my grip to keep him from falling. The loss of depth perception was clearly disorienting him, and I felt a pang of guilt for not being able to do more.

“As I’ll ever be,” he replied, his voice weak but determined. “Let’s go save our girl, shall we?”

Our girl. The phrase stuck in my mind as we approached the door. When had Kate become “our” girl? And why didn’t the thought bother me as much as it should? I pushed the confusion aside, focusing on the task at hand.

As we stepped through the doorway, the air around us shifted, becoming thick and oppressive. The new chamber stretched out before us, vast and dimly lit. Crystal formations jutted from the walls and ceiling, their facets reflecting what little light there was in eerie, shifting patterns. The room seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy, making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the center of the room. There, hovering above a raised platform, was an object that could only be the Temporal Tether. It was a delicate bracelet, its thin silver chain adorned with an intricately crafted hourglass pendant. Within the miniature hourglass, iridescent sand swirled and pulsed with an otherworldly glow, seeming to defy gravity. The artifact emitted a soft, pulsing light that sent ripples of light cascading across the chamber.

“Holy shit,” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper. “Is that it?”

Beside me, Liam stiffened, his one remaining eye widening. “It is,” he confirmed, his voice filled with a mix of awe and trepidation. “The Temporal Tether. I never thought I’d actually see it.”

A surge of hope rushed through me. After everything we’d been through, after all the pain and sacrifice, our goal was finally within reach. I took a step forward, ready to claim our prize, but Liam’s hand on my arm stopped me.

“Wait,” he said, his voice tight with tension. “It can’t be this easy. There has to be a catch.”

I frowned, scanning the room for any signs of danger. “What do you mean? We’ve passed all the trials, haven’t we?”

Liam shook his head, wincing at the movement. “Think about it, Cyrus. Every trial so far has required action from both of us. Why would this one be any different?”

As if in response to his words, the air around the Tether shimmered, revealing an invisible barrier. It rippled like the surface of a pond, sending out waves of energy that made my skin tingle.

“Shit,” I muttered, frustration bubbling up inside me. “You’re right. Of course it couldn’t be that simple. Nothing in this damn cave has been.”

We approached the platform cautiously, searching for any clue about what this final trial might entail. As we circled the barrier, I noticed intricate carvings on the base of the platform. They looked familiar, tugging at a memory.

Suddenly, it hit me. “Liam,” I said, my voice urgent. “Do you remember that sign we saw at the entrance of the cave? The one you translated?”

Liam’s brow furrowed in concentration. “You mean the story about the portal that opens on the night of the Resurrection?”

I nodded, the details flooding back. “Yeah, that’s the one. It mentioned two friends who passed through a portal to another realm. They met beings in white who gave them keys to return home. But one of them lost their key and got trapped there, right?”

As I finished recounting the story, a heavy silence fell between us. The implications of the tale settled over me like a lead weight, and I could see the same realization dawning in Liam’s eye.

“Fuck,” Liam whispered, his voice hoarse. “You don’t think…”

I nodded grimly. “Yeah, I do. This isn’t just about retrieving the Tether. It’s about sacrifice.”

The word hung in the air between us, heavy with meaning. My mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle. “The Dacians believed in immortality, didn’t they? In life after death?”

Liam nodded, his face pale. “They did. They saw death not as an end, but as a transition to another state of being.”

“So this trial,” I said slowly, the horrifying truth settling in my gut like a stone, “it’s not just about proving our worth. It’s about embodying that belief. One of us has to stay behind, to… to die, essentially, so the other can return with the Tether.”

The silence that followed was deafening. I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears, each thump a countdown to an impossible decision. Who would stay? Who would go? The weight of it all threatened to crush me.

Liam broke the silence first, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. “Cyrus, there’s something I need to tell you. About Kate… and why she’s stuck in the realm of the Iele.”

I turned to him, a sense of dread creeping up my spine. “What about it?”

Liam took a deep breath, wincing as the movement pulled at his bandages. “It’s my fault. I… I accidentally performed a binding ritual with her. I didn’t even know what I was doing at the time.”

The words hit me like a physical blow. “You did what?” I snarled, anger flaring hot and bright in my chest. “How the fuck do you ‘accidentally’ perform a binding ritual?”

Liam held up his hands defensively, his remaining eye pleading. “It was during a… passionate moment. Her saintly powers might have influenced it, I’m not sure. I tasted her blood, and something just… happened.”

I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. All this time, all these trials, and now I learn that it was all because Liam couldn’t keep it in his pants?

“So let me get this straight,” I growled, pacing back and forth, my hands clenched into fists. “I’ve been dragged through hell and back, nearly killed multiple times over the past two days, all because you fucked up during a hookup?”

Liam flinched at my words, but didn’t deny them. “I’m sorry, Cyrus. I truly am. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

I laughed bitterly, the sound echoing off the chamber walls. “No, I bet you didn’t. But it did happen, and now we’re here, and one of us has to die to fix your mistake.”

As the words left my mouth, the full weight of our situation crashed down on me. One of us had to stay behind. One of us had to die. The realization sent my mind spinning, a tornado of thoughts and emotions threatening to overwhelm me.

Anger surged through me, hot and fierce. I was furious at Liam for his recklessness, for dragging me into this mess. But even more than that, I was angry at Kate. How could she have been so careless? So quick to jump into bed with a Fae she barely knew? The rational part of my mind knew it wasn’t fair to blame her, but the emotional part didn’t care. It hurt, knowing she had chosen Liam over me.

But beneath the anger was a gnawing anxiety. If Liam stayed, I could leave. I could walk out of this cave and never look back. But then what? I couldn’t get the Tether to Kate. I couldn’t save her from her fate in the Iele realm. And wasn’t that the whole point of this insane quest?

I could just leave right now, a traitorous voice whispered in my head. Forget about Kate. She chose to be with Liam. Let her deal with the consequences.

But even as the thought formed, I knew I couldn’t do it. The memory of Kate, tied up and desperate in that room, flooded back to me. Her voice, pleading for help, echoed in my mind:

“Just untie me,” she had begged, her voice barely a whisper. “Please, Cyrus.”

And what had I done? I had made excuses. I had stood by and let it happen. The shame of that moment burned through me anew, mixing with the bitterness of knowing that Liam wouldn’t have hesitated. He might be reckless, he might have fucked up royally, but when it came down to it, he acted. He took what he wanted and dealt with the consequences later – or never.

No wonder Kate chose him, I thought, a cold, self-deprecating laugh bubbling up in my throat. He may be an impulsive idiot, but at least he’s not a coward.

The realization hit me like a bucket of ice water: whether I stayed behind or left, I would never have the chance to be with Kate. If I stayed, I’d die here in this cave. If I left, I’d be abandoning her again, this time to an eternity in another realm. The fantasies I’d harbored, the dreams of a life with her, crumbled to dust.

What am I even fighting for? I wondered, the thought sending a wave of existential dread through me. What do I want to do if I get out of here?

My mind came up blank. All I could see was an endless stretch of demon battles, of following orders, of watching comrades fall. The demon hunter organization, which had once been my whole world, now seemed like a morally corrupt shit-fest. If they had chosen Eric as a council member, what did that say about the rest of them?

I tried to imagine a life outside the organization, a normal existence with a family and a white picket fence, but the image wouldn’t form. My mind was too scarred, too twisted by years of violence and blind obedience. I had never really made any choices for myself, had I? I’d always just done what I was told, followed the path laid out for me.

How is sacrificing myself here any different from any other mission? The thought hit me with startling clarity. I’d seen demon hunters die gruesome deaths before. It was always sad, always a loss, but we all knew the risks when we signed up. I had always thought I’d gladly die to protect others, but now, faced with the reality of it, I found myself hesitating.

Disgust welled up inside me, directed both at myself and at the life I’d led. My parents, my brother, the entire organization – they were all part of this corrupt system. How could I have been so blind for so long?

As these thoughts swirled through my mind, a strange calm began to settle over me. I was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of doubting, tired of the constant struggle for survival. Even if I left this cave, what awaited me? A life on the run, forever looking over my shoulder for demons or my former comrades?

I looked at Liam, really looked at him. Despite his grievous injury, despite the pain he must be in, there was still a fire in his eye. He had centuries ahead of him, potentially a thousand years or more if he didn’t get himself killed. And Kate… if we succeeded, she might have eternity.

The decision crystallized in my mind, as clear and sharp as the crystals surrounding us. It wasn’t just about atoning for my past inaction. It wasn’t just about saving Kate. It was about finally, finally, making a choice for myself.

“I’ll do it,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear churning in my gut. “I’ll stay behind.”

Liam’s eye widened in shock. “Cyrus, no. You can’t. I’m the one who—”

I cut him off with a raised hand. “You’re the one who can actually get the Tether to Kate. Your magic, your ability to travel between realms – she needs that. She needs you.”

Liam shook his head vehemently, wincing at the movement. “There has to be another way. We can figure something out, we can—”

“There isn’t,” I said firmly. “And you know it. We’ve both passed every trial up until now, but this… this is different. This is about true sacrifice, true charity. And let’s face it, I haven’t exactly been the poster child for that virtue so far.”

We spent the next hour combing every inch of the chamber, desperately searching for any alternative. We examined the barrier from every angle, tried combining our efforts, even attempted to communicate with whatever higher power might be orchestrating these trials. But in the end, we always came back to the same conclusion: one of us had to stay.

As we stood there, exhausted and out of options, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the Mirror of Regrets. This time, instead of seeing nothing, I saw Kate. She was looking at me with the same expression of hatred and betrayal she’d worn when she escaped with Liam. The sight sent a fresh wave of guilt and determination through me.

“This is my chance,” I said softly, more to myself than to Liam. “My chance to make things right.”

Liam looked at me, his expression a mixture of respect and sorrow. “You’re sure about this?”

I nodded, a grim smile tugging at my lips. “As sure as I’ve ever been about anything. Besides, it’s not like I had any grand plans for my future anyway.”

We spent the next few minutes going over any useful information I could give him. I handed over my weapons, my supplies, everything except my iron dagger. That, I kept. If I was going to die, it would be on my own terms. One final choice that was truly mine.

As we prepared for our separation, a thought occurred to me. “Liam,” I said hesitantly, “what are you going to tell Kate about… this?”

Liam’s face fell, his remaining eye clouding with pain that had nothing to do with his physical wound. “I… I don’t know. The truth, I suppose. She deserves that much.”

I nodded, a lump forming in my throat. “Yeah, she does. Just… tell her I’m sorry, will you? For everything.”

Liam gripped my shoulder, his touch surprisingly gentle. “I will. And Cyrus… I promise you, I’ll make this sacrifice count. I’ll do whatever it takes to help Kate, to give her the life she deserves.”

We stood there for a moment, an awkward but sincere farewell passing between us. Then, taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the platform. As soon as my feet touched the stone, I felt a surge of energy course through me. The barrier around the Tether flickered and died.

“Go,” I said, my voice rough with emotion. “Take it and go.”

Liam hesitated, his eye wide with a mixture of grief and panic. He opened his mouth, clearly wanting to say something more, but before he could, the Temporal Tether suddenly flew from its place above the platform, zipping through the air to wrap itself around his wrist. There was a flash of light. I saw his hand reach out towards me, the delicate bracelet now glinting on his arm, desperation etched on his face, and then he vanished.

And just like that, I was alone.

The silence in the chamber was deafening. I could hear my own heartbeat, each thump a reminder of the finite nature of my existence. The reality of my situation began to sink in, heavy and suffocating. I was going to die here, alone in this strange, magical place.

I looked around, taking in the details of what would be my final resting place. The crystal formations seemed to glow brighter now, their light pulsing in an almost hypnotic rhythm.

And then I noticed it. A faint trickle of water seeping in from the edges of the room. At first, it was barely noticeable, just a thin stream. But as I watched, it grew stronger, the water level rising slowly but steadily.

So that’s how it’s going to be, I thought, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. A slow drowning. How poetic.

I climbed to the highest point of the platform, watching as the water continued to rise. It was agonizingly slow, giving me plenty of time to contemplate my choice and the long, drawn-out death that awaited me.

My hand went to the iron dagger at my belt. I could end it now, quickly and on my own terms. The thought was tempting, oh so tempting. I unsheathed the blade, its weight familiar and comforting in my hand.

Would it hurt less to slit my throat or stab myself in the heart? I wondered, turning the dagger over in my hands. The edge gleamed in the dim light, sharp and unforgiving. I brought it to my throat, feeling the cold metal against my skin. My hand trembled slightly, and I realized I was holding my breath.

Could I really do it? I pressed the blade a little harder, feeling the sting as it nicked my skin. A drop of blood welled up, warm against my fingertips. I closed my eyes, trying to summon the courage to make that final, irrevocable move.

And then, just as I was about to do it, I heard a voice that stopped me cold.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

I whirled around, my heart pounding. There, standing at the edge of the platform, was Kate. She looked exactly as she had in the illusion during the chastity trial, her white dress flowing around her, her eyes blazing with an otherworldly light.

A bitter laugh bubbled up in my throat. “Oh, this is rich,” I said, shaking my head. “Come to torment me one last time, have you? Well, go ahead. It’s not like I have anything better to do while I wait to drown. Actually, you know what? If this is how I go out, might as well make the most of it.”

With reckless abandon, I pulled “Kate” against me, my lips crashing into hers. The softness of her mouth contrasted with the urgency of my kiss, our teeth nearly clashing in my haste. As her lips parted in surprise, I seized the opportunity, my tongue delving into the warm, wet cavern of her mouth.

The texture of her tongue against mine sent electricity coursing through my body. It was soft yet firm, sliding against mine in a dance that grew more frenzied with each passing second. As our lips met, I explored every crevice of her mouth, trying to memorize the taste. I could taste the faint hint of salt on her lips, a reminder of the sweat that glistened on her skin. It was a taste that made my heart race, a taste that spoke of passion and desire and all the things I wanted to explore with her.

My hands roamed her body, desperate to memorize every curve and contour and my fingers tangled in her hair, the silky strands cool against my heated skin. With my other hand, I traced the curve of her spine through the thin fabric of her dress, feeling the warmth of her skin and the slight bumps of her vertebrae.

I nipped at her bottom lip, the plump flesh yielding under my teeth. The slight sting drew a gasp from her, the puff of air hot against my mouth. The sound ignited something primal within me, and I deepened the kiss further, my tongue battling with hers for dominance.

The world narrowed to the points where our bodies connected – lips, tongues, hands. Every sensation was heightened, burning itself into my memory.  For a moment, I let myself believe it was truly her, that somehow, miraculously, she had found her way here.

If this is death, I thought, at least I’m going out on a high note.

I deepened the kiss, one hand tangling in her hair while the other pulled her closer. I poured everything into it – all my regret, my longing, my unspoken feelings. If this was to be my last act, I wanted it to count.

Finally, I broke the kiss, breathing heavily while licking my lips, savoring the taste of her saliva on my tongue. With a sad smile, I stepped back, spreading my arms wide. “Alright,” I said, my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart. “I’m ready. Do your worst.”