Although a darkness was pulling me towards an unknown destination, my heart fluttered because the person I loved most had told me how he felt.
Ah… This is so unfair… I just want to be with you. Why… did this…
"Let go of me!" I screamed at the bird, trying to get it off me.
Those attempts were futile as every tug and shove her body melted into mine.
"Hah, don't worry, my dearest, you'll see him soon. This needs to be done to save your soul from that witch. I'll be damned if she takes you before the merge!" She announced, her bright blue eyes shimmering as purple flames started to sprout around me before a bright light consumed us soon after.
For a moment, I was in a state of nothingness before a woman's voice echoed within my mind.
"I'm you, and you'll be me. We'll be forever united until the end of time comes. My name is Midnight, mistress of the cycle of death and rebirth." She recited.
I couldn't speak, but her light felt so warm that I couldn't reject her. It was almost as if she had always been there, even though I had never met her. My eyes flew open to find myself up in the air, surrounded by a smoky black aura that came from the birthmark in my chest as it burned hotter than ever before.
A red aura surrounded my body as the same bird from before erupted from my core, shifting her gaze toward my family and Alijah, who were below me. Even though I could see them, I couldn't move or speak.
In a split second, pulses of agony surged through my body, making me glad I couldn't say a single thing. I would've wailed harder than I had ever done before. It was almost as if every cell in my body was being rewritten and torn into something new.
Markings appeared on my body while I could hear Vera shriek under me, too. Even though I wanted to help her, I couldn't move a centimeter. The bird named Midnight radiated a blue aura, spreading her wings above me.
"Girl! Now's your chance to save your sister, who took the curse that would've killed you! You who dared shatter his soul before it could be fully whole!" Midnight yelled at the witch, who could barely bear the pain coursing through her.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see the markings had also appeared on her body. However, I didn't know what was happening. I was just a bystander in the unfolding events.
"Why should I believe you?!" Vera screamed, glaring at the goddess, who couldn't help but cackle at her question.
My brothers tried to help our sister, but were quickly repelled by the energy surging from her. It was out of her control, which I had never seen happen to her.
"Stupid girl, we don't have time to fight each other! The eternal witch is trying to suck the remaining parts of her soul through the curse that connects them! If you don't stop it now, it'll claim Rem, leaving this body a soulless husk! I can't hold on to her for much longer!" Midnight snapped.
Though I could hear her thoughts. His soul is mine and mine alone. The witch dares to take him from me. Unforgivable! I'll protect him at all costs.
Eh? Who is he?
"But..." Vera appeared as she shifted her gaze to our mother, who couldn't reach her either.
With every second that passed, the darkness grew larger around me as the pain became almost unbearable.
Mom, you once had your soul... well, part of your soul, torn apart. Is this how you felt that day all those years ago? Oh, by the gods...
I wanted to scream bloody murder, but nothing left me. Tears trailed down my cheeks despite Midnight's magic having frozen me.
Sorry, love. If they hear you screaming like a maniac or you bite your tongue. It'll all end horribly. So be good and bear it a little longer. After all, this is nothing to what you've felt before! Her words echoed within me.
Before? What do you mean? What's happening?!
"Hurry! I already linked you to Rem in our previous battle. Now do it!" Midnight yelled at Vera, who was glowing the same color as my body.
She screeched a second later as the hue turned dark purple. Instead of addressing my sister's pain, the bird shifted her attention to my father and brothers.
"You mutts need to share your essence with Rem to the point you think it will break her. This witch is using the power of the gods! We'll need everything to stop her!" She huffed as they appeared hesitant, but that didn't stop them from doing what needed to be done.
There was no going back, and the energy that permeated from everywhere was ominous enough for my family to act. Their energy surged through me at that moment, prompting my chest to feel scorched. Luckily, I couldn't express the agony I was under.
The only thing that escaped me was tears that continued like an unending river. Suddenly, after a boom of energy erupted through the room, a single string of darkness remained, connecting me to whoever wanted to claim me.
My father and siblings successfully dispelled the incantation that wanted to claim my soul, but it drained them to the point where they could barely stand up. At that moment, Midnight turned to Alijah, who was barely standing. Much like in our fantasy space, he was visibly sick.
What did I miss?
"You! Destroy the witch's link now!" Midnight commanded the severely weakened wolf.
The moment those words left her, his body gave off a profound red aura, and a second later, he was in the air. Grabbing onto the string that tied me to Edna, his aura consumed us both, freeing me from the pain that had plagued me since I opened my eyes.
With a breath of fresh air, he snatched me midair, and the moment we hit the ground, he almost tumbled due to how weak he was. Even so, his show of power was insane. If Edna had been connected to that, she wouldn't have gone off uninjured in that one.
As fast as it started, everything disappeared, leaving behind its mark on how we all were. Alijah pressed his forehead against mine, breaming one of his brightest smiles even though he didn't seem okay,
"Hey there, sleeping beauty. Welcome back to the world of the living." My wolf greeted weakly.
"Ali—" I wouldn't finish that thought; I hugged him tightly instead.
The sudden movement caused him to tumble onto the ground as I held on to him, refusing to let go. Before I knew it, Caden and Aiden, who had tackled us, turned it into a group event.
"I knew it! I knew you would bring her back, Alijah!" Caden blurted with the biggest grin on his lips.
My wolf appeared a bit annoyed by the over-affection coming from him, though. However, before another word escaped them, something else caught my eye. My wolf's hair was shorter than it had been.
Ah… So you really did cut it… Why though?
"Of course he would. He couldn't fail us. If he had, I would have—" Aiden began as my wolf huffed in response, trying to appear tough.
However, in reality, he wanted to melt right where he was, and the slight wag of his tail gave it away.
"Oi, what would you have done if I failed, pup?" He growled as my brother's wars slanted back and his cheeks puffed up.
They appeared surprisingly friendly, leaving me feeling a bit out of place.
Just how long had I been asleep?
Suddenly, I felt a familiar touch as someone patted my hair gently, prompting me to look up at them.
"Welcome home, Rem." My father smiled, and I couldn't help but feel that words clogged up in my mouth.
Mom hugged me the moment Alijah helped me sit up, even though I almost tumbled over from the effort. Her embrace was also warm.
"Never do something like that again!" She scolded, tears streaming down her cheeks.
I felt horrible for causing them so much trouble. However, everything was filled with flowers and a warm welcome until Vera had enough of the fluffy love and stormed to me. Before I knew it, she slapped my face.
"What the—" Alijah started as Caden held him down.
"No, stay out of it." He warned, knowing that we always found our way to one another.
"How dare you… How dare you all?!" Vera started, tears trailing down her cheeks.
I gazed at her, holding the spot where she had struck, as it stung. She didn't hold back at all.
"You all say welcome back! What about why the fuck did you do something so stupid and dangerous?!" Vera snapped.
"As always, you did what you wanted! You selfish bitch! You always do what you want and almost kill all of us in the process!" She screamed.
I tried to hold myself but couldn't.
Why are you yelling at me?Like, I get it, I did something stupid.But who are you to judge me?
My sister had always been free to do whatever she wanted. She could have all the boys and multiple friends while I had my room and music to keep me company. A faint black smoke radiated from me as if breaking my link to that witch, but it didn't do anything to stop the curse from influencing me.
Everything about me was unstable.
"Did what I wanted?" I mumbled, trying to hold in the desire to hurt Vera.
"Yes, you did whatever you fucking wanted! Think about others once in your fucking life!" Vera scolded.
Feeling a snap within me, I lost it.
"Hah… You think… I wanted this?" I started, facing her head on.
"Rem…" Dad called out to me, noticing something off about me.
"Funny... You say that, Vera. You had everything you could've wanted while I've been stuck in a fucking room all my life! I didn't have a life until I took it into my hands!" I snarled, sending pulses of energy from within me into my surroundings.
"Sorry for chasing the one thing I wanted and running your fucking day! Is that what you want me to say?! I'm not sorry for chasing my happiness for the first time in all the years I've been alive!" I didn't hold back, as everything around me instantly repelled.
Darkness radiated from me again, alerting everyone the curse was still within me. Unlike before, I knew how it felt to have blood quenching my thirst for it, so when I gazed at Vera, who was on the ground, I wondered how her throat would have felt on my fangs.
The beast within me was awakening as I felt every fiber of my being wanting to morph into the wild wolf raging within me. However, something pushed me onto my knees and against the ground before I could act on it.
A shadow of myself had manifested behind me, as I hadn't noticed her until it was too late.
When—
"By the gods, you're all idiots. I'm still wondering how the fuck you all make it until now without me." Midnight sighed, holding me down onto the floor.
It was almost as if time had stopped around us, as even the Lycans, resistant to time magic, seemed frozen in place. However, it differed from time incantations used by the god artifacts. All of them were conscious of their surroundings, even though they couldn't move from where they were.
We were all at her mercy.