Isle of Beasts and Shadows (The Forgotten Isle Saga #1)

Chapter 28

Realization dawned on Airella as Alikad swung his scythe down upon her. With every ounce of energy she could muster, she rolled out of the blade’s path, but her efforts were in vain. The sharp edge of the scythe lightly grazed her side, leaving behind a searing crimson mark that slowly welled with fresh blood. Airella winced in agony, struggling to rise to her feet amidst the throbbing pain.

“Enough of this, children,” Father’s commanding voice resonated through the realm of Limbo, piercing the tense air.

Alikad cursed silently, his eyes darting around, searching for any trace of the shadow demon. While the reaper’s attention was diverted and suspicion clouded his mind, Airella hurried to where Jonathan kneeled and Sirius lay unconscious. Jonathan’s eyes widened as he noticed the wound on Airella’s side.

“You’re hurt!” Jonathan exclaimed in shock.

“It’s just a scratch, I’ll manage. You’ve faced worse.” Airella’s words carried a reminder of Jonathan’s sacrifice for her. “We must seize this moment while he’s preoccupied.” Her gaze shifted to the unsettled reaper who loomed nearby.

“Right,” Jonathan began, but his words trailed off as Sirius spoke with closed eyes, his voice barely a whisper.

“Emmaline...” Sirius muttered, a name hanging in the air with an air of mystery.

Airella’s body tensed, her muscles contracting involuntarily, a searing pain shooting through her like a bolt of lightning as she mustered the strength to stand up straight. The wound on her side throbbed with an intensity that seemed to echo through the desolate realm of Limbo.

As she struggled against the unseen forces at play, she realized Limbo was not a welcoming abode for the living, its very essence rejecting their presence. Yet, amidst the chaos, a realization struck her—Sirius, the reaper by her side, endured Limbo’s influence as well. Deprived of his usual sustenance of human souls, the unnatural grip of this realm seemed to twist and distort his being, just as it did hers.

“Airella, what’s wrong?” Jonathan’s voice was tinged with confusion as he regarded Airella, seeking answers in her eyes.

“I... I don’t know,” Airella stammered, her gaze darting back and forth between Alikad and Sirius, uncertainty clouding her features.

“Emmaline?” Sirius’s eyes fluttered open, his consciousness returning as he peered up at the sky, a sense of bewilderment mingling with recognition.

For a fleeting moment, Airella was rendered speechless, a confirmation dawning upon her that these were not mere illusions. Collapsing to her knees, she hovered over Sirius, gripping his shoulders with a mix of urgency and desperation.

“Emmaline. That name. Where did you hear that name?” Airella’s voice was insistent as she shook Sirius gently, her eyes searching his for any flicker of understanding.

“Airella!” Jonathan’s cry pierced the tense atmosphere, a note of urgency in his tone.

“Tell me,” she demanded, her gaze drilling into Sirius, a blend of concern and determination etched on her face.

Amidst the turmoil, the sense of impending danger loomed large, with Alikad’s presence a constant reminder of lurking threats that may no longer be visible.

“Father?” Sirius’s vision was a blur, the world around him hazy and unfocused. He struggled to comprehend Airella’s words as they echoed in his ears. His head spun, a whirlwind of confusion and pain clouding his thoughts.

The moment Alikad ceased moving, a strange sensation washed over Sirius, freezing him in place.

As Airella and Jonathan came to a sudden halt, their expressions of shock mirrored each other’s as they turned to face him.

“You have a lot of nerve showing up here, Father.” Sirius uttered through gritted teeth, his voice strained with effort.

Clutching his side, he cast a wary glance towards Alikad, his eyes narrowing in agony as he discovered the fresh wound etched upon his skin. The opposing reaper’s strike had been swift and merciless, the searing pain radiating through Sirius’s body like a raging inferno. Overwhelmed by the intensity of it all, Sirius sank to his knees, his strength failing him.

Airella rushed to his side, her concern palpable as she reached out to support him, but Sirius raised a trembling hand, warding her off. Was it fear that gripped him now, or simply the excruciating pain that threatened to consume him whole? Even Jonathan, standing nearby, failed to perceive the flicker of fear that danced in Sirius’s eyes, masked by a facade of determination.

As Sirius struggled to rise, he slowly peeled back his cloak, revealing the extent of his injuries. Alikad’s attack had inflicted far more damage than he had initially realized. The gaping wound snaked its way from his stomach, curving towards his back before terminating at his right hip, a vivid reminder of the peril he faced.

“It looks like you’re wounded,” the now possessed Alikad spat and cracked his neck, making it pop loudly as he turned. “I thought you were tougher than this. Now, look at you. Pathetic.”

Sirius watched him as he laughed at his pain. He stood and hunched himself over his own scythe for support while gold blood seeped from his large wounds. His breaths came in ragged gasps, the metallic tang of blood heavy in the surrounding air.

Father exerted control over Alikad’s body, manipulating his movements. With a forceful gesture, he pivoted Alikad around, unveiling a face contorted with a blend of insanity and rage. Though he concealed his fury outwardly, a flicker of anger gleamed unmistakably in his eyes. Sinister black veins snaked across Alikad’s form, his skin taking on a ghastly gray hue as if his very vitality was being drained by Father’s malevolent presence. Sirius, feeling a surge of apprehension, stood tensely while Father resumed speaking.

Father traced a finger along his chin as he circled before the trio. “You’re fortunate to still draw breath,” he spoke with a hint of disappointment. Grasping the scythe nearby, his expression twisted into another maniacal grin. “Once I finish with you, you’ll no longer impede my plans.”

Sirius leaned in, his jaw clenched in frustration. “What twisted scheme are you orchestrating, Father?” Then, the realization hit him, prompting a surge of anger that made him clench his fists until his nails dug into his palms. “This was all part of your design from the very start, wasn’t it?” Sirius erupted, his voice laced with fury.

Father’s smile widened with a sinister gleam as his gaze shifted to Airella. “A perceptive one, indeed,” he taunted, reveling in the unfolding drama with chilling satisfaction. Sirius had finally pieced it all together. Father had meticulously orchestrated every moment leading up to this point, from the very inception of their plan.

“You’ve been plotting this since they first set step on the isle. Are you really aiming to reintroduce human existence to the island just for the sake of the Miscreant food chain?” Sirius muttered under his breath, struggling as he attempted to rise.

His gaze shifted to Jonathan, and with a swift motion, he snapped his fingers. Jonathan’s form shrank until he transformed back into an orb-shaped soul. “Get Jonathan back into the pendant! We have to—”

Airella’s piercing scream cut Sirius’s words off.

A numbness enveloped him. Looking down at his stomach, Sirius’s eyes widened in horror. As he glanced up, he met the sinister gaze of the possessed Alikad, his hand resting on Sirius’s shoulder. Sirius’s eyes locked onto the blade that had pierced through his chest, emerging from his upper back. The scythe narrowly missed his spine, and searing pain surged through him, surpassing any he had ever known. Struggling to remain upright, he confronted Father, hatred burning in his eyes. Sirius defiantly spat his gold blood onto Father’s face. Gruesomely, Father wiped away some of the blood from his mouth, a chilling smile fading into darkness. Sirius fought to stay conscious, but his legs gave way beneath him.

Father withdrew the blade from Sirius’s body, watching him crumple to the ground. Curling into a ball, Sirius clutched his wound as Airella hurried to his side. The glowing pendant around her neck indicated Jonathan’s safety. Sirius attempted to speak, but his thoughts were a whirlwind, rendering his words incoherent.

“Don’t talk,” Airella sobbed, her voice quivering with emotion. “Everything will be fine.”

“Oh, my dear, nothing is going to be fine,” Father’s words cut through the tension in the room. “Now that he’s out of my way, I can now proceed with my plans.” With those chilling words, he exited Alikad’s body in a dark fog, leaving a sense of foreboding in the air.

“Airella, take my scythe... create a portal... get us out...” Sirius whispered as he clenched his wounds, his gaze locked on Airella with urgency and trust.

Without hesitation, she quickly lifted the heavy scythe, its weight unfamiliar in her hands. Alikad’s body lay motionless on the ground beside her, until suddenly, he jerked back to life and reached for her. Airella’s heart raced as surprise took her, her next move uncertain.

In a swift and desperate attempt to defend herself, she swung the scythe over her head, the blade meeting Alikad’s arm with a sickening thud. Pain seared through him, and he let out a guttural cry before seizing the weapon. Their struggle intensified amidst the chaos.

On the ground, Alikad and Sirius, locked in a moment of intense pain and emotion, exchanged a gaze that spoke volumes, their fates intertwined in a cruel twist of destiny.

“I had taken upon myself the duty to kill you, Sirius, and perhaps in doing so, I would free myself from here. However, now that even Father is trying to kill you, I believe it would be best for him not to have his way.” He ripped a piece of cloth from his cloak and wrapped it around his injured arm, a golden stain blooming through the fabric. “I now know that killing you won’t make much of a difference, but you must defeat Father.” With a heavy sigh, he then stood and just simply eyed down Airella, his gaze piercing yet filled with a hint of sorrow.

“Why do you look so much like Sirius?” She questioned, her voice quivering slightly with a mix of confusion and curiosity.

“Father removed a piece of my soul with a spell when I was young and created the Sirius you know today. He took a piece of me that could be easily manipulated. He can’t be trusted. Father has complete control over him, whether or not he realizes it. I watched from Limbo as he mercilessly slaughtered most of the humans on the isle. I have been trapped here for centuries, locked away. However, I saw a chance to retreat from the confines of my cage once Father became distracted with this mess. But no matter how many times I’ve tried, I can’t step foot outside of this world.” He stared at her as if she were going to be his next meal, a flicker of desperation dancing in his eyes.

“I’ll help you... but here’s the deal.” He crouched next to Sirius, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily in the air. “When the time comes and we’re merged once again, you will obey me. Got it?” He forced Sirius’s lips together like a caretaker with a child.

Sirius, with a mix of fear and determination, nodded in response to the pact that was being sealed between them.

“What are you going to do, then?” Airella raised Dawnbreaker in Sirius’s defense. Her heart raced as she faced the looming threat before them, her grip tightening on the weapon she wielded with skill honed through countless battles.

“You have to do the rest, half-breed. I’m just going to get you out of here.” Alikad’s voice held a steely determination, echoing with the weight of their shared past. With a swift motion, he swung his dual-bladed scythe through the air, the metal gleaming in the dim light of the otherworldly realm they found themselves in.

In that next moment, Airella’s inner strength manifested in a way that even surprised her. Despite the odds stacked against them, she swiftly secured Sirius’s scythe to her back as they emerged from the ethereal portal that connected Limbo to the realm of the living. With a sense of purpose driving her every step, she carried him, his weight a burden she bore with unwavering determination.

Together, they navigated the treacherous path to Aramore, towards a village nestled just outside the city gates of the imposing castle that loomed in the distance.

“Hopefully there is a healer there,” Airella whispered under her breath, her gaze fixed on the flickering lights in the distance. She knew Sirius had a deep wound, too grievous for a mere flame to cauterize.

As she trudged along the path, a heavy darkness enveloped her heart, weighing it down with the burden of sorrow. The memory of not bidding a proper farewell to her mother, let alone lay her to rest beside her father’s grave, cast a shadow on her spirit. Tears welled up in her eyes, reflecting the pain and longing that tugged at her soul.

Returning to her own village was not an option, not while the accusing whispers of murder lingered in the air. Determined to seek aid for Sirius, she understood she could not find the solace she sought within the familiar confines of her village. With resolve in her heart, they journeyed forth towards the unknown, hoping to find the help that had eluded her so far.

“Airella, thank you...” Sirius’s voice trailed off, his eyes closing in a moment of respite as he leaned into her embrace.

The journey ahead was uncertain, but in that fleeting moment of gratitude, a silent vow passed between them—a promise to stand together against whatever challenges awaited them beyond the village.