All I had to do was run in a straight line as it was my path the previous day. So, it was easy to get back to Lilith even though I stumbled on multiple things. Thanks to that, I brought half the forest with me since my clothes got dirty from how many times I rolled on the ground.
The primary culprit was my jiggly legs that refused to follow my commands.
I have no one to blame but myself, though.
At least my shoulder didn't bother me anymore since it was almost fully regenerated. The freshly minor scrapes from my falls were struggling to heal, reminding me that Iris was still in my system. Not that they stopped me.
When I saw the cave, orbs of ghosts gathered around me as I focused on my goal. I moved past them and toward where we left Lilith. Only one goal remained: to get to her and remove my bracelet, allowing my family to come to me.
Will they even come? Argh… don't think of anything! They…
It had been six months since I last saw anything from them. I didn't know if they were still looking for me. Sadly, I hadn't thought this thoroughly but hoped Alijah would spare them. Slowly, I made my way to the elf, disregarding the ghosts trying to speak to me.
Lilith seemed to look for us outside the cave, leaving me wondering if she had been doing so all night.
Ah… Crap, I really messed up.
The moment the elf spotted me, she ran to meet me in the clearing between the cave. Finally, the forest was behind me.
"Rem, what happened? Why are you all battered like that?" Lilith asked, eyeing me down.
Uh… I…
I didn't think any of it through. At least she didn't know me, which allowed me to lie to her, unlike Alijah.
"Ah, don't mind me. I'm a major klutz!" I assured her, trying to walk past and towards the cave.
Sadly, she grabbed me by my arm, stopping me.
"Wait, where's Alijah?" the elf continued her query.
I struggled to figure out what to say, only to come up with the obvious.
"Maybe he is hunting or something. I really don't keep track of him." I lied, trying not to picture how I had left him sitting near that mushroom forest.
Oh, by the gods... It's not the time to feel guilty! Fuck! I'm so sorry! Why is this harder than killing strangers?! Ah… because I love you, and I'm screwing with your life.
The feeling of his warm lips was still radiating on mine, though.
Damn it! I have to shake all of this off! This isn't the moment for that!
The moment Alijah caught up, it wouldn't be sweet and happy clouds.
"Oh, is he? Then do you know where he was last night? He never came back." She continued as I shifted my gaze away, picturing where he was last night.
"I... I-I don't know. I kind of s-slept in the f-forest and got c-chased by a d-deer when I tried to give you g-guys space," I announced as she tugged on my arm.
"But—" She started, only for me to interrupt her.
"Look! I j-just want to get out of here!" I snapped, prompting her to flinch and allowing me to pull away from her before dropping my bag on the floor.
With this clearing, it should be easy for them to track me.
All I had to do was take off the bracelet, which was easy, yet I was hesitant.
Is this the right thing? I mean, there's no going back, is there?
My mind was a mess. I couldn't think straight.
If they see you kill me, then they'll indeed attack him. I… Argh! Everything is just too much!
My insecurities were consuming me, and I was a wreck. There was no taking back what I had done to Alijah. My hand trembled before pulling away from the only thing that would alert my family where I was.
No… Dying by your hand isn't the worst way I can go. You won't be free from the bond, but at least you won't have me ordering you anymore.
"Oh... that's a pity. Leaving yet isn't what I planned." Lilith sighed, grabbing me by my shoulder.
Turning around to see what she wanted, every fiber of my being jolted as a twinge emerged from my abdomen. My hands instinctively grabbed onto hers, only to feel something hard sticking out of my belly.
"Eh? What are you?" I mumbled as a second later, blood crawled up my throat and into my mouth before dripping down my lips.
She had pierced my stomach with an unknown object.
What... Why... I...
"Shit! I was aiming for your heart. As I said, I'll help you with the curse by freeing you from your body. There's no better way to kill a god than with a weapon made from one." The elf smirked as her eyes were fully enticed by what she had done.
The blade embedded into my abdomen reacted to her, allowing a spell to be cast to activate the relic in her hands.
Huh? I thought… only purebred Lycans and vampires could be active god artifacts.
Yet somehow, this elf had done the enchantment to release the potential within the object. This was the first time I had ever been in contact with one, as these items were rare since the elves no longer produced them.
I wasn't versed in the language used by the gods, so when she muttered the words, they flew right by me. Although the elves couldn't use the artifacts, they made them by trapping the dead souls within the soul cairn, who used to be gods in their past lives.
The moment it activated, my mind spun as I could barely understand what was happening anymore. However, my instincts also went off as I crushed Lilith's fingers in my hands, prompting her to screech before pulling away from me.
"Ouch! You fucking bitch!" She hissed, holding her hands between her legs.
Instantly, I tried to pull the relic out, only for it to dig its way in even more as it glowed brighter with each passing second. Unable to free myself from it, my knees hit the ground hard, and a second later, my body keeled over to the side.
Every ounce of my strength went into trying to take out the dagger, but it was useless. It wasn't budging, no matter how hard I yanked on it.
"Just kidding!" The elf snickered, suddenly showing me her hands fully healed.
Hah?Did I hallucinate it? Or did I crush my own?
There was no pain coming from my hands—no, the only agony I was in was from my stomach.
"How..." I gasped as more blood flowed into my mouth, prompting me to cough.
Lilith cackled, walking towards me. "Ah... How I missed this..."
Would a medic act like that? Are you even a real medic? Or did Edna…
Her healing magic was real, but her face was so twisted that I couldn't picture her as benevolent.
Aren't you supposed to be a savior? Argh! I don't understand! Why are you loving every minute that my life seems to be in the balance?!
"W-Why are… y-you doing… t-this?" I struggled to say, only to gasp as the blade went deeper into me.
No matter how hard I tried to pull it out, it wasn't budging.
I'm dying. No… No… I'm really dying!
Every breath seemed more challenging as my vision blurred from the tears streaking down my cheeks.
It hurts so much!
"Because Mother found out that you have Alijah caged in a spell, which should dispel soon thanks to that artifact. It'll also kill you, even though you're supposedly immortal! You should've never messed with the Book of Life! Finally, a win after centuries of being dead!" Lilith burst into maniacal laughter as the tips of my limbs became cold.
Eh? Book of Life? What the fuck are you on about? No… Crap… I was stupid even to believe Edna didn't influence you! And did you call that monster a mother?!
My head spun, unable to get a grip on reality.
No focus! You can't die yet, Rem! You have to save him!
I couldn't think of anything else but to try to pull the dagger out. If Alijah fell into Edna's hands, there was no way to see how he would be.
You deserve to be happy! But… Can I save you after what I did? Do I even deserve to try?
"Why..." I tried to speak, only to choke on the blood that was coming up.
Was…. Last time, this scary? No, I…
If what she said was true, then I was about to die for real.
Pathetic, I thought you only wanted to die by your beloved's hand. A voice echoed within me.
What? Who… No! I can't die when his life is in danger! Pull it out, Rem! You have to yank it off!
The bracelet was the only way to get help, but if I let go of the dagger, I would bleed out in seconds if it went any deeper. Lilith stood over my body while I struggled to stay alive, in vain.
"Well, since you're dying, I'll tell you a little secret. I've always been an angel of death! Mother showed me the way when she saved me from a brothel I used to work in. This was almost one hundred years before I met the little fool you know as Alijah." Lilith smirked, kicking me in the face, prompting me almost to let go of the slippery artifact.
A fool? What? Didn't you love him?! Wasn't your story made of love?!
Words refused to leave me as I barely had the blade in my hands anymore.
"Now, it's time for you to die, dirty luma. However, this death is too good for you. You deserved a more agonizing one for touching my beautiful toy, but Mother's too merciful for her good." Lilith chided, glowering at me.
Ah... I fucked up big time.
No! Don't give up! You can't die here! The voice within me yelled as I felt all the strength in my body leave me.
No… I... don't deserve to save him.
As Lilith had said, the bond weakened to the point where I couldn't feel it anymore. Laying in a pool of blood, my consciousness was barely holding anymore when a figure appeared in the distance.
Perhaps I was hallucinating, but I could swear I saw Alijah in the distance. Karma was coming for me, and I could do nothing to stop it.
I'm sorry... for everything...