Hekate was a warrior, a damned good warrior she thought. But even with her skills she wasn't able to keep her lover Demetrius protected, he had taken on a lot more than she had but what she would consider a fated blow slipped through his defence as he landed the killing blow on his last opponent. Quickly she dispatched the last bandit, shoving her sword through his chest, she turn to see Demetrius on the ground bleeding.
"Demetrius!" she cried as she rushed over to her dropping her sword, she quickly unfastened his armor and inspected the wound a gash slashed his side, blood seeping out, she winced as he groaned in pain. She looked at the tear in his tunic, the sword wound was deep, she could feel his life slipping away slowly. He reached up and grasped her hand and gave her a look of such sorrow, he knew that death was upon him.
"Don't you die on me, you're not done yet there is one thing I can do. Hold on for me," she said as she lifted him. He cried out as it pulled on his wound, she carried him over to their cart, they were mercenaries. She knew of an altar to the gods close by, which is why they received the job to clear the area of the bandits to keep the altar safe, she knew limited witchcraft it aided with injuries and she knew the injury he had sustained was too deep.
She pulled the cart and dragged it forward, she knew that this must be fate. Knowing the time and when the spell needed to be prepared was of the utmost importance, she had to get him to the altar before sunrise or she would be lost. It felt like ages dragging the cart, hearing his breathing sharp and jerky as pain stabbed him. She would not lose him, he was the only man that had ever respected her, and had never underestimated her.
"So cold," he whispered as they closed in on the wild altar to the gods on the edge of a cliff overlooking a valley.
"Hold on Demetrius, we're almost there," desperation entered her voice as she pushed through the trees dragging the cart, her arms burned the wheels weren't designed for traveling over rocks and thick grass, she winced every time a bump caused him to groan in pain. The trees parted as she saw the altar standing on a stone platform, the wide smooth slab of rock supported by pillars of rough marble glowed subtly in the pre-dawn light.
She was not religious, she didn't pray to the gods. They never stepped in to help anyone, but with her tentative connection to the arcane there was a glimmer of hope she could connect with them. She dragged the cart to the edge of the platform and looked in to see his eyes barely staying open his now pale skin glistening with sweat. She quickly lifted him, his skin was cool to the touch. He reached out and grabbed her weakly as he groaned.
She carried him to the altar and laid him down, quickly she refastened his chestpiece and pressed his sword into his hand which he grasped. His breathing came out short and sharp as blood continued to seep out of his wound. His free hand grasped hers and squeezed it, as he looked at her, pain written over his masculine features. She wouldn't know what she would do if this didn't work, it had to. She looked up at the sky, it was lightening around the horizon, it would happen soon.
She stepped back from the altar and closed her eyes, digging deep inside herself she found her tenuous connection to magic and tapped into the well, she sent out a prayer to the gods to save him. She knew of the god's penchant for heroes and he was a hero not just to her to many people. She opened her eyes the magic still bubbling inside of her, Demetrius' eyes were locked on her as the life faded from him. She wished this wasn't necessary she wished she could give him her strength to help him fight the injury, he was strong as a titan. But that sword had cut him too deeply for her to save him.
Her only hope was her plea to the gods, the light around the horizon had paled to light blue shade as Demetrius whispered to her, "I love you," then the life faded from him as his eyes slid shut. Tears pooled in her eyes as she felt his life force drain. She felt trapped on the spot as light brightened quickly, this had to work. It just had to.
The first burst of sunlight raced across the valley and climbed up the cliff, then slid up the altar before bathing Demetrius' body in the golden glow of dawn's light. She held her breath for a moment fearing the worst that it wouldn't work as the light spread up her legs. Then a burst of light surrounded his body and he exploded into flames. Shock grasped her as brilliant flames of gold and deep orange surrounded his body.
Leaving nothing but a pile of pitch black ash and his sword glowing red from the heat, she was about to drop to her feet and wail in despair, but then there was another burst of light as a magnificent bird of fire exploded into view. The flames of its body radiated heat over her, the shimmering dancing flames of gold, orange and red flickering in front of her. The spell had really worked, the gods had answered her prayers. Tears streamed down her face as the bird looked at her and took to the stone platform the flames fading as they morphed into brilliant golden feathers. Then it started to change again. Demetrius soon looked up at her, the brilliant dawn light haloing his naked body.
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