Taking one last glance at Mom, Dad ran out of the manor, followed by Uncle Ben. They left to set everything straight with the brief hours we had to move. Uncle Liam also said goodbye to his wife before running out to join them.

Luckily, everyone had been on standby since my warning. This included the council members who were going to join us in this endeavor. The entire thing left a foul taste in my mouth, though.

Bloodfalls…

I had zero to no idea where that was, even though I read almost everything that had to do with Celestelia. It was a must when I was planning to go to Alijah. Within an hour, everyone was ready to go.

Uncle Ben had prepared for every scenario. Well, most of them. Mom and the Aunties would stay behind to care for the babies. We did not know if anyone would target them when we were out. Though that was highly unlikely. But it was better to be sure than to fail Vera again.

No one would attack my mother, knowing she could summon those demons. They would also prepare everything that needed to be done for our departure after the fight. Well, if we came back victorious.

Before I knew it, I was on an airship going towards Celestelia at full speed. The earlier we got there, the better it would be for planning out our strategy. It was surprising to see Leonard with us. Though, he quickly informed me, he did that so it would keep suspicions at bay.

After all, what father would leave their potential targeted newborns alone? Or so Leon hoped they would think that. It also served as an enormous boost for our side to have a royal blood vampire on our ship.

Vampires were almost unstoppable at night, which was why witches always picked morning hours for their fights. Yet this time, it was different. Why? I did not know. Though, it would make it more difficult for them to fight against us.

Once on the airship, Alijah tried to get everyone’s attention. With all the rushing, he could not speak before, but now that everyone was in one place. He had no reason to hold back.

“Hey, I don’t know if you know where we’re headed. But in my era, they thought it to be the birthplace of the soul cairn,” Alijah announced, walking towards my dad.

I slowly followed him, too. Dad stood from where he was with Caden, Aiden, and other elders. He seemed interested in what my wolf was saying, much like everyone else. A lot was lost with time. But that did not mean my wolf knew it all.

“Is it? I thought it was where the god’s wars happened. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told by our elders.” Dad started unsure if he was right about what he was saying.

After all, history had been changed more than once already. And details were lost through time in more ways than one would think. After all, the winner is the one who rewrites it.

“Yeah, Fen, you’re right. That’s where the gods fought their war. And it’s also said it was where the soul cairn was first created. Or at least used for multiple gods. But the reason we used to stay away from Celestelia’s Bloodfalls was that we thought those lands were cursed.” Alijah sighed, shaking his head.

I grabbed onto his shirt, nervous about everything that was to come.

“Well, according to legend, it was where the gods’ desecrated bodies were buried. I’ve never been there though.” He added.

My hold on him made me realize he was shuddering, feeling shivers run down his spine.

“My mother used to say that was why the water there was blood red. Well, is. Though, what’s worse is that the air there’s poisonous.” He huffed, gazing towards me.

“Still, I remember from the war councils. Everyone avoided that place.” My wolf assessed the situation, glancing back towards Dad, who sighed because of it.

Alijah used to live at a different time than us. It was a time where more information lay bare than it did in our current era. That was thanks to all the idiots who thought depriving knowledge would prevent history from repeating itself.

Bright idea, right?

“Still, to this day, it’s poisonous there. Even Hybrids don’t go near it. So, Ali, I think you’re right.” Ben agreed from the side.

He stayed with us instead of joining Tania on the vampire ship. Though, he always felt at home with us. I guess the vampires were not as welcoming. Though Ben’s limited research on the matter concluded that as long as we were on the airship, we would be fine.

However, the moment we went down to explore, then we would run into issues. I released a sigh, realizing how cunning Edna was. It seemed the poison there affected everyone, no matter what race they belonged to.

Yet, how is she living there?

Luckily, there was an antidote. Sadly, it was one that everyone would have to drink every hour for it to be effective. Ben acquired some vials before we left from the storages in Cerberus. But even then, our attack would have to be precise. We had little of the precious liquid for errors.

Nothing ever came easy.

In the moment of it all, I had not noticed something, but it quickly hit me.

Did uncle Ben just call Alijah, Ali?

I had only heard that nickname on elven Lilith’s lips before.

And did Alijah call Dad Fen? When did they get so friendly? Ali, huh…

I never utilized that nickname since his ex-lover used it. I also never thought of calling him anything else other than Alijah. Then again, I loved bothering him by calling him Alijah-tan.

Even so... it was not a permanent nickname that I used all the time. A grumble left my mouth, wanting to try calling my husband that too.

But will that be okay with him? Fuck, Rem focus! This isn’t the time to be distracted by stupid shit!

Luckily, the men were not influenced by me.

“Sadly, that isn’t the only thing that has been bothering me. I’ve been thinking of what Edna’s lackey said.” Alijah grumbled, grabbing hold of my arm.

He was trying to soothe me.

Why is he always so vigilant?

“If this is where the Gate was made, then I can’t help but feel it’s a giant trap for multiple sacrifices to come in one spot.” He analyzed, glancing at me again.

I avoided his gaze, unable to keep the feelings of jealousy that were flooding within me contained. Of course, it had to do with something other than the actual situation, but then again, this was me. Noticing something off about me, my wolf narrowed his eyes before having to turn back to Dad and Uncle Ben. They seemed to pounder the possibilities of Alijah’s assessment.

The more that this discussion went on. The more it made everyone want to stay on the ship rather than go down onto the ground. It was dangerous, yet nothing else could be done. We were at Edna’s mercy. And we had little choice but to stop her plans.

The gate could not open. Heck, the temporary tears were enough to deal with.

“Do you think she wants to open a permanent gate? I feel like that isn’t the case.” Dad noted, crossing his arms.

He was not fully convinced by what was happening. And it was a good thing to be so skeptical. After all, if Edna wanted this, she would not have announced it. My wolf shrugged, not knowing really what was going through the witch’s mind.

It was not his fault. After all, no one knew what was going on through the mad woman's mind.

“I think she does, to a point. But I don’t know how she’ll do this with Lycans that can disrupt her magic. I can’t help but feel we’re going straight into a trap for something else.” He sighed, turning to me.

Noticing him shifting his attention onto me, I could not help myself from spatting out something useless. I had to make it look like I was paying attention.

“We just have to kill her before she gets the chance to do whatever she wants to do,” I grumbled, still feeling jealous.

Alijah suddenly scooped me up in his arms. He did not know what was wrong with me other than the blood lust I had from wanting to murder that witch. Edna had to die. That was all that mattered to me in this fight. Everything else would have to wait.

“I hope so, love, but we also have to prepare for the worst,” Alijah whispered into my ear, holding me close.

Dad barked orders around to every Lycan in the ship, while Uncle Liam warned all the other nations of what Edna’s plan might have been. Though it did not matter. We had no choice but to go towards our destination.

Yet the least we could do was be careful of everything that we could think of. To a point, I guess. Sadly, seeing the future was not something possible for us. After the discussion, Leonard quickly joined us by where we stood.

He had been nearby the entire time. It was nice to chatter about simpler things on our way there. It was mostly on the baby that was in my womb forming, and what I would do if it were a girl or a boy. Throwing out names was kind of fun. Especially when no one was around to hear us.

Though I could tell Leonard did not want me to go into battle. Even though he knew I was ready for anything. After all, he trained me all these months and supported me all the way. There was no way I was not ready. But in his tone, I could tell he worried about my wellbeing.

A few hours was all it took for us to get there. It was almost afternoon, which allowed us to do an aerial scout of the area. We soon realized it was a desolated place with no living souls in sight. Dead forests surrounded the blood rivers, waterfalls, and lakes that made up the environment. Not a lost soul in sight, either.

Unable to see anything out of the ordinary, Dad talked to the other ships that surrounded us to see if they had seen anything. They were about to send scouts to survey the area on the ground. At that moment, I snuck off with Alijah into one of the cabinet rooms.

We still had hours before nightfall came. And I had a feeling Edna would do nothing until then. So, I wanted to spend our last moments of peace with him alone. It was mostly to work out my nerves and frustrations that had built up.

It did not help that having care for the kids always drained me. I always fell asleep before we did anything. This meant I had not felt him the way I wanted for an entire week. And now that we were so close to his ex-lover. I… wanted to mark him as mine.

No, I desired to show her how he was mine in more ways than one. I had to thank her somehow for the stab and scar she gave me.

Ah… these feelings were my own. No curse to make it seem like I was losing to my blood lust. Or better yet, to my inner wolf.

It was silly, though. I had a ring on my wolf that marked him as mine. But… I wanted it to be so he would never think of her again. Or anyone else that ever pleased him. A stupid thought. But I could not help but be possessive of him.

Surely, that was already the case, too. His eyes followed me when I closed the door behind him. Ruzgard jumped onto the bed behind us, releasing an enormous yawn before laying down in a corner. He was the size of a plush.

Even though a battle would ensue in a few hours, I could not help but want to claim him as mine. To have my scent all over his body. So, everyone knew… well… so Lilith would know he was mine. Sadly, she was not a Lycan, so my entire scenario fell apart.

But trying to convince me of that would have been useless. I was consumed with lust and jealousy, along with every frustration that built until this moment. I was never one to create grand plans, either. So, they would not miss me when they made their strategy.

Well, Alijah would be missed, but I did not care. All Dad had to do was point me like a weapon, and I would slash at his command. My wolf gazed at me, confused, when I closed the gap between us.

“So… Ali?” I mumbled, grabbing onto his pants, trying to unbuckle them.

I did not notice when he got so close to Dad and Uncle Ben. Especially to be using short nicknames like that, but it annoyed me a bit.

When did I miss my little wolf straying from me yet again? During training? When? Ah...

I had become more possessive than I realized.

Is this Fenrir?

Before the merge with Vera, I would have given him up in a flash if he wanted someone else. But now...

I will never give up my husband. Even if he wants someone else. I’ll never lose him again.

He was stuck with me for eternity. I wondered... if that was what Fenrir wanted with Valdios before they killed him. When they took him away from my past self?

No… I’ll never allow that again. Ever…

“What?” Alijah gulped, surprised by my sudden approach.

Instinctively, he grabbed onto my hands, causing me to growl at him for stopping me.

Nothing... will keep me from having him before the chaos breaks.

I was being more like someone else. Perhaps my truest self. Giving everything to those I cared about while taking what was rightfully mine. Maybe it was okay to be selfish once in a while. And in this case…

Well, my wolf permitted me to be all I needed to be with him. He had plenty of times to run from me. Then again, I chased him until the end of the world. I could not tell if these thoughts were always with me, or something else was growing.

I had only been whole for a week. Yet I was changing. I felt like a new person, one that loved the wolf who stood in front of me to no bounds. One that would protect all who I cared about at all costs. I was no hero, and I had no right to be.

Not after all the lives, I took, even if I was not in control.

“Ali… Ben called you Ali… same as that bitch.” I snapped, struggling to undo the button to his pants.

Alijah raised his eyebrows, surprised at my jealousy.

Ah… So, this is how he felt when he saw Leonard with me. This feeling… isn’t one I like. And why’s this button so fucking stuck?!

It was a reminder of how I felt before, thanks to Alijah and the elf. But I had forgotten how nasty it felt from how long ago it was. Back then... I did not think he would ever be mine. A silly thought now.

My eyes were probably glowing, causing Alijah to smirk playfully. Pulling my arms away from his pants and onto his shoulders, he picked me up by my waist. I responded by wrapping my legs around him.

“Oh… Ben doesn’t know that.” Alijah enjoyed my jealousy.

Even though a battle was going to define our fates in a couple of hours, I was always random. Especially for my husband and my desire to be with him.

“Still… Ali…” I grumbled, huffing a bit.

He pushed me against the wall before grinding himself into me. A small gasp left my lips, shifting my eyes down towards the side. There, I noticed his tail going back and forward. His ears tilted towards me, too.

“And that’s something you want to work out now?” my wolf questioned, licking my neck.

It caused shivers to rush down my spine before I jogged him away. I wanted to be the one in control. Not him.

“I told you I want to kill her for what she did to you. And that also includes having her see you as mine.” I declared.

Alijah licked his lips before clicking his tongue.

“You don’t have to do anything to her, love. I’m already yours. In your womb, you hold proof of it. Something no one else has done, no matter how many times they tried.” He pointed out, causing me to growl, not liking his answer.

Unable to help myself, I grabbed onto his face with both my hands, making sure he was gazing at me when I said my next words. His eyes were also glowing slightly too.

“That doesn’t stop me from wanting to make a mess of you. Especially since you’ll see her again soon.” I declared.

Alijah’s eyes widen before a playful smirk rose on his lips.

“Try to make a mess of me then.” Alijah purred at the challenge I posed to him.

Instinctively, I went to kiss him, only to stop when a gentler expression appeared on his face. He…

“Though, I’m already addicted to your touch, my love.” He confessed, taking a few steps back, allowing himself to fall on the bed with me on him.

Poor Ruzgard jumped up because of it, but quickly found his comfort again. I straddled my wolf. His hands traveled to my cheeks when I leaned in to kiss him. The moment was a short brush before I worked myself out of my shorts and underwear, kicking them off to the side.

This time I loosened his pants with much more success, pulling them down, along with his underwear. His gaze stuck to me when I grabbed onto his hardened member, plunging it into my depths without a second thought.

A loud mewl left me because of the sudden feeling it left me. We had not done this in a week, making me extra sensitive. Or perhaps it was a fit of jealousy. In response to my loud outburst, Alijah grabbed me by the back of my neck, pulling me down to meet with his lips.

His tongue muffled my noises. Tugging away from me slightly, he smirked, enjoying my expression. Licking his lips, he caressed my cheek.

“Hey, the walls here are thin. I think the loud machinery will drown your voice. Though if someone walks by, they’ll hear you,” he warned, knowing full well there were no sigils in this room.

Second thought for me. I growled, wanting to only feel him, caring little of everything else.

“I don’t care!” I huffed, causing him to click his tongue.

“I do,” Alijah growled back, pulling me into another kiss to muffle me.

A second later, he thrust into me. This was not exactly what I had in mind. I wanted to make a mess out of him, not the other way around. Sadly, I could not help but enjoy the feeling that coursed through me when he made love to me.

Separating for small breaths of air, Alijah pushed me onto the bed before completely dominating me. Pulling my shirt up to expose my breast to him, he played with them with one of his hands, using the other to hold himself above me.

His movements were rough and loving, like always. However, this time, he was taking care to muffle the noises that came from us, making sure our lips were sealed with one another. Thrusting into me deeply, his ears twitched a bit.

My wolf suddenly stopped, covering my mouth with his hand when knocks came from the door. Heavy pants left his lips as irritation showed in his eyes.

“Alijah, are you there? Fenris wanted to ask you something about Bloodfalls.” Leonard announced.

“Fuck,” my wolf huffed, trying to catch his breath, gazing at me.

“And what’s that?” he answered Leonard, trying to hide the fact that he was ramming into me.

He wanted no lectures on how there was a battle coming and this was the last thing we needed to do. Even he knew that this was something that needed to be avoided. Something that he only allowed me to do to calm my nerves and jealousy.

Especially since I did not lack energy.

“Well, I think he was asking if you knew where the Gate was created in the legends,” Leon recalled what Dad asked.

I was utterly unsatisfied and wanted more. Not caring about what could happen, I licked Alijah’s hand, causing him to shift his gaze back to me. At that moment, I swayed my hips on him, triggering him to widen his eyes before stuffing my mouth with his fingers.

He knew full well I could barely control my voice when we made love. Even though it was wrong, I wanted more. Being a little selfish was not bad, especially when it was to my lover. Alijah seemed to be at a loss for words.

Especially when soft noises left me. He also was fighting to hold back his voice.

“I-I… think t-the e-elders said it w-was by the l-lake.” Alijah tried to answer Leon.

His eyes got brighter with each buck of my hips. Even though I would probably piss him off, I could not help myself from continuing to move. The closer I got to the release, the more into it I got. My wolf normally would not care who heard us.

However, back then, I was not his adoring pregnant wife. Now he wanted me all to himself.

“Are you okay?” Leonard asked, worried about the tone in Alijah’s voice.

I could not stop myself. The knot felt like it was getting tighter with every brush I gave him.

“I-I’m fine Leon. That’s all I know, so f-fuck off!” Alijah growled at Leon, who seemed to catch on thanks to a small whimper that left me through my wolf's fingers.

My wolf’s cheeks flushed red the moment it did. I was shameless.

“Oh... Oh! Don’t mind me, I’ll just go tell Fenris what you told me. Have fun.” Leonard chuckled teasingly.

I never thought Alijah’s cheeks could turn a brighter pink than before. In an instant, he turned back to me, causing me to tense up.

Oh... he’s angry, but... I...

“You crazy little fucking luma,” he grumbled, pulling his fingers out of my mouth.

In an instant, he stopped me in my tracks by tugging me closer to him. My hips were captured by him, though I let out a sharp yelp of pleasure because of it. My sensitive bell was probably swollen because of the grinding I had been doing.

Any brief brush sent bliss through me.

“You want to fuck me that badly, Rem?” my wolf asked, eyes twitching.

Part of me had forgotten that, even though he had been a devoted husband. Underneath all that still lived the wild wolf that I met. Yet, I never once feared it. No, I always loved that part of him.

“Yes… that badly,” I answered, touching my lower abdomen, feeling his heat fully in me.

My response got him worked up more. A slight aura was giving off from him now.

“Don’t cry when I make you squirt again.” Alijah declared, suddenly pulling himself out of me, before plunging into me with no remorse, touching all the known spots he knew would drive me crazy.

“Wait!” I yelped, only for him to silence me by locking his lips against mine.

The moment I tried to tease him was when I dug my grave. My wolf took no pity on me, slamming into my depths. Each time, it felt like he was kissing my cervix. Moments later, I found my release all over his heat, who twitched within me, freeing his seeds into my depths.

Tears formed at the corners of my eyes, feeling him thrust through our bliss. Shoving himself into me, he tugged away from my lips. Soft pants left me when he turned me around, so my back faced him. Pulling me up, he sat on the bed, with me on his lap.

“Alijah?” I panted, feeling my body twitch on him.

“Rem, I love you.” He professed.

I gazed at him, to see him licking his fingers, before trailing them down to my groin. A second later, they were on my bell. A yelp left me when he rubbed my swollen, sensitive part. Though he did not stop there.

No, he used his arm to hold me in place, thrusting his heat into me. It caused sharp mewls to leave my mouth. Something he did not want echoing in the ship.

“Kiss me,” he ordered, not stopping his rhythm.

In an instant, I did as he asked. My tongue fought his for dominance, though I quickly lost. Not that I cared. I always enjoyed when he licked the inside of my mouth. A tingling sensation rushed through me, too.

Plunging into my depths, his heat focused on all the delightful spots. I could not help but squirm a bit, but he did not let me go. No, one of his hands held my hips in place while the other locked my head to his lips.

Bliss was filling me in ways I did not expect it to. With a couple of more thrust into me, I convulsed on him, giving him the reaction he wanted out of me. Once again, liquid squirted out of me, whiting out my mind. All my worries vanished, mewling into our kiss.

Again, it felt like I pissed myself on him. He tugged away from my lips, chuckling in victory, shoving himself into me the entire way before releasing into me. A soft mewl left my lips, feeling him twitch within me.

My body shivered at any touch. Though the moment he licked my lips, his tongue was met with mine. The moment he pulled out of me, he let me fall on the bed before kissing my forehead.

“Good enough?” Alijah chuckled, standing up to look for something to clean us.

I lightly convulsed on the bed from his lingering touch.

Ah… I shouldn’t have done that.

My body did not feel like mine anymore.

“Meanie,” I mumbled.

He found a couple of rolls to use in a cabinet nearby, turning to me.

“Meanie? If there wasn’t a battle about to go on, I would have made it so you could barely walk. So, I’m far from mean, little Rem.” Alijah deferred, cleaning up my mess.

Feeling him wipe me caused me to shiver. Though, I could not help but get sleepy because of it. It was only two in the afternoon, which meant I still had a few hours before dusk. I could feel the bed sink under Alijah, who helped me get cleaned too before placing back my clothes.

Though, I did not remember when he did that. No, I drifted into a light sleep soon after my blissful release. It was dreamless, though. It was not long until I was woken up by noises hours later when Alijah and Ruzgard both urged me to get up.

The sudden movement to get out of the bed caused me to tumble. Luckily, Alijah grabbed onto me before I hit the floor. It caused me to remember what happened before I fell asleep. My cheeks turned bright pink in his arms.

I did not know what came over me. Not that my wolf minded chuckling, making sure I did not fall onto the floor. Instinctively, I growled at him, triggering him to pull me up, giving me a quick kiss. It was nothing compared to the ones we had shared just a few hours before.

Grabbing me by my hand, my wolf led me out to the deck. We had to find out what our situation was. The commotion was loud enough for it to have startled everyone out from where they were. When we got there, everyone that was on the deck was staring up at the sky.

There someone was floating over the ship. It was about to be night, too. The sun was saying its last farewell. The glare of the sun made it hard to identify the person who floated in the air, but it was not long before I knew who it was.

After all, she had left a knife in me the last time I exchanged words with her. The elf seemed different this time. A blue shine came from the middle of her chest. Flying was not an ability usual of elves. In fact, no one could fly.

Even levitation spells lasted a minute or two.

“Heyooo!!! Yahoo!!! I’m over here!!!!” Lilith screamed from the top of her lungs down at us.

Alijah gave off a crimson hue the moment he saw her. He had not forgotten that she was the one who successfully killed me once.

“Hey, everyone, I hope you’re all ready for this! It’s showtime!” she announced, triggering a giant portal to open up above her when she raised her hands.

It should have been something impossible to do. She was an elf! Yet there she was, opening the gate right in front of us.

“Boom! Pow! Here I go!” she popped her lips.

Shadow demons emerged out of the gate, raining down on us like a storm. Dad ordered the barriers to go down, to allow us to retaliate, when suddenly something from below hit the ship right after they came down.

The sudden blow caused the ship suddenly to tilt towards the side. In that instant, I slipped from Alijah’s grasp. Instinctively, my wolf reached for me as I did for him, too. Much to my horror, Ruzgard abruptly slammed Alijah away with his tail and into the ship itself.

“I’m sorry.” The familiar apologized, catching me with his tail midair.

At that moment, I knew everything had gone wrong. Ruzgard dragged me into the dead forest below, but before the ship disappeared from my sight. A crimson glow came from Alijah, who lost control of his emotions. Unable to do anything, I fell into the poisonous fog below, with no antidote at hand.

The moment we hit the ground, I tried to hold my breath. Ruzgard was determined to drag me into the depths of the forest that surrounded the bloody lake. It was no use, though. I could not hold it in for long.

All it took was a sharp turn to cause me to gasp. In a second, stagnant, poisonous air filled my lungs. Part of me wished I was a professional diver. Sadly, I could only hold my air in for so long. And this was too much.

The first breath was like fire lit within me.

“Try not to breathe too deeply! We’re almost there!” Ruzgard worried, knowing I had already inhaled some of the poison that surrounded us.

His voice sounded desperate. He could not run any faster, though everything around me was a blur. Sadly, all I could think about was why he dragged me down here.

Almost there, he said… Where’s there?

My vision blurred, not because of the speed we were going. I found myself at the mercy of whatever was happening.

Shit! Shit! Nothing ever goes down to plans, but this is… an utter failure. Alijah… Everyone, please be safe!

By the time Ruzgard got to where he was taking me, I was barely conscious. I could hear him yell at someone, but his voice was so muffled that I could barely understand what he was saying. Everything hurt. My consciousness was wavering, too.

Fuck! It can’t end like this… I… can’t die here.

Suddenly, something was forced down my throat, causing my eyes to fly open. In an instant, all my senses returned to me. I coughed, unable to hold control of it. The air was still stagnant here, and it still burned to breathe it into my lungs.

However, I was in no position to stay still. I peered around me to see what happened, only to notice I was in a cave. This was nowhere near to where we were before. Sadly, my thoughts would not come together when I spotted the woman that caused all this misery.

Edna was in front of me, just a couple of centimeters, yet I could barely move. Blood dripped from my mouth, nose, and ears, too. My healing had kicked in, but I was at her mercy. Even so, I tried to get up. Sadly, my sharp movement only caused me to tumble onto the floor, where Ruzgard helped me sit.

The witch’s eyes seemed exhausted when she walked away from me, dropping a vial that had the precious liquid that saved my life. It smashed the moment it hit the ground. Slowly, she made her way towards a wooden chair nearby.

I was in her lair. There were tables and shelves full of books lined everywhere. I struggled to get a grip. Ruzgard’s head hanged low, avoiding my gaze. I could not believe what he had done. Let alone that this woman was still alive when he could kill her easily.

“Don’t be angry with the familiar. He’s doing as Vera and I planned.” Edna suddenly announced, noticing my sudden anger towards Ruzgard, who suddenly turned to her.

He seemed full of hate towards her.

“I only followed Vera’s last wish! If you hurt Rem, I’ll rip you into shreds!” Ruzgard snarled at Edna, who shook her head, ignoring the angered familiar that stared at her full of scorn.

Following Vera’s wishes? Is this a fucking meet-up? What the utter fuck is going on? Doesn’t she know I want her dead? No... she knows...

The look in her eyes was….

“Do you feel better, Rem?” Edna asked.

I fell onto my knees soon after, trying to stand up again. Everything burned. At least the bleeding had stopped.

Is this a side effect of the poison?

“Why the fuck did you save me? Don’t you fucking see I’m going to kill you as soon as I can stand?” I growled.

My body lagged. I could not accomplish what I wanted. There was nothing I could do. Yet she barely flinched in response to my hatred. She was used to it. Or was it that she could not care for it?

“Yes, I know what you came here to do,” she reassured me of my intentions, only to cause my jaw to drop.

What the fuck?

“Before you do, I need to tell you my story.” She announced, expressionless.

Is this a joke?

I could not give a damn about what she wanted to say to me. Alijah's warmth still radiated within me. Thankfully, that kept me going. I had to get back to him as soon as I murdered this bitch.

“I don’t give a shit!” I snarled before I found myself on all fours, still trying to get a grip.

Instinctively I tried to shift only for it not to work. I felt too dazed to concentrate enough and Ruzgard was not fusing into me either to help me. If I shifted now, the wolf would take over me.

“Well, you can’t move very well right now. And by the time you do, I’ll be done. Right now, Lilith’s keeping your adoring husband busy, and he’s quite pissed. Though I fear she’s a loose cannon that I can’t control for long.” Edna sighed, showing in an orb-like substance that reflected Alijah and Lilith fighting over the forest.

He was desperate to find me. It was an all-out war out there. Almost every ship had fallen into these dreaded lands. Upon seeing it, I realized many of them would die.

“You’re probably wondering how Lilith is controlling the gate. Well, it’s because her body isn’t an elven one, but a homunculus that I made myself.” The witch chuckled, tapping the table next to her, dropping the orb onto the floor.

It shattered upon contact. All while I did not even know what the fuck a homunculus was. And honestly, I did not care. I had to stand up and end this madness. Though those things were not human.

“You must wonder how she opened a gate. And she didn’t. It’s her connection to the gate that allows me to open it for her. This is wonderful, isn’t it? What thousands of years of research and the help of a god can do?” Edna smirked, pleased by her results.

Shit! I have to...

“Oh… And don’t worry. The poison won’t affect your unborn fetus. Well, after drinking the antidote I made. So, you’re welcome.” She declared, almost as if were an afterthought for her.

It caused me to growl loudly. This woman was something else. In her eyes... I saw death. She was not normal.

“You know?” I hissed.

This revelation sunk in that we had to be careful of all the things we said around the manor. I thought only my family knew. And probably a few workers that may have overheard that night.

Shit! If that’s out, then…

Surely, the vampires must have known of Loki and Oswald. Leonard said nothing, though. So perhaps... it had not reached the crown’s ears yet.

“Oh dear, I have spies everywhere. Either way, let me begin because I have little time left to tell you my reason for everything. And I want you to learn in the hopes you won’t repeat it.” Edna sighed, wanting to move on.

I did not want to, or rather did not care for, what she had to say. Nothing she stated would have changed a thing of how I felt about her.

“I…” I tried to defy the witch, only for her suddenly to silence me by placing her index finger up to her lips.

In an instant, it was as if my voice left me. She was a monster, one that could have ended me there if she wished. Yet I was still alive.

“Silence, luma. You’ll listen because my story’s one of warning of what may happen in the future. Especially if you’ll hunt down my child. You should know what you’re doing.” The witch started, removing her finger off her lips.

She smiled, noticing her spell worked when I sat there silently. The pact Vera and Edna had was fucking annoying and deadly.

“I struggle a bit to remember thanks to all the years I’ve been alive, but that’s why I used my grimoire to record everything. Too bad I…” She shook her head slightly.

“Sadly, I don’t have it with me right now. So, I’ll have to make do with what my memory allows me to recall.” Edna chuckled, remembering something that she seemed fond of when she stared down at her hands.

IT was almost as if she were missing something that should have been there. Those eyes still seemed as if I was gazing at the celestial plains that lay within the stars. They were mesmerizing. This creepy cave, though, was enough to keep me in place.

“I come from a time when gods still roamed this world. It’s funny to think my time started before they even made the book.” She smiled, gazing up towards the cave’s ceiling.

There was a hole that led to the outside. The sun left us, yet the cave was not dark. No, there were crystals around glowing.

“We, eternal witches, were the gods' messengers. A sub-class from witchcraft users themselves. Much like the elves have their differences. It’s silly how revered we used to be before the fall of the gods.” She informed, gazing back at me.

In an instant, her smile was gone.

“That was all before they abandoned us. All because of a stupid war to seal this book in our mortal plane.” Edna closed her eyes, gripping into the book that was next to her.

Ruzgard helped me sit up again. Sadly, I had no choice but to listen to this bitch’s story. Although it did not interest me at all, my energy waned. The only shining grace was that the book itself did interest me.

A soft hue came from its cover, revealing a white background with golden laces on it. Though, it seemed ancient. Nothing like I imagined it to be. After all, it was supposed to be the book of life, but it looked more like the book of the dead to me.

Edna traced her fingers over the book, suddenly throwing it at me. Ruzgard caught it with his jaw before handing it to me.

It’s…

“That’s the famous book of life made by the gods of chaos and order on a whim,” Edna clarified all my doubts.

I could not believe she was handing it to me. Yet there was something off about it. It was already dead.

“I was next in line to be the priestess for Orenz and Aster when suddenly everything went to shit because of that book.” She pointed out, shrugging.

“We thought the gods were these mighty beings, but they lost their damn minds over it.” She sighed, clasping onto her chest.

“What’s worse is that they didn’t care that what they held in their hands was a child that two divines created. It barely understood half of what was going on when the gods took sides.” Her eyes flared up, angered by what she was recalling.

“Because of that, they deserted everyone in our mortal plane. Even those devoted to them. Thus, our fall from their grace.” She continued.

“This made us, witches, lose most of our magical powers. Well, the ones connected to Aster. I guess you can say we fell when she died.” Her eyes seemed dead.

“Once abandoned by the gods, the other races marched against us to make us submit to them. I can’t count how many of my sisters I saw die the day they attacked.” She shuddered a bit, pushing her emotions aside.

“We were defenseless because we lost our most powerful ability. The power to control time.” She tried to soothe herself with a hug.

The memories were overwhelming; it seemed. But how much truth was in that story, I would not know. All I knew was that she was a relic.

“Much like the vampires of today, who lost touch with their blood magic and had their wings ripped apart by their god.” She snickered.

So, Alijah was right. Wait, they had wings?!?

“Oh yes, those blood-driven maniacs could fly long ago. Well, until I took that away from them. Much like they took everything from me!” Edna showed her true colors, tapping the table again.

“Payback can be a bitch, but then again, it didn’t help me move on at all. Still, I loved it when those monsters got their retribution.” She assured, enjoying that part even though the smile that was on her was not one of happiness.

"Mulriac is a silly god. One that’s easily offended if you push the right buttons. Such as tainting his offerings.” The witch continued, gazing towards the side.

“Did you know that back in the day vampires would offer their best maiden to him?” She asked, knowing I could not answer.

“It’s a pity. All I had to do was taint her blood with rose water. It caused Mulriac to smite them without a second thought. Luckily, gods aren’t the all-seeing beings we think of them to be. I think they are like us, but with more power than they should have." Edna added, shaking her head before turning back to me.

"Isn't that right, Fenrir? I bet you wouldn’t have cut corners to get Valdios back if you knew what had awaited him. Too bad Midnight was dead to help you. Or did she help you? How did you get his souls out of the soul cairn?" She shrugged, shifting her eyes down to the book in my hands.

“Of course, the current you won’t know. All of this has made me realize the gods aren’t that different from us. If only we could destroy the hold on us.” She noted, triggering me to glare at her.

“It seems you learned that since you left the celestial plane, too. Being a mortal is much better than being a god, right?” Edna assured.

Though her eyes did not shift from the book. It was not long before she pointed towards it.

“Thanks to the book's blessing, I could see a lot of what was going on. But not everything. I could not see you, Fenrir. Or anything that had to do with the soul cairn.” She sighed, feeling regretful about things I could not comprehend.

“Anyway, that doesn’t matter. After the fall of the gods, the other races enslaved most of my kin. We were bent to the will of the races. The vampires used us as food. Our blood is the sweetest thing to them.” Edna shifted her gaze back into her hands before clenching them into fists.

“It can become addictive to the point they can’t drink anything else. Something bad when their power comes from the blood they drink.” She huffed, shaking her head.

“Can you believe they used to call us their eves? It was disgusting." The witch scoffed, gazing towards the side.

"That isn’t where the horror ends. We were used for other things, too. You can see the beauty we hold, no?” she questioned, shifting her eyes to me.

I felt a shiver run down my spine. This was a story I did not want to hear. She could not become a human in my eyes.

“The elves and Lycans also abused us, but not as much as those blood-sucking fiends. For years, the gods fought over the book, ignoring our plea. Before we knew it, our villages were all destroyed.” Edna recalled shivering where she sat.

“I was in the last stronghold, who would be known as Bloodfalls. This cave used to be my hiding spot when I was a child. Yet the fucking gods had to desecrate my home too.” She added, with a small crooked smile on her lips.

Fond memories surrounded us, but at the same time, dreadful ones too.

“The only thing that waited for us was to be used as toys thanks to our beauty and blood." She slowly rose a dead smile on her lips.

"Though, that quality has been lost during the ages thanks to the mix breeding that occurred during that time. They fucked themselves into their downfall.” She pointed out, chuckling a bit.

“I mean, look at yourself, for example. A half-breed that’s also an eternal witch.” Enda announced, leaving me feeling wide open.

“However, the only reason you have that ability is that you're Fenrir. He was made from Order you see. And our power comes from that too. It’s one of the forces where all magic comes from. Well, half of it. The other one comes from Chaos. Much like witchcraft. Very different from time magic.” She informed.

Much of this was too much for me to understand. Chaos and Order, the two elements of the world, revolved around. She would not stay there for long, though. This was a speed run of her life.

“I’m the only one alive from that time. A relic. Though many of my sister’s children's lines still live to this day. That’s until their genes activate, granting them the power to use time magic. Though I can’t tell from who you descend. It could even be from me, but I can’t tell anymore.” Edna confessed.

Fuck, no! I can’t be related to her!

I did not want to believe for a moment that I was connected to her. Her blood was evil. Though her history sounded like a living nightmare. However, this nasty feeling was growing in my chest. One I could not help try to shake away.

“I can’t count how many times they impregnated me after being used as a fuck doll. That’s how they call it nowadays, right?” She began, causing my stomach to turn.

I did not want to hear this. Not from the person who ripped Vera away from me.

“Though, funny enough. I clearly remember each time they took away my child from me. And when the father wanted nothing to do with it, I saw them kill them in front of me. Those are still vivid in my mind.” She paused, getting a grip.

“Was it ten? Ah... my mind’s foggy for that time. Luckily, after all that abuse, I was left barren after years of constant impregnations, births, and abortions. We were all living in utter disgrace until that faithful day.” Edna continued to speak emotionlessly.

I gripped the book tightly.

How is she even still alive? What for? Why live after all of that? This… must have all been a fucking lie.

Yet the book that I held in my hands was proof. The evidence she was not lying. The past was a dreadful thing. Though, the present was not any better either. Well, it was a lot better than it was twenty years ago, at least.

Hybrids were being accepted thanks to me, too. Dad was changing the world with Mom, too. Though it was not fast enough.

“Then came the day one of my sisters had enough. She stabbed our captor before starting a revolt. Within the chaos, I ran out of our confines, only to meet the end of a vampire's blood blade. It sunk into my very core.” She grabbed her chest.

“We were right outside of the gates. My body slammed into the ground before I could glance up at my attacker. I saw him licking his lips before causing my wound to close using his magic.” She shuddered, pausing for a moment.

Slowly, she reached for her neck.

“He sunk his fangs into me too. Honestly, by then, I was immune to their aphrodisiac venom. I wished he would have killed me then. Everything would have been easier for me, but he didn’t. No, instead he had his way with me. Like any other man that ever lays their eyes on me.” Edna bit onto her lips, gazing back towards me.

There was no hint of hatred in her eyes, yet there was pain.

“To this day, I don’t know what came over me. I thought I wanted to die, but in that moment of lust, I grabbed onto a stone that was nearby and slammed it with all my might onto his head. I tried to run out of his grasp only to be met with a Lycan blocking my way.” She stopped.

It was like she relived that moment. Genuine emotion was showing in her voice.

“The vampire snarled at his comrade to come after me, but something in the female wolf's eyes sympathized with me. She allowed me to run by, launching herself into the vampire behind me.” Edna shook her head, still feeling the same disbelief from that day.

“I still don’t know why she saved me. If it the ugly guilt of helping with genocide or something else, I’ll never know.” She shrugged.

“But I suspect they realize that this all happened because the vampires wanted their number one threat out of the way. In turn, making them almost unstoppable.” She frowned, locking eyes with me.

Why live after all that? Surely, I…

“Fate’s a fucking silly thing. I can’t believe I’m leaving my hope. My love in the hands of two related to that bloody race. Well, not that I had a choice. I wished to leave it under the Lycans' hands. I mean, it was crazy Lycan at that, but at least he would have protected it if everything worked.” She shook her head.

Alijah?

“It’s easier to move while mayhem overwhelms too. That was the only reason I helped the witch cause all that chaos,” Edna sighed.

Is she talking about my great-grandmother?

“Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes… After escaping the camp, we were being held in… Well, where we were being sold in. I stumbled my way to… Where was this again? It wasn’t called Bloodfalls back then. No… It was called Fallrend." She seemed to have a hard time remembering certain names.

But I guess that was how it was when a brain was alive for too long. Immortality was not for us.

"Yes... Fallrend was where our village used to be. When I got there, though, it turned into a grave for corpses for the gods. It wasn’t poisonous back then. Not yet, at least. But the air was stale from the rotting bodies that were poisoning the ground.” She shivered, picturing her ruined home.

Even now, it was still destroyed.

“Everyone avoided it because of that. Sadly, normal mortals couldn’t see the corpses on the floor. That was only a gift for us, eternal witches had. So, it turned into fears of the ground being cursed because of the gods.” She huffed, rolling her eyes.

“It made it the perfect hideout for me though.” Edna shifted her eyes towards Ruzgard, who growled at her.

“I bet your body was there, too. Though it was already a million pieces, though. And I don’t know if you were trying to protect the book or seal it away, but your kind failed to do either. I guess they thought mortals would have stayed away from Fallrend after what happened.” She shrugged.

“Yet I walked towards it. I had nothing to lose, and all I wanted was to die in my homeland. Much like now.” She slipped, gazing towards the side.

“That was when I walked towards the temple I was supposed to serve in. Once inside, I saw a strange shimmer come from a pedestal. When I reached into it, it shattered into a million pieces, leaving behind a book that shined brighter than any star in the sky. I guess it kept the celestials away, not mortals.” Edna shut her eyes close, getting up from the chair.

Reaching towards me, she smiled. “The voice of a small child came from it, much to my surprise. ‘Can you hear me?’ it said. I don’t know if it was because I lost all of my children, but I could not help but feel whole the moment I held it in my arms.”

A soft smile rose on her lips. “I wanted to protect it, not like the foolish gods that were trying to use it for their ends. Although at that moment, I didn’t know its story or what happened. All I knew was that I wanted to bathe in its light."

For the first time since she had begun her monologue, she held a genuine smile on her lips.

"Weeks passed while the book and I conversed on many things. I realized all it wanted to do was live. Unlike me, who lost all my reasons. All I wanted was a place to rest, but the moment I got to know the book more. The more I also wanted to live for it alone.” She clasped onto her dress.

Her next words would…

“The only thing it wanted was a body, and I promised to grant its wish." The witch hummed, taking a step towards me.

She... didn’t...

If the book had a mortal body, then…

"One hundred years passed while we spoke, and I never noticed the passage of time. The book protected me from it before I even found myself blessed with its magic. It protected me from hunger and the poison that enveloped this cursed land.” She carried on.

This woman was insane. The book had made her lose her mind. How could she give that being a body?

“Because of the connection that we developed, it gifted me along with all eternal witches the power to control time once again without even realizing it. The book can’t control its power. It isn’t its fault. It was inexperienced.” She assured, taking another step.

“But all of my sisters had passed by then. While their blood was diluted with those of other races, making our magic dormant in most cases.” Edna clarified, leaving me wanting to puke.

This could not have been any worse.

The book has a fucking body!? So, then what’s in front of me is…

Edna would not allow me to analyze the situation, continuing to speak.

“To make an eternal witch pure, the pairing needs to be a warlock and an eternal witch. We also have our pure breeds, much like those other fools. Even so, the power to control time lived in some of the diluted lines.” She announced, taking another step before stopping by a ledge.

“Though its power was nothing compared to what it should have been. Though it was passed down through generations until a purer human could again gain it. Sadly, your mother and sister weren’t one.” She clarified, gazing towards the size.

“However, the moment that came back to the surface, every race tried to eradicate the bloodlines. All in fear of having them retaliate for what they did to us. A stupid endeavor since the blood had already mixed with theirs.” The witch scoffed, gazing back at me.

“They can never get rid of it. Much as I can’t get rid of them either.” She sighed.

"It wasn’t enough for those fools to destroy my kind once. Those poor witches didn’t even know what they were doing. Their effect on time was meaningless. Yet they hunt us like monsters. Luckily, we still have one ally in this world.” She scowled, recalling all of what she experienced.

“That was when I tried to make a haven for us, but my magic wasn’t enough to protect them from the world. It’s hard when they want all of us dead. Sadly, the poison here killed everyone that came. Even though it was the only safe place for us.” Closing her eyes, she paused for a moment.

Opening them, she continued. “So, I tried to head out to save them, but eventually, I had to run too. After all, the book needed to be kept hidden, too. It could not leave this place either. Not until I figured out a way to complete its wish.”

“Because of that, I had to abandon my kin again.” Edna walked over towards me, standing a few meters away from me.

If only I could move, yet my body still was sluggish.

“Years passed, trying to save those I could. I lost it all in a sudden strike by the vampires. An attack I could have prevented if I had used the book. It can predict the future for us mortals. All I needed was a name, and their story would appear before me. Even so, every time it would hurt, Vi... the book.” She closed her eyes again, shaking her head.

“It made the book into my slave. And it made me feel no different from the gods that used its power for their desires. Though failure drains people. What if I can save them? I kept thinking, like a fool.” Edna winced, feeling all of those emotions run through her.

“I can’t count how many people I lost over the centuries. Even though I tried to restrain myself from using the book, I couldn’t stop myself when I gave in to the desire for change. I used it against my enemies. Even though, the book didn’t want to." Edna whimpered, bitterly shaking her head.

Genuine emotion was rushing through her. Though I was skeptical about the book not knowing. After all, it was a god. A powerful one, too.

"The book warned me that its power would corrupt me. Yet I didn’t care. I wanted to save, yet the more I did, the more I lost. It was never enough. In fact, it made things worse. The book's power led to more death no matter what I tried.” The witch grabbed onto her chest tight.

“It took me to lose a young girl, who I had gotten close to make me realize everyone’s a pawn to be used. By the time I realized this, I almost felt unworthy of its presence. But that was when I noticed why the book wanted a mortal body." Edna seemed to get teary.

All I wanted was to end this. I could not allow her to humanize that being in my eyes, too. Midnight said it had to be destroyed. But now…

Did it? No… It does. Nothing can change that!

"The book wanted to stop itself from being used as a tool of destruction. All it wanted was to live and die one day like a normal mortal. I failed the child I wanted to protect and who blessed me with the power to do so.” She paused, releasing another sigh.

“I was a fool to realize that so late. That was when my only goal in life shifted. I had to accomplish its simple wish. Because of it, I tried one last time to save this fucking wrenched world from its fate. But this alone was an almost impossible task.” Edna chuckled.

“But this is the only world Vi... the book can live in. The only way to do this was by also creating the being that would shake the world away from death." The witch declared.

By this point, I felt a bit more like myself, but it was not enough. If only I could move and end this madness. She was insane.

"This is being that can be good or bad. It all depends on how it’s treated. It can bring hope or destruction and that will all depend on the choices made by everyone around it. Including you, Rem. Don’t forsake it.” She pointed towards me.

Yes, she’s fucking crazy.

“I needed so many pieces that were shattered throughout time. Sadly, my vow as an eternal witch prevents me from moving forward and back in time. Even if I did, it would cause this world to shatter at a quicker pace.” She clarified, leaving me none the wiser.

To me, all of this was all bullshit. At least my limbs felt more like mine.

“Sadly, even if the power is being used for itself. Just like the gods feared, the book almost led me to the destruction of the mortal planes. Even when I used it so scarcely. I mistakenly made a crazed Lycan. One that almost destroyed everything.” Edna started.

I growled, knowing she was talking about none other than Alijah. It was her fault he lived through all that.

“Being an eternal witch allows me to feel the celestial planes better than normal mortals. So, when I noticed what Fenrir did. I sent one of my followers, Lilith, to go tame the wolf, who was Valdios’s reincarnation.” She continued, knowing she had my full attention for this part.

“I thought she would fit his bill. Valdios always loved a tough game. And since his brother wasn’t around to fill him. I thought she would meet that desire in him.” Edna confessed.

Anger boiled within me again.

He suffered all that because of this… bitch!

“But I failed to see something tainted her soul. The book’s chaos does that. It blinds me. Even though Lilith made him love her. She didn’t listen to me when I ordered her back here. Instead stayed in the village, killing anyone who fell under her care.” She huffed, scowling at the thought.

“By that time, I finally produced an antidote for this place. Using my blood, of course. It’s the same one I used to make you immune to the poison that fills this place.” Edna nipped her lip in anger, walking closer to me.

I felt a release from my confines. My voice was returning to me. She had let me free.

“If the gods feared it so much. Why did they allow you to keep the damn thing?” I growled, finally able to speak.

“Oh dear, the divines don’t care what happens in this world anymore. Especially, since my bond with the book hid it away from that god. The only one who…” she answered, leaving me unsatisfied.

“Doesn’t matter. They’re all up in their celestial plane, pretending that nothing ever happened. That was also why Fenrir used that opportunity to create Alijah. But he never expected for me to try to use him for myself.” She shrugged, gazing at me with no fear.

“You bitch!” I snapped.

Edna raised her hands. “Sadly, it failed in the end. I needed the wolf to come to me before the red moon. So, I sent messages to the Lycans, hoping to scare Lilith back. Unfortunately, my attempt to get my follower back on track ended in her death, triggering the blood moon Lycan to be locked up and away from my grip."

I slowly stood up on my feet. Though I was still too wobbly to launch at her. Something she knew.

“I’ll kill you for that too.” I snarled, wanting nothing more than to end her.

She caused everything! All the pain my family and Alijah felt was all because of her game! If she never existed, then Alijah would have been happy. And I would have met him in another life.

"Girl, I have limitations on what I can do. Especially when I couldn’t leave the book for long. I would have rescued him, but Lycans have a natural resistance to time magic, making it impossible for me to break him out. All my plans went to utter shit because of Lilith.” She breathed.

“Even so, I had to save her soul to keep track of it, using the book. I thought the wolf grew an obsession with her. And I was right until you came along.” Edna clicked her tongue, remembering the utter failure that was Lilith’s job.

I mean, she was a nut job. Even so…

“Luckily, I stopped the rampaging wolf without killing him after the blood moon. All it took was to give away one of my god artifacts to the surviving Lycan tribes. Even when the book always leaned towards the end of all things. I tried to save that wolf instead of killing him.” She assured, continuing soon after.

“All I wanted was for him to protect the book. I was going to use his love for Lilith to convince him to do so. I never wanted it to end as it did for him. Though I can’t say I feel bad for him. That emotion was taken from me a long time ago, Rem.” Edna gazed towards the book in my hands.

Fuck! She played a part in everything! Vera, why did you help this nut job? Surely... there has to be more than...

“Even though I learned to be careful with the book’s nature, I couldn’t afford to stop. After that failure, I kept moving piece by piece. Little did I know that some unknown force was always playing against me, too. Perhaps it was the book itself or something else. Something like Midnight.” She carried on against my silence.

All while I could barely digest anything.

Midnight was playing a game with her. Is that what she means? Come to think of it, Midnight said something like that.

“It’s crazy to think, after eleven thousand years, I finally got to this moment. I used Alijah as bait for your mother, Lilith, to capture her shadow demons to make two homunculi. Lilith, who I brought back to life by splitting her soul away from your mother. And Cain, who was almost killed by your mother too.” She added, chuckling.

To her, all of this had been a long journey.

“Your Lilith is one chaotic woman, but I’m proud of her achievements. Marrying a royal Lycan was all she needed to create change. Sadly, that still doesn’t apply to us, eternal witches. Even now, witches and warlocks are still looked down upon." A soft sigh left her lips, along with a pause.

She watched me as I almost stumbled back down onto the floor, without a care in the world.

"The warlock and the elf are my two proudest creations, believe it or not. Of course, I tried to use Lilith to reclaim Alijah back, but I didn’t account for you. For Fenrir to come down himself to make his brother happy. Or better yet, the book said nothing about you in the times I glimpsed through its pages.”

“I thought you died within the curse that Lycan girl placed on you. Much to my surprise, you survived. That was a failure of mine. I was looking elsewhere. Like the ritual to make…” She frowned, crossing her arms.

She won’t shut up.

“Midnight protected you in ways I never expected. A powerful play for the goddess of rebirth. Yet I found a way around her in the end.” Edna confessed, gazing at me with no hostility, even though I had ruined her plans in more ways than one.

Letting her hands fall to her sides, she smirked, “Vera… and her children were my escape from this life. Loki’s murdered while Oswald is in prison because he attempts to kill Alistair. He’s their half-brother and the one who takes Loki’s life.”

“What?!” I snapped, unable to believe what she had said.

Leonard had never mentioned his other child to me. Well, by name. Yet to think he was the cause that Loki dies was surreal to even comprehend.

“I compromised to link Loki’s and Oswald’s lives to my child. The only being capable of stopping the young vampire's death.” She clarified, leaving me speechless.

This can’t be happening.

“With this, I have fulfilled my promise. The reincarnation of the book of life is in this world. And she’s the strongest being ever to live! Unlike you, who’s a half-baked god’s byproduct.” She finally showed her true colors.

The anger and sadness in her eyes mixed. Her voice was devoid of anything again, though.

“You and Alijah, along with your children, will protect my child in my absence, too. It’s the perfect play. Though I wonder if I walked right into that goddess's hand. Either way, I had no choice.” She sighed.

“That’s—” I tried to speak, but she continued stepping on my words.

“With their paths linked. Loki’s life will be saved, and Oswald will be free. If they meet, that is. Cain will make sure they do. Though fate is more of a fickle thing. She’s this world’s hope after all.” Edna smiled gently, gazing up.

This witch believed to have been triumphed in all of this. Yet her entire story was insane.

“Of course, that’s just one of many futures. It’s always fluctuating. And I won’t live to see the fruits of all these years of work. Though, this will be my last wish for this cruel yet beautiful world.” She chuckled, gazing back at me.

Feeling better on my feet, I grabbed onto my sword, steadying myself for my attack. Her story did not change the fact she needed to die. Earlier, she said she was the reason the gate was opened. This meant she had to go to cancel the spell.

Something that I had no qualms about. But to be realistic, this had nothing to do with the gate rather than her taking away my sister. No matter what she said. That would never change. If it was not for her, I would still have Vera in my life. And that was unforgivable.

“I’ll—" she interrupted me again.

“If you kill my child, so be it, but you’ll kill Loki and Oswald along with her! She’s the only surviving piece of me in this world! My promise to the book! I was the one who set it free!” She declared, raising her arms to the side.

She did not tremble, even though she was looking at death itself.

“That was the only way to save this world from the gods' stupidity. Even though…” Edna trailed off, gazing up to the ceiling of this cave.

She held her arms as if she was waiting for me to come to her.

“I wonder… Why I… cared? Is this my will? Or did I do exactly what the book wanted to achieve? Heh… It doesn’t matter anymore.” She shook her head, tears rolling off her cheeks.

“It’s time, Rem, go save what’s left of your family.” She announced.

Probably if she had not taken Vera away from me, I would have understood her. I probably would have tried to help her, too. But because of that fact alone. All I wanted was to destroy her and everything she stood for.

Including the book of life and its reincarnation. It had to be wiped off this world before it destroyed it. Though it seemed she knew exactly when I could move. The numbness of my limbs was mostly gone.

“Gladly!” I snapped.

Finding my footing, I drew my sword before launching at her. In a split second, I closed the gap between us. The moment my sword found its way into her tiny, fragile body, my hands trembled. She did not move from where she was.

Nor did she put on a fight or anything. She was ready to die. No, she wanted it. Just like… before she met the book. In that moment of hesitation, I stood there, unable to believe this was the end of it all.

She was not what I expected at all. No… this was not the end, but a beginning to something else. Even though I rarely felt magic like other Lycans. I felt it come from her. It was a sweet scent; one I had never smelled before.

It radiated around us.

Suddenly, Edna clasped onto my hands, plunging the sword deeper into her. “R-Rem… you can’t tell a-anyone about what I did. I-If you do, then. She won’t… have a chance. The boys won’t have a chance.”

The instant our skins touched, I felt pure agony coming from her. It was not from the blow I inflicted on her. No, it was what she felt. Our souls had connected for this moment. In that instant, I realized she was not lying before.

Blood pooled under her, staining her white dress red. My hands were drenched in her blood, too. This was the first time; I had ever killed anyone while fully aware. It felt different from everyone else I ever slaughtered.

Alijah was right. It was different. I thought I tainted my soul before, but no. I had no other excuse but my hatred for her.

“Finish it… S-Set me free.” Edna simpered, closing her eyes.

A gut-wrenching scream came from me when I unleashed my flames, covering her in them. This was not what I expected when I came into this forsaken place. Yet it was the end she desired. There was no struggle, no defiance.

Edna was ready to accept her death at my hands. While I felt nothing but sorrow, the moment her body became nothing but ash. The woman I set out to kill was dead. Her blood stained my hands, yet I felt no relief.

This was not a win… No one won. I gazed at the blood that remained in my hands before screaming. This was not what I wanted at all. Breathing erratically, I grabbed the book that Ruzgard picked up. I slung it to the side to launch at Edna.

The book's wishes. She said… But how can a monster wish? How can anything good ever come from it? It caused all the discord in both our realms. It can’t…

This was not the time to stop, though. My family was waiting for me. This war was not over. No, it had just begun.

“You’re right. Not because of your fucking wish! But because the boys' lives would be in danger. If anyone knew, they would surely kill them. So, I can’t say shit to anyone!” I threw the book onto the floor, stabbing it with my sword.

There was no soul in the book. Edna had done just as she said. A promise was fulfilled, one that I would seek to destroy. Sadly, this was a battle I would be alone in. Well, Alijah would be my only ally.

No one else could know a word of what she told me, because if they knew. The first to die would be the twins. And she had proven how loose our circles were. That was probably on purpose, too.

Clever witch…

“I’ll free Vera’s twins, then… I’ll fucking find your daughter and make sure she turns into ashes, just like you. This thing you made. Will cause nothing but destruction in the end. And I’ll make sure my family survives it.” I spat, destroying the shell that used to be the book of life.

Its pages were utterly empty.