Shane woke up to chants and pain. He wondered if he'd died and lay at one of the twelve gates to the afterlife.
A highly absurd thing, to be honest, a dead prince of hell returning to the afterlife.
"Shane"
Loralie stood a meter away, her voice a harsh whisper of concern.
"Where's Jihoon?" Shane coughed out. His chest felt like it was on fire. And he searched for the red thread, hoping it would lead him to Jihoon.
"Shane, get yourself together. You have to get out of here."
Shane finally remembered where he was and what he'd been doing. he lifted shaking fingers to the back of his throbbing head. he hissed with pain, and her hand came away wet with blood from a wound where someone had hit bashed his brains out.
When Loralie saw Shane's stained fingers, her eyes flashed. "I'm going to kill him."
"Not if I go first," Shane growled, pushing to his hands and knees. he could just make out two figures standing across the field. He squinted to see them clearly. Then, with a start, The dark and brooding form of Death came into focus.
For a second Shane didn't see Jihoon. Then his body jerked, sprawled on the ground in front of his father.
With a shout of rage, Shane stood. But the very act of standing made his head spin as if he'd spent all of his energy on the simple physical task.
"Steady," Loralie said, reaching out to hold her brother.
Shane gasped in ragged breaths as he watched Jihoon's body jerk in tormented angles.
"Stop!" Shane called out before turning to Loralie. "Do something."
"I can't."
"If he dies, then so will I. My soul is still inside him."
"I can't," Loralie repeated, and Shane finally realized his sister was planted in a place like her legs had sprouted roots that reached into the ground.
Then Shane remembered the part of the story Eamon had told him. Loralie had sacrificed her own soul to save Shane's life.
Jihoon let out a cry of pain. And his agony echoed in Shane's chest, so sharp and hot that Shane almost dropped to his knees again.
But Loralie held her brother upright.
The moon's glow was a spotlight for their shared torture. Then the pain abated, leaving Shane's head spinning as it receded. And he saw that Jihoon was still as well.
Death knelt, holding his hands over Jihoon's chest, making figure eights with her palms. Then he pushed his hands down on his belly. Jihoon jerked up like a puppet whose strings were yanked forward.
A blue wisp shot from his lips before he fell back into an unconscious heap.
Death picked up the blue wisp reverently like he was picking u the moon itself.
"Jihoon-ah!" Shane shouted. His cries went unanswered. Shane glanced at his own father "Are you happy? To see the pain you've caused?"
"I'll be happy when it's done," the handsome demon said.
"Why are you involving my brother in your ridiculous vendetta? He's your own goddamn son!" Loralie asked.
"Because he's not worth it." Death screamed. His shrill rage sent a shiver down Shane's spine. "He's not fit to be the child of Death! Falling in love with a mortal? Shame! And you have supported him. but this time I've found a way to take your life as well. Who's to know if you even have the heart to mourn his passing. It'd be better to kill you both."
"Your Majesty, don't do this," Loralie pleaded. Shane had never heard his sister beg before. He gripped his sister's hand. And, for the first time, Yena laced her fingers through Shane's, holding tight.
"I have to," Death said. "I must atone for my weakness. I never should have let you live."
In his hand was another blue wisp. This one had a softer lustre than Shane's as if it had lost its shine over time.
"At first, I regretted wanting to do this you," Death whispered reverently, staring at the wisp. "I tried to order you to return to me a thousand times. You never came. You were too far for me to reach you."
"I'm here now. So let my brother go."
"You both hold evil inside."
"Well, duh. He's literally the true prince of hell and then I am a child of Time."
That wasn't smart on Loralie's side.
"This is the best way."
"By killing us?"
"In death, you will find absolution."
"You cannot do this."
"It's time." Death put down the souls in two jars, which apparently seemed to be made out of paper. Then he did the same with Shane's. Two perfect wisps wrapped in gold and red.
As the white paper was ablaze, Death laid out a white handkerchief and placed the stones atop it. Then he lit incense sticks and stuck them in the ground in a circle around the beads.
And as Death chanted, the moon's light burst through the clearing, thousand times more powerful than the glare of the sun. It blinded them all. Turned night to day and cold to fire.
Shane screamed, holding Loralie's hand tightly. His wails mixed with his sister's.
"I'm sorry." Loralie's agony was painted on her face. Her pale skin reddened as if she were held over a flame.
"You can't give up," Shane said through gritted teeth.
Loralie grinned a feral smile that gave Shane hope. "Never." Then her body shuddered and her hand tightened. Blood seeped from Loralie's eyes, her nose, her lips. And she fell to the ground.
Shane tried to move, but his muscles seized, and he fell beside Yena's prone form.
Flames rose inside him. Giant licks of agony that scorched him until Shane was sure he would burn to nothing.