Iris walked into the room and slammed the door behind her. She felt the need to break something. They have robbed, plundered, and plucked her from her home for their benefit.
" Bastards!" she screamed until no more air was left in her lungs. She'd sacrificed everything for a bunch of nothing. That's what they were, scum. She was repulsed. She couldn't believe she would have to share the same breathing space on her way to her death. She couldn't even look at them.
" Fuckers!" she screamed some more and fell on her knees, panting. The pain and despair slowly began creeping in, wrapping around her heart, squeezing it so tight that she felt it would burst at any moment. Her parents, whatever happened to them. Her birth parents must've mourned her loss.
Ian knelt in front of her. She hadn't even heard him coming in. He didn't say anything, just hugged her as tight as he could and sat in his arms, holding and sharing her pain. Ian stood by her side, shared the good and the bad, the ugly and now she would be holding his hand, leading him to his demise, and he willingly followed her. A lamb to the slaughter. She had been able to contain her tears until that little thought broke through the last of her will, and tears streamed down her cheeks. She'd found herself to be lucky that she had found a man that never hid his thoughts or his intentions from her. Always upfront, always on her side. They stayed like that until her sobs subsided, and Iris finally pulled away from his embrace. Red puffy eyes, sniffling, she was hurting.
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand " I need to get ready!" she mumbled in a broken voice.
" No, we need to get ready!" his voice broke " I'm coming! I'm not letting you go alone with them!" he brooked, swallowed and rubbed his eyes.
" No! This is my burden!" she cupped his face " You need to live ! Stay here with Azra! He needs you more than he needs me!" her voice was pleading and teared up again.
Iris let go of him and shoved some of her things in the bag, put it on her shoulder, and turned to face him " I love you with all my heart and soul!" she closed the distance and gave him a peck on the lips, turned and left.
Everything happened so fast that he had trouble thinking straight. She was leaving him behind. Fuck no!
Ian picked up his bag, grabbed their cloaks on the way out and followed her through the corridor. When he caught up to her, she looked at him from the corner of her and grunted.
" Why are you so stubborn to die?" she grumbled, displeased, taking one of the cloaks out of his hand and draping it over her shoulders.
" I would happily die as long it is in your arms! he was fucking smiling. She couldn't believe her eyes. She blinked and looked at him again.
" You're either crazy or stupid! I can't decide!" she quipped and halted her steps.
" I'm crazy !" he answered with a straight face and closed the distance, pinched her chin " about you!" he fucking smiled again, leaned in and captured her lips in the most passionate kiss he had ever given her to that day. His hand wrapped around her head, pushed her against the wall and tasted her mouth and lips with frenzied hunger. When he pulled away, panting, looking into her eyes, " I meant what I said before! They weren't empty promises! You are a part of me, and if you think you can just go. You're fucking wrong!" his voice faltered a little, gulped and frowned at her.
" Do you understand?" he asked with raised eyebrows, looking her dead in the eyes.
She nodded, her shoulder slumped " You deserve better than this!" she mumbled, her gaze going downcast.
" That for me to decide, not you!" his tone turned grave, and he let go of her, draped the cloak on his shoulders and tied the string.
He glanced at the bottom of the stairs, and the three vultures were already waiting, looking like their death sentence had been announced.
Dakran appeared next to three vultures. He'd decided to name them vultures. In his eyes, they were nothing more, nothing less. Dakran whipped his head, and he knew it was time to go.
" It is time!" Ian casually said and offered his hand to her. Iris reluctantly took it and moved her feet.
" What are you going to do about them?" Ian asked as they descended the stairs.
Iris glanced at him and then at the vultures" Leave them at the mercy of the Gods!" she scoffed at her own words and inhaled deeply.
" I'll think of something once we cross to the other side!" she shrugged and skipped the last step, landing in front of Dakran.
" I'll show you the way to the lake, but that is as far as I will go!" Dakran looked up " It seems that someone else will be joining you!" he casually said and looked up again.
Azra stood at the top of the stairs, all ready to go. He slowly began descending the stairs. When everyone remained silent, he rushed down the stairs and stopped before the last step.
He gave them a sheepish look " I'm coming too!" he brooked and walked past them, not waiting for an answer.
" You're your own man now! You can decide for yourself!" Ian encouraged
" Thank you, father!" Azra bowed and turned on his heels heading towards the door.
" We will do our best to keep the creatures within the border, but whatever you have to do, it better be fast!" Dakran said and patted Ian and Iris on their shoulders, and their shoulders slumped under the weight of his heavy hand, making Dakran chuckle.
Dakran waved them, and all six of them followed. Iris halted her steps and let the three traitors walk in front. They glanced at her briefly, but they knew at this point they had no right to say anything. All three of them had all the fucking time to say something but stayed mum.
" Will walk to the lake. It is not that far!" Dakran said as they walked out of Ironstone.
The sky was still dark, a peal of thunder rumbled in the distance, and a flash of light streaked across the sky. All of a sudden, it began pouring down, buckets of water at a time
Iris reached her hand and caught a few drops of rain in her hand. It was black. She looked at Ian, and Ian nodded. Dakran pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and walked into the rain, and they followed. A curtain of black rain lay in front of them. They could bearly see who was next to them. Ian took her hand in his, squeezed it, and followed Dakran. The sound of the Ironstone gate opening carried a foreboding feeling. Once they stepped out of that gate, they willingly walked into the arms of the Guiding Spirits.
Dakran halted his steps, and they all crashed into his back. Ian and Iris walked to where he was and froze.
Purple specks shined through the curtain of black rain, and they all knew what they were.
Hoards, as far as the eye could, ran across the land in the distance in the village that once was Gaerwen.
" I guess holding them off is out of the question! It's your turn now!" Dakran shouted and began moving his feet. They all followed in complete silence. She had no choice. This had to be done. If she would have to sacrifice herself to save this realm and all the innocent people in it, then it was a small price to pay. She had no idea what would happen once they reached Ellora, but she had a feeling that it was nothing good. Sacrificing the three stooges to the creatures briefly crossed her mind, but she shook her head and brushed the thought away. It's not like they didn't deserve it.