Azrael staggered. He had to get to Cassian. He looked up and saw someone on a horse, "A soldier?" he asked and turned back to run. He did not know if the soldier was on their side or on Isander's side, so he was better off alone.
Unfortunately for him, the person caught up to him.
He was about to draw his sword, but he kept it when he saw the person's face.
"Lady Zemira?" he asked and she came down and walked towards him, "My Lord" she sighed and threw her arms around him.
He patted her back and she let go of him, "What happened to you?" she asked as she slightly touched his shoulder wound and he winced, "I killed Stern" he said and she gasped.
"It...it was for the best" she tried to calm herself down, but Azrael knew what was going through her mind; he had killed her former lover, someone who was on their side, but was just possessed by the enemy.
"Where is Cassian?" she asked as she looked around. "Him and His Majesty went into the fort to apprehend Isander. I do not know what happened to them."
Zemira climbed back on the horse, "Let us go find him" "My lady, you shouldn't be here on the battlefield, if Cassian finds out that I escorted you, he will not be happy with me. How did you even leave camp?"
"Lord Azrael, I do not have time to answer your questions. Cassian may be somewhere fighting with his life, I have to help him immediately. I shall go with or without you!" she said and Azrael sighed.
Cassian would be even angrier if he found out Zemira had encountered Azrael, but he had not protected her while she was on the battlefield.
He got on the horse, "Let's go!" he gave a small smile and Zemira kicked the horse.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Cassian elbowed Isander in the gut and was about running up the cliff, but Isander used his telekinesis to lift Cassian up and bring him back.
"There's no escaping brother, we shall fight to the death here!" Isander grinned and a wooden stake flew to him and he caught it.
Cassian smirked, "Take away your powers and you are nothing!" "Huh?" Isander looked at him and Cassian took a fighting stance, "Put your powers away and we shall see who the victor is."
Isander smiled. His powers were the only thing giving him an upper hand in their fight. In a battle of swords, Cassian would completely destroy him.
Also, his bloodlust and maniacal nature were also helping. He was sure Cassian could not kill him because of their past bond, but he could easily kill his own brother.
That was the monster he was.
"You have gotten clever brother. Trying to provoke me so I will not use something that guarantees my sure victory...too bad, I saw right through you" he smiled and Cassian tsked. "You really shouldn't play mind games with me, brother" Isander laughed.
Cassian gripped his sword tighter, the only thing he could do was rely on his strength. He took in a deep breath.
He could die here, he had someone waiting for him...actually he had two people waiting for him, his wife and unborn baby. He was determined to make sure his baby knew his or her father.
He charged towards Isander. A slash to the left, Isander read Cassian's thoughts. I shall end this with a stab in his abdomen, he smirked.
Suddenly, Cassian threw his sword up. What? Isander thought as he looked up. That was his chance, Cassian ran and punched Isander before he could realize his trick.
Isander moved back a little but before he could recover from the punch, Cassian had already caught his sword and made a slash to Isander's left but he blocked it with the stake.
Cassian held the stake and kicked Isander back, then he dragged Isander by the stake and punched him.
Isander did not have the chance to read Cassian's thoughts as he kept on getting hit.
Isander bit his tongue and made rocks fly towards Cassian who quickly dodged them and ran towards Isander.
Cassian's strike came too fast, but Isander was able to block with another wooden stake. Cassian tsked while Isander smirked. A second was all he needed to get his head back in the game.
Metal and wood struck again and Isander's stake broke. "I knew I should brought a sword, I just did not think you were going to be this persistent"
Cassian smirked, "Big mistake," then he took out his dagger from his belt and threw it on the ground, "Use it!" "Ohh..." Isander was fascinated at his brother's act.
The blade floated towards him and Isander peered at it, it was the dagger Nola had given Cassian.
"I shall take it from your corpse after the fight" Cassian said and Isander smirked, "I guess we shall see who will be taking this magnificent blade home."
The dagger landed in Isander's hand and they continued fighting.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"My Lady, stay close to me" Azrael said as they moved along the hall in Isander's fort.
Azrael opened another door and looked in, no one.
"My Lord, are you sure they are still here? It seems empty" Zemira said as they left the room. "I am certain someone must still be here!" Azrael said and he caught the whiff of chemicals.
"Right there!" he pointed to a door and they ran there.
Azrael gripped his sword and opened the door slowly. A hand emerged from the shadows and grabbed Azrael's wrist. Azrael wasted no time in raising his sword to cut off the hand, while the other person's other hand was ready to cut off his head.
"Azrael?" the person asked and Azrael stopped his sword then he dragged the person out, by the hand and saw Soteria with a sheepish grin on his face.
"Your majesty?" Azrael let go of Soteria's hand, "What are you doing hiding here?" he asked as he kept his sword.
Cato opened the closet he was hiding in slightly, and checked the situation. There was no way he was going to allow Soteria take him back to Thurtian.
He creeped out of the closet and when he noticed Soteria talking to Zemira, he was about to dash towards the door, but Soteria spotted him.
"Lady Monterey, could you move a little?" he asked as he brought out his dagger. "Huh?" Zemira asked as Azrael pulled her towards him. He too had seen Cato move from his peripheral vision.
Soteria threw the dagger at Cato who thought he was about to escape, but the dagger pierced the arm of his coat and pinned him to the wall, grazing his shoulder.
He yelled in pain and Soteria walked towards him, "Do not make so much noise, a lady is here" he said and dragged the dagger out of the wall and the coat.
Cato fell, holding his shoulder and crying in pain. "It was just a small graze" Soteria crouched down.
"What are you even doing here with him?" Azrael asked and Soteria stood up straight and looked at him, "I need an antidote for Sorin. He was making it" he said and took a transparent vial from Cato's breast pocket.
"Your majesty, do you know where Cassian may be?" Zemira asked "No...we split ways when we entered the fort. I chased after the scientist, I presume he fought Isander."
Soteria dragged Cato up and studied Zemira, blood had stained her skirt, and there were dried blood stains on her hands. She seemed fine, so she was not hurt. Did she kill someone? Soteria thought but he shook his head.
"We have to find Cassian, he should be nearby" Zemira said as she looked at Soteria. "Before we go my lady, care to explain why you have blood on your dress? Were you harmed in any way?" Azrael asked.
Soteria internally thanked Azrael for asking that question. "No...the blood is not mine" Zemira said and Soteria sighed, "So who has it? Did someone try to touch you?"
Zemira looked at the both of them before she said, "It is Nola's." The men gasped, "Did...did you...kill her?" Soteria asked slowly and Zemira looked at him.
Although Cassian loved Zemira wholeheartedly, he would not be able to forgive her knowing she had killed his first love.
Zemira shook her head, "I had seen her from a distance. She was bleeding, she was stabbed, I tried to help her up to the horse, so I could get her to a doctor, but she just wanted to die."
"Where's her body?" Azrael asked and she looked at him, "I cremated her. She wanted it because Isander could bring her back to life and use her against Cassian. Speaking of Cassian, we have to go and help him now!"
"I killed Stern" Azrael said and everyone was silent for a while. "But that..." Soteria was saying but Cato spoke, "Stern was already dead. Isander killed him and then transferred his subconscious into his dead body."
Everyone looked at Zemira. Although she had not loved him. They had a relationship together and she considered him a friend. He was the one that had taught her how to ride horses. He had taken her on do many adventures. Though he had been obsessed with her and had tried to kill her baby, she had forgiven him.
"I..." her voice broke and the men except Cato felt for her. A lump was forming in her throat and all she wanted to do was cry, but she still had to save her husband.
She blinked back the tears in her eyes and cleared her throat, "Let's go save Cassian!" she said and walked away.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Isander kicked Cassian away and made the dagger fly towards him with force, but Cassian blocked and sent it back to Isander. Cassian tried to sweep him off his feet, but he jumped up and somersaulted, then he stabbed Cassian's shoulder.
Isander landed on his feet and Cassian staggered back a bit, "I am pretty sure I can beat you with one arm" he grinned and clashed his sword against Isander's dagger, "Shut the hell up, cocky bastard!" Isander said through gritted teeth and pushed him back.
What happened next was too fast for Isander to even comprehend. He was about to have a hearty laugh, but he suddenly felt fingers holding his collar and he was thrown on the ground.
Cassian did not wait for him to recover, he broke his arm and was about to break the other one, but Isander made a rock hit his temple and he fell down.
Blood dropped from Cassian's wound, while Isander grunted in pain as he tried to rearrange his arm. It couldn't be rearranged, Cassian had really messed up his arm.
Isander raged and made rocks to fly towards Cassian, with his telekinesis. Cassian averted some while he blocked the rest with his sword.
More rocks kept flying towards, some even injured him. Isander suddenly came after the rocks and slashed Cassian's left eye.
He bit his tongue to avoid crying out, then he held Isander's wrist and almost dragged him into his sword, but Isander punched his wounded eye.
Cassian fell down to his knees and cried out in pain and anguish. Isander laughed and grabbed his sword, then he held it to Cassian's throat, "And...I win" he smirked.
He raised the sword up and was about to bring it down heavily on Cassian's neck, but then, he heard, "Sander..."
His hand stopped in mid-air. There was only one person who called him that. Andra. But that was impossible. She had died years ago and he was yet to bring her back...
Oh...that was right. The original plan was to bring her back. That was why he was doing all this; making an army out of dead soldiers, killing his brother's former wife, ruining his brother's life, bringing the kingdom of Thurtian to ruins because they had not paid enough attention to the children kidnapped. They had only conducted a scanty search. That was why she had died. They had not come to save them. That was why he had broken out and was out for revenge. He was taking revenge for the kidnapped children and for Andra.
"Sander," came the soft voice again.
There was no mistaking it, it was her.
He slowly turned to where he had heard the voice come from, the hill.
On the hill, were four figures. He could make out three men and a woman. His woman. His Andra.
He did a double-take and realized that it wasn't Andra, it was Zemira, and with her were Soteria, Azrael and Cato.
Cato, he cursed inwardly, then he realized it. He was distracted. He was not looking at his brother anymore. He had fallen for the trap.
Before he could turn, Cassian struck his chin with his palm, and he staggered back.
Cassian grabbed his sword and slashed at his brother's neck, but Isander had moved back, saving him from being beheaded.
Cassian wasted no time in running to Isander who tried to protect himself with a boulder, but Cassian cut through it and thrusted his sword into flesh.
Isander gasped. SIKE!!!
He smirked as Cassian's eyes widened in horror.
Stuck to his sword, was his pregnant wife, Zemira.
Blood trickled from her mouth as she stared at her husband. "My Lady!" Azrael yelled as Soteria stood in shock and awe.
Isander had done it again...hid behind a woman. Cassian's second woman.
Laughter erupted from his mouth as he remembered the same scene from years ago.
Cassian was about to draw the sword out, but Zemira held it and grabbed Isander's arm tightly, making him unable to move away from behind her, "Let go!" he yelled as he tried to pry her fingers off his broken arm, but she held it tighter.
He realized her plan and was about to break her fingers, but then, she plunged Cassian's blade deeper into her. So deep that it burst out from her back, thereby stabbing Isander.
Cassian watched his sword disappear into his wife's swollen belly.
With a grunt, she twisted the sword inside her and Isander gasped behind her.
A hand grabbed Isander's shoulder and pulled him out of the sword. "This is for Thurtian!" Soteria yelled and drove his sword through Isander's head.
His father had always taught him that when killing a powerful foe, always stab the head after the heart, to make sure that they were finished.
He dragged his sword out and Isander fell to the ground...lifeless.
Zemira fell to the ground, with the sword still stuck in her. Cassian gathered her in his arms, and after the count of three, he pulled the sword out of her and blood spluttered all over him.
He tore a piece of his clothing and pressed it on her wound, blood seeping into the cloth.
Zemira coughed out blood, "I did not think this through" she tried to laugh, but blood came out of her wound more.
Cassian shushed her, "Don't talk too much, I'll save you." She held his hand which was still applying pressure to her wound, "My baby" she wept. Tears spewed out his eyes. There was no way their baby had survived that deep stab.
"I am sorry Zemy. I am so sorry, I could not protect you" he cried. Her hand went up to his face, her thumb slowly wiping his tears, "Do...Don't be, I was the stubborn one who wanted to protect you...and I...I am glad...that you are safe. I'm just sad that I couldn't give you....your happiness," tears spewed out of her eyes as she held her wounded belly.
"No Zemy, you are my happiness. Our baby was going to be our happiness. With you by my side, we can have more babies. I can't lose you, that is why I need you to stop talking" he begged.
She smiled and her eyes caught something; strung on a rope, around his neck, was the ring he was going to give her when he had returned from the war.
His eyes followed her eyes and saw what she was looking at.
He took it off and held it in his hand, "Yes...this ring...I had promised to give you when I had returned. I had promised to say our wedding vows and slip it on your finger, just like our wedding day, so you have to stop talking" he cried.
Soteria just watched them, as he stood on Isander's corpse.
Azrael watched from the hill too. His heart breaking into pieces as he watched the heartbreaking scene.
Cato, on seeing the confusion, decided to use it to his advantage and escape. He turned to his side and looked at Azrael; yes he was strong, but he was also wounded.
He picked up a rock and smashed it on Azrael's shoulder wound and Azrael grunted in pain, then Cato pushed him down the hill and ran away.
Soteria quickly turned and saw Azrael tumbling down the hill, then he saw Cato running away.
Oh well, he thought and went to help Azrael up. Afterall, he had gotten the antidote for his son, then he remembered the transparent vial in his breast pocket.
Zemira coughed out more blood and held Cassian's hand, "Say...say them to me now...the vows" she gasped as more blood flowed out of her wound.
"I can not! I will say it to you when we're home...we shall have another wedding. A more beautiful and grand one," he tried to fake a smile, but then his mask fell off as he burst into tears.
"Please Cassian..."
He sniffled and nodded, "Okay..."
His trembling hand took her warm and bloody hand and he held out the pink snake-shaped ring.
"I..." more tears threatened to fall. "I...Zemy, I can not do this," few tears fell down his face. "Just be honest with what you are feeling right now" she smiled.
"I do not want you to die! I want you to stop talking, so you will stop bleeding and then I will get the best doctors for you! I want to do everything in my power...even if it is not in my power and I can not attain it, as long as there is a way to save you, I am willing to do anything!" he cried.
He could not just understand how she was able to keep a smile on her face.
Zemira's heart fell. She never wanted to leave Cassian alone. They were supposed to die together. She had promised him that. And now she was breaking her promise.
"Cassian..." her hand went up to his face and she caressed it, "Please," she faked a smile and he nodded, amidst the tears streaming down his face.
"In the presence of God and man, I, Zemira Cobain, take you, Cassian Monterey..." she coughed out blood and Cassian tried to hold his tears. "...to be my beloved husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, in life and even in death," her voice broke as she sobbed. "...to love and to cherish, and not even death can pull us apart. This is my solemn vow."
Azrael looked away as tears fell from his eyes. Soteria covered his face, this was just too heartbreaking to watch.
Cassian sighed and cleared his throat, "I, Cassian Monterey, in the presence of God and man, take you, Zemira Cobain, to be my only and beloved wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, until death...ahhh."
He could not say it. Months ago, he had said the same vows, emotionlessly and he had just wanted the ceremony to end so he could be removed from the attention of everyone, even his bride.
But now, he could not even say it. He could not complete it, she was dying. She was going to die. The vows meant so much more now that he was about to lose her.
He was on the verge of breaking down. He was going to be left alone, again.
"...no! Just like you said, death will never do us part. If you die, you are taking my heart with you and that means I can never give my heart to another woman. And when I die, because you are with my heart, I will be drawn to you. I love you and I will always love you. This is my solemn vow."
As soon as he had said that, he raised her up and smashed his lips on hers, hungrily. A part of him hoping the kiss would give her life, but, with his lips still on hers, he felt the life slowly ebb out of her.
Tears flowed out of his eyes as he placed a final kiss on her now pale forehead.
He held her tightly in his arms and released a cry of pain.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>THE END<<<<<<<<<<<<<
A/N: I know...not the ending we all hoped for, but...that's it...