The Dark World

Chapter 28: My last breath

Cairn

I fought with the dark lord, still wrapping my head around the fact it had been the goddess Aphrodite and the god Prometheus all this time. I had heard the stories but had always thought it was just that, stories.

I had thought the dark lord was an extremely powerful beast created from the darkness, I had ever only know its name as Esmariah, if I had known it was not only one but two gods I would have never agreed to come here, to go against the gods was death in and of itself.

We were not making it out of this alive and the more I thought on that the more hopeless I felt, I felt like just stopping right now and allowing the dark lord to finish me off, who cared, what was the point of any of it?

That feeling of hopelessness and despair I had felt at the top of this place was back, I felt it wrapping around my mind, squeezing, caressing, telling me to just give up and let the sleep of death take me over.

I was trying to fight against the feelings, but I was not fighting as hard anymore, it was becoming more difficult, and then I felt my feet sliding across the floor as Aphrodite pushed against me harder.

The smile on her face let me know she knew I was struggling with her dark power internally, and then she pushed me with every ounce of power, and I was sent sailing across the air and crashed against the wall so hard I felt my back break for a second time, felt my ribs break too, as I slid to the ground I felt one pierce my lung.

“Cairn!” Marisoll screamed, I had caused enough damage to Aphrodite that Ezekiel was able to fight her, he cut off one of her arms, the creepy b.itch had four human arms, and I watched Marisoll change into a wolf so fast it must have hurt, she leaped into the air and bit down on Aphrodite’s throat, tearing into it until they both went crashing to the floor, Ezekiel rushed over, Marisoll jumped out of the way, and he cut off the goddesses head. We had done it, by some miracle we had done it.

I coughed up some blood and looked at Marisoll, she would make for a beautiful werewolf with her grey fur and white underbelly. She padded over to me and nudged me with her nose whining softly.

“Hey, my beautiful lady, you did good out there.” I smiled softly at her and ran my fingers through her fur.

Ezekiel ran over to us with mystic Zerena and he asked her, “what will happen now we’ve defeated the dark lord? Will Cairn die a true death, or will he still turn into some monstrous thing from the darkness?”

“I have no idea.”

I felt more tired than usual, breathing was so hard, everything hurt inside, but I felt peaceful too.

“We should get him out of here before he passes,” mystic Zerena said sadly.

Marisoll had all the time to focus now, so she changed into a huge griffin, it took her five minutes and when she was done, I could see that she was tired from the effort. I knew that feeling well, shifting was always tiring, I knew it was not the same for her as it was for a werewolf, I also knew it should have been fast and effortless for a Druid, but her parents had not survived long enough to teach her.

Mystic Zerena helped Ezekiel get me onto Marisolls back, and they climbed on too, every movement caused excruciating pain, but I did not want to worry anyone more than they already were, so I tried to keep quiet.

Marisoll flew us up and out of this wretched place and the feel of the sun on my skin felt divine, I opened my eyes and looked at the sky in amazement, the sun was back, the clouds were gone, leaving clear blue skies.

It had been many years since the sun had shone high in the sky. I turned my head weakly to look below us and saw the beasts and creatures below us, still infected from the darkness, it was not quite over yet.

Marisoll landed and Ezekiel along with mystic Zerena helped get me to the floor, I growled from the pain. By the time Marisoll was human again I could barely feel anything, I felt tired, so tired.

“Cairn,” she knelt beside me with tears running down her cheeks. I smiled as I looked up at the sun and whispered, “isn’t it beautiful, we get to see the sun together.”

“Don’t talk like that!” She wept.

Mystic Zerena tried one of her healing potions, but it was too late, I was too far gone.

They set up a camp, tried to keep me warm, Ezekiel tried to make me sip some water, but I only coughed up more blood when I tried.

Marisoll frantically rushed around trying to help me, needing to keep busy and avoid the fact I was dying, she covered me with a blanket, and then she tried to wash away the blood on my face.

She looked at mystic Zerena hopefully and said, “he looks ok, I can’t see any severe injuries.”

Mystic Zerena looked at her sadly and said, “his injuries are not on the surface Marisoll, they are internal I’m afraid.”

Marisoll tried to argue, but Ezekiel nodded and quietly said, “she is right my love, I heard it when his back broke, the fact he is coughing up blood means there is some internal bleeding.”

“Surely we can stop it with a spell, or some proper medical care, he’s a werewolf, they are strong, and they heal fast,” she begged.

I held her hand and whispered, “one of my ribs pierced my heart, there is no coming back from that, not even for a werewolf, darling.”

Marisoll cried, I did not want her to cry for me, but I did not want to give her false hope either, the sooner she accepted my fate the sooner she could start to move on when I passed.

I looked up at the sun, smiled, and then I felt my eyelids grow heavy with tiredness, faintly heard Marisoll calling my name, Marisoll, my mate, my love, I would miss her so much. I closed my eyes and let the darkness take me.