As my crying ceased, I sift my head to a position on Jason’s chest to take in the effects of battle, the door was held to the frame by one hinge, Ather was still lying unconscious; numerous objects were smashed on the floor and Dominique moving to kneel beside her daughter’s corpse. The silence enveloping the room was broken by a voice coming from the stairwell. Eyes flicked to the door, muscles tensed and hands grasped for the hilt of a blade.

“Hello! ‘O! O!’ Is anyone there? ‘There? There?’” The words echoed around the blood-stained, marble walls. Dominique slowly rouse and came and stood by Jason’s right-hand side. A head pops around the door. A questioning look upon the face.

“Sarah!” Dominique names our companion with a relieved sigh.

“Mother! How good to see you.” Sarah exclaims, her sun-blonde swishing as she rushes to give Dominique a hug, leaving her fiancé, Emit, trailing behind her. “What happened here?”

She looks around the room, taking in the broken items and blood upon the carpet. Sarah gasps as her eyes land on Adianna’s body. Tears flow uncontrollably down her cheeks. Laying her head on emit’s shoulder, Sarah cries at the loss.    

The room goes silent again as everyone morns for the dead. Conversation soon starts in hushed voices between the Vida family as they discuss what will happen. Jason leaves my side and moves towards Ather’s form. I watch, then follow after a moment’s hesitation, realizing that we didn’t know whether she was alive or not. My brother kneels beside her and rolls her onto her back, leaving me to stand behind, ready to offer help.

“Oh no.” Jason mutters. I come beside him, holding myself together as another wave of tears threatens to rack me yet again. Ather wasn’t breathing and I couldn’t sense her aura anymore.

“Her skull is smashed and has sliced her brain.” My brother analyses. “Adianna was stronger than her.”

Salty droplets caress his cheeks. Bending down I comfort him as he had many times through our life. After the death of our parents and his rebirth, Ather had been Jason’s mother.

Dominique and Sarah embrace us in their turn, as together we morn those dear killed during the massacre. We break contact and return to undamaged premises before returning to bury the dead.

*********************

Retiring to my apartment, following the search for survivors and the mass burial, I flop onto the couch.

Knocking awakens me. It stops for several seconds before resuming more intensely, splintering the door. I already had a clue who it was as I opened the damaged door. Jason looks at me, gesturing inside in askance. I nod, stepping aside to allow admittance. I mess with the pillows before we sit on the lounge. We’re silent for ten minutes as Jason gathers his thoughts.

“Amethyst, I need to ask a favor of you.” He begins. Using my full name signifies the importance and reluctance of the question. Jason hesitates – another signal – and continues. “Amy… I want you to stop…ah…to stop hunting.”

“You know I can’t!” I object. I’ve never been able to change my doings.

“You have to.”

“No!”

“Please. Take up another occupation. A teacher like you wanted to be.”

“Jason.”   

“Just try please.” I hesitate and start to shut down mentally. “For me.” He insists.

“Ok.”