"YOU CAME," the blood-curdling voice said.

Every time it spoke, Elise could almost hear her teeth chattering automatically. Rivulets of sweat trickled down from her forehead to the crevice of her neck. The apprehension resurfaced that it took a while before she noticed the man walking beside Aricson.

The black eastern outfit, blonde hair, and green eyes were familiar. She had seen variations of a combination of features already but this person stuck in her memory.

How could she forget the person who froze time?!

'No. His eyes look normal.' It was still the same color but it didn't shine like gemstones just like the moment when she met first him. 'Does he also have a twin?'

"With your atrocious plan, do I have a choice?" the man replied with an air of nonchalance as if the wisp of giant smoke talking was a common occurrence.

"You have vowed to never meet me."

"If I was not forced, I won't," the man stated, shrugging.

"Still as apathetic as before. You've always been on the sidelines. Sometimes, I think you suit destruction rather than me. How many centuries has it been again? I see that you even took that woman."

"Heh. It appears the years of isolation made you verbose," the man riposted with a flash of ridicule. "It must be a side effect of having flies buzz around you all the time."

"I won't be here if you tried to use your authority." This time the voice that was already scary enough, became twice as frightening when it became lower and dipped with contempt. "Ironic how the God of—"

"Still dwelling on the past, I see?"

The two men continued the vagueness of their conversation and Aricson was already on her side. His palms caressed her cheek and the gash on her hand began closing.

The contrast of the heat from his fingers made her realize how cold this place was. Mistaking the shiver from her body, Aricson's eyes were filled with worry.

"It's alright. I'll take you back. I'm sorry, I—"

Elise took his hand and dragged him but she was yanked back by the chains connected to the unconscious man beside her.

"Ferios." Aricson uttered the spell and the metal melted away. "What's wrong?" he asked right after.

She opened her lips but her voice was still gone. She huffed from frustration and pulled him towards Iona.

The woman was already kneeling and her complexion which was originally pallid became more lurid. Elise checked her pulse and signaled Aricson to heal her. She mouthed the words but it did not help.

"Why can't you talk? Did you lose your voice?"

She nodded, almost desperately. Aricson reached for her forehead. "Lithine."

A series of unrecognizable words were spoken. Aricson's brows knitted together when he was done.

"Damn it! You're cursed. Who's the bastard that did it?" His tone fluctuated paired with the rare signs of anger showing on his face.

This time, she shook her head. Elise had no time for his interrogation when the other women needed assistance. Thankfully, he understood her flailing arms and scrunched face. Aricson began chanting another spell while Elise ran to the other two.

Leilani was the first one who fainted but she was healed longer than Amaranth. She checked the pulse of the latter first. A sigh of relief broke from her lips hearing the stabilized thrum. Elise went to Leilani next but before she could, the ground rumbled on her feet, creating a visible rift right in the middle.

"Enough!" the voice roared, making the whole cave vibrate.

"Heh? Make me!" the other man's tone also rose and the gust of winds followed.

Elise's attention was instantly garnered by the two. She was facing the man quite a distance apart but that did not prevent her from seeing the change in his features.

His eyes flashed from black to red then turned to green once again. She froze, staring wide-eyed. His irises which shone like crystals became noticeable when facing the vehement flames. The scene simply confirmed her guess that it was the same man she met weeks ago.

"How dare you interfere? Finally! I could have Avaline!" the giant face yelled.

"Fahurvkadkah! She is not Avaline! She looks exactly like her but her soul is just a human! Even when you're sealed, you should've known that!" There was no trace of complacency that the man had when he first arrived. The burst of emotions was apparent not only from the tightness of his voice but also from the tension in his body.

"Of course, I know! You hid her soul from me! I almost got her but you intervened, berahnsanterahnrahder! "

"Thousands of years had already passed yet you're still thinking of her!"

They were speaking in different words yet her mind understood what they were saying. But despite listening to their argument, Elise had no clue what was going on.  Only one thing was clear to her — the cave was on the verge of collapsing!

She glanced at Aricson who was approaching her in quick strides. Elise clutched his sleeve and pointed at the ceiling. Debris was already falling and when those two voices raised another decibel, the chunks of rubble became larger.

She mouthed her worries but Aricson stood quiet for a moment.

"We have something to do but you can't speak and it affects our plan. Do you remember who cast it to you?" he questioned. 

She searched for a minute then pointed at the man sprawled along on the other side.

"Please close your eyes," Aricson said but he did not give her enough time.

Without batting his eyelashes, Aricson's right arm swung and the lying man's head was severed from his body.

"Oh my god..."

"I'm sorry you have to witness that," he muttered while sheathing his sword. "To nullify a curse, this is the easiest way."

She just witnessed him kill a man and the next second he was as indifferent as she had come to know him. If not for the already messed up situation they were in, Elise would have doubted her sanity because what was more shocking, was the fact that she did not mind the death of that person and honestly thought he deserved it. Though, the urge to vomit was strong after witnessing a ruthless decapitation.

Aricson's left hand caressed her cheek. "Listen, Elise, I don't know why you came back but will you leave again?" he asked, sounding helpless and aggrieved.

Her palm covered his knuckles, her face leaning more on his fingers. "I won't. I'll be staying here from now on."

He quickly broke his hold on her face and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I can't breathe, Aricson," she complained and pushed him away.

"Apologies." He stepped back but held on tightly to both of her hands. "I know this is not the most appropriate time and you might be confused but the Regis had proposed a plan. We don't have much time to spare and I don't how long he can distract him. But..." Hesitation laced his tone before he cleared his throat. "But, I'd like to ask if you're willing to stay by my side. Enough to make a Kismet Pledge?"

"Kismet Pledge?" Elise tried to collect her memories but she only recalled Blood Exchange.

"It is the highest form of marriage. Having a Kismet Pledge means our lives will be intertwined together. For Mundrans like you, you will live as long as I am alive and once one of us dies, the other dies too," he explained. "But since you're a Mundran, you'll have to drink my blood regularly."

"Wait a minute! Blood?! Are you talking literally? Will that make me a vampire?!" Her shriek of utter astonishment resounded in the room.

"I see..." the giant face said, turning his focus on her. "Now I understand why you pushing my patience. Damn you, bastard."

In a blink of an eye, the ground split open.

"Elise!" Aricson's hand stretched out but his reaction delayed for a fraction of a second, separating both of them.

The cracks gape wider and the cave transformed in a matter of seconds. The whole place continued quaking until meter-length gaps filled the room, lengthening the distance between her and Aricson.

She hastily scanned her surroundings. Aricson's face was as calm as usual and his lips pursed into a whistle. Iona was lying inches away from him and Amaranth was on a separate slab.

When Elise looked down, the pitch-black hole seemed endless. If she fell down, it was a free ride to her death. While lost in her overthinking, new rocks flew up and filled the hole. But, it did not even last a minute before it was smashed into smithereens. New and all sizes of boulders appeared but it was simply crushed straightaway.

"You won't be able to overpower my destruction no matter what you do. The more you interfere will only make you weaker," the giant face stated.

"What is it to you?" the other man retorted.

The tremor continued, now stronger. The tiny cracks between her and Leilani expanded. Gravels and dust shook and when her body jerked and stepped back, the other half that carried Leilani shattered.

She grabbed her out of instinct but despite her petite stature, Leilani's weight should not be underestimated. Combined with her unconscious state, she was twice as heavy causing Elise to lose her footing.

"Oh my god!" Her eyes shut and she tightened her hold on Leilani.

'Am I really going to die?!'

The hissing of air rang in her ears from how fast they were falling. Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings overwhelmed her senses. She peered her eyelids and the fiery head of the Vermilion lit the stoned walls.

Aricson and his mount advanced toward them. He reached out and caught her in his arms while she was still holding Leilani.

"We have to do a Kismet Pledge, Elise," he stated with urgency.

Their eyes locked and there was visible desperation. Facing him directly, she knew she could not refuse. Not because she was easily forced but because she was willing to do anything for him.

"Okay," she agreed. "But, do I really have to drink the blood?"

Aricson nodded. "I will start the circle and you only have to repeat the vow and exchange our blood."

While Aricson began his chanting, Elise repositioned Leilani. The expanse of the Vermilion was able to make Leilani sit and incline on the front after Elise put her legs in between its sides. Elise retained her position sideways, her shoulders angling on Aricson's chest.

"Are you ready?" His breath was right on her ear.

"Yes."

Arcison uncovered his sword, slicing the tip of his thumb. He took her hand and slashed her with the same wound.

He drew her closer until their mouth were inches apart. His face descended and the plumpness of his lips met hers. Their thumbs pressed together, matching the cuts, and blood intertwined.

Elise could have sworn she saw literal sparks surrounding them as electric jolts traveled in her veins. Aricson pulled back.

"Repeat my words. Madyah sanoumurvler..."

"Madyah sanoumurvler..."

"Irnsan yahoumurvrahsan urvperoumner..."

"Irnsan yahoumurvrahsan urvperoumner..."

"Erktererkrahnerirnteryah."

"Erktererkrahnerirnteryah."

Arison took her bleeding finger right in the middle of his teeth. The suckling made her shudder from embarrassment. Redness climbed on her cheeks despite the graveness of the situation. He raised his thumb and pried her mouth open as well, making her crimson cheeks brighter.

The bland iron taste of blood spread on her tongue. She pushed back her pensiveness and inhibitions, giving up on the idea of sucking his blood.

At the first gulp, the sparks that she thought were just hallucinations became vivid. A ring of scarlet floated in between them. Letters are jumbled inside like the one in the blood pentacle a while ago however this time, the letters easily formed a word in her mind.

'Aricson.' It spelled out.

The Vermilion landed seconds after. Aricson place her and Leilani on the ground when Elise heard a shout.

"Now!"

"Go, Cress," Aricson muttered.

The creature soared. With remarkable speed, it engulfed the giant face. His scream was muffled by the ombre wings of the Vermilion.

"Shut up! It's too late. The Kismet Pledge is done." 

"Damn you!" the rasp hoarseness resonated amidst the chaos.

His violent howls ensued while the other man turned to us. "You're done here. I'll take you back."

"But—"

Aricson was cut off midway. The chaotic sight became one filled with colors but Elise was not able to fully take in her surroundings when her consciousness faded away.

༻❁༺

U n S c e n e s

Q: Regis, how were you able to make the giant face distracted?

Regis: Easy. I know all his sensitive points *smirks* A child's play, I might add. 

Note: if you're interested to know, the circle that Elise saw is the one on the book cover which is Aricson's sigil. It is like a signature of sorts during their spell-casting. 

For the meaning of those words, you can always go to Tales of Elith and check the ELITH: Language chapter ^^