Chapter 28 – Spark things off

The Fire Elemental had finally calmed.

Its massive body lay still, rising and falling slowly with the deep, steady rhythm of its breathing. The oppressive heat that had saturated the air was gradually fading, retreating like a glowing tide after a storm. With every breath the creature took, Aisling felt her own inner turmoil begin to settle. Their shared fury—the rage that had consumed her to the core—was slowly dissipating, like the embers of a dying blaze.

Her gaze drifted toward War’s silhouette as he walked away to retrieve his sword. He picked it up with practiced ease and sheathed it, as if the fight had been nothing more than a formality, a brief interruption to be closed and forgotten. Not for her.

The fatigue pressed down on her shoulders—not just her body, which ached for rest, but something deeper.

Her anger had ebbed, leaving behind a vast emptiness, a dark chasm echoing with the remnants of what she had done. Images flashed before her eyes, vivid as lightning: the fortress in flames, the piercing screams, the blood clinging to her skin, the stench of ash and death clinging to her like a second skin.

She swallowed hard, a metallic taste coating her tongue. But it wasn’t blood. It was guilt.

She shoved it down, violently. Not now. She wasn’t ready to face it. Not yet. All she wanted was silence.

“Aisling?”

She looked up slowly.

A familiar figure hovered a few steps away, bathed in the flickering light of the dying flames. Nimue.

A tired smile tugged at Aisling’s lips as she reached out a hand—clumsy, hesitant—tears blurring her vision almost instantly.

“You stayed…” she whispered, as if she couldn’t quite believe it.

Nimue didn’t answer right away. She stepped closer and embraced her with a tenderness that pierced through Aisling’s shell. Without a word, the small specter pulled War’s cloak more tightly around her shoulders.

“Of course I stayed.”

A shiver ran through Aisling. She wanted nothing more than to collapse into that embrace and never move again. But a weight still hung heavy over her.

“Nimue…” Her voice cracked slightly. “What I said… I was awful to you. I… I’m sorry.”

“I know,” Nimue said, a playful smile creasing her eyes. “Apology accepted.”

Aisling briefly closed her eyes, overwhelmed by a relief she hadn’t expected.

Nimue held her like that for a moment before slipping something into the young woman’s hand.

“I believe this belongs to you.”

Aisling looked down. The ring.

“I missed not haunting you.”

A strangled laugh escaped Aisling. She brushed the ring with her fingertips, as if to make sure it was real, then slipped it onto her finger. Her eyes then drifted into the distance, and her smile faded slightly.

“No…” she murmured. “I… I’d rather you hadn’t been with me, in there. I’m sorry for…”

She stopped. Too much to say, and not enough words to express it. She took a deep breath.

“What happened? After we were separated?”

She wanted to change the subject. Nimue understood immediately.

“After you hid the ring, I went looking for War and Uriel,” her tone grew more urgent. “They were looking everywhere for you!”

“R-really?” Aisling pulled back slightly, surprised, wiping her tears. “And they listened to you? After what happened?”

“She didn’t give us a choice,” War was approaching, one eyebrow raised. “At first, I thought it was a trap and almost threw her into a lava lake, but… she was convincing.”

Nimue shuddered at the memory.

“I slapped him…”

Aisling’s eyes widened in shock, glancing between Nimue and War as if to confirm she had heard correctly. Clearly, there was a tacit agreement between the two never to speak of that event again, and she didn’t insist, keeping to herself the nervous laughter that bubbled up at the mere visualization of the scene. Then her gaze shifted to War, more serious this time.

“And Uriel?”

War knelt beside her, her expression neither harsh nor compassionate. Only factual.

“She was planning to betray us. The Heavens promised to reinstate the Hellguard and lift her exile if she made up for the mistake of summoning the Four. Handing us over, you and me, was part of the original plan.”

“Hand us over?”

He paused, probing her gaze.

“The Council has found yet another despicable scheme to cover up its wrongdoings. It claims that you, along with all the other human survivors, only lived by selling your souls—to us, the Horsemen. That you sacrificed the rest of Humanity in the hope of saving your own lives… That you helped shatter the Balance.”

Aisling turned pale. The angels’ words came back to her, piercing through the burning fog that clouded her mind.

“They called me a traitor… But it’s not true! It’s absurd! And Uriel… She believed it too?”

“Something you said changed her mind. She wanted to tell us everything before our… disagreement went south and you ran off. We had to improvise a plan when Nimue came to find us.”

The Watcher nodded to confirm, then took a long breath before whispering, her voice almost breaking.

“I’m sorry it took us so long.”

“No…”

With a trembling hand, Aisling gently gripped Nimue’s shoulder, and with the other, she held onto War’s gauntlet. Her clenched fingers pressed gratefully into the presence of those who had walked through fire to find her.

“I’m glad… that you came for me. I was wrong… not to believe in you. I’m… I’m the one who’s sorry. So sorry.”

She took a deep breath, but the air scorched her throat. Her gaze, misted with tears she no longer had the strength to shed, swept over the burning ruins of the fortress, then fell to her blood-stained hands.

A powerful beat of wings split the air, and Uriel, flanked by her soldiers, landed a few paces away. The angel stepped forward slowly, each movement heavy with shame and regret.

“The original sin is ours,” her voice was filled with deep remorse, her head lowered. “Your anger is justified, Aisling. Demanding justice for your people, for your world, through blood, is just as rightful,” her eyes briefly brushed the ruined fortress before returning to the young human. “Angels and demons alike—we knew that Humanity wasn’t ready to fight the End War when the Apocalypse struck… and yet we carried on.”

Uriel drew her sword and dropped to one knee, lowering her head in a gesture of submission. Behind her, her soldiers followed suit, awaiting judgment. Aisling remained frozen, breathless.

“Now that you know what this is, you can invoke the Nex Sacramentum. We will accept our fate.”

Aisling leaned on Nimue and War to help herself up, her legs trembling beneath her.

War, silent, was visibly tense, but he didn’t stop her from moving forward. Slowly, the young human walked toward Uriel, observing the bowed faces of the angels. Yes, she was probably entitled to invoke justice. She had every right to demand vengeance.

But was that what Humanity needed now?

A shiver ran through the Fire Elemental. His blazing eye settled on her, watchful, heavy. Aisling nodded. No.

She took a deep breath and knelt before Uriel. Then, instead of taking the sword, she opened her arms and embraced the angel.

Uriel froze in the hug. All the tension left her body, replaced by stunned silence. Aisling buried her face against her shoulder, exhausted but resolute.

“What’s left inside the box?” she whispered.

A silence stretched between them, suspended in the burning air.

Then Uriel let go of her sword. Its metallic clang echoed across the crater. The angel slowly wrapped her arms around the fragile human figure and held her, with infinite gentleness.

“Hope.”

Aisling pulled back just enough to meet her gaze, a tired but sincere smile on her lips.

“Then that’s a good enough reason to keep fighting.”

A flicker of light sparked in Uriel’s eyes, and for the first time in a long while, she returned her smile.

“Your story made me doubt the Council’s words. No one speaks of hope like that after taking part in the massacre of their own people. I should have listened to my heart back then…”

“You’re listening now. That’s all that matters.”

Behind them, the soldiers of the Hellguard understood that they had just been granted absolution.

The powerful beat of wings from a new squad of angels shattered the fragile quiet of the moment.

Uriel immediately tightened her arm around Aisling, wrapping a protective wing around her as Raguel and his guard descended from the sky, landing heavily a few meters away.

The Archangel looked furious.

His gaze burned with rage, and his accusing finger pointed straight at the young human.

“Uriel! Hand over that creature at once or strike her down where she stands! I want that thing dead!”

A low growl accompanied the steel War drew from his sheath. The Horseman stepped forward, imposing, placing his massive form between the Archangel and Aisling—a silent warning.

Around them, the Hellguard soldiers spread out, forming a barrier between their commander and Raguel’s squad. Aisling shrank a little closer to Uriel, the memory of the chain around her neck still far too vivid.

War didn’t move an inch. His voice dropped—heavy, implacable.

“Turn back, Lord Raguel. There is nothing left for you here.”

“After what she’s done?! With that thing beating in her chest?! She must die! The Council demands it!”

War let his sword fall with a brutal motion, driving it into the ground in a gesture thick with threat.

“And with what army do you plan to enforce the Council’s orders?”

His icy gaze swept over the gathered angels. Some exchanged nervous glances, others took the faintest step back. Raguel was seething.

His face was contorted with fury, his wings twitching with tension.

“You hold no authority here, Horseman.”

War merely snorted loudly, a mocking smirk barely tugging at his lips. Then, slowly, he looked away from the Archangel and turned his eyes toward the massive fire creature lying peacefully behind him. A single sharp whistle sliced through the air.

The Elemental cracked open a blazing eye, and in the glowing red light flickering beneath its lids, Aisling saw a kind of understanding.

“It’s time to go home…”

The moment stretched, suspended in unreal tension.

The colossal flame-born feline rolled its massive shoulders, shaking itself slowly. A cloud of sparks drifted from its coat, crackling in the scorching air. It rose to its full height, tossing its immense mane of embers, then lifted its snout toward the sky.

Aisling watched, stunned, breathless.

The Elemental opened its jaws wide and released a titanic roar that shook the ground beneath their feet. A wave of pulsating heat radiated outward, shattering the last remnants of ice and scorched stone.

And then… it dissipated.

Like a flame blown out by the wind, its body fragmented into a myriad of glowing embers that slowly floated upward, swirling in a hypnotic dance before vanishing one by one into the smoke-darkened sky.

But one of them—larger than the rest, glowing with a deep red light—shot through the air in a sudden flare. It flew straight toward Aisling.

The young woman barely had time to flinch before it struck her chest head-on, sinking into the place where the seed rested. A violent shiver ran down her spine, and her body tensed, expecting searing pain, a fire that would consume her flesh and bones. But none of that came.

Instead of burning her, the flame merged with her—as if it had always belonged. A familiar warmth coursed through her veins, no longer destructive, but powerful and restrained, like a tamed blaze.

She lowered her gaze to her chest, where the red glow pulsed softly beneath her skin before fading away. Her eyes immediately sought out War, who watched her silently, unreadable. Then, in one fluid motion, he turned back toward Raguel.

“I’m not sure this is a question of authority, Archangel…”

His tone remained calm, but it carried an implicit threat that made the furious angel grit his teeth.

“This isn’t over, Horseman. Far from it!”

He clenched his fists, his fury vibrating in the scorching air.

“This day was meant to mark the end of negotiations and the beginning of the true End War. And this human has given her answer.”

Uriel tightened her hold around Aisling, as if to shield her from what was coming next.

“By slaughtering angels, demons, and a Council envoy, she has spoken for her entire race! From this moment on, all shall recognize that what remains of this corrupted Humanity now declares itself ready to join the coming War! For the Balance!”

Aisling felt her throat tighten and what little strength she had left drain from her body in horror.

War didn’t answer right away. Then, slowly, he raised his sword and pointed it directly at Raguel, the steel gleaming in the light of the dying embers.

“Then we’ll see each other on the battlefield.”

There was nothing veiled in the threat. Raguel ground his teeth, jaw clenched in furious tension. Then his murderous glare landed on Uriel.

“And you!” he roared. “I will personally see to it that every last one of you traitors is stripped of your wings!”

The Hellguard soldiers tightened their formation, but Uriel raised a hand to calm them.

“With all due respect, Archangel…” a faint smirk curled her lips. “…I think I’ll stick to exile.”

Raguel turned crimson. He shot one last venomous glance at War, then, reluctantly, motioned for his men to retreat. War watched them until they disappeared into the skies

Aisling, still nestled against Uriel, was trembling.

“What have I done?…”

Sitting at the edge of the crater, Aisling silently watched the flames still licking at the charred ruins of the fortress. Ash swirled in the heavy air, carried off by the wind. One of the Hellguard soldiers had murmured to her earlier that the fortress would likely burn for days, maybe even weeks.

“That’s just as well,” he had added darkly. “It’ll send a message.”

A message. Aisling knew exactly what that meant.

No one spoke of it openly. No one lingered on Raguel’s declaration. But they all knew. The End War was now inevitable. The final clash between the Realms had been set in motion. And it was her doing.

She took a deep breath. Ever since the Elemental had been calmed, the air felt much less hot, the atmosphere less unbearable. Or perhaps she had simply grown used to enduring the unbearable.

War hadn’t wasted any time. He had insisted they leave the area as soon as possible, explaining that angels, demons, and Council envoys would soon flood the place, all looking for someone to blame.

A soldier, wordless, had managed to recover Aisling’s belongings before the fortress was completely swallowed by fire. Now dressed once more, Aisling stared into the depths of the crater, her gaze distant. Beside her, Nimue floated in silence. The small specter said nothing, respecting her need to be alone with her thoughts.

Aisling lowered her eyes to her chest and ran her hand over the Seed. Beneath her skin, she could feel the new energy vibrating there, fed by the essence of the Fire Elemental.

She had succeeded. She should have felt joy. But she couldn’t.

A crushing weight pressed down on her shoulders. A single thought haunted her, over and over again.

The End War was upon them. And she had been the one to start it.

She closed her eyes for a moment, focusing on the rhythm of her breathing. No use letting it consume her now.

Heavy footsteps approached, and she opened her eyes to see War stopping beside her. He extended his arm to help her to her feet.

“We need to go.”

“Where are we going?” she grasped his forearm and pulled herself to her feet.

“We have to return to Ulthane. He’ll know what to do with the Element’s essence. And we need to find the others. There are… decisions to be made.”

Aisling simply nodded. Death was going to kill her. She saw War raise his hand, ready to summon Ruin to leave more quickly, but before he could finish the gesture, she placed a hand on his arm to stop him.

“It’s okay… I can walk.”

“You sure?” War arched an eyebrow.

“Yes… I need to build muscle, remember?”

She offered him a faint but genuine smile. He lifted one brow slightly before replying with a smirk.

Something had shifted between them. Subtle, but tangible. A mutual understanding, a silent respect born from the chaos they had just survived. And it was comforting. That simple feeling grounded her—a tiny island of stability in the ocean of uncertainty that awaited.

But one thought kept returning, heavy and insistent, something she had to say. She took a breath, the heat of the air drying her throat, and looked up at the Horseman.

“War… I need to tell you something,” her tone grew more serious this time.

He turned slightly toward her, attentive.

“Nimue told me she didn’t have time to mention it to you.”

“What is it?” His brow furrowed.

“You’re not going to like it…” she took another breath, searching for the right words. “We lost our way… and we encountered others. I… met someone. A Demon Lord.”

Her voice was barely a whisper now, but she knew War would catch every word.

“And I made him a promise.”

The air grew heavy with unseen tension. War’s expression changed immediately. His gaze hardened, his tone sharpened, laced with restrained anger.

“Who?”

Samael gave an amused smile as he narrowly avoided the impact of the heavy chain of Yurba’s Shackle, which crashed at his feet with a dull, metallic thud. He lowered his gaze to the massive links, then slowly raised his head as he saw War stepping forward with purpose, Aisling just behind him, flanked by Uriel and Nimue.

A feral grin stretched across his lips.

“Well, well… what a touching family portrait. A Horseman, a human, an angel, and a Watcher… Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke,” he tilted his head slightly, feigning thoughtfulness. “Or perhaps… the Horsemen aren’t so removed from earthly squabbles after all?”

“I’m not in the mood for your humor, Samael,” the threat in War’s voice rang clear, sharp as the blade strapped to his back.

The Demon Lord gave a dark chuckle.

“Not even for the irony, Horseman? Didn’t I tell you we’d meet again?”

“Aisling kept her end of the deal, Samael,” War remained focused. “You wanted the chain—you have it. Now release her soul.”

At those words, Aisling felt her stomach twist. Nimue had warned her repeatedly how reckless she had been, but it was only after War explained the true weight of her actions that she fully understood. He had retrieved Yurba’s Collar himself from the smoldering crater. Uriel had opposed it fiercely, predicting without much effort that Samael would only use the chain for something sinister. But War had assured her that if the demon turned it to ill use, he would personally handle the consequences.

Samael let out a rasping laugh, clearly entertained by the whole scene.

“Horseman… fortunately for this little creature, the seed’s power kept me from even considering taking her soul,” he leaned his head slightly toward Aisling, his burning eyes scanning her face. “Her soul still belongs to her… But admit it—it gave you a reason to bring it to me yourself, didn’t it?”

He gestured toward the chain with the tip of one claw, his lips curling into an enigmatic grin. Uriel narrowed her eyes, her hand tightening around the hilt of her sword. Instinctively, she folded one wing partially around Aisling in a protective gesture. Samael’s grin widened, revealing sharp fangs. The Horseman remained unmoved, staring down the demon without flinching.

“You promised information in exchange for the Collar.”

Samael raised an eyebrow, savoring the moment. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he turned away and settled into his makeshift throne, his black wings folding neatly behind him.

“Ah… that’s right. Come forward, little human.”

Aisling took a deep breath before stepping forward, leaving the shelter of Uriel’s wing and exposing herself fully to the demon’s gaze. Samael studied her for a moment, his grin taking on a more contemplative shade.

“It seems you’ve discovered the true price of playing the universe’s game… haven’t you?”

He lifted a hand to stop her from speaking, scrutinizing her one last time, as if testing how long she could endure his burning gaze. One final obstacle before he would give her the answers.

“So then, little one… have you finally learned what it is that turns a child into a woman?”

Aisling’s eyes darkened. She didn’t need him to explain. The answer still stained her skin. Still clung to her like a stench.

Blood.

She knew it. And she hated the irony of it.

She clenched her fists, a shiver of disgust rippling through her. Samael chuckled softly, visibly pleased with her reaction, then slowly shook his head, his tone shifting to something more serious.

“You want to know what happened to the other humans.”

“You know something?” Aisling felt her heart skip a beat.

Samael made a vague gesture, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

“There is little you can keep from me once I have a mind to know it.”

War clenched his jaw, but said nothing. Aisling felt her throat tighten under the rush of adrenaline.

“Then who?”

Samael let the silence hang, savoring the tension that surrounded him. He slowly laced his fingers in front of his face, his burning gaze drifting between Aisling and War.

“I don’t know who had the audacity—or the madness—to convince angels and demons to unite in the hunt for the last humans…” He paused, tilting his head slightly, a predatory smile brushing his lips. “But I’ve heard of someone who would know. And better yet… this lead might take you to the next Elemental Essence.”

War growled, his piercing gaze locked on the demon.

“What do you want in exchange this time?” he rumbled, stepping forward heavily. “And let me make one thing clear, Samael… This time, you deal with me. Not Aisling.”

He spoke her name with weighted gravity, his tone leaving no room for debate. Samael gave a low, mocking laugh that echoed through the Void.

“You’ve grown fond of the little one, Horseman…” His smile widened, taunting. “Didn’t peg you for the nurturing type.”

War didn’t react, his expression unreadable, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed the irritation boiling beneath. Samael let the moment stretch, basking in his amusement before finally shrugging with casual ease.

“Very well… let’s make a deal.”

He straightened slightly on his makeshift throne, raising a clawed hand in a gesture of conciliation, his glowing eyes gleaming with satisfied malice.

“I’m sure we’ll come to an… interesting agreement. Tell me, Horseman… have you ever heard of… the Lahash?”