Hellbound With You

"I'm sorry but I would not accept it. I don't want it, Ezekiel. I also know that the spell won't change the fact that I can no longer go to the afterlife when I finally die due to old age. I will still disappear into nothingness once I die for the second time. For me, that's the same outcome. That spell will only prolong the inevitable. So I don't want it. I don't want it…" she finally broke down and cried in his embrace. She kept shaking her head even while being held in his arm and gentle embrace.

Ezekiel just kept silent and held her tightly in his arms. He did not bother to say anything anymore and just let her cry out her frustrations. He was just holding her like he was unsure whether to do something or not for fear that he might end up making her sobbing even worse.

He was now sitting on top of the stone, with her cradled on his lap, head still buried on his shoulder as she sniffled away.

His hand was caressing the back of her head in steady and gentle rhythm when he suddenly stilled in his movements.

Then a dark swirl of smoke-like magic appeared in his palm over Alicia's head.

She fell asleep in an instant, but her breathing was still stuttering. He did not even give her the time to calm down from her crying.

Ezekiel lifted his gaze, but he did not make any other movement other than that one spell. He kept his hands where they were even as Zeres appeared from across them.

"Do you recognize me, Kiel?" Zeres asked as he stood there.

He had met Alexander a while ago. And the man had wanted to stop him from approaching Ezekiel. Now he knew why after taking a look at the man.

"Yes." Kiel replied in a low voice, and Zeres sighed out in relief. Then his gaze then onto Alicia who was cradled in the man's embrace. Though she was not moving, he knew that she only seemed to be in a deep sleep. Alexander was right, she was really alright.

"I've found the spell." Zeres lifted the frame in his hand.

"Did you hear what she had just said?" came Kiel's straight question. He did not try to avoid the matter.

Zeres' grip on the frame tightened at that question, then his throat worked before he replied. "Yes, I heard it." his voice was tight as he said that. He had never thought that Alicia actually knew about this spell's existence. And he had never thought that she had no wish for it. Now he understood why she had told him to stop looking for the spell that time.

He understood her. Knowing Alicia, Zeres somehow knew that the possibility of her declining having the spell used on her was very high. But he believed he and everyone could eventually make her accept it in the end.

But listening to her words earlier and the way she had broken down and cried, now he was not so sure about that anymore. His heart ached as he listened to her voice keep repeating that she did not want it. He felt that forcing her to accept the spell would only cause her more hurt instead of helping her.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Kiel." Zeres gave out a sardonic smile. His voice come out sounding so defeated. "All I want is to… bring her back… but if she doesn't want to –"

"You will bring her back using the spell, Zeres." Kiel's voice sounded so certain. His decision undisputable.

And that look in his eyes, Zeres knew that look. It seemed that Ezekiel already had a solution to this problem, another plan that must already be in the works.

Zeres eyes twitched as he took a step closer. "What are you planning to do?"

"I can't tell you for the time being. But I can assure you that everything will be alright in the end. Alicia will come back to life… that I can promise you Zeres." Ezekiel's voice was confident. He sounded as though he knew exactly what he was doing.

Silence reigned as Zeres processed what Kiel had said. He could feel it in his bones, that Kiel was beyond serious. He had never seen him like this before, never heard him spoke like that before. This man… he was currently so unrecognizable right now. He was somehow reminded of… Alexander. Like how he was, back in the past when he was trying to protect Abigail.

And again, just like that time, as he looked at them right now, it did not seem to be as painful as he thought it would be. Was it because he was somehow prepared for this already? He did not know, but he was just glad that the pain was somehow tolerable.

It also helped that Kiel right now was like this. All his doubts about him just crumbled at just the sight of him. The way he was holding Alicia, the way he said that promise, the way he… looked right now… he could not even make himself still doubt the man anymore. This was not the same old iron hearted Kiel that he knew in the past anymore.

Zeres nodded at him. He was not going to ask or pry about the details anymore. Because he already knew that deep within him, he was going to put his trust in him on this matter whether he liked it or not.

"Okay, I will be trusting you on this, Kiel." Zeres breathed out.

"I will need you exactly seven days from now. You will help out with that spell, Zeres." Kiel informed him and he could only nod.

"I will be there. It's at the Reigns castle, right?"

When Kiel nodded, Zeres moved to leave but he halted and took a final look back. "Take care of Alicia, Kiel." His voice floated over softly as Ezekiel kept his eyes trained on Zeres' leaving form.

"You don't need to tell me, but rest assured, I will."

Zeres smiled and then he finally disappeared from the area.

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