The sun grew brighter. The concentrated mana seemed to ignite, erasing all shadows and incorporeal intrusions on this piece of reality.

And by all, Mila noted, it really meant ‘all’. Everything that had no physical body was obliterated.

The Horror’s branches were burnt to ashes under the bright flame. The ashes then turned into nothing as the ritual increased in intensity.

At the same time, the songs of Inquisitors were cut short, losing all of their godly presence. The gaze of the higher forces was barred, and their existing influence was cleansed.

Mila watched as wave after wave of ignited mana spread from the centre of the ritual. Of course, it wasn’t actually a visible phenomenon - at least not to the naked eye.

For everyone who didn’t possess the mana sense, the sun simply grew brighter, and the Corruption and the influence of the Gods crumbled and vanished.

There was also no ‘heat’ spreading from the ‘sun’. Even if there was, Mila wouldn’t be able to tell. She hadn’t stopped paying attention to ‘It’, right next to them.

The damn thing was being burnt with relentless intensity. Mila tried to see the disfigured form of Zemny but found only a shadow hidden by the bright flames.

Mila hoped… She hoped whatever the ritual had done… Of course, she could sense ‘It’. This hope had been fleeting.

That is not to say there had been no impact on their enemy at all. For one, ‘It’ had stopped speaking, gazing upwards in what could only be a wonder.

“Isabel,” Mila nudged her girl. “We have to fall back.” She tried to understand what had happened.

The old ghost had acted so confident, but the enemy still stood. Mila tried to pull Isabel backwards but had to support herself against her girlfriend instead.

Mila looked at her bloodless hand and trembling fingers. Her body was failing. She cursed Aaers while checking Isabel’s condition. She feared the worst, but…

Isabel appeared to be fine - as one could be in this situation. Mila sighed in relief, still supporting herself against her girl.

“Pah!”

The exclamation ground against Mila’s mind. ‘It’ sounded displeased. She didn’t know what it had gleaned, but those were good news for them… Probably.

It was hard to say. The world had begun to spin from one side to the other. Mila felt Isabel’s hand wrap around her waist, holding her up.

How could Isabel still stand? Mila couldn’t ask. Her mouth refused to open. She felt, not heard, ‘It’ say something else.

It was a demand, and Mila suspected she knew what kind of demand it was. The disgust and willingness to fight from the alien soul that inhibited her body was clear.

“Ah…” Mila breathed out.

That’s right. Mila remembered. ‘It’ had said so before. Something about ‘Children of Destiny.’ Isabel was apparently one.

These ‘Children’... If they were something ‘It’ took note of… It made them special. While Mila didn’t know what it included, she knew it made them resilient against ‘Its’ corrupting powers.

It was… a relief. Isabel would be fine… Perhaps it was some sort of sick test by Aaers? To see just how much being a child of Destiny meant?

Mila’s mind spun and shook, losing the battle against the manyfold forces working against it. At least - it didn’t hurt.

It was rather strange. The feeling of floating. Mila could not help but worry about her nervous system. It was likely fried, but she rather that than unceasing pain.

The only sense Mila still could rely on was the mana one. She felt the ritual shift into another complicated task. Isabel’s calming, giant mana pool was next to her. Her girl was doing her best…

Then there was ‘It’... Still disgustingly powerful with a connection to a power source that Mila could not comprehend. Not that she tried. The damn ghost didn’t have to remind her to stop.

Mila simply didn’t have other options to interact with the world. It hadn’t been on purpose.

And because Mila had one sense and because it was brushing against the said connection, did she notice the shift.

The ritual had ‘moved’. Mila’s inner world was washed over by a powerful feeling of melancholy. She tried to understand what had happened to Aaers’s anger and disgust.

It all had been replaced by sadness and grim resolve. More complicated emotions came next. Mila felt lost again. She hated it, holding onto her love for Isabel, keeping herself afloat.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Before long, Mila found herself sinking into obliviousness.

—

Mila opened her eyes. She was lying in the same spot - looking at the same lifeless sky with no celestial bodies as always.

The ravaged land stretched to all sides, reminding Mila of her tiny importance in the grand scheme of things. She waited for a moment longer, thinking about her girl.

Was Aaers already out? Had he shown himself to Isabel? If yes, what did Isabel think? Would this impact their relationships? What was happening outside?

Mila finally moved her limbs. She involuntarily enjoyed the painless experience. There were no injuries here. Her body was fine. She raised her hands to check her palms.

There was nothing beneath her skin that shouldn’t be there. Mila shuddered from the recollection.

‘Its’ presence seemed to impact everything biological. With their last encounter ending with Aaers’s victory, she had gathered too much attention from the unmentionable thing.

Mila couldn’t see herself ever facing off ‘It’ on her own at this rate. She sighed, then got up, wondering what Aaers was up to outside.

Except…

“WHY ARE YOU HERE?” Mila gaped at the apparition in front of her. “GO OUT! ISABEL IS ALONE! YOU HAVE TO HELP!”

Aaers shook his head, then raised his hand to appease Mila. He made a few more gestures, trying to explain…

“I DON’T CARE! GO NOW!” Mila’s rage was overflowing. She jumped the damn thing and tried to punch him.

Of course, Mila didn’t succeed. Her punch went wide, with the fleeting remains gliding to the side. “LET ME PUNCH YOU!”

It didn’t happen. Aaers continued to dodge everything Mila threw at him. He made another attempt at calming the girl down and then gave up.

“You monster… Why did you let her see ‘It’?” There was a helpless shrug. “I don’t care if she saw parts of it before and that she is resistant to ‘Its’ corruption. Isabel shouldn’t have seen ‘It’ - no matter what.” She wheezed, feeling her rage build up again.

Then Aaers was gone. Mila collapsed on the ground, punching the dirt. “That…” She didn’t have words to describe her feelings.

At least Aaers had taken over her body. Mila fell on her side and listlessly looked at the barren horizon. Her worry didn’t abate, but her emotional force was spent.

All Mila could manage was apathy and hope Isabel was fine.

—

There would be a hell to pay. Aaers knew Mila would not forgive him for this. Not anytime soon. Even if it was for the good of both girls, he was treading thin ice.

Aaers didn’t move yet. He had waited until the last moment - until Mila’s heart had stopped. His task now was to rebuild and improve what was lost and damaged beyond repair.

It was a delicate matter. Aaers studied the destroyed nervous system, curdling blood, singed bones and torn muscles. He couldn’t save her. Not alone.

But Aaers wasn’t alone. Only because Mila’s body was unresponsive and unable to move did he not cry and call ‘Her’ name.

A slight brush of broken, fading consciousness brushed against Aaers mind. His heart shook, and his endless emotions crashed against the gentle touch.

It responded with a tender reprimand. The piece of ‘Her’ was even smaller and weaker than Aaers had been for all those years. He knew it still could carry on only because ‘She’ was… Had been eternal.

No more…

This remnant was without true ego - just a ball of cherished emotions yearning for times past and future together.

And it, too, would fade after ‘Her’ task was fulfilled. Aaers reminisced for a moment longer. He enjoyed the warmth and connection that came only once in a lifetime.

In this place, ‘She’ was still present. Only because this place was not where ‘She’ had been born and died. Aaers sunk into the warmth of their love. It was an unshakable, eternal thing - something they had not managed to be.

A nudge against Aaers’s mind woke him up. He suffered through the chiding and begrudgingly returned to reality.

There was not much time. The transfer had begun. Aaers felt a shard of his long-lost strength return.

It wouldn’t make him whole - it never truly would happen, but it would be enough to get them out of the current situation. Aaers accepted part of himself, incorporating the lost into the whole.

Then, Aaers reached out for ‘Her’ again, relying on what he intended to do. He needed help.

The strange touch trembled, then sensed the body Aaers was inhibiting now. Then came a teasing pout, asking what he was doing in another woman’s body.

Aaers could only smile bitterly. He had missed this, too. Another exchange happened as he explained why Mila was important.

The memory agreed. ‘She’ joined Aaers in his attempt and began mending Mila’s broken form, giving it new life, new potential.

Under their considerate care, Mila’s body knit together, purging away the corruption sown by the enemy. Aaers asked about ‘It’, but ‘She’ didn’t know.

‘It’ had not existed alongside them both. Aaers agreed. This enemy had come after their time. He asked more questions, tiptoeing around the larger issue.

Aaers didn’t want to ask… Why had ‘She’ done it. Why had ‘She’ sacrificed herself… He already knew but was unwilling to accept.

And his thoughts couldn’t be concealed anyway. ‘She’ noticed Aaers sulking reflections and ‘sighed’. A reminder of his own decisions of self-sacrifice was mercilessly thrown back.

Aaers winced, knowing he had no room to argue. He immersed himself in mending Mila to weather the stormy response. Despite ‘Her’ being just a memory, she was just as he remembered her.

It didn’t take long for Mila’s body to regain its vitality. Aaers felt the body become able to move. He pulled the air into the lungs. New blood began pumping in Mila’s veins. Her muscles became stronger and more enduring.

Aaers was ready to show himself to the world. Only… He contacted ‘Her’. He couldn’t let everyone know about him or ‘Her’. Their remnants had to remain unknown. He sent his love through the bond and received the same in return.

This… This would be the last time they had a contact. Aaers knew the memory had lost most everything it was held together by.

All that remained was enough power to send them back. But before Aaers could move - a message was sent.

‘Her’ body was still intact.