Fractures of Eternity

A green aura spiraled around me as my body gave off a white hue, drawing all eyes to me, including the warlock’s, who couldn’t take his eyes off me.

“What? Impossible… The curse should’ve been rooted deep into you already. How are you fighting it?!” Jin muttered, shocked at what was happening.

I already know what it is to be a slave! It’s been engraved into my soul since I came into existence!Never again!

“Hah… Don’t put me with those weak, pathetic beings you made into a puppet!” I snapped, clutching onto the dagger, prompting cracks to appear on it, as it couldn’t handle my essence rippling through it. “This is nothing to me! Do you think a fucking mortal can control me?!”

The anguish I was feeling was extreme yet alluring at the same time.

If this is the price to be free from you, then I’ll gladly endure it endlessly!

The energy radiating from me was almost blinding, as I was absorbing the magic within the cursed object—something I had never done, yet I was about to unleash it on him. I didn’t even realize it when I got close to him, though the slippery snake near me probably had to do with it. With the emotions radiating from me, he knew it was what I needed, as nothing else would quell me other than this warlock dying by my hand. The terror in his eyes, though, was beyond me.

Back when we fell, he thought he might’ve imagined it, but he quickly realized I was no normal being. I didn’t know what expression I was making, yet surely it wasn’t one fit to be a goddess.

“Fool! My will isn’t something a weak pig like you can crush! No one will control me! Not you or the gods and definitely not fucking Yama! All of you who try can go to fucking oblivion for all I care!” I spat, concentrating the energy onto the blade, which was about to snap.

“Vivian!” Loki called out to me, but he wouldn’t take a step toward me.

Eli knew what I felt, which meant he also did, and tonight, he would see how I truly was. Nothing mattered to me while I stood in front of Jin. For the first time since this night began, the world suddenly became secondary in my worries when I grabbed onto his hair, yanking it up to expose his neck.

“I’ll send you there myself!” I seethed, slicing his neck ear to ear with the same dagger he had used to enslave me and others, prompting a chain reaction as green lights beamed up into the sky, around the city, culminating on me, which ended with a golden, blind light consuming everything around us.

However, all I could see was the warlock before me, struggling to keep his hold on this world.

“Rot along with anyone who seeks to control others!” I finished as a white light consumed me, turning the dagger into ashes, as it dripped from my hand and towards the floor.

When the light dimmed, Jin’s lifeless body stood before me as it was finally over.

Crap… I… might have… lost it there for a bit. I have no idea if I used my magic or the one stored within the curse.

There was a pressing matter I needed to attend to. Despite my body’s desire to rest, I wouldn’t. On the warlock’s neck, a key hung.

“Vivi,” Loki breathed, prompting my heart to ache.

You’re… such a fool. There’s no reason for your voice to sound so desperate to reach me.

Eli was with me as my prince approached me from the side when Thea made her presence known.

“You…” Thea mumbled, standing up from where she was.

Even though my rags and most of my skin were bloodied, my mark was on display from the moment my prince touched me. I grabbed onto the key, yanking it off the dead warlock’s neck as she couldn’t fill the blanks.

“Loki, she—” She pursed her lips, shaking her head, shifting her gaze between me and her brother.

Green and white orbs surrounded the entire city, alerting everyone that a curse had been lifted. Upon being called, my prince turned to her as he grabbed my waist.

“Look, I can explain,” He sighed.

His grip on me was protective as I shook my head, turning to her, too.

Friend, or enemy?It doesn’t matter in the end.

“There isn’t anything to explain. I’m the being your mother’s looking for. Your brothers’ link.” I intercepted, throwing the key at her.

She caught it, though her eye didn’t tear from me. The fact that I had thrown her freedom at her surprised her, especially since she knew who I was, yet what came out of her mind was completely different from what I expected.

“Huh?! Aren’t you supposed to be this powerful being?! Why did you let that man do that to you?!” Thea questioned me.

In an instant, laughter erupted from me as this entire family was strange.

“What?” Loki mumbled, getting even more concerned.

This is dumb.

“Ah, that worries you. Why didn’t I end things sooner? Please,” I cackled. “Stupid girl, I doubt you’ll understand, but I’ll enlighten you.”

I drew away from Loki, taking a few steps towards Thea, who was trying to open the collar with the key I threw at her.

“Huh?” She mumbled, struggling with it.

There’s no reason to hide anything anymore. My time with you is ending. Can I take you with me? No… I can’t, but…

“There’s a rift opened between the celestial plane and this realm, which prevents me from using my magic to the fullest potential, but I already screwed up multiple times tonight when I used my magic on Tania, and I don’t know if this was me or something else,” I sighed. “I tried to limit my power after I was made aware, since going all out can invite the living gods’ attention to us, which we need to avoid if we want this world to stay as it is.”

Compartmentalize everything, Vivian. Don’t let your real emotions show.

“I recommend we all achieve that goal because it concerns your reality too, little wolf,” I added, gazing at Eli, as this snake was the perfect example of what happened whenever the others were around.

“So, you just…” Thea trailed off, biting her lip.

It seemed I wasn’t the same being she was taught I was by her mother, as the disbelief and bewilderment were prevalent in her crimson gaze.

“I simply endured everything while waiting for a moment to strike, which was a setback on my plan since I can’t be more than a fucking mortal girl while the rift is up. Hopefully right now… Argh… screw it.” I shivered, remembering how the warlock’s tongue felt on me.

Hah… Stop… don’t think about…

“But why did you save us? You could have let them—” She tried to continue to query me.

“Look, the only reason I saved you was because I might need you later.” I huffed, turning away from her.

“Oh, I see. So, we’re just pawns for you. Is that why you let Jin have his way with you?” Thea didn’t back down.

“Exactly,” I agreed, wishing it would end, triggering Eli to hiss louder than he ever had.

“Wait, the warlock did what?!” Loki growled loudly, prompting my gaze to dart toward him for a moment before landing on the floor.

Crap… Now you know…

“Is that why you scream at Jin how much you—” she sprouted with a sly smile on her lips.

My heart snapped at her as she drew my entire attention onto her. In those moments, I had openly declared how I felt for the vampire that had won my heart.

“S-Shut up! T-That was just to antagonize him!” For once, my cheeks felt like they would fall off as this wolf had me right where she wanted.

“Wow! I see why you’re fond of her, big brother.” She smirked, finally freeing herself from the collar.

In one instance, the red aura came back to her as all her injuries had healed almost instantly.

Oi… How unpleasant. I want to wipe that expression off your face.