Chapter 6: The Eclipse Awakens
1566 Words
Erick’s POV
The forest felt wrong; something wasn't right.
Erick walked through the trees, checking the edges of their protected area. But he kept thinking about the clearing, about Deborah sitting close to the altar. She was trying hard to convince herself that what they had shared meant nothing.
He had felt her fear when they touched. It was strong and real, the fear of someone who had built such high walls around herself that she'd forgotten what it felt like to let anyone in.
He understood that fear, having lived with it for ten years.
But he'd also felt something else. Underneath her struggle and panic, there was desire. She was attracted to him, drawn to him in a way that had nothing to do with the prophecy or the Council's tricks.
And that scared her the most.
Erick stopped at a huge oak tree, its trunk wider than three men standing side-by-side. The bark felt warm under his hand, almost too warm. He pulled away, confused.
The temperature was rising.
Not slowly, but in waves. One moment, the morning air was cool and pleasant; the next, it felt hot against his skin like the middle of summer.
He looked up through the leaves and branches.
The sky had turned to a strange purple-grey color, even though the sun had only risen an hour ago. Clouds gathered quickly, twisting and turning like they were being stirred by a giant.
"That's not possible," he whispered.
A howl cut through the air. It was far away, but he knew it was a wolf. Another howled back from a different direction, then another. Soon, the forest was filled with wolf cries, all saying the same thing.
Erick's inner wolf reacted immediately, understanding the message even if his human mind didn't.
The sky is bleeding. The prophecy is waking up. Run.
He started running before he even thought about it, racing back through the trees toward the clearing. Branches hit his face as his boots hit the ground, and the ground shook with each step.
The temperature jumped again. Sweat covered his skin even though it was still early in the day.
He ran into the clearing and stopped, shocked.
Deborah stood in the middle of the altar area, looking up at the sky. Silver light flowed from her hands, her eyes, her mouth. It swirled around her like living smoke, beautiful and scary.
"Deborah!" He ran toward her, but an invisible wall stopped him. He fell to the ground, unable to breathe.
Above them, the sun started to die.
Not slowly fading, but suddenly darkening. A black circle moved across the sun's face with impossible speed, taking away light as it went.
An eclipse.
But eclipses didn't happen like this. They didn't move this fast or feel alive.
Erick stood up, his skin burning where the wall had hit him. Golden light appeared on his arms, reacting to whatever was happening to Deborah.
"Fight it!" he yelled. "Don't let it control you!"
She turned her head towards him. Her eyes glowed pure silver, with no dark center. When she spoke, her voice echoed, as if many people were speaking through her mouth.
"The cycle is ending. The blood remembers. Two become one, and one becomes everything."
"That's not what you are talking about. Deborah, listen to me. Come back."
The wall seemed to move, but it stayed strong. Erick put his hands on it, ignoring the pain that shot up his arms. His golden light met her silver flames, and for a moment, the wall got thinner.
He saw Deborah's real face. Under all the power and the things controlling her, she was scared. She was stuck in her body, watching magic use her.
Their eyes met. Erick felt the huge connection between them. It wasn't nice or loving, but heavy. It was a connection made a long time ago, part of them since before they were born.
He knew why she was fighting it.
It wasn't a choice. It was going to happen.
"I'm here," he said gently. "You aren't alone, Deborah. We'll face this together."
Something changed in her eyes. She recognized him. She felt relieved.
The block broke.
Erick stepped forward as Deborah almost fell. He caught her, held her close.
The moment they touched, the eclipse ended.
It got completely dark. Not like night, but like no light at all.
Like before, there were stars.
Then Erick's body lit up.
It didn't hurt, but it was strong. Gold light came from all over him. His birthmark spread across his body. Old symbols appeared on his skin, burning and freezing.
Deborah screamed into his chest. Her silver light burst out, mixing with his gold. Where their powers met, things changed. The air moved. The ground cracked, glowing.
Erick held her tight. He wouldn't let go, even though his body felt like it was breaking.
"Stay with me," he said. "Don't let go."
She grabbed his shirt, digging her nails into his back. She hid her face against him, and he felt her tears.
They were both broken. Both are changing. Both were scared.
But they weren't alone.
The darkness above them started to beat. With each beat, Erick felt something old waking up inside him. He had memories that weren't his.
A man with gold eyes next to a woman with silver hair.
Two empty thrones are waiting.
A fight against shadow, against creatures from the dark.
A last fight. A sacrifice. A split that made one power into two.
And a promise: When their blood comes back together, the cycle will be complete.
Erick gasped. The visions stopped. He was on his knees, still holding Deborah. Their light made a circle of protection around them.
The eclipse started to go away. Light came back slowly. The clearing had changed.
The shrine was shining brightly, full of energy. Symbols were glowing everywhere. The trees around the open area were leaning away, like they were bowing down. And the ground where they were kneeling had changed. The dirt had become a smooth, black stone, marked with the same symbols that were now on their skin.
Deborah woke up in his arms. Her eyes opened, still amber, but now with specks of silver that looked like they were there to stay. She looked at him, confused and looking weaker than he'd ever seen her.
"Erick?" Her voice was rough. "What happened?"
He started to answer, but a sharp pain shot through his chest. He looked down and was horrified to see a new symbol carving itself into his skin, over his heart. This one wasn't gold, but silver and gold mixed together.
Deborah gasped, quickly putting her hand to her own chest. Under her ripped shirt, the same symbol appeared, burning into her skin above her heart.
"No," she whispered. "No, this can't be..."
But it was already finished. The symbols flashed once, so bright it hurt, then settled into their skin as if they'd always been a part of them.
Erick tried to stand up, to move, but his legs wouldn't work. His vision got blurry around the edges. Every part of him felt sensitive and exposed.
"Something's wrong," Deborah said, her voice getting quieter. "I can't... I can't move."
He couldn't either. His arms, which had been holding her tightly a moment ago, went limp. He fell to the side, barely noticing Deborah falling next to him.
His last clear thought before he passed out was that they were lying face to face, close enough that he could feel her breath on his lips.
Close enough to see the fear in her eyes, looking back at him.
Then, nothing.
Erick started to wake up, but it was slow and confusing.
Pain shot through him. Every part of him ached.
He felt like he was burning up, a terrible heat deep inside.
He heard voices, far away at first, but they got louder.
"...found them... markings... strange..."
"...the old story... It's real... both..."
"...still alive... just barely..."
Erick slowly opened his eyes. He could only see blurry shapes moving above him. He smelled wolves, a scent he knew, but that felt different now.
Then, he could see clearly. Elder Thorne was there, looking older and more worried than Erick had ever seen him. There was something else in his face, too. Like he was amazed, or maybe scared.
"Erick," Thorne said, his voice weak. "Can you hear me?"
Erick tried to speak, but he couldn't. He just nodded a little.
"Don't try to move," Thorne said. He put his hand on Erick's shoulder, and it felt warm and strong. "The eclipse changed you both. Your bodies are getting used to it. You're going to be okay. Both of you."
Both.
That word got through to Erick's confused mind. He turned his head, even though it hurt, and saw Deborah lying next to him on a bed. She wasn't awake, and her skin was covered in shiny, silver lines that glowed.
Even like this, she looked strong. Like a fighter who'd been knocked down, but not broken.
Beautiful.
That was the last thing he thought before he passed out again.
But this time, he wasn't alone. He felt Deborah there with him. They were connected now, like a small light in the darkness.
Whatever they were turning into, they were going through it together.
No matter what.
- Writer
