For the Hate of God

What prophecy?

Aralyn’s POV

I went to talk with Nethanaiah and Merlius and told them about my plans. They seemed to be displeased. “I knew that he would be the problem. I should have kicked him out of our home straightaway. No, I shouldn’t even allow him to get here. When you came with him and when I had the chance to kill him on the spot, I should have done it. It was so easy to shred him to pieces when he was unconscious. And I missed this perfect chance. Now he hurt you, and you are exposing yourself to danger to go to Wengarthria for revenge. It all could have been avoided if I killed him on the same day Meena brought him here.” Merlius said, while Meena winced firstly and then growled at him. Nethanaiah pushed him to the side.

Nethanaiah’s POV

I have ushered Merlius away from Aralyn.

“Merlius, are you stupid? Don’t you see that Aralyn and Meena are not on the same page when it comes to this? Don’t you see that Aralyn struggles to accept the mate bond with Marcellus, unlike Meena? Although Aralyn claims that she wants to go to Wengarthria to kill Marcellus, it is obvious that she is being pulled there by the mate bond. Think about it. If she wanted to kill him, she could have done it when he was lying in the comma. It was a perfect opportunity to do so, and she didn’t do it. Why do you think she didn’t do it? I think she still cannot admit to herself that she has feelings for him, unlike Meena.

That is why she lets Meena control her actions while caring for Marcellus. Don’t be fooled by her words. She wants to go there to save Marcellus, not to kill him. What I didn’t tell you is that there is a prophecy about this. This is her destiny, and I don’t think she is fully aware of it. And I think we should go with her no matter the reason why she wants to go there. I feel that this is part of our destiny too and a role to play in hers, as well as in the history of the world we know.”

“What prophecy?” he asked me.

“I remember seeing it in one of the books of our elders while I was still leading priestess in the council of Elders at Charterwallis. It read: “The child belonging to all the worlds but born to none will pierce the heart of evil and break the shackles of hate with the lance of purity and innocence.” I have told him, he looked at me with doubt.

“Merlius, I am sure Aralyn is that child, and I want to be there for her. I maybe did not give birth to her, but she is my daughter. I want to be there for her.” I have told him with the hope that he will see how resolved and determined I am when it comes to this. I hope that he will see that there is no way that I will change my mind on this.

“No, it is too dangerous. I don’t want to lose you.” He told me as he pouted.

“And what about Aralyn then? Are you ok with her going there on her own? Aren’t you afraid of losing her?” I quipped back. He looked at me blankly. And then I saw it, raw fear in his eyes.

“Nat, you are just a fae elder, and I am a banished beta Lycan. We have no chance of survival in Wengarthria. Wengarthria is a realm of death and punishment, and we are very much alive. We are signing off our death sentence if we follow her there. She has celestial and Wengarthrian blood in her veins. She has some chances to survive. You and I, on the other hand, are heading towards certain death if we go there. What kind of help could we offer her anyway? We will just be a burden to her.” he said.

“Think it through, please. I will follow you to certain death if that is your wish because living without you is meaningless, but why are you putting yourself in harm’s way, danger and death intentionally? This will not help Aralyn. It will just make things harder for her. And if she is on a mission to find Marcellus in Wengarthria and to face her father, things will already be excruciatingly difficult and dangerous for her. Why to deepen her troubles?” he continued preaching, but it fell on deaf ears. I have already made my decision.

“…If you love her, you will stay here, and you will stay alive for her. Aralyn already lost one mother; don’t let her lose another too, just because of your selfish and reckless decisions.” he tried to reason with me. But it just boiled my anger and made my wish to help Aralyn and to go there with her even greater.

“Blood of one of the ruling deities in Wengarthria is running through Aralyn’s veins. Our girl is going to be ok. I know who she is and who her parents are. I know she has it in her. And you do, too. I know she will win, and I will be there to support her by any means I can because she is my child. You can come with me or stay here and cry your eyes out of the guilt. It is up to you. I am going, with or without you.” I said firmly.

“You and I are just a wolf and fae couple. It is too dangerous. I don’t want to lose you. She can’t lose you.” he said with a pleading tone but I know he felt that I would not let this go.

“Nope, I am going to Wengarthria with Aralyn, with or without you.” I stood my ground, knowing that his defence walls were already falling down and that he would do whatever I said.

I watched the visible exasperation on his face that followed a sigh and a barely suppressed urge to roll his eyes. The frown on his face remained intact, though, making him look like a cute little angry wolf puppy. “Ok, then I am going with you.” was the only thing he said.

Well, what else could he say? I won, and he lost. I know that I am one of his greatest strengths and one of his biggest weaknesses. He will do whatever I say. We came back to Aralyn, who seemed deeply lost in some thought. I could sense that she was having some debate with Meena. Meena's presence was so close to the surface that it was almost palpable, although Aralyn was still in reign. Aralyn’s irises were morphing from her human lavender blue to neon-purple pits with lilac flakes, which would spill across her eyes when her Lycan was in control.

“So, is your decision final, Aralyn? You still want to go to Wengarthria and seek for Marcellus?” I asked again.

Aralyn nodded and looked at us with a deep determination written all over her face and said: “I have already told you awhile ago. Before I told you about this, I thought it through and decided. I am not going against my word and am sticking to my guns. So yes, my decision is final. I am going to Wengarthria.”

Merlius and I exchanged looks, and he opted to let me speak my mind, yet he sighed with defeat.

“Merlius and I discussed this. We want to go with you. What do you think?” I asked, although I knew the answer without asking.

Her face instantly radiated with one of those rare 100-megawatt smiles that made her beauty even more remarkable and radiant.

“Really!!!?” she squealed in a gushing falsetto and almost choked me with a hug, whilst I saw Merlius doing his best and almost failing to hold back from rolling his eyes.

“Are you guys sure that this is what you want? This is not going to be an easy trip, and on the journey ahead, I expect to face many life-or-death dangers,” she said calmly as if she were talking about attending an opera.

“You are our family, Aralyn, and we will support you wherever life takes you. We will not shy away from being there for you just because obstacles you may encounter are challenging. We will not abandon you, ever. This is what family is all about. We will always be your family, even when things get tough, dangerous or risky. Is that right, Merlius?” I poked Merlius in the ribs with an elbow, and he grunted.

He nodded his head and said: “Mhm, mhm.” although this sounded very much like being extorted, but, hey, I guess I will accept it. At the end of the day, I extorted his acceptance to an extent. Our girl needs every figment of support now, no matter the means she gets it from. It may sound selfish, as it is obvious that Merlius disagrees with this, but I know that anyone willing to support me will be very much needed on this road to hell. So, sorry, Merlius, I thought to myself. Merlius didn’t seem thrilled with this, to put it lightly. You could even see that Aralyn noticed his reluctance and grumpiness. Even she could see that he was doing this just because of me, but you could also see that Aralyn didn’t care. I guess as long as she had someone who showed her some love and support and that she belonged to someone, she would take it. It was so visible that the girl was so lonely. I am glad that I can call her my daughter.

“Get ready then. I am planning to go there in two days.” She said with clear determination in her voice.