Chapter 15: The God
Persephone
Solskin had an unsettling smile on his face. It reminded me of C'Dor, his blank stare, blood winding its way down his cheek, sending chills down my spine. Solskin stared at me blankly, blood trickling out of his mouth.
"This is for the best." He rasped.
Fear and concern permeating through my voice, I cried out "For the love of Zeus, damn it all! What has come over you, Solskin!"
Rushing towards him, pocket watch in hand, I frantically examined his wound and checked his pulse. He was passed out, his blood slowly forming a pool at his feet. I pulled out the sword, dark red blood, almost black in color, coated the sword. The blood wouldn't stop pouring out. I pressed my hands against his wound, trying in vain to stop it. My hands quickly stained. Uttering a quick prayer, I pumped mana into the wound, but it was not enough. He was bleeding too much. It was just like Crono. I was truly cursed. Why were the Fates so cruel?
"Oh, gods almighty. Why?" I prayed feverishly. Tears fell to the floor. Tears which had not flooded since that day. Since the day Thanatos came to me.
"Thanatos, don't take him. Please- not yet." I choked up, as I continued to pump mana into the pumping blood covering Solskin's wound.
"Please, please-" as my voice failed me I continued to pray quietly between sobs. "Thanatos, you are just… and you are fair. But for once… just once, take pity on this soul. Leave him alive. He is not ready for the three judges… he has much left to do."
I kept up my prayer, even as his breath grew shallower and shallower. I pulled out my watch and set on his chest. It ticked slowly towards midnight, every shift of the hands a heart-rending death knell that only I could hear. He was a friendly and honest face among the hardened warriors that adventuring creates, remaining hopeful and kind in the harsh world of his chosen profession. Solskin. I resolved that I would do whatever it took to help him. I forced more mana into his weakening body while thinking about the time I had spent with him. How he fought. The sadness he felt whenever he drank. Him drinking despite that. But in every one of my memories, Solskin was just so alive. It just felt wrong for him to not be. But then, it came to me.
"Thanatos." I rasped, my voice hoarse from all the tears. My hands shook from the constant pour of mana through them. "I am not powerful enough to keep him alive. I know that. But, if it lets him survive… Take everything. Even if I have to spend years giving up my magic for this one moment, then so be it."
I felt so tired. My body was drained and shook with exhaustion. Yet, I pushed on, empty every bit left in me. His breathing grew shallow. My vision blurry, I glanced at my pocket watch. Three seconds. He had three seconds left. "Why?" I murmured. Yellow spots danced on my peripherals as my body gave out from under me. The room spun and my head pounded. All I could hear was the slow thumping of Solskin's heart.
Then it stopped and all became quiet. I looked at my watch. It was one second until midnight. The clock hand kept flinching closer to midnight, before returning to it's past time. Suddenly, the glass cracked and I felt a comforting aura.
"You are quite desperate, little one." His voice resonated with my very core. It was slightly melodic, but it contained no emotion. "You begged the god of death, me, Thanatos, for life?"
I closed the watch and knelt. His blue aura surrounded me, instantly recharging my mana. I felt invigorated and calm. "Thanatos, thank you for coming."
"No need, though seems that the darkness found you first."
"It has. It claimed the lives of my companions."
"Ah yes, them. The Fates created a very interesting group."
"How so?"
"I am not to privy to tell."
"Can you save him? I believe he is of use to us. He is skilled." I kept my voice calm, trying to keep my emotions in check.
"Indeed he is. But he is dying, and not by the Fates' design."
"Can you save him?" My voice become pointed. I stared intently at him, my eyes crying out in a silent plea.
"I normally could, provided The Fates allowed it. But with this one? There is an issue. Darkness has tampered with The Fates and the underworld. Saving him will come at great cost."
"I am willing to take it."
"Then it shall be done." His eyes glowed a cold blue. There was a growing sense of dread creeping upon my soul.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone