A burst of white fire blinded everyone for miles in all directions. Her white fire engulfing Nix's black flames as Beloved wrapped her arms around Nix's neck.
I love you.
The instant the flames made contact all of Haven's wounds healed. He shot up after them.
Beloved buried her face in the crook of Nix's feathered neck.
I love you, I love you!
You who gave hope
You who made me free
Showed me dreams can be reality
From before the beginning, long after the sun dies
I will always, always, always love you
Nix closed his eyes. Her white flames had burned all the taint. Most of the humanity… what was left of Ashton wouldn't even fill an average beast core. It… was time.
Beloved didn't let go as Nix's feathers fell away. She didn't let go as they fell. Didn't let go when Haven caught them.
Nix wrapped his arms around Beloved. Breathing in her scent.
"Never regret." Nix whispered as he slowly released Beloved.
"Never." Beloved met Nix's eyes as their bodies started to separate.
"Don't look back." Nix brushed away her tears… then he started to fall.
Beloved closed her eyes, "Always look forward."
Nix didn't blink as Haven used the air currents to fly more than a hundred miles before he could even blink. Haven was little more than a spec on the horizon.
Do not cry, have no regrets
A wonderful life, and a beautiful snake
Don't look back and mourn, don't stop or fret
A snake to cherish, and a snake to protect.
A snake to love, a snake to accept
Haven's mana was unstable, otherwise he'd open a rift. For new he simply flew with Beloved tucked under his head. He could hear Nix's voice as if he were whispering in his ears. For now, he needed distance between the two.
Beloved curled up in Haven's crest feathers, tears slowly falling as her heart was ripped from Nix's control. With each passing heartbeat, with the growing distance… Nix's heart song lost the string that was her. If before their song's were diverging… now they were separate. She could hear his song… but it no longer influenced her own.
It was like she was taking her first steps without holding onto another's hand. Sure, Haven could be considered a wall she leaned on… but it wasn't like holding onto someone's hand, or even their leg.
It was so scary… so scary… and no turning back. The broken piece of Nix's core… was no longer a broken piece of his core. This was… her beast core. She was leaving the last crutch to embrace a life of her own making.
Beloved clutched Haven's feathers. Their own making. She… wasn't alone.
We knew this day was coming, the day to part
Our hearts still bound but not my Beloved
Now a sister, loved from afar
Happy to fly, a life so content
And, in days that will come
Perhaps a mother, nieces and nephews to protect
So look ahead now, if nothing you hear
This is my last wish, as the one you held dear
Beloved felt a fresh flood of tears as she listened to Nix's fading song. Nix's heartfelt plea…
Be happy enough,
For all to behold
Make sure to be cherished, for centuries more
Happy enough… until the last dying ember does fade
Happy enough… to always look forward
Beloved covered her mouth, trying futilely to muffle her sobs. Even after having his heart broken… losing a piece of himself forever… all he wanted was for her to be happy. She would be happy. Happier than any bird had ever been! Her song would fill the skies; there would never be a doubt.
And as her babies grew, as they left the nest… no matter how long it took, she would ensure that no matter where Nix was. He would hear hearts song of his kin. If it took the next ten thousand years, she would embrace every moment with relish.
Haven vaguely understood Beloved's heart song. She was making a promise… to be happy. Haven wanted to curl around her, promise to protect her. Promise her anything she desired if it would make the sadness go away.
They would be happy. Haven would do everything in his power to ensure she never regretted choosing him as her mate. Perhaps, in a hundred years time, when Nix was free of the obligations and sworn oaths… perhaps he would join them.
Haven understood Nix would always be a part of Beloved's life. Not just a part, a piece of her life that would keep her happy. Having Beloved meant having Nix. Having Nix, meant accepting, if only tolerating Ru.
So long as the sun rose, his Beloved could not be killed. So, he would spend every day, for the rest of eternity, ensuring she did what made her happy. Happy enough… to want to see the next sunrise.
Caius watched as his little snack, his pretty birdie was falling! Aiya, he was falling so fast he'd caught fire! He glanced around, most of the humans were still blind from the flash of white fire. If his pretty birdie hit the ground… most of them wouldn't survive the impact.
With a curse, Caius dawned his most concentrated flame. Creating platforms just long enough to rush up to catch his pretty birdie!!! Caius reached out his hands, ready to clutch the hurtling pretty bird to his chest. He'd used his tails to cushion their fall! He'd be hurt, but… no one should die!
Caius could already feel the heat overwhelming his fire. His pretty birdie was still a hundred yards up! Caius forced his cloak of fire to burn hotter. Gritting his teeth as his fur started to curl from the heat. His pretty birdie was less than a dozen meters away! He could do this. Aiya! He would catch his pretty birdie!
Caius held his breath as the skin on his hands started to burn, his pretty birdie within reach! Closing his arms around his precious bundle he prepared for impact!
Ru glanced over the fox he'd caught by the scruff. Catching Nix in his other arm, tucking him into his chest. Ru wanted to disparage the fox… but just sighed as he watched Haven fly. Hardly a moment passed before he was out of sight. A fucking snake. Of course. He should have known if anyone in their family would let a snake in… it would be one of Nix's.
Ru descended with Nix still tucked to his chest. Making sure the fox was healed up, he dropped it amidst its kin.
"Ru it hurts… it hurts so much…" Nix whispered as his tears fell. Clutching his heart as he curled into himself.
"I know." Ru sighed.
"Did I hurt you, did I cause you such pain… when your nest I left?" Watching Beloved leave was harder than anything he'd ever done. To know that she wasn't his, to be left behind. How could anyone bear to have such partings?
"No. But Nix, I'm not you. I've never been the sentimental type." Ru reminded ruffling his little chirp's hair. Honestly, it didn't matter how many eons passed. Didn't seem to matter how many times Nix was hurt… his heart was so damn soft. Crying over every little thing.
Ru recalled the first time Nix saw him kill a fish… no, he'd been crying before the fish even died. Already half a year old and still couldn't hunt for himself… Crying because a half dead fish bullied him. Crying because the fish died. Crying because he had to sleep in his own nest… but for all his tears…
Ru closed his eyes remembering the first time he'd seen Nix injured… protecting stupid nuts instead of flying away. Such a stupid, soft hearted, stubborn… stubborn baby bird.
"Ru I'm not strong, not strong like you… I don't think I'm strong enough… to live as she flies the coup." Nix whispered. He belongs to Ru, the first follower of the sun god. He belongs to Ember so long as she holds his heart… he belongs to the empire until Ashton's wish was fulfilled.
He still belonged to Beloved… but she was no longer his… his nest was once again empty.
"Do you regret leaving? 19 of the 20 cycles are over… You could return." Ru reminded as the last of the wind god's territory dissipated. Now only Nix's influence remained. He'd have to leave soon.
Nix curled tighter as he shook his head. "Never. No matter what, every betrayal worth that moment with Beloved."
Ru smirked, "Life is hard Nix. If it get's too hard, just come back. There's always room for a lil chirp in my nest." With that said, he tucked Nix into his nest. His nest too big for one lil chirp. Ru glanced over the foxes… if nothing else, it had potential.
Ru sighed, was it too much to ask that Nix just pick one of the birds from their home tree? Snakes… foxes… potentially spiders or frogs… at least the snake had feathers.
Nix stared up at the darkening sky. Then he pulled the fox fur blanket over himself. Tomorrow… tomorrow he would try, tomorrow he might die. All the choices left, were not for him to decide.