There was a large crack from the Ortus and Ben looked up, his brows furrowing for a moment before he looked back down at her, his wings folding against his back. There was a pause. "I love you," he said softly, tilting his head. "Be brave."
He looked away for a moment and reached out his hand to Edgar. "Edgar," he said, his voice gentle. "Edgar, give it to me. Give me the Magyck. Trust me. I can fix this." Edgar's eyes settled on him and he took a deep breath as he reached out his own hand. The Magyck instantly took hold of Ben. As they watched, Ben's back arched, his wings blackening as they burned. He screamed in agony and Edgar collapsed to the ground, a huddled mass. The Magyck ebbed around Ben's silhouette, investigating its new owner, and there was a moment as it settled. Ben's hand jerked out, and he touched the Ortus.
Cal whimpered, trying to keep ahold of herself. She struggled, small cries slipping through as the events unfolded.
The Magyck swirled around him and there was a moment before he let it return, his head tipped back to look up, as if desperate for a view of the stars. The Magyck streamed back from him into the Ortus and he gasped before he fell, landing in a heap in front of the machine. The darkness around them cleared and the Magyck returned to its machine. The cages that surrounded them fell, and all that could be heard was the ticking of the Ortus in front of them as it resumed its work. Boris stood and immediately went to the machine, checking the various parts.
Before she touched him, she knew that he was gone. His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open. His face seemed relaxed, though, almost peaceful. The comforting, familiar rise and fall of his chest was gone, his body now empty and still. His wings were gone, the Magyck having burnt them off, and his black hair flopped softly in front of his face, his head tilted off to the side. He almost could have been sleeping.
She let out a sob, pulling his limp body close to her. She kept him close, her face in his shoulder as cried, the sound was that of total despair. "Please wake up, Ben. Please wake up."
His strong heartbeat was absent in his chest. Puck came up behind her, his hand resting on her back. "Oh, Cal..."
Above them, the Ortus ticked and hummed quietly, resuming its work with the precision that it had utilized for centuries. * * * Twenty Years Later The sun streamed gently through the forest leaves as she closed the door of the house behind her. A sweet summer breeze ruffled her hair as she walked down the path to the meadow, lifting the latch of the gate as she moved languidly out to the pasture. The pathway was one she was very familiar with, the cobblestone steps old and worn under her feet. On her back, his breaths soft and quick, Clem slept peacefully, his small fist curled against the back of her neck, his soft brown hair tickling her skin. The infant was strapped to her back in a silken carrier, the green fabric securing him to her. For a moment, it almost felt as it had when she had carried him; just the two of them acting as one unit.
She travelled the worn path, her breaths soft and steady as she moved quietly, passing by the trees and flora.
As she left the woods, the shadows falling away, she would see them. Dancing around his feet with a flower crown and a ribbon was a small, brown-haired elven girl. Iris was laughing so hard she could barely stand, trying to catch her father’s legs as he pranced around. Sitting on his shoulders was a young elven boy, with white hair and the green eyes of his parents. Hollis held a wooden sword in his hands and he was giggling, watching his sister dance below. The elf holding the boy was a familiar one, his form one that had been constant throughout her entire life. He was tall and lithe, and his shoulders shook as he laughed, his blond hair white in the sunlight. Puck looked up as she approached, his smile wide and contagious, and he pointed over at Calliope. “There’s Mama. Attack, you animals!”
Cal laughed at the antics of her children, her shoulders relaxing. "Careful now! I have Clem with me." She approached them, a warm grin on her face.
The two kids looked up, and Iris began to run towards her, while Puck let Hollis down. They both approached, their hair streaming in the summer breeze, breathless and excited. “Mama,” Iris began, tugging at Calliope’s skirt, “Papa said that maybe we could go down to the river when we get back. If you said yes.” “He said not ta’ get excited about it,” Hollis chimed in, his language not yet as developed as his older sister’s. “He said that the water was mean…” “Rough,” Iris provided gently. “He said the water was rough.” Puck approached, brushing the grass off his trousers. “Are they bullying you?” he asked Calliope, kissing the top of her head.
She laughed, taking his hand gently. "No, they're not." She looked down at the children. "We can visit the river, but we'll have to be careful and stay close to the shore."
"But first," Puck said, slinging the pack onto his back, "who knows where we're going?" "The Ortus!" Iris cheered, taking Hollis' hand. Hollis giggled, sticking his free thumb in his mouth. "That's right," Puck agreed.
The thought of the Ortus had still affected her, visiting it left a sick ache in her chest that she never seemed to be able to shake. She watched her family, her gaze relaxed before looking up at Puck thoughtfully.
Puck was also watching her. It had taken a long time for her to start to feel again. Despite this, Puck had been so patient and so gentle, never pushing her, never trying to get her to feel things that weren't there. After Ben's death, she had been desolate and he was the one who was there for her at every moment, letting her cry and mourn. He had told her that he didn't want her to misinterpret his actions; his support was purely platonic. Years had passed before she felt that warmth come back to her chest. Even more time passed before she kissed him for the first time. They had been inseparable ever since. Now, he watched her, and he leaned over, planting a soft kiss on her temple. "You okay?"
She reached up, running a hand through his hair gently. A gentle smile crossed her lips as she kissed the corner of his mouth. "I'm okay."
