Shadow of the First Sin

Her hand slowly approached my face, the flame on her finger growing brighter and hotter with each passing moment. It may have looked like a flicker, but it could easily melt through rocks.

“I’m curious; do you always do what your master tells you to?” I asked in a low, provocative voice. Like a moth to a flame, she fell for my obvious provocation, her emotions riled up.

“For someone about to lose his tongue, you sure seem to like to talk a lot,” she fired back, her voice seething with contempt. “Should I steal the heart from your chest and turn it to ashes instead?” she taunted, transforming the tiny flame into a blazing ball of fire that coated her hand.

“Steal my heart, you say? The only way to do that is with a bottle of fine wine and a few kind words. And if you truly wish to turn my heart to ashes, you’ll need to succeed in the first task and actually steal it. Are you up for the challenge?” I teased, watching as her cheeks blushed and her eyes flashed with hatred.

“That was strangely poetic! And here I thought you only spoke in two-word sentences. Well done!” Silas remarked beside me.

“Enough talking already!” Lyra screamed in fury as she swung her hand toward my heart.

Before she could strike, I summoned the Void Veil, letting the shadows trace the arcane circle and consume it. Now free, I grabbed both her hands and tackled her to the floor, my other hand clutching her throat.

“Unfortunately, you haven’t been able to steal my heart. Maybe in another life,” I said, poised to take her life.

She looked at Lilith for help, her eyes filled with terror when she saw only a cold, disappointed glare. Lilith did not care for Lyra’s life; this was merely entertainment for her. What is a slave but a jester for the rich? This was painfully obvious to Lyra, who realized she would never be more than a pawn, sold for someone else’s amusement. She closed her eyes, ready to embrace the coldness of death and dream of a life where she could see the world through someone else’s eyes.

“We did not come here to fight. We came seeking help,” I said, loosening my grip on her throat and letting her live.

Lyra’s eyes widened in disbelief; she had already made peace with death. I couldn’t tell whether she was relieved or disappointed that I had spared her.

“Help?” Lilith exclaimed in surprise. “When was the last time you read the Interrealm Gateway Decree established by the four great realms?” she asked, her voice dripping with disbelief.

“A what now?” Silas blurted, completely baffled by her question.

“The decree states that all use of gateways, or portals if you will, is strictly prohibited outside of the realm where you reside. Not only did you use the gateway outside of the Western Realms, but you used it from across the bloody continent! Such endeavors pose a risk to realm security and threaten the peace treaty signed between the four great realms. In cases like yours, you are to be imprisoned for life in Heaven’s Hold. Why would I offer you help?”

“I never expected to get help for free from your kind,” Orion chimed in, drawing everyone’s attention. “You have to give in order to gain; isn’t that the gist of your motto? For magic never comes free.”

“Where are you going with this?” Lilith asked suspiciously.

“I demand the Fatebound Vow!” Orion declared loudly and proudly, making both Lilith’s and Lyra’s eyes widen in shock.

A tense silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of quiet breaths.

“What is this Fatebound Vow?” Silas asked, his voice tinged with worry.

“It is an ancient law,” Lilith explained, her eyes glistening with excitement. “One that no one has invoked in centuries! It states that whoever calls upon the Fatebound Vow is bound to do one’s bidding. Blood magic seals them to their vow, and they cannot rest easy, not even in death, until they fulfill their promise. Our predecessors used that vow to escape punishment for their crimes. Though it has not been used in a long, long time, it is still inscribed in our laws. How very interesting!”

“Nuh-uh!” Silas shouted in protest. “I am not getting bound by blood magic to some ancient law! This is your mess, Orion, not mine! E-excuse me, my fair ladies? I don’t really know these people, except him! I know him!” He pointed at me. “He’s a good guy, he was even brought back from the dead! The two of us are here merely because of them! We didn’t have a choice; we were forced to come here, like that poor assassin guy! Would you let a poor bard live and sing of this tale? I promise I’ll sing highly of you two!”

“You claim you don’t know this man, yet you clearly know his name? How is that possible?” Lilith questioned, her eyes narrowing.

“Uhm... I-I know his name because I-I heard it when he abducted Valerian and I...” Silas stammered, sprouting lies left and right, none of them convincing.

“Silas?” I interjected.

“Yes?”

“Shut up.”

Lilith softly chuckled, clearly entertained by the chaos Silas had created.

“While it is amusing to watch you ramble on like a scared little lamb, and I would obviously like to hear more about your friend’s resurrection, I’m afraid we don’t stand to gain anything from you. Fatebound Vow is denied,” Lilith decided.

“I would rethink that if I were you,” Orion warned. “I know the problems your realm faces, and because of the cowardly nature of your kind, you are too afraid to do anything to stop them. The world fears mages, and you are afraid your actions will start a rebellion, causing you to lose all political power and be exiled once more. But me? I am not afraid to get my hands dirty. So why don’t you use me to do your dirty bidding, like you have with countless others before me?”

Lilith’s eyes sparked with curiosity. “What makes you so confident in your abilities? Why would I use you to solve our problems when I could simply use others who deem themselves trustworthy?”

“Because I am better,” he said confidently. He then turned his attention to me. “I’m sorry, kid. I know I shouldn’t drag you into this, but the thrill of the battle we faced still flows in my veins, and I would like nothing more than to share the battlefield with you once more.” He looked back at Lilith. “The two of us have single-handedly pushed Talons to the brink of extinction in one night. This one is probably the last of his kind,” he said, pointing to the captured Talon.

“Is that true?” she asked the prisoner.

“Yes,” he admitted. “They slaughtered them all, like livestock. We never stood a chance...”

“Take us as your allies, or make us your enemies. Choose carefully,” Orion warned, his demeanor calm but his eyes full of bloodlust.