Page 125 of Soul Forge

“No. I don’t believe you’d do this to me without a reason. Tell me why!”

Cerilla pressed her hands to her face, a small sob slipping out of her. Irileth stepped forwards and laid a hand on her companion’s shoulder, shielding her from his wrath. Another flicker of rage burst inside Elda. The Spirit wasn’t the one that needed protecting.

“When Cerilla created you, she had to bind your soul to its new body. Reversing death like that was unheard of, Sypher. No Spirit had managed or eventriedto do so before. None of us have tried it since, either.” Irileth’s frozen brow furrowed. “Cerilla created your body right here in Iliria.”

Despite her anger, Elda’s eyes widened at the sound of the true name of the city of angels, uttered aloud for the first time since the fall almost a thousand years ago. Her amazement was short-lived, drowned by her wrath when Irileth continued her explanation.

“It was modelled on your angelic body but designed to be something more, something that could wield the power of the Spirits and put an end to the beast Malakai became. You almost killed him that day, you know. When he recovered enough from his injuries to flee, he saw your new body laid right next to the old one.” Her brow creased. “Cerilla was searching for your soul. When he awoke, your new body was unprotected.”

“He took it,” Cerilla continued, composed enough to speak at last. “I couldn’t stay with your body and find your soul at the same time, and for that, I’m endlessly sorry.”

Elda looked between the Soul Forge and his creator, her jaw hanging at the hinge. How could such a monumental oversight result in such pain? Why hadn’t Cerilla found a way to keep hisbody safe? How was it even possible for her to revive a dead man? The questions tripped over themselves in their haste to be addressed, but Reiner beat her to it.

“You made him a new body, and you left it next to hismurderer?” the ex-captain asked. “You didn’t think to check he was dead?”

“We didn’t know he could heal from mortal wounds so quickly,” Irileth admitted.

“He was dead when I left,” Cerilla agreed. “He shouldn’t have been able to wake from the burns you left on him so soon, but he did. While I was gone, he took your new body and carried it across the border of Darkhold on one of his wraiths.”

“How would he even take over someone else’sbody?” Elda asked. “That’s impossible.”

“Not when you know how to manipulate ancient magic,” Cerilla answered quietly, her chin dipping. “The runes on Sypher’s skin weren’t put there by me. Malakai planned to use them to transfer his consciousness. All it would require was his blood and the right enchantment. By the time I found your soul, the runes were inked on the body, and he was putting his blood in its veins.”

“So, you used itanyway?” Julian asked incredulously, unshed tears glistening in his silver eyes as he watched Sypher’s chest heave. Reiner and Gira looked on in stunned silence. “This is fuckingnuts.”

Sypher simply sat staring at Cerilla, no words spoken, no emotions registering on his face. The only sign of his distress was the rise and fall of his shoulders with each breath. To Elda, that was more worrying than the tears.

“I had no choice if I wanted to bring him back,” the small Spirit murmured. “So, I sent his soul to the body I made for him.”

“So, what, Malakai’s blood broke the body?” Julian asked sceptically.

“No,” Cerilla answered, shaking her head. “It broke thesoul. Angels were never made to be tainted. They were pure.” Her eyes lifted to look at Sypher. “I never could have predicted what would happen once your soul was touched by it. All I could do was get your body away from Malakai before you woke up.”

“You left me in Darkhold,” he murmured at last.

“Aeon called me back when he realised what I’d done.”

“You left me inDarkhold, Cerilla!” he yelled, surging to his feet. The fire in his eyes blazed so brightly that Elda half expected it to cascade down his cheeks in molten tears. “I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t speak! I had no idea who I was. Stars above, I wasnaked! You left me in a realm full of demons with no idea how to defend myself!”

“I couldn’t resist the call!” she yelled back, her words becoming a sob. “I wanted to help you, but I had to leave. Aeon’s command is absolute.”

Elda felt no sympathy for her. Her insides had been hollowed out, every ounce of respect she’d once held for the Spirits of Valerus turning to ash in a single second. They were as selfish and greedy as any other creature on the continent.

“All this time, I’ve been treated like a monster by the Spirits,” Sypher gritted. “I’ve been nothing more than a commodity to the wielders. You made me believe that my nature was my fault. You all treated me like I was an uncontrollable beast!” Sypher’s voice cracked. “Is there anything else you want to take from me before we’re done here?” He threw his arms out. “Any more knives you want to run through me?”

“Elda is your last wielder,” Irileth told him firmly. “You will never forge another vestige.”

The bluntness of the statement knocked the air from Elda’s lungs. The Soul Forge sat heavily in the dirt beside his own ancient bones, dropping his head into his hands. He only sat for a moment before he was on his feet again.

“I have to find my daughter.” He stalked away, pausing only to look back over his shoulder. “I never want to see you again, Cerilla.”

The Spirit nodded once, a tear slipping down her cheek before she vanished. Irileth remained, and Elda shot her a look of absolute reproach before turning to follow him through the wreckage. The rest of the group stayed on her heels as she tracked him back to the intersection where Anaita’s remains lay, no longer needing guidance to pick his way through the remnants of his home.

“Sypher.” Elda hardly dared to speak, but she couldn’t let him carry the bones alone. Her voice froze him in place beside his daughter. “Please, tell me what you need from me.” He stared at her for a moment, the living embodiment of a ship lost in a storm, but eventually, he nodded.

“Eris is there.” He pointed to another skeleton not far from Ana. “Be careful. When you touch her, you’ll learn how she died.”

Elda nodded, more concerned that Sypher was about to learn how his only child lost her life. She tensed when he lifted the small skull, and his eyes glazed over. The memories played out through the bond he could no longer control, showing her a brief flash of Malakai waving his hand and poor little Ana flying through the air, screaming in terror, her tiny body shattering against a pillar.

---