Page 60 of Isle of Beasts and Shadows

Sirius had finally felt a sense of humanity, a feeling that wasn’t tied to pain, magic, or anything of that sort, but a connection he discovered through Airella. Without her, he would have remained lost in a cycle of soul-consuming obedience to Father’s commands. His determination was singular—defeat Father. Airella stood out as one of his closest and most empathetic companions. In contrast to Jonathan, Sirius found more shared traits and understanding with Airella.

“Airella?” Sirius’s eyes snapped open in a sudden jolt, his body throbbing with pain. Despite the agony, he summoned the strength to rise to his feet, surrounded by an all-encompassing darkness reminiscent of a forsaken forest.

A chill ran down his spine as he glanced at his side and caught sight of her presence. The golden armor she wore gleamed under the dim light, a stark contrast to her appearance when they last parted ways at the ball. Her once golden blonde locks had transformed into a platinum cascade, while her eyes shone with an ethereal, icy blue hue. Two elegant and curved black horns now adorned her head, marking a stark departure from her human origins. Yet, Sirius’s concern was not her altered form but the fact that she was alive, Miscreant or human, sparking a glimmer of emotion in his otherwise emotionless existence.

Sirius lunged for her, his heart pounding with a mix of emotions, and embraced her tightly as she sat there in surprise, feeling the warmth of his hug enveloping her. She slowly lifted her hands, hesitating for a moment before returning the gesture, her touch gentle yet comforting. Tears welled up in Sirius’s eyes and rolled down his cheeks, a rare display of vulnerability that spoke volumes.

As she felt the sincerity of his embrace, Airella’s heart stirred with a muted mix of emotions, memories of the past resurfacing like gentle waves crashing against the shore. The feelings she had buried deep within her resurfaced, tugging at her heart with a bittersweet ache.

Concern etched in his voice, Sirius growled softly, “Did he hurt you?” But Airella remained silent, her gaze downcast as if wrestling with inner turmoil. “Airella? Are you okay?” he pressed, his worry palpable in the air.

Airella raised her eyes to meet his, a veil of emotions clouding her expression as she struggled to find her voice. With a solemn shake of her head, she conveyed her inner turmoil, a silent admission to her pain and struggle. Unable to speak, she gestured towards her throat, a silent plea for understanding.

Realization dawned on Sirius as he pieced together the puzzle of her condition, a surge of anger rising within him towards the one responsible. Casting a quick glance around, he spotted a sturdy stick nearby, a makeshift weapon to aid him in his weakened state, since his scythe went down with the burning ship.

“We need help, Airella,” Sirius implored urgently, his gaze fixed with determination. “We can’t go back there. It’s going to be risky, but we need to find Zol. He’s the only Miscreant I know that might match Father in power. We need him on ourside.” The weight of their mission pressed heavily upon him, yet he felt an unwavering resolve to locate Zol, understanding it as their pivotal next move. With an unyielding sense of urgency propelling him forward, Sirius braced himself against the daunting odds.

Airella regarded Sirius with a mixture of disbelief and concern, her expression mirroring the tumult of emotions within her as she shook her head vehemently.

“I know, I know. You don’t like it, but we need his help.” His voice trailed off, a flicker of apprehension crossing his features as he contemplated the impending encounter with Zol.

As they ventured deeper into the dense woodlands, Sirius’s unease grew palpable, his voice betraying a hint of trepidation as he navigated the unfamiliar terrain. The rustling of leaves and the whisper of the wind added an eerie backdrop to their clandestine mission, heightening the tension that hung in the air.

Minutes ticked by in tense anticipation until a sudden commotion in a nearby bush disrupted the silence. Sirius instinctively raised his makeshift weapon in defense, bracing himself for an unknown threat lurking in the undergrowth. As the tension mounted, a figure emerged from the shadows, revealing Duran with outstretched arms lunging towards Sirius.

“I finally found you!” Duran exclaimed with a mixture of relief and joy, enveloping Sirius in a tight embrace. His words carried a sense of genuine concern, underscoring the gravity of their predicament. “I thought you were dead.” The reunion sparked a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty that shrouded their mission.

The sudden realization took aback Sirius. Hadn’t he successfully defeated Duran when Father had taken control of his body?

Glancing at Duran and Airella, Sirius noticed the absence of the pendant around her neck. It all came flooding back to Sirius—when he inadvertently shattered the necklace, freeing Jonathan’s soul. With Jonathan’s soul released, it had presumably ventured into the realm of Limbo, seeking the closest available body to inhabit, which evidently turned out to be Duran’s.

“Sorry,” Jonathan began hesitantly, his gaze shifting towards Airella, “your brother... he is very fortunate.” Stepping from behind Jonathan, Arii revealed himself to the group. The young boy appeared visibly shaken as he stood there, his eyes fixed on his older sister.

“Air…?” his voice trailed off, a hint of uncertainty in his tone before he suddenly recoiled. “Is that really you?”

Arii cowered back in fear as he examined her, his eyes widening with trepidation. A look of disappointment overcame Airella, her brows furrowing slightly as she lowered her eyes towards the ground, the weight of sorrow and frustration evident in her gaze. She could feel the heaviness in her chest, a lump forming in her throat. Perhaps Jonathan had caught her brother up to speed, and she hoped with all her heart that he wouldn’t be fearful of her or the fact that Jonathan was now inhabiting Duran’s body. Memories of that fateful night flooded her mind, the screams, the chaos—the last time Arii saw Duran was when he had slaughtered their mother. The pain and horror of that moment had left a lasting scar on both of their souls.

“So, is there a plan?” Duran, or Jonathan, questioned Sirius, a hint of skepticism in his voice as he shifted his weightfrom one foot to the other. “I mean, we can’t exactly get back to Eldaraya without a ship. All the ships have been burned. It was Father’s doing, no doubt. He’s going to do everything he can to keep us here.”

“There’s a plan, but you’re not going to like it,” Sirius replied, his tone calm yet tinged with a sense of unease. “Remember that ice hellion we ran into the last time we were here?”

“How could I forget?” Jonathan crossed his arms in question, his expression a mixture of concern and curiosity as Sirius wiped a drop of sweat from his forehead, a bead of anxiety glistening in the dim light.

“We need to get him to help us,” Sirius continued, his words measured and deliberate, trying to convey a sense of urgency without causing panic.

Even though Jonathan was inhabiting Duran’s body, his response was just as expected—overly exaggerated and dramatic. His eyes grew wide, mirroring the shock that contorted his features as his jaw dropped to the ground. It was the reaction Sirius had expected from Jonathan upon hearing such a risky plan.

“Are you insane? Are you forgetting how that demon almost killed us, not just once, but twice?” Jonathan yelled, his voice echoing through the tense silence that enveloped the group.

“Thanks to you and Airella,” Sirius expressed gratefully, his eyes reflecting a sense of relief, “I’ve felt more human than I ever did working with that Miscreant, Father.”

As he moved forward, Arii remained steadfastly by his side, Jonathan trailing close behind, while Airella, her voicelost in some unknown silence, followed suit. Concern etched on Sirius’s face, he cast a fleeting glance over his shoulder at Airella, silently ensuring her well-being. The passage of time seemed inconsequential as they trudged through the icy terrain, the cold seeping into their bones.

“What do we do once we find him?” Jonathan’s voice trembled with apprehension. “We can’t risk the kid’s safety by keeping him with us. He could be in grave danger.”

Sirius’s expression darkened slightly. “We won’t find him. He will find us, no matter where we tread in his domain. This frozen wasteland belongs to him, but with luck—” His words were abruptly cut off.

“Does this mean that the ice hellion from my sister’s tale is real?” Sirius’s gaze lingered on Arii as he spoke.

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