The Death of Malice

[Harbinger]

Aerie — Outside

Cameron's voice in her head was more comforting than she would have cared to admit. She had spent much of her time with the Six at odds with him, but their relationship had changed over the years. But the sense of relief she felt - it surprised even her.

Everyone was acting like this was over, but Alison knew that for many of them standing here, it was only beginning. She closed her eyes. She couldn't see if they would all make it through intact. She felt reasonably confident that they wouldn't.

The assembled branched off - Haleigh went off after Valkyrie and Zach. That seemed like a recipe for disaster, but Alison didn't take the time to see how it would turn out. If Haleigh killed the Scandi bimbo, Alison would throw her a party. So she didn't feel any need to intervene there. Vivica was consoling Mike, who then went to be with Karen, and Alison gave them their space. Oracle was seeing to Dominique. That left Morgan, Cameron and Delilah who had gone to retrieve Nicolas' body.

She watched the proceedings undetected, shaking her head at her brother. He had still not learned when it was best to BE QUIET. :farrah:But she understood the allure of Talisman for him, even if she didn't agree, or think it was healthy. He had always needed a mother more than she herself had, despite the fact that she HAD one in her life for much longer than he had.

She felt Morgan's distress, but allowed it to play out. Morgan needed this to happen. So as much as she wanted to stop it, she could not allow herself to.

Morgan: "He's dead.......he's dead, Delilah....and.....[chest heaving] I ---- I can't.....It's....It's tooooo muccchhh...I'm sorry....I'm SORRY...please.....I..... [whimpering] I....I can't do this....I......."

Delilah was trying to comfort her - perhaps Delilah was going to take a break from being mentally deranged at an appropriate time for once.

Delilah: "You CAN. We'll help you. I'll help you. We'll get through this together. Just like always."

Morgan: "I.....don't blame you....I........love you....I just.....I can't seee him. I can't do this. I'm sorry I know I........[swallowing hard] should be strong....but I can't.....I can't do this guys....I want to try but I can't....I just.....I need.... I don't know what I need....but I can't.....please, make this go away.....take it back, I, I, I --- was sooo horrible to him, these past few months.....I was HORRIBLE. I'm never gonna be able to forgive myself for this....I....I can't survive this....I mean it....I...."

And that was enough. Morgan didn't need to do this in front of Cameron.

Alison's body shimmered into view and she rushed to Morgan's side, kneeling on the other side from Delilah, and putting her arms around the both of them. She looked at Cameron.

"Take him outside."

And then she blinked herself, Morgan and Delilah to Morgan's bedchamber.

"Shh, Morgan, go ahead, let it out. It's past time."

 

[Persephone]

Helena: "He begged for you. [methodically laughing] To spare you."

Ava sat amongst broken 18th century antique furniture, in a grand hall lined with floor to ceiling shelves filled with books. Though half the shelves were destroyed or emptied - burnt and torn pages littering the blood stained floors. The room was split in two with splintered hard wood floors jagged and on fire. A crack in the Earth that wasn't due to natural causes. Slumped against the wall, Ava's face was stained as red as her designer pant suit, blood dripping from a large gash that stretched from her temple to her cheek. Her jacket torn at the shoulder, and a mixture of soot and blood staining a large portion around her lower bust.

Helena: "A fool even then. Choosing a Rook over his Queen."

Ava's midnight eyes stared forward, devoid of any life. Alek didn't beg for anyone or anything. He was the Berserker - the Red Knight. If he begged.....

If he begged....

She shut her eyes, knowing whatever Helena did to him broke him in a way that Ava couldn't bare to think about. To know SHE was the cause. The one man she loved with every fiber of her being...whom she dreamt of a life and family with...taken because of a bitter old woman's vendetta. Tortured to his limits just to twist the jagged knife deeper into Ava's already shattered heart.

FLASH

Guard: "Your majesty, we just received an encrypted transmission from Domino. It's marked as urgent."

Taking the iPad from the guard, Ava immediately opened the message as Selene circled around behind her, looking over Ava's shoulder. It was a photo of an estate called 'Evanburg Castle' located in Saxony Germany. Beneath the photo were the exact coordinates of the castle and a message.

- Have fun.

Selene: "Helena."

Ava stood immediately.

"Double security and go on lock down until either I or the White Queen return."

Selene: "My Queen, I should go--"

"DO IT."

Selene immediately bowed her head.

Selene: "Yes my Queen."

Before Selene could raise her head, a gust of wind enveloped the room and Ava was gone.

FLASH

Ava was slow to her feet, wrapping her arm around her ribs as she slowly pushed herself to her feet. Only the slightest wince of pain registered on her otherwise impassive face. She began to limp out of the grand hall, leaning on the walls for support with every other step.

FLASH

"WHERE IS HE!?"

Helena's crumpled body shuddered as a cold, mechanical laughter could be heard in response to Ava's question. Helena's blood stained blonde hair shielded her face as she slowly pushed herself onto her elbows before spitting out a mixture of blood and saliva onto the floor; she then flipped her hair away from her face to look up at Ava.

Helena: "What part?"

Helena chuckled deeply, obviously amused at her own statement. This caused Ava to kick her foot out and slam her heeled boot into Helena's jaw with a crack. Helena's head whipped to the side, her whole body rotating from brute force and causing her to flip onto her back. Ava's chest was heaving as she glared mercilessly down at her former Queen, watching as she cracked her jaw back into place, her body phasing to heal the broken bone.

Helena: "I don't believe this is how you properly negotiate, Rook. [with a bloody grin] Already a shitty fucking 'Queen' I see."

Ava snarled, lunging forward to grab Helena. As she did, the former Queen met her half way and stabbed a huge shard of glass deep between Ava's ribs. Screaming out in pain, anger, and fury, Ava felt Helena pull her onto the ground, causing them both to start rolling across the floor in an all out brawl.

FLASH

Ava passed a few staff members of the Evanburg Estate, all keeping their distance but watching in shock, as she made her way down the stairs to the catacombs. It was dark and damp, similar to the catacombs at Hellfire. She could feel the death within its century year old walls. He had been here. For how long...or how long ago...Ava didn't know, but she needed to find proof that what Helena had told her was true. As Ava moved down one of the darkened corridors, she came across what looked like an old cell block from the early 1900's. The metal bars were rusted, and inside each sell were a set of chains with cuffs that attached the the stone wall. And that was where she finally found her proof. Standing outside the last cell, Ava stared at the brand new set of verbranium chains that were attached to not only the wall, but floor as well. But what made her lower to her knees was a golden ring in the shape of a bear head that laid amongst the chains.

Picking it up, it was cold to the touch, but somehow burned like acid against her skin. He was here. Helena was telling the truth...and Ava was too late. She was TOO FUCKING LATE.

FLASH

Persephone's primal scream filled the grand hall as she slammed her mystic daggers in an 'X' fashion across Helena's neck and directly into the floor boards, the blades cutting her throat, pinning her there. The emerald green mystic energy vibrated from the daggers, humming with intensity as Ava gripped them, glaring down at Helena with gritted teeth.

"I'm DONE with your BULLSHIT AND GAMES! I'm going to cut you apart PIECE [the daggers glow began to pulse] by PIECE [they pulsed even brighter] and FEED your to my DEMONS!"

Persephone's eyes were as black as the nights sky as the grand hall began to shake around them both. The floor boards next to them splintered and broke as the Earth tore in two; a giant chasm of heat and screams exploded out from it, the room filling with shadowed demons that flew around like spirits. For the first time ever, Persephone could see actual fear in Helena's eyes.

"Give Diana my regards, BITCH!"

Persephone snarled as the shadowed demons howled behind her, circling like vultures.

Helena: "WAIT! WAIT!! HE WAS HERE!"

Persephone hesitated for a moment, and that was all Helena needed as her in.

Helena: "You want to know what happened to him right? Deep down in your perverse little mind you want to know what happened to him! How he died! How I did it! Where his body is! Right?! KILL ME and you'll never know! You'll never get your closure, Ava! You'll never get your closure!"

"You're lying."

Helena: "Maybe I am...but is that a chance you're willing to take? Let me go and i'll give the answers that you so desperately want. Or don't, and you'll have to live with the question of what happened to your precious Berserker for the rest of your immortal life. No sweat off my back, sweetie."

The black shadowed demons flying above Helena began to howl even louder, swooping down toward her head as if they were snapping at her flesh; that shut her cocky ass up immediately. Ava stared down at the woman for a few long moments....

FLASH

Ava was staring at Alek's ring, replaying the moment she let Helena go in her head over and over and over again, feeling her stomach churn with regret at what she had done....that was, until the ding of her phone snapped her back to reality. Slowly blinking, it felt like she wasn't even apart of her body in that moment, like watching someone else be her. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out her phone to see a missed call from Haleigh followed by a text message. In any other circumstance Ava would have known something was off if Haleigh hadn't pinged her phone location and appeared next to her instead of just calling and sending a text, but right now Ava was on autopilot mode.

- Nicolas is dead. We're on Aerie.

Leave it to Haleigh to text that someone had died. But then again, it was Haleigh, and if she was texting this it was because she was trying to detach herself from the situation as best she could. They may not have been sisters by blood, but they sure as hell coped with loss the exact same way. Closing her hand around Alek's ring, her mind may have been numb, but her body was beginning to come down from its adrenaline high after her battle with Helena. She didn't want to go to Aerie....she didn't care that Nicolas had died, and maybe that was her own grief swallowing her whole, or maybe it was the fact that she had a rocky relationship with Nicolas for the last decade, but she selfishly didn't want to be around The Six right now.

"Damnit..."

Her whisper soft, knowing she had no choice. She had to... because she knew they would for her. Wincing as she lifted her hands around the back of her neck, she undid the clasp of her long gold chain that held the gold ring Alek gave her while they were in hiding at their safe house. She slipped on his bear ring -- it sliding perfectly next to the other on the chain. Clasping the necklace back around her neck, Ava let out a slow breath in preparation as the winds picked up around her and she disappeared in a tornado of winds, reappearing on Aerie in Alison's living room.

Ava knew Alison had the good Hemlock here, and sure enough the blue liquid was damn near glowing in its decanter on the wet bar. Pouring herself a double, she slowly lowered herself into one of the chairs, taking a long sip of the poison liquid as she settled into the seat, hoping it would numb at least some type of pain soon.

 

[Prophet]

Aerie - Catacombs

Outside of Haleigh just moments ago, Cameron hadn't felt the sensation of a human touch on his body in quite some times. He had lived without a body. Delilah's touch was a different sensation, it calmed him down, but he had to continue. He couldn't let either Morgan or Haleigh think they failed Nicolas when it felt like they gotten into this mess entirely because Delilah and Cameron finally decided to make their move.

Delilah: "No, Cameron, no. It wasn't selfish. Nicolas would have been the first to tell you that defeating Set was a top priority, over anything else. He died because he believed that. It's not your fault."

Her comforting hands left his face and raised in the air out of exasperation.

Delilah: "It's no one's fault. Except Malice's. And Set's. You did the best you could."

Her gaze pierced through him with compassion.

Delilah: "You did."

Something was happening with Morgan he hadn't anticipated. He had never experienced her energy like this. It was chaotic, it was sad, it was brutal and RAW, and he could sense that she was on the precipice of a breakdown, so he entered her mind...for the first time ever, his eyes widening as he saw her memories over the last few months. Morgan was so...lost and hopeless, and it was almost surreal to see her like this. He spoke of Nicolas as a casualty of war, but one that had great benefit, one that had finally given them control over their lives and families.

Delilah: "There will always be another."

Cameron was about to interject when -

Morgan: "Oh god.......oh god......[crying] ohhhhhhhh.....my god......."

Delilah: "Morgan?"

""My actions destroyed not only Nicolas, but also nearly destroyed Dominique. And I will take whatever consequences come from that, but I cannot sit here, not in front of him, and pretend that he wouldn't have given his life freely for this outcome. It's over...this war? It's really fucking over. And I don't know where we go from here, but I do know...that after today? Gods will pause before they decide to fuck with The Six... So, I ask you reserve any judgment of me until we give Rampage the send off he deserves."

Delilah: "Oh Cameron, it's never over."

Her cries, and the emotional feedback of her desperate trauma and release hit him like a ton of bricks as the hairs on the back of his neck and arm raised at attention. Morgan found herself as a huddled mess, clammering towards Delilah's feet as if she might drown unless she held on.

Morgan: "He's dead.......he's dead, Delilah....and.....[chest heaving] I ---- I can't.....It's....It's tooooo muccchhh...I'm sorry....I'm SORRY...please.....I..... [whimpering] I....I can't do this....I......."

For someone as verbose and mouthy as Cameron, this brought him to a complete stand still as if he was having an out of body experience. Delilah immediately went into action.

Delilah: "You CAN. We'll help you. We'll get through this together. Just like always."

Morgan: "I.....don't blame you....I........love you....I just.....I can't seee him. I can't do this. I'm sorry I know I........[swallowing hard] should be strong....but I can't.....I can't do this guys....I want to try but I can't....I just.....I need.... I don't know what I need....but I can't.....please, make this go away.....take it back, I, I, I --- was sooo horrible to him, these past few months.....I was HORRIBLE. I'm never gonna be able to forgive myself for this....I....I can't survive this....I mean it....I...."

He froze for a few moments, watching Delilah hold Morgan as she fell apart, though his resolve didn't allow him to respond as he would have liked. For years, Morgan Victoria had been a thorn in his side. An outright bully and monster who nearly destroyed the world because she hated him so much. Everytime they took a step foward it ended in three steps back. She made it impossible for him for so long, that despite the fact that he loved her now, he couldn't help but feel a bit of bitter satisfaction in seeing her like this. Because he could always sense it in her, and had made a promise to himself long ago that he would stick around long enough to see it. But he was a different person then, and seeing her now, so absolutely broken and devestated, it hurt him to the core. Especially to know that he had a hand in it. He could have calmed her emotions, relaxed her with his power, but...she needed this.

Harbinger: "Take him outside."

A timely assist. In an instant, his sister, Delilah and Morgan dissappeared from view, and Cameron was left...with the body. It was almost operatic in a sense. The room was once filled with voices and cries and despair was now completely silent. All he could hear was hit heart as he continued to eye Rampage. Se knelt down to him for a minute.

"I'm sorry we were rarely on the same side of things. It just wasn't in the cards for us..."

[sighing]

"But I did respect you. You were a warrior, and you deserve a warrior's send off..."

Cameron rose to his feet as Nicolas' body sparkled with a big of Cameron's electric red energy, hovering off the ground. He wasn't about to DRAG the man through the mansion, he deserved better. Before making his way through the mansion, heading outside to meet those were gathering the pyre. They would send him out to see, they would honor his sacrifice. His mind became aware of the presence of Ava Cassadine arriving at the mansion, he he swallowed hard in his throat. But he decided to remain focused on the task at hand - saying goodbye to yet another member of their team.

 

[Spellbinder]

Aerie - The Catacombs

<< She heard nothing, from anyone else in the room. Truthfully, she felt as if she were DYING. The only thing she COULD hear were the screams of pain and torment coming from her own body as barely could register Delilah's arms around her, which made her feel both better and WORSE. >>

Delilah: "You CAN. We'll help you. I'll help you. We'll get through this together. Just like always."

<< They wouldn't. Not this time. Everything was ruined. Every decision she had made as leader of this team, as best friend, as lover - they had all led to THIS - utter and total destruction. She had taken these once strong people and watched as they died, watched as their very LIVES had been taken from them as she remained the same, as she REFUSED to give in like they had. And now where was she? Absolutely nowhere and the hole she had been digging for herself seemed to have no END! >>

"I.....don't blame you....I........love you....I just.....I can't seee him. I can't do this. I'm sorry I know I........[swallowing hard] should be strong....but I can't.....I can't do this guys....I want to try but I can't....I just.....I need.... I don't know what I need....but I can't.....please, make this go away.....take it back, I, I, I --- was sooo horrible to him, these past few months.....I was HORRIBLE. I'm never gonna be able to forgive myself for this....I....I can't survive this....I mean it....I...."

Alison: "Take him outside."

<< And in an instant, she found herself in her bed chambers, sitting on top of her bed, fighting hard for her composure and her very ability to SPEAK, but finding herself unable to, so she continued to cry, her body convulsing in waves. >>

Alison: "Shh, Morgan, go ahead, let it out. It's past time..."

"No...Morgan get a HOLD of yourself. PLEASE. please please please....just......STOP!"

<< The only thing stronger than her emotions right now was her pride, and her ego. She had never let anybody see this side of her. The second she allowed her desperate need to have control, she found the small bit of it that was left, as she let out one more CREST of anguish out, wiping her eyes furiously. >>

[weakly]

"I'm.....sorry. Please...I swear I'm okay.....[huffing]...just leave me ALONE!"

<< And then a recent skill she had been developing moved towards the forefront of her mind. The only time she had felt better about herself in the last few months had been when she had confided in Haleigh just a few hours before. She wanted so desperately to FEEL better though the pain she felt about Nicolas was working overtime to convince her that she would never feel better ever again.. >>

"No...please don't go. I need you....BOTH of you..."

<< She rubbed her icy violet eyes and tucked a few tendrils of her blonde hair behind her ears, slowly riding the emotional waves moving through her. >>

"Nicolas is dead...this SHOULDN'T be about me right now...it...should be about him, but---"

<< Tears welled up in her eyes. >>

"Goddess, I've been so fucking LOST, lately...so lost. Losing my magick - it....it pushed me over the edge...and part of that....."

<< Her voice began to break again as she spoke. >>

"Involved...me...seeing someone else...I...I was cheating on him for months.."

<< Spellbinder began to cry once more, though visibly more stable than she had been a few moments ago. >>

"I felt like a fucking LOSER...and I...took it out on everyone...I just wanted to hide...and so I did. I hid behind booze, recreational drugs, and....Derek...I didn't...check in. I didn't do a DAMN thing to help...and now....now...."

<< Her emotions hit her again as she began to cry heavily, unable to stop herself. >>

"The only man...I have....ever LOVED...is dead?! If I would have had my powers...if I had just BEEN there, I could have destroyed BOTH Set and Diana...I did it before....I can't forgive myself...I'm so ANGRY! And.....just so....sad, and I can't bare either of you to see me like this...but I --- I can't be who I was anymore, and I can't be who I am NOW, so what the fuck am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do!? Ohhh goddddd...."

<< Her wailing continued. >>

 

[Orion]

Minerva’s Aerie

Haleigh gave him a wan smile, but otherwise no one noticed that Zach was stabilizing the group’s emotions. Karen pulled Ashley away, which seemed unusual, but Zach had every confidence in Ashley’s ability to handle herself in any situation, so he wasn’t worried about it.

There was a defined lull. With no more fighting or action, the dust settled on the group and there was time to think and reflect on what had happened. Delilah asked what they should do next, and Alison suggested they bury their dead. Nicolas. It was about to get very rough for Zach. These were his friends, he cared about them and how they felt, even if he was growing away from them following his split with Haleigh. And of course, Nic’s death was saddening to Zach personally.

He could manage his own grief with aplomb, but the others were a difficult task for him. He was well accustomed to helping one or even two bereaved people, but a whole group could overwhelm him. He wanted to help them, and he knew Nic would want him to help. However, he also knew realistically that he couldn’t fix it for them, and with such a large group, he would be stretched thin.

Ashley re-emerged from the mansion and headed straight for the forest. Zach pivoted to follow her immediately. He would still help the rest of them, as best he could, during the funeral. Right now, though, his top priority was his future wife, and making sure she was doing alright. Zach walked at a brisk pace until he caught up with her, then he matched her speed.

“So what was that about, with Karen?”

There was a swell of emotion behind him, but he focused on her instead. He walked by her side through the forest, lending a hand by collecting kindling.

 

[Valkyrie]

Aerie - The Forest

Ashley was entirely focused on this one thing. This one thing that she could do. Because the feelings inside of her were confusing, and she didn't know what would happen if she didn't distract herself. She passed by everyone who was still outside, heading away from the mansion. To the tree cover. She did not pass go, she did not collect two hundred dollars.

But soon Zach was there, matching her brisk pace. Once she passed into the forest she started pulling down saplings. Because Nicolas was dead. And he needed a funeral pyre. Zach had been quiet, but now finally spoke.

Zach: “So what was that about, with Karen?”

Ashley shook her head. It took her a moment to speak. Still, she didn't stop what she was doing.

"She wanted to...bring Nicolas back. I think I convinced her that would be a very bad idea."

She looked around her, and spoke again, almost to herself.

"There's a bluff that way, that will be a good spot. We'll need a lot of wood though. A lot."

She pulled another sapling out of the ground, then looked at it.

"But maybe they want to put him in the ground."

She dropped the sapling. She turned her head and looked at Zach, her face grave.

"I don't understand. I don't understand these feelings."

She pointed towards her own gut.

"I feel sad that Nicolas is dead. I feel so sad. He was brave. And a great warrior. And Malice she just came in and took him and he didn't even have a chance."

She had broken into tears.

"How can that be? He didn't even have a chance to fight. She just took him. And what if now he's gone to Hel because he didn't die with his axe in his hand? That one that he saved so many people with? How is that possible?"

She moved towards Zach.

"I don't understand this at all. Because I am so sad that he is dead..."

She put her arms around Zach's neck and pressed her cheek against his shoulder, holding him tight to her.

"...and I'm so happy that it wasn't you."

 

[MorningStar]

The Mansion - Morgan's Suite

The three of them were sitting on Morgan's bed, Morgan more distraught than Delilah had ever seen her.

Harbinger: "Shh, Morgan, go ahead, let it out. It's past time..."

She had forgotten that Alison could be this person - and she had never been with many people. Kind. Protective. There had been a time when she would have done it for her as well as Morgan. But that time had passed. Delilah was not going to turn her back on Morgan, not now, no matter what had happened between them. Nicolas was dead. And Delilah knew what it felt like to be in Morgan's position.

Morgan: "I'm.....sorry. Please...I swear I'm okay.....[huffing]...just leave me ALONE!"

Delilah glanced at Alison, briefly wondering if the seer would blink her away somewhere. She was sure Alison had considered sending her into a live volcano at some point in the recent past. But from the fact that Delilah was here at all she gleaned that Alison knew that right now, Morgan was the focus and everything else was secondary.

Despite Morgan's statement, Delilah didn't move from her position next to her on the bed, her arm around Morgan's shoulders.

Morgan: "No...please don't go. I need you....BOTH of you..."

"We're not going anywhere."

She glanced again at Alison.

Morgan: "Nicolas is dead...this SHOULDN'T be about me right now...it...should be about him, but---"

"Shh...Morgan...you've lost someone you loved, it IS about you. At least for us."

Delilah thought back on her stormy relationship with Nicolas, from the first time she had met him. That relationship WAS about Morgan - Delilah wanting to protect her, keep her from being hurt, keep her from losing herself to Nicolas' image of what Morgan should be. Now that he was dead, the only thing left between Nicolas and herself was Morgan, and making sure she came out the other end of this. That was the only thing Delilah could do to honor him as her teammate, and the only way that their relationship now could be improved.

Morgan: "Goddess, I've been so fucking LOST, lately...so lost. Losing my magick - it....it pushed me over the edge...and part of that....."

Delilah started to speak over her.

"Of course it has...I'm sure it's been so hard..."

Morgan: "Involved...me...seeing someone else...I...I was cheating on him for months.."

Oh, Morgan...

Morgan: "I felt like a fucking LOSER...and I...took it out on everyone...I just wanted to hide...and so I did. I hid behind booze, recreational drugs, and....Derek...I didn't...check in. I didn't do a DAMN thing to help...and now....now...."

Delilah pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back.

"It's okay..."

Morgan: "The only man...I have....ever LOVED...is dead?! If I would have had my powers...if I had just BEEN there, I could have destroyed BOTH Set and Diana...I did it before....I can't forgive myself...I'm so ANGRY! And.....just so....sad, and I can't bare either of you to see me like this...but I --- I can't be who I was anymore, and I can't be who I am NOW, so what the fuck am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do!? Ohhh goddddd...."

Delilah held Morgan for a moment, then pulled back, taking her hand in both of her own.

"We've seen you at your best, and your worst, Morgan, and we're still here."

Delilah shook her head, then tried to wipe Morgan's face with her sleeve.

"Nicolas loved you. And he knew you loved him. He knew nothing could change that. Lord knows I tried to. He didn't require perfection of you, and you shouldn't expect it of yourself either. We've all been there, we've all made mistakes."

She looked into Morgan's face with sympathy.

"No wonder all of this happened...no wonder. So much happened that you didn't have time to process...the trauma of what Talisman did to you...no one would expect you to be okay after that."

Delilah took a deep breath and exhaled.

"And we failed you. All of us who should have been there to help you, we didn't. We let you deal with it on your own and that should never have happened. But we're here now."

She looked at Alison pointedly, who nodded.

"And we're going to help you get through this. And we'll help you figure out who you are and what you want to be."

She squeezed Morgan's hand.

"It won't be easy, but I promise you, it will get better."

 

[Harbinger]

The Mansion - Morgan's Suite

Ugh. Alison hated to admit it, but this shit right here, this was what Delilah fucking did best. And Alison was not a fool (even if Delilah was one), so she stood back and let her do it. Alison had half expected her to go all holier than thou on Morgan, telling her what a bad person she was for cheating on Nicolas, even though Morgan was clearly not in control of herself these past months. And if she had, she'd have teleblinked her straight into the mouth of a live volcano and watched the bitch burn. But fortunately, Delilah saw the writing on the wall and chose the correct path: calming Morgan down and putting her pieces back together.

Delilah: "It won't be easy, but I promise you, it will get better."

"Delilah's right-"

She almost choked on those words.

"We're here now. You are not alone in this."

Alison took Morgan's other hand tightly in her's. Morgan had hit rock bottom, and now it was time to build her back up.

"Now, you listen to me: you are Morgan Victoria. You are the toughest bitch I know. You are going to get through this. We will find a way to get your magick back. And even if we don't, you will go on to something bigger and better. That's who you are - you couldn't stop it if you tried."

She tucked some of Morgan's hair behind her ear, her voice softening.

"We can stay here as long as you need, as long as it takes. Today a terrible thing happened, to Nicolas, and to you. And you can be sad about it as long as you want to be. You won't be alone."

 

[Persephone]

FLASH

Alek: “Make it snow. In here. I want to see what you look like with snowflakes in your hair.”

"What?!"

Persephone softly laughed, gently shaking her head.

"You're insane."

But she could see in his eyes he was completely serious and it made her smile. Running her hand down his cheek as she looked into his eyes, the room began to feel cold as small white flakes of snow began to fall all around them. She kissed him again before pulling herself into his arms and laying her head into the crook of his neck. She felt him move the large blanket over them, the temperature in the room remaining chilled as the soft snow continued to fall.

"Remember this."

Alek: “Always.”

FLASH

Ava drained the last bit of hemlock from her glass, staring forward, empty of emotion. The room was silent, only the soft sound of sizzling could be heard as the acidic blood from her wound ate away at Alison's armchair. She felt nothing. No pain, no ache, nothing. The hemlock was doing its job.

FLASH

Helena: "He gave you his heart...so I took it back. A bit theatrical, I admit...but then again, i'm sure you appreciate the sentiment considering your loooong history, Persephone."

FLASH

The softest rumbling of thunder could be heard outside as Ava felt her rage and pain resurface once again -- memories of Helena explaining how she killed Alek cutting back into her mind like a hot knife in butter. Hissing in a short breath, Ava slowly stood to her feet and put her empty glass down, not bothering with it and deciding to grab the full decanter of hemlock. Slowly making her way into the living room's adjoining bathroom, she shut the door and walked over to the sink, placing the decanter on the counter. With her hands on the edge of the sink, she lowered her head and shut her eyes.

FLASH

Alek: "I’m glad I finally found somebody I don’t have to pretend with. Everyone thinks I'm a monster, but you. I'll always remember that."

"...I feel the same with you."

FLASH

"They either want Ava or Persephone...they want the darkness or the light...they want to tear me apart. It's like i'm a fucking sideshow. But with you? You just let me be ME. You love the darkness and you embrace the light. You have no idea how much that means to me, Alek..."

FLASH

Gripping the countertop, Ava's eyes tightened as they remained closed.

FLASH

Alek: "You're perfect. Your darkness and your vulnerability make you YOU, Seph. And I love every part of you."

FLASH

Helena: "He gave you his heart...so I took it back...He gave you his heart...so I took it back...He gave you his heart...so I took it back..."

FLASH

Helena's words echoing louder and louder and louder as the flashes of moments assaulted her mind. Persephone breathing began to escalate, tears welling up in her shut eyes. No. No, not now. She couldn't let herself fall apart now. Breathing in through her nose, she quickly let the breath out through her mouth, trying to slow her breathing down, trying to regain the composure that was beginning to unravel. Every breath burned, every moment ached. Taking in one last deep breath, she finally lifted her head and exhaled while opening her eyes to look at herself in the mirror. Put back on the mask. The pain evident in her dark eyes as she stared at her own reflection. Then, as quickly as it had started to fall off, the mask was once again, securely put back on. Her eyes no longer reflecting pain. Her breathing even.

Turning on the faucet, Ava dipped her face down to the basin of the sink and cupped her hands to catch the running water. She began to splash the water onto her face, rubbing it gently to remove the dried blood that stained her skin. After a few moments she stood back up, looking at herself in the reflection seeing only the large cut that remained, but looking a lot less like a heroin in a horror movie. Grabbing a towel, she dabbed off her face then picked up the decanter of hemlock, downing a few gulps. It was then she began to take off her dark crimson jacket, revealing a tight black camisole that clung to her body. Blood couldn't be seen because of the color, but once Ava lifted it, the large stab wound between her ribs could be seen actively bleeding. Putting the towel under the running cold water, she placed it against her wound with a sharp breath, applying pressure while walking to the small closet inside the bathroom. Hopefully Alison had something to change into for the funeral. I'm so glad you live like a 1950's housewife. Ava thought as Alison's bathroom closet revealed a few house coats, robes, and extra towels. Taking a black velvet robe that looked more like a cardigan off the hanger, this would have to due for now. She just needed to get through the next couple of hours.

 

[Spellbinder]

<< She was beginning to regret asking them to stay with her. As much as their words gave her hope, that she could fall into the depths of despair and still be loved, she really didn't deserve it. It was overwhelming. Delilah's embrace felt so good, and at the same time, every embrace felt like razor blades in her skin. >>

Delilah: "No wonder all of this happened...no wonder. So much hapened that you didn't have time to process...the trauma of what Talisman did to you...no one would expect you to be okay after that. And we failed you. All of us who should have been there to help you, we didn't. We let you deal with it on your own and that should never have happened. But we're here now."

<< Morgan swallowed hard, as she shifted her body away from Delilah, feeling as if she was being SUFFOCATED by her compassion. She wasn't doing anything wrong, and yet she found herself assaulted at Delilah's words. Her words were what SHE should have said to Delilah after The Blue Moon...no BEFORE The Blue Moon. Instead, Morgan found every single way that Delilah's pregnancy was going to end in disaster, so much so that, there was a part of her that questioned whether or not she had MANIFESTED the entire Blue Moon ordeal in order to be right. Morgan left her, and let Cameron take the reigns, and they had never been the same. So...to have Delilah still have the kind of compassion she was known for...after everything Morgan had done..it felt UNBEARABLE. >>

"Delilah, please...."

Delilah: "And we're going to help you get through this. And we'll help you figure out who you are and what you want to be. It won't be easy, but I promise you, it willl get better."

<< Morgan was gaining a bit more composure, but she still felt lost in her own emotions. >>

"It never does, Delilah. Even after all this time....it NEVER gets better...Not for us."

Alison: "Now, you listen to me: you are Morgan Victoria. You are the toughest bitch I know. You are going to get through this. We will find a way to get your magick back. And even if we don't, you will go on to something bigger and better. That's who you are - you couldn't stop it if you tried...."

"I don't even know if I want it back, Alison...and...in all honesty? I'm SICK of being bigger and better...."

<< She wiped some stray tears from her eyes, as she tucked a bit of her blonde strands behind her ears. >>

Alison: "We can stay here as long as you need, as long as it takes. Today a terrible thing happened, to Nicolas, and to you. And you can be sad about it as long as you want to be. You won't be alone."

<< Morgan was silent for a moment, relieved to have control over herself for the time being. There was so much that she wanted to say, but it wasn't the time. Not yet. Not with Nicolas having a proper send off. >>

"I don't deserve either of your kindness right now.....but I appreciate it...."

[she eyed Delilah, gripping her hand]

"It's certainly more than I gave YOU when you needed it...."

<< She broke their gaze. >>

"I'd like to say goodbye to Nicolas now....and then I'd very much like to go home....alone. Please, give me a few moments...and I will meet you both outside..."

 

[Black Widow]

The Island of Aerie — Battleground

Cameron: Haleigh STOP. She’s gone.

She heard him, and wished it were that easy.

I know…. But I can’t get her out of my head.

They were all going to go down to retrieve Nic’s remains from where Haleigh had left him. Haleigh needed to pull back. She couldn’t bear the thought of standing there awkwardly watching it sink in for the others that Nic was dead. She was finding it challenging enough to detach without staring at his dead body. She made a couple excuses to split off from the group, and she was secretly relieved that no one attempted to follow her.

She felt a certain ambivalence, that while she knew it was better to separate from them, there was a part of her that felt she should be there with them. She felt compelled to keep an eye on them, and tapped into their feeds. She had made it a good ways into the forest by the time the rest made it to Nic. She slowed to a halt and monitored the video feeds.

Cameron tried to take responsibility, but he was very narrowly focused on a moment in the heat of battle. Haleigh was the last person in the universe who would judge him harshly for wanting to know his mother. Furthermore, there were so many more factors that it couldn’t possibly be distilled into being HIS fault. Morgan and Haleigh had decided his fate, if there was an immediate blame to be placed. From a more macro perspective, Haleigh knew that it was her decision to go to Hellfire that brought them down this road.

The full weight of Nic’s demise settled on Morgan, who quickly lost her composure. Haleigh felt bad for her. Morgan may have suggested this outcome, but Haleigh doubted that she really believed they would arrive here. Morgan knew she couldn’t kill him, so she tasked Haleigh with the responsibility, but Haleigh suspected that Morgan secretly thought it wouldn’t come to that. It was more likely that Morgan believed it would all work out in the end, someone would pull off a miracle, and everyone would make it through. Now Morgan had to realize that Nic was dead, at Haleigh’s hand, just as Morgan had arranged. It was not an easy thing to accept.

Haleigh would not have had the least idea of what to say or how to help Morgan, but she was glad Delilah was there — and that Delilah was apparently feeling compassionate at the moment. Delilah had every right to be angry with Morgan for the whole Alexia fiasco, but Haleigh was relieved to see her set that aside for now.

Haleigh disconnected from the feeds. It was hard to see Morgan grieving. Haleigh distracted herself with calling Ava. There was no answer, but she needed to get the message across. Was there really a GOOD way to relay news like this? She sent it in a text, simple and efficient. Then she wandered further into the woods, feeling numb and hollow, and unsure how to proceed. She had a protocol for bereavement, and tried to recall it. She heard voices ahead. Ashley was talking about Nicolas, and it drew Haleigh’s attention.

Zach: Oh, my love. It’s totally natural to feel that way.

Haleigh stood there, silently watching her ex-fiancé embracing his new future wife. Strangely, she felt content to be in their company. She was not jealous of what they had. Zach deserved to find someone to be happy with, and Ashley was his choice, for whatever reason, so Haleigh wasn’t bothered by them being a couple. Hanging around Zach was easy, he was empathetic and always kind. As for Ashley, Haleigh felt mostly neutral about her, but more specifically she felt quite neutral about Ashley’s perspective on Nic’s death. The woman’s sadness had little impact on Haleigh, and if she wanted to place blame, Haleigh could easily shrug it off as an opinion she didn’t particularly care about. Best of all, being around them meant she didn’t have to be alone with her own thoughts, or worse, being alone with her mother.

“For what it’s worth, He DID die with his axe in his hand.”

She offered solemnly. For a moment she thought about that. She saw the uprooted sapling and remembered they were ostensibly getting wood for a pyre. A chainsaw appeared in her left hand, and then another materialized in her right. She offered one to Ashley.

“Could you show us where this bluff is?”

 

[Orion]

Minerva’s Aerie — The Forest

Zach caught up with Ashley as she walked into the forest. His concern for the rest of the group faded into the background as he focused on her. She started to uproot saplings, and Zach helped by collecting tinder. He waited a few minutes to see if she would say anything. He could sense that she was grappling with her emotions, and soon enough he felt compelled to prompt her.

He asked what Karen had wanted as he continued to collect branches and twigs, piling them up under his arm. Ash told him that Karen had asked her to bring Nic back. Zach grimaced at that, as Ashley went on to say that she’d talked Karen out of it. He sighed gently, nodding to her.

“Well, you made the right call there. I know it can be difficult—”

He started, but as he looked up from his task he realized she was a bit lost in her own thoughts. She mentioned a bluff nearby, and wondered aloud if they wanted to bury him instead. Zach had no idea about that, so he didn’t weigh in, just listened to her as she told him that she didn’t understand these feelings and that she was so sad about Nicolas.

“Aww, babe…”

He said gently, stopping his busy work and looking over at her. When he saw the tears spilling onto her cheeks he dropped all the tinder he’d collected. He brushed any debris off his chest and held open his arms as he stepped toward her. He held her close, resting his chin on top of her head as she continued to express her sense of loss. She told him that she didn’t understand, because she was sad that Nic was gone and also glad that it wasn’t Zach.

“Oh my love. It’s totally natural to feel that way.”

He replied, rubbing her back with one hand as he alleviated the intensity of the sadness she was feeling. He felt a disturbance and looked up. He was surprised to find that Haleigh had crept up on them silently. She looked at him, holding Ash, and he looked back at her with pleading eyes. Please don’t make a scene right now… he thought, not knowing why she’d turned up here or what she was about to say. From her direction there was an old familiar ache, a muted loneliness, and a certain turmoil.

Haleigh: For what’s it’s worth, he DID die with his axe in his hand.

He heard her say. He was a bit relieved. Haleigh could be such a cold, hard woman, and Ash was having a moment of vulnerability. He knew, deep down, that if Haleigh had been cruel, he would have turned that ruthlessness right back at her. Regardless of their history, Zach was not about to let Haleigh cause Ashley any further distress. Luckily, she seemed almost consoling. She asked to see the bluff Ashley had mentioned, which indicated that she’d heard everything Ashley had said and decided to be amicable. She even handed Ash a chainsaw to help make short work of gathering wood.

“Now we just need a way to get all the wood to the bluff…”

He suggested, focusing on the task at hand, knowing his chance to talk to Ash about the way she felt had been interrupted. Three four-wheelers appeared around them, each with a flatbed trailer attached. Haleigh had barely blinked, and said nothing. She was on autopilot, a state Zach was familiar seeing her in.

 

[Valkyrie]

Aerie - The Forest

Ashley had seen a lot of people die over the course of her long life. She couldn't figure out why this one was making her feel all mixed up like this. She hadn't even really known Nicolas very well. But it seemed like every five seconds she was feeling something different. She tried to explain it to Zach but she couldn't really. So she did the only thing she could do to make it better, and that was put her arms around him.

Zach: "Oh, my love. It’s totally natural to feel that way."

"But I never feel that way."

She murmured it into his neck, and the sound was muffled.

"What's wrong with me?"

Black Widow: “For what it’s worth, He DID die with his axe in his hand.”

Haleigh. Perfect. Ashley was sure the Roomba 1000 was loving seeing her like this. Ash took in one long last breath against Zach, then sniffed and pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'm glad. He deserved to."

She nodded.

And then Haleigh handed her a chainsaw that came from...somewhere. There wasn't even a smart ass remark.

Black Widow: “Could you show us where this bluff is?”

Ashley nodded, raising an eyebrow at Haleigh's seeming interest in something she could tell her, then pointed.

"It's about 200 meters that way. There's a gradual incline and then the trees give way and it levels off. I saw it from back at the house."

Orion: “Now we just need a way to get all the wood to the bluff…”

Like magic - but not magick - vehicles just appeared. Out of nowhere. This was certainly a day full of crazy shit. She needed a Big Mac pronto after all this. Maybe two. Hell, maybe three.

As she moved into step beside Zach heading for the gators she held the chainsaw up in his direction and stage whispered to him.

"This isn't like...part of her, is it? I mean, it's not like the Terminator and it gets sucked back into her body when we're done. Right?"

Cause that would just be...ew.

"Right?"

 

[Seer]

Goodbye, Rampage

<< Death. It was something our heroes knew well, though often never got time to properly mourn. Thanks to the quick thinking of Valkyrie, tonight they would get that chance. Slowly but surely, Ashley, Zach and Haleigh helped to build the pyre as Cameron carried the body of Nicolas King in his hands, heading up to the bluff and laying him at the center. He was Rampage to them. One of their fiercest warriors. A demigod. Both a gentleman and a ruffneck. Nicolas had brought both strength and strife to The Six, as they all had, and he paid for his membership in blood, and ultimately his life. >>

<< Soon, the others had gathered on the bluff on Aerie, with a view of the sky and the sea below them that moved and warped as if there hadn't been a war fought above it. While the skies and sea were peaceful, the palpable grief floating in the air around them was enough to ignite the pyre itself, though that honor was given to Karen Victoria in Dominique's honor. The Avatar of Isis was down for the count and unconscious, taken immediately to the medical labs underneath the mansion. Outside of the sounds of sobs and sniffling noises, all remained quiet as they took the time to say their goodbyes to one of their fallen. The silence was filled unexpectedly by the voice of Haleigh Davidoff. She spoke of him fondly, of his strength and his character, and his willingness to fight for the good of everyone else no matter what the stakes were. Her soft spoken words rang through the air, causing a cacophony of pain both auditory and of the physical. >>

<< For what felt like hours, the group watched the last remnants of Nicolas King fade from the physical realm, a painful reminder of their lives. For as strong as he was, and as brave as he was, even he had weakness. Even he, when met with the heat of fire, would burn. Slowly, the crowd began to thin out, some not finding themselves able to watch until completion, some taking a vow to see this through, and hours later, when there was seemingly nothing left of Rampage, a white hot metal remained - that of The Astral Cleave, a mystical gift that was his weapon of choice, and the reaver of his most deadly of assaults. From the ashes, Rampage's mighty axe was taken by Harbinger to be kept safely among the other artifacts kept on Aerie, a collection started by Barbara Minerva, the original owner of this place. >>

<< Hours later, Alison had set up a wake of sorts on the lower levels for all who wished to remain on the island and opened her doors to them as well, for those who needed an extended break from the reality they were about to return to. It was nothing formal, there was no agenda. It was simply a time to process, to mourn, and for some to reconnect in ways they hadn't in months. And though the moon was slowly beginning it's descent from the sky....we WATCH! >>

 

[Persephone]

The service was relatively short as they burned Nicolas' body and let him rest. But for Ava it felt unbearably long. She avoided speaking with anyone, including her sister who had been glued to Cameron's side the majority of the funeral. Outwardly she was stoic and emotionless, listening as a few people said their last goodbyes. But it was Morgan who almost broke Ava. She couldn't look at the sorceress, seeing the pain and turmoil behind her violet eyes -- the guilt. It mirrored Ava's so perfectly. Had Morgan not hated her for almost killing Blaze, they might have been able to help each other in some way. But that was the issue with being on Aerie surrounded by these people now...everyone felt so far away even though they were mere feet from her. She had done horrible things to most of them in attendance, things that no sane person would ever forgive. Haleigh may have severed her relationship with Delilah, but Ava severed her relationship with everyone the moment she attacked and tried to kill Simon, Vivica, Blaze, Morgan, Zach, Alycia, Sharon, Gabe....the list went on and on and on. So she stood silently, watching Nicolas' body burn, feeling the pain churning relentlessly within her. Feeling envious that everyone could lay Nicolas to rest when Ava couldn't even FIND Alek to give him a proper funeral. It wasn't fair. NONE of it was fair. They had each other in this time of grief and rebuild, but Ava lost it ALL then let the one person GO who took it from her.

The hemlock was wearing off, all the pain was coming back. She needed to get out of there.

Despite the service being outside, Ava felt claustrophobic and like she couldn't breathe. Moving from grassy bluff and into the woods, Ava disappeared silently from view. She walked for what felt like forever, stripping off the house coat she took from Alison's bathroom and leaving it on the dirt path that she walked. Even her clothes felt constricting. Though she had left while Nicolas' body was still burning, the service was all but over and Ava knew everyone would reconvene back at Alison's mansion thereafter. She couldn't be around people, not now, not when it felt like a landslide of emotions was burying her alive. The funeral was like a catalyst to Ava's grief, bringing forward what she had been repressing for weeks.

She didn't know how long she was walking for, but soon Ava could spot a clearing ahead, the wind picking up as she met the edge between it and the woods. Her hair blew back behind her shoulders, the bitter air sending goosebumps down her now exposed arms as she stepped out onto the cliffside that sat on the west side of Alison's estate. It was beautiful there, the cliff high above the ocean waters overlooking the massive sea. Stepping to the edge of the bluff, Ava looked down, watching the rough waters crash into the rocks far below. She wrapped her arms around herself, her hand holding her throbbing wound as she stared at the crashing waves. Her mind raced with memories. With guilt. With agony. She felt foolish for letting Helena go. She felt guilt for being the reason for what had happened to Alek. She could barely breathe knowing her last memories of him were just that...memories. She would never have another. She couldn't bring him back like Haleigh brought Cameron back. She couldn't hold his hand hand like Zach held Ashley's at the funeral. She couldn't wrap her arms around him like Karen did to console Mike at the service. All moments that Ava tried desperately to ignore, but all seared into her mind knowing she would never get that with Alek because in the end....he was dead and she was the cause of his death. She killed him the moment she stepped foot into Hellfire.

The cliffside barely felt expansive enough as she sucked in shallow breaths while looking at the sea below. The air felt thin, her chest burning and begging for a decent intake of oxygen. Tears finally fell to her cheeks as she slowly blinked, her hand grabbing the rings that hung on her necklace, holding them tightly. Thunder began to rumble and lightning flashed in the distance. Her inner turmoil as rough as the waves she watched below. She just wanted her mind silent from everything. She needed to be numb. She needed to forget. Hunting Helena down was the only thing keeping her focused the last few weeks since the battle at Hellfire. It was only the evenings that plagued her, and that was when Selene stepped in. She made Ava forget everything; the torture, the assault, the heartbreak, the grief. Clouding her emotions and numbing her pain. But Selene wasn't here, Helena was gone, and Alek was dead. And all that Ava was left with were the layers and layers of pain and grief that was suffocating her.

 

[Recall]

Aerie

Her face was wet with tears. She had no shame in them, and she made no attempts to wipe them away as she tightly gripped the left hand of Arsenal, who's right hand was firmly in the grasp of Karen Victoria. The flames danced against her cocoa skin as she watched the remnants of a friend she cared deeply about truly fade from this realm of existence. Death in the orbit of The Six was always so empty, because so many of them had come back. Vivica was fighting the hope she had that Nicolas would be like the others. That one day, he would come back and all the tears she had spilled over him would mean nothing. But she knew it wouldn't be true for him. Despite fighting literal gods and seeing witches who could break the world with their power, Vivica remained a faithful woman. She had to be after all the miracles she herself had experienced.

"Yes though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil...."

The verse fit Rampage well. He was a man of great character...and great darkness. Darkness that he had to fight at every waking and sleeping moment to keep contained. And he did. He went into every single battle with The Six with no fear, always ready to do what needed to be done. Haleigh's words echoed Vivica's thoughts. Her mind wandered....she was a god fearing woman, but so were many of The Purifiers. She wished she didn't think of that time as much as she did, but it was a point of trauma she didn't think she would ever get over. It was even greater than the loss she feeling right now. Cameron dying? Nicolas dying? That was expected in a place like this. Ava and Haleigh defecting to Hellfire? It wasn't unreasonable. The deaths of that many children in the name of God and hatred of mutants? Expected....but so painful.

"Ava..."

The treacherous bitch (TM) herself had shown up, looking worse for wear. So much of her grudge with Ava had been one sided. One could say that it was even petty. But then she defected to Hellfire - not to destroy the very people responsible for the burning bus of children they placed squarely in Ava's hand, but to support her sister. It wasn't noble. It wasn't right, and all she got out of it was a broken heart and blood on her hands that she would never wash off. She visibly shuddered thinking to herself of all the ways that all of this could have been avoided as her eyes darted to Cameron, who was of course by Haleigh's side. She wished it didn't feel as good to see him alive as it did, in fact, feel. She had long let go of crying over Cameron King, but she wasn't a monster. Seeing him and Haleigh, standing together, after everything the world threw at them...it was nice. And that was when she looked around at the group. She saw Haleigh and Cameron...together after so long. She saw Mike gripping with all his might at the hands of Karen Victoria. She saw Zach and Ashley, holding each other so fondly. It was as if the flames consuming Rampage were somehow strengthening the promise of life around her. And she knew it was exactly what Nicolas would have wanted.

"Speaking of...."

Her eyes wandered to Morgan, who had never looked worse. It wasn't an insult...it was just simply shocking to see her be so human, so honest with her feelings. She pressed her face against Mike's shoulder and gave it a kiss as she let go of his hand and bridged the gap between herself and Morgan. For whatever reason, it seemed like everyone was afraid to touch her, afraid to even look at her, and honestly, Vivica was afraid herself. But Morgan had loved Nicolas, and he had coveted her himself. There had never been a time that she knew Nic that he didn't shout from the rooftops how committed he was to her, and while maybe she was too raw for those closest to her, she might open to someone else. The two shared a quick glance, with Vivica being careful not to pry, not to suggest too much with her eyes, and without thinking, she grabbed Morgan by the hand and interlocked their fingers, gripping her hand tight.

"I'm here for ya, Spell. Whether you like it or not."

They watched the flames die together, not speaking a word the entire time. Vivica and Morgan had never been friends, but loss was a confusing emotion, and since Morgan never let go of her hand, Vivica returned the favor. When the others left and they were alone, they shared a few seconds of intense eye contact before parting ways. Vivica watched as the astral cleave was extracted, and headed back to the mansion, where she found Zizi, enveloping her in one of the tightest, warmest hugs she had ever given.

"It was a bit morose....but kind of beautiful ceremony..."

She grabbed a champagne flute that was being passed around and took a sip.

"I should have never been out of the city for that long. I'm sorry, Zizi..."

Vivica gripped Oracle's hand tightly.

"I'm sorry for more than that....I should have been there. I should have stayed... with you. I dropped the ball because I was scared...but after all of this? I promise...it won't happen again. You're stuck with me. More than ever....I believe that people need us. And I need the birds...have you been in contact with John and Andrew?"

 

[Orion]

Aerie — Nic’s Funeral

Zach sobbed throughout the service. He couldn’t stop himself from doing so, not with so much grief around. Of course, he was sad about Nicolas himself, but the emotions of everyone else piled on top of that, and he wanted so badly to help them all. He tried to be as quiet as possible. He shifted his focus from person to person, helping bleed off a little of that pain at a time. It was a strategy to prevent himself from being overwhelmed by everyone at once. Still, he was nearing his limit. He clung to Ashley and tried to pull back from the others for a respite.

Haleigh spoke, offering a eulogy of sorts. She remarked on Nic’s courage, and his fighting spirit, and his innate goodness. Zach looked over at her as she spoke. It was odd because her tone was sincere and her expression was convincing, but underneath that she was completely stoic. He didn’t know what to make of the distance between her compelling eulogy and the way she actually felt, deep down. There had been more emotion coming from her when she was cutting down trees. Even then, her feelings had been like fireworks, suddenly loud and brilliant flashes illuminating an inky darkness only to just-as-quickly fade to nothing more than smoke dissipating on the wind. The way she seemed to be simulating some of those emotions now was disturbing to him. It was not healthy, the way she had shut down, but he was unsure what to do about it, if anything.

Then there was Ava. Unexpectedly, she was absolutely overwhelmed with emotion. Zach was sure she had not been close to Nicolas, and yet, she was reaching the point of instability. She split off from the group early, her retreating form shrinking away until the trees obscured her movement. Zach was utterly torn. On the one hand, her turmoil reminded him of his mother before her tragic death. On the other, Persephone had previously tried to MURDER him. His brain told him not to follow her, not to try to help. His heart disagreed.

He and Ava had been friends for so long, she was like a sister to him. He couldn’t bear the thought of ignoring her in a time of obvious need. He wouldn’t be able to look at himself in the mirror if something happened to her that he had the power to prevent. But he was afraid of getting gutted again. He swallowed hard, grappling internally with this dilemma, until the thunder rolled overhead. He took a deep breath and blew it out. Then he turned to Ash and kissed her cheek before speaking quietly in her ear.

“There’s someone I need to take care of, my love. I’ll find you after.”

He said, before stepping away. Even after he left the warmth of the bonfire he found himself sweating as he walked toward the beacon of Ava’s emotional maelstrom. The scar on his chest tingled and his heartbeat throbbed in his ears. He found her at the edge of a cliff. It looked to him like she was considering taking a dive. He felt an irresistible urge to stop her but didn’t dare get within arm’s reach. There was a fine line between bravery and stupidity, and he wasn’t entirely sure he hadn’t already crossed it. From a distance he stabilized her emotions.

“Ava? That’s an awful long way to fall, and you’re perilously close to the edge there.”

 

[Oracle]

Aerie

Zizi held Dominique’s hand, speaking softly to her as she lay in a hospital bed deep within the mansion’s underground medical facility. The older woman looked simply asleep, her outer appearance not betraying the trauma she had experienced at Set’s hands. Zizi hadn’t wanted her to be alone, even though not conscious, while Nicolas was laid to rest.

She had also bargained and cajoled and charmed the attending physician to allow Dominique to be moved to one of the bedrooms on condition that she stay in the med center for 24 hours first and her condition did not worsen. Zizi knew that Dominique would rather have hot pokers stuck in her eyes than wake up in some sterile room, in a hospital gown. Zizi was a firm believer in cheerful surroundings making all the difference in a patient’s recovery, and nothing would cheer Dominique like a plush bedroom in a mansion in the Mediterranean.

That was not to say that Zizi wasn’t watching over her people; she saw Vivica entering the mansion apparently solo, so Zizi excused herself from Dominique and wheeled herself out of the room, closing the door gently behind her. She found her teammate in the atrium upstairs, one of several rooms where refreshments were being offered to celebrate Nicolas’ life.

“Vivica.”

Viv hugged her warmly, and Zizi didn’t mind one bit. She was a hugger herself, after all. She hugged Viv back and when they separated, she gestured to a small alcove where they could talk. She could tell there was something on Viv’s mind - maybe more than the ordeal they’d all just been through.

“How did it go…out there?”

It was strange, but Zizi didn’t feel that she had had time yet to properly focus on Nicolas’ death. All her attention had been on Dominique. Perhaps it was her mind shielding her - she didn’t want to think about that bright shining young man being struck down before he really even had a chance to live. Or the fact that it could have been any one of them. Or all of them.

Vivica: "It was a bit morose....but kind of beautiful ceremony..."

Zizi nodded.

”He deserved a bit of beauty.”

Vivica took a glass of champagne from an attendant. Zizi wasn’t sure alcohol was the best thing right now, for any of them, and feared it would only make everyone sadder. But she also knew there would be no convincing anyone here of that right now, so she said nothing.

Vivica: "I should have never been out of the city for that long. I'm sorry, Zizi..."

Vivica grasped her hand, and Zizi gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Vivica, nothing.”

Vivica: "I'm sorry for more than that....I should have been there. I should have stayed... with you. I dropped the ball because I was scared...but after all of this? I promise...it won't happen again. You're stuck with me. More than ever....I believe that people need us. And I need the birds...have you been in contact with John and Andrew?"

Zizi shook her head.

“There was nothing more you could have done In New York. And you needed to take care of yourself, do what you needed. I wanted you to. I’m glad you took some time for you. I will never criticize you for that.”

She smiled.

“As for John and Andrew, last I heard Steel had somehow been convinced to take the ferry to Ireland and they were driving south headed for Cork.”

Oh, the mischief. She was sure she didn’t want to know. And would ask them not to tell her.

“But after my message to John before we left for Aerie, I would expect they’re on their way back home now.”

Zizi nodded.

“There will be lots for us to do - not the least of all figuring out your little-“

She lowered her voice.

“Hiccup.”

 

[Harbinger]

Aerie - The Bluff

Harbinger hung back behind the others as they laid Nicolas to rest, preferring to stay in the darkness and out of the ring of light the pyre made. She waited until it was time. When all that was left was ashes. She whispered a word to cool the heat of the pyre, then softly called for Nicolas’ weapon.

”Astral Cleave.”

It appeared in her hand, looking so very large in it. She turned and with ceremony carried it silently away, resting it in both hands. She went alone to the vault, the one that held the most powerful of magickal objects and weapons, the “secrets of the world”. The Astral Cleave would take its place there where it belonged, as much a tribute to the man who had wielded it as the ceremony they had just finished.

Harbinger reached the golden doors of the vault and placed the Cleave in a temporal field, levitating it at shoulder height near her. She placed her hands on the massive doors, and using a combination of her own telekinetic power and a spell uttered in an ancient language, they opened. She was the only person who could open these doors, as the mistress of the mansion.

Harbinger gestured and the weapon floated before her into the vault. Once inside, she grasped it and set it carefully on a stand which looked as if it had been made especially for it. This job done, Alison seemed to deflate. She leaned forward, her forehead resting against the cool stone of the wall.

”Nicolas…”

It infuriated her, that it had ended this way! There should have been a way to save them all and yet, she had been unable to find the way. And now one of them had been lost, and Morgan was left heartbroken just as she was beginning to realize what Nicolas meant to her. And Alison herself, who had been so quick to put Nicolas up as sacrifice when they had battled Set the first time - now that she was unwilling to call for that again, he had perished anyway! And even she did not see clearly what this would mean going forward, for all of them, for the Six.

Alison straightened herself. Smoothed her blue black hair down. Composed her face into her usual cold stare. But instead of blinking back to the main floor of the mansion, she decided to walk. To clear her head. So she was quite herself again by the time a glass of hemlock was placed carefully into her outstretched hand and she began to survey those still about.

Nicolas had deserved a reception, and nothing cheap - all the stops had been pulled out by her staff. That boorish bimbo Ashley was already drunk apparently and singing songs which sounded like they were coming out of a PIG’s mouth. She had fought passably well but Alison was not at all sure WHY she was still here, other than the free food and drink. She didn’t even KNOW Nicolas.

Alison crossed her arms over her chest, taking a sip of the hemlock and shaking her head disapprovingly. She much preferred the quiet of the island to the noise of guests, she noted to herself as she receded back into the shadows.

 

[Persephone]

It was eerily quiet despite the raging waves that crashed into the cliffside below. The wind whipped Ava's hair around, but it was silent with its onslaught. She heard nothing as she stared forward vacantly, disassociating from everything around her, lost in her inner turmoil and thoughts. Tears teetered on the edge of her lower lashes, threatening to fall just as she teetered on the edge of the plateau. Then, a calm began to envelop her, like a warm kiss from the sun on a spring day. Ava's eyes shut causing the tears to fall to her cheeks, her breath hitching in her throat at the feeling of the pain leaving her body. She got lost in the blissful feeling for a moment, but knew where it was coming from--WHO it was coming from. She didn't deserve Zach's help after what she did to him, let alone want him to feel her like this. He was the only one who could feel her weakness, while to the others, she looked cold and detached as if nothing bothered her. She couldn't hide from Zach, and it made her feel like a caged dog.

Zach: “Ava?"

Ava didn't turn to acknowledge him, only staring forward toward the sea.

"Please go."

FLASH

"PLEASE GO...."

She pleaded, her voice cracking as he rushed to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind and pulling her from the edge of the building.

FLASH

The memory of that night coated in guilt.

Zach: “That’s an awful long way to fall, and you’re perilously close to the edge there.”

She softly scoffed. Despite not turning to look at Zach, it wasn't lost to her how far away he was from her. She didn't need to be an empath to know he was afraid that she would try and finish what she had started on that roof.

"I'm not going to jump, if that's what you're hoping for."

Her words were meant to be sarcastic, but even they lacked the harsh edge Ava was known for. Her energy was already severely depleted, and the guilt of Zach's presents was making it worse. Her body was trembling as she steadied herself on the plateau, loose rocks crumbling over the edge and falling to the jagged jetty below.

"Just leave me alone."