Fate’s Crossroads

"No..." Visenya's heart sank into the pit of her stomach. "Tell me that you are not saying what I think you are saying, mother!"

"It was only a matter of time before he came for you," Sarai explained. "We knew he was just waiting for your first shift. Then, he would take you away from us, setting off a chain of harrowing events that you can't even begin to imagine. We were ready to go to war for you, Visenya, but we knew that was a war we'd never win.”

Visenya clutched her stomach. "Oh my Goddess... I think I'm going to be sick."

"There are things you don't understand," Sarai's tone was assertive and resolute. "Their kind doesn't see mates of different species as equals. To them, they are nothing more than possessions, and that's just in regard to humans. Do you think their Elders viewed us Lycans any differently?" Sarai scoffed. "Your father and I refused to accept that fate for you."

"You mean the fate that I was subjected to anyway?!" Visenya exclaimed. "All those innocent lives you took! His people... his family... his brother, who was the same age as Synora!"

"Sacrifices had to be made... I don't expect you to comprehend that," Sarai replied. "They are monsters, Visenya, and he was no different. I know you see that now," she added, her tone filled with conviction.

"Yes... I see that he is the monster that you and father created!" Visenya retorted. "I suppose it takes a monster to recognize one, doesn't it, mother?!"

“You have no right to judge me!” Sarai exclaimed. “You don’t have children, so you have no idea the lengths a parent will go to ensure their safety and well-being!”

“Safety and well-being?” Visenya scoffed, defiantly lowering the neckline of her top to expose the marking on her chest.

Sarai's breath caught in her throat at the sight of it, fully aware that Dragon Lords only bestowed their marks upon the mates they deemed worthy.

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” Visenya clarified, her voice tinged with bitterness. “He only found me worthy of bearing his mark after I took my own life. So much for my safety and well-being, huh? All those lives you collected were for nothing!"

“I only wanted what’s best for you, Visenya,” Sarai pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. “I am still your mother. That has not changed.”

"I don't even know who you are anymore," Visenya's voice trembled, her tears finally breaking free. "Someone who would consent to something so wicked? Hundreds of thousands of innocent people died that day... children... babies. Do you think that I am proud of what my father did? I am ashamed to be his daughter! And now I know... you are no better."

Visenya stormed off towards the house, with Sarai in hot pursuit, desperately trying to justify her actions. But for Visenya, there was no excuse for what she had done. As she entered the house, Visenya quickly scanned the room, her eyes locking onto her little sister who stood timidly by the window, silently observing the entire confrontation. Visenya approached Synora and firmly grasped her hand, leading her towards the front door.

Sensing Visenya's intentions, Sarai stepped forward, obstructing her path. "Where do you think you're taking her?" Sarai challenged.

"Away from you," Visenya said firmly.

"You're not taking my child anywhere," Sarai retorted. "You're acting irrationally right now."

"Irrationally?!" Visenya's anger flared, the fiery rage within her igniting. "You are unfit to be a mother!"

"Calm yourself, Visenya," Sarai warned, noticing the wolfish stir in Visenya's eyes. Or was it?

No, this wasn't Delilah, Sarai acknowledged. This was something entirely different. Sarai extended her hand, attempting to take hold of Synora and free her from Visenya's grip. However, Visenya swiftly pulled Synora behind her, positioning herself as a protective barrier between her sister and their mother.

Visenya's eyes blazed with an otherworldly fire, glowing with an intensity that defied all logic. The sheer power emanating from her sent a shiver down Sarai's spine—a power capable of consuming everything in its path.

"I will not let you hurt my sister as you have hurt so many others," Visenya declared. "Like you've hurt me!"

A surge of fire erupted from Visenya’s palms, leaving poor Synora caught in the crosshairs of her untamed abilities. Synora's scream echoed through the room, her hand tightly pressed against the seared flesh of her cheek.

Sarai rushed to Synora’s side, tending to her distressed child who wailed in pain. Visenya remained motionless, overcome with shock, grappling with the shame that arose from the unintentional harm she had caused her beloved sister. Visenya's hand trembled as she reached out to Synora, her tear-streaked face filled with sorrow.

"Stay back!" Sarai's voice rang out, her fear prominent in her tone. "Don’t come any closer... you’re cursed."

Those piercing words lodged themselves deep within Visenya's heart, resonating with a painful truth she couldn't ignore. She was a danger to those she loved; therefore, there was no place for her amongst them.

"I'm sorry, Synora..." Her voice broke, choked with sorrow. "I am so terribly sorry..."

Visenya dashed out of the house, determined to distance herself from her family and people, to ensure that she wouldn’t be a danger to anyone else. As if guided by an unseen force, she found herself wandering through the mountains, the landscape mirroring the haunting imagery of her dreams.

She had no recollection of how she ended up there. Had she been so distraught that she had no memory of even leaving the Lycan borders? And how had she managed to traverse such a distance on foot, arriving in an unfamiliar land seemingly in the middle of nowhere?

All that remained in her fragmented memory was the urgent need to escape and the desperate longing to find Marienne. She believed that Marienne held the answers she sought, the key to unraveling the mysteries that plagued her. To her astonishment, the enigmatic cave she had dreamt of appeared before her, its inner glow beckoning her forward with a warm invitation.

Stepping inside, Visenya marveled at the ancient symbols lining the walls, their familiarity striking her with the realization that her dream had foretold this very moment. The melodic resonance of Marienne's voice filled the air, pulling her deeper into the depths of the cavern.

"Marienne?" Her voice trembled with a mix of anguish and hope as she approached the captivating red-haired woman.

Marienne reached out and gently took Visenya's trembling hands in her own. "Together at last," her chilling voice reverberated through the cave.

Visenya's tear-streaked face contorted with anguish. "Something is happening to me, Marienne," she wept, her voice filled with fear and confusion.

"Shhh..." Marienne whispered, her arms enveloping Visenya in a comforting embrace, offering her a shoulder to cry on.

A mischievous smirk slowly formed on Marienne's face, a glint of devilry dancing in her eyes. "You've come to the right place... I will help you.”
———

For two days, Lucian aimlessly roamed the path that Visenya had taken when she departed. Her scent, which had once lingered in the air, was long gone now, leaving behind only his burdened heart, brimming with regret. If only he could turn back time and fix the fragments of their broken past.

The barren landscape mirrored the emptiness he felt inside, with each step he took echoing a sense of purposelessness. He desperately wanted to go to her—to see her, hold her, and beg her for another chance. However, he knew that wasn't what she wanted, and he had to respect her wishes, even if it killed him to do so.

With each passing mile, memories of their love haunted him, tormenting his very soul. He replayed their moments together, the laughter and tenderness, now tinged with the bitter taste of separation. He cried out her name, a desperate plea that echoed through the desolation, hoping it would somehow reach her and bring her back to him.

The weight of his anguish became too much to bear, and Lucian fell to his knees, his tears mingling with the dust of his shattered dreams. He lay there in the dirt for hours, his endless tears creating a puddle of mud beneath him as he brokenly reiterated the same words again and again. "Please, come back. I'm so sorry... please, come back."

After some time, Lucian reached a breaking point and realized he couldn't bear it any longer. He was determined to win Visenya back, fully aware of the challenges, but adamant about making things up to her. He took his dragon form, soaring into the sky as he made his way towards the Lycan Kingdom.