Post

The God’s Embraces VI
Expansion Post: 6/7 wc: 686

Her scream only stopped as she managed to catch herself with one hand.

“Rose!” Zephyr ran for his sister.

She looked down. A section of the floor had fallen away beneath her. The torch she had been holding continued to fall into the darkness as she tried to hold on. It finally hit something hollow with an echo- and then there was a roar. A blazing roar of ignition. Whatever was down there, the torch has set it to ash.

“Rose! Give me your other hand!” Zephyr urged, pale to see his sister in such a predicament.

Rose looked up. She couldn’t take Zephyr’s hand, the arm that dangled beside her held her sword. With a grunt, she brought her arm up and threw her sword past him. And slipped.

“Zephyr!”

“D**mit!”
Her body was yanked as he grabbed her. She let out a breath of relief. How was she going to get up?

“Could you focus a little less on the sword and little more on your life? D**mit, Rose!” Zephyr was cursing in Aelthian now.

“I had to get it out of my hand to take yours, dumb***!” She shouted back at him. If he wanted to argue in the midst of a life-threatening situation, well, as his younger sibling, she could only oblige.

“Are you just going to dangle there? You’re the strongest duelist in the country, can’t even climb out a dangerous pit-trap?” he growled at her.

Huffing at her brother, she realized he was right. She probably had more muscle strength than he did. If she could pull herself up to grasp the floor again, she could get out of here on her own. She needed leverage, though. Swinging her legs forward, she prepared for the acrobatic move she was about to attempt.

And then Zephyr slipped. She stopped. “Zephyr, if I try and get out of here, you’re going to fall in.” her eyes went wide, watching his boots slipping on the polished marble even now.

“I’ll be fine. C’mon, Rose. I can’t hold you forever. You’re heavy.” The angle of his eyebrows the only thing giving away his inner panic.

“Kalovo,” Ourianna’s voice finally graced them as she stood by the hole, unbothered. “Let go.”

“ What! ” Zephyr shouted at her. “What the h*** is wrong with you!”

“Do not resist fate. Put your trust in the gods, and let go.”

“You want me to let my baby sister fall to her death in a pit of fire because some words on a wall said so? You’re mad!” Zephyr tried to readjust his grip determinedly, trying to find the friction to pull her up, but continuing to slip on the marble.

“Zephyr...” Rose looked down. The fire was getting more intense. She could feel it on the bottom of her boots now. “It’s okay.”

“No it’s not! D**mit. I know I’ve never been the responsible older brother I should have been- but it’s still my job to protect you!”

She could feel Zephyr’s hands slipping. He didn’t have the strength to hold on much longer. She giggled a bit at him. “You know, just because you weren’t a typical older brother, doesn’t mean I didn’t look up to you. I wish I was brave enough to live life like I want to. Telling Dad no to pursue your dreams traveling across the world... I wish I had the strength to do that. But I’ve spent all my life being who everyone else wants me to be- the best duelist, the “perfect” daughter, the empress... maybe if I had taken a minute to pursue what I wanted, I wouldn’t be dying before I got my first kiss.” she laughed at herself. The tears falling off her cheeks disappeared in the pit below.

Zephyr blinked. “You never- wait. I thought you said you kissed that one dude back when were were kids-”

Rose rolled her eyes. “I was jealous you got a love note so I had to one-up you, okay? I lied! Is now really the time-”

Zephyr’s strength ran out. And her sentence remained unfinished.