Out of the World

36. Cinder-Hell-a

Nina

Looking around the place the little rune took me, I sighed. What was I thinking? I had no clue where I was and how dangerous it could be. Oh well, it didn’t seem to matter that much now after everything was said and done.

There was only a huge iron gate in front of me and some exotic-looking creatures were crossing it casually, strolling around. Taking a lungful of the slightly sulphuric-smelling air, I crossed the gate as well. Surprisingly, all I could see ahead was a long highway and a bus stop. My eyes widened in surprise. They must be kidding me! It looked way too mundane, just like another bad day in the Human Realm.

Yet, this wasn’t the Human Realm, not at all, even though I was sure I could find many humans here.

For my whole life I’d been very cautious and kept myself small and invisible, now I was acting in a reckless way, and well, I was very much visible and everyone was looking at me. It was even more obvious than yesterday in the Ball. Now I was a complete Nina freak show — or better put, a Nina freaking out show. All Demons and other Hell creatures were looking at me as if I were wearing a bikini to the movies.

I guess that’s what you get when you come with a ball gown to Hell.

Sitting at the bench of the bus stop, I sighed and looked at a couple of seemingly hipster Demons on my right.

“Where is the bus heading too?” I asked them.

“To Tartarus,” the Demon lady replied.

“Is it the capital city?” I asked like a moron.

The guy laughed, “You can say so. The King’s castle is there and they have the best parties!”

“Does the bus stop anywhere else in between?” I asked. I didn’t want to come across Daddy Laius, or the girls. I knew Zorion would take some time to get over me and that I would never ever get over him. So, meeting someone from their Royal Magic family was not an option.

“Yes, pretty much everywhere. Are you here on vacation? If so, go to Acheron, it’s a city by the margin of the river. They have great whiskey there and insane bars!” the girl told me with a wink.

This place wasn’t what I expected, nothing like we Humans pictured/depicted, except the fact that it was hot as Hell – pun intended. But there was no fire, bad guys hurting each other or eternal damnation. It wasn’t something of evil, more like the idea of Hell in Greek Mythology I think. Those Greeks got it right!

Any reasonable person would ask me, why the hell are you in Hell? I did have a good reason. I had to find my parents or at least know what I was.

I had no clue if the way Lola, Lena and I got Mama Schawn’s riddle was right. Yet, if it had at least an ounce of a chance of being right, I had to try.

Mama Schawn mentioned something between the Sky and Hell and I knew well that between those two, I would only make the cut to Hell. So, here I was, trying to find out if my parents, or at least, one of them was a Demon or any other kind of Hell creature.

Mama Schawn and the Daddy Vamp artist told me to dare and feel, to give myself to my feelings. I surely left all my rational and logical thoughts aside and came to this place without even a map or plan.

So, mission accomplished! Now, I was a huge chaos of emotion, about to take the highway to Hell in a stupid attempt to find something or someone I wasn’t even sure existed. Yes, Nina. All your rationality and logic have gone down the drain! And now, it was time to let all that was burning in my chest and prickling in my eyes (tears) go.

As soon as I entered the bus, I realised that I had no way to pay for the ticket. Great, Nina, you will get stuck here out of stupidity. That was the most insane and stupid thing I’ve ever done and it would surely get me killed.

“Next!” the driver said, attracting my eyes to him. He looked like a normal human man in his forties, except for his crimson-red goatee beard and his goat-like little horns. Well, it was more like baby-goat horns.

“I have no money,” I murmured, knowing that he wouldn’t be so nice to let me go for free, right?

“Show your ti.ts!” he said casually, almost bored.

“What?” I stared at him in pure indignation.

“Show your ti.t for a moment. It doesn’t need to be both of them, but only your favourite, then get to your seat. It’s that or I leave you here. There is no free ride to Hell, doll-face!” he grumbled.

A deep sigh left me, “Fine!” I showed him one of my bo.obs for a split second and he nodded in approval, a weird smile forming above his goatee. He motioned for me to walk further onto the bus before calling for the next passenger.

Getting settled in my surprisingly comfortable seat, I breathed deeply and let a few more tears escape my eyes.

I couldn’t go back to the Human Realm. First, the police were after me, and second, I’ve never felt as if I belonged there. I would rather go to Hell than go back to my sad excuse of a life. Now that I knew love and real friendship, I couldn’t settle for a flatmate that didn’t care at all about me or an abusive boss.

So, even though it was insane, coming here was my only option. One of those two things would happen: either I would be out of Zorion’s life and make it possible for him to have a normal supernatural happy life without the losing-his-mate-tragedy, or I would find an answer in this hot Realm. I would find out who I am.

Maybe if I found something about myself, that I wasn’t only the human which would ruin Zorion’s life and break him completely with my death, then we could have a chance.

~ * ~

Lola

After looking around for a while longer, I realised that my so-called Fated Mate wasn’t stalking me once again. Good. I knew well that he didn’t have good intentions.

Letting my tense body sink on my armchair, I noticed that a piece of paper was on top of my table.

“What is it?” I asked out loud. Taking a fast look at it, I spotted Nina’s name. It was a letter from Nina.

“Dear Lena, Dear Lola,

I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye and explaining some things to you both.

When I came to your world, I didn’t only get a mate, but also two sisters and the best and most supportive friends I could wish for. It saddens me that I have to leave this beautiful family behind, especially without saying a proper goodbye.

I trust you both not to show this letter to Zorion, at least not before he is able to get over me and move on with his life. He wouldn’t understand the reason behind me leaving, at least not when the ache in his heart is still fresh, but I know that I owe you all an explanation and that you will convey my words to him at the right time.

Well, I left, because as I told him, Zorion and I would never work out as mates. I am a mortal and I know that the burden of my eventual death would cost him either his life or his sanity. Mating and marking each other or even staying longer would only make my inevitable departure — I am talking about my death — harder.

So, I decided to do the only thing I could: leave as soon and as fast as possible, before my determination faded away and I couldn’t bring myself to leave you all, even though I am sure it was the right thing to do.

I hope that you both can forgive me for leaving like this. About Zorion, I know that wishing for his forgiveness is too much, so I only wish that he moves on fast and has an eternity full of happiness.

I love you girls, and I am so sorry.

And for Zorion, what I feel goes beyond love and much beyond myself; I really hope that my departure can give him the chance to have an eternity full of all the magic and beauty he deserves.

Love,

Nina.

“Oh, Goddess!” My hand roamed down to my heart and I gasped for air slowly, trying to calm myself down. Poor Nina! I wasn't an Empath like Lena, but I could feel her pain. She left fearing that by staying she would make Zo suffer more and have Darkness either devouring his soul or killing him once she died. She couldn’t be more wrong!

As I hummed a song in an attempt to ease the trembling pounce of my heart, I rushed down stairs. Mum and Dad were still there with Zo, she looked desolated and Dad looked like he was about to release a fireball and icenerate our living room.

“Nina, is that you?” Zorion grunted without opening his eyes, his delirious state growing further scarily fast.

“Lola, are you okay, Little Sweetie?” Dad asked, closing the distance between us in a few steps and wrapping me in his arms.

With a deep sigh, I showed my parents the letter. There was no point in keeping it to myself, not when my brother was under a lethal threat. I knew well that the Darkness wouldn’t retreat, not without the light that only Zo’s mating with Nina could spark.

“I’ve already mind-linked Helena, Avalon and Elric. They are coming home. We have to find a way to block Zorion’s powers. This is the best way to make the Darkness' growth slow down,” Mum sighed, wiping her tears with the cape of her ball gown.

“True. The Darkness feeds off power, so the more powerful the being is, the faster it grows. Blocking his powers won’t stop or revert it, but will slow down the process,” Dad agreed with a nod as he took my mum with one arm and me with the other and wrapped us both in a warm hug.

Within a few minutes, Lena stormed into the living room in a flash of soft green light.

“What is happening? Does Nina have Pixie poop in her mind? Zorion!” Lena yelled, running towards our brother. By the way she was unsettled, I could see that her empathic powers were running out of control and that the piercing migraines were back.

As soon as Lena made the mistake of touching Zorion’s shoulder, a soul-chilling scream left her and she floated away, quivering in some sort of shock.

Lena could feel and somehow even magnify what he was feeling and it made thick gushes of air to leave her fingertips and wrap around her.

Mum closed her eyes, and moving her fingers in circles, she raised a shield of blue light around Zorion, protecting him from Lena’s out of control elemental powers.

“Mum, are her Emphatic powers impacting on her Elf-air elemental powers?” I asked, dumbfounded. Mum tried to run towards Lena, but Dad kept her caged in his firm grasp.

“Sugar, you can’t do anything. She is completely out of control. Stay behind and I will help Lena! You both open a portal to Lea’s house or somewhere safe. Now!” he murmured to my mum and me.

Suddenly, the whirlwinds of air around my sister grew tenfold. Oh, my Goddess! Lena was becoming herself a full-blown tornado.