Chapter 5 The Weight of Destiny

~Three days later.

Aethon appeared at the clearing's edge, as if reality had torn open to let him through. Black and red mist swirled around him. The air still hummed with his arrival, and the forest seemed to shrink back, startled by his sudden presence.

“Oh…” He puffed, his chest heaving slightly, his eyes blazing with an otherworldly energy that crackled through the air like summoned lightning.

He stepped from the backyard onto the worn path, leading to the front door of the isolated hut. Towering trees stood guard. The door creaked open, revealing a sliver of dim light within.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he saw Dixon standing over a bed, his hands moving in slow strokes, scrubbing at a stain that refused to budge.

Izzy lay still on the bed, her skin clammy.

Dixon’s face was bent, his eyes fixed intently on his task.

Aethon’s gaze lingered on Dixon’s hands, noticing the slight tremble that betrayed his composure. “My–” he began, but Dixon cut him off, his voice rough.

“Are you here with the cure?”

Dixon’s hands didn't pause, but his eyes flicked up, meeting Aethon’s for a brief moment. Then, they dropped back to Izzy, and he continued cleaning her body.

Aethon slowly shook his head. “I—” he opened his mouth to talk, his face cast downward, but Dixon cut him off.

“Didn’t I tell you there's no point showing up unless you're here with a solution?” Dixon said, his voice still calm despite the anger boiling in his mind. He had never raised his voice at Aethon before, and wouldn't want to do that for any reason.

“I’m sorry, your majesty,” Aethon apologised, his face cast downward with his hands clasped in each other. He slightly raised his head, staring at Dixon with one side of his eye. “My lord, why are you so worried about her? Don’t you know who she is?”

“Of course, I do…” Dixon responded. He stopped wiping Izzy and authoritatively raised his eyebrows, slightly glancing over his shoulder to look at Aethon. “Why do you think I’d be this passionate to find a cure for her?”

“Hun!” Aethon exclaimed, his brows furrowed, confused. Dixon would’ve slit her throat the moment they met if he’d known who she was, no hesitation. Now, he was desperate to find a way to save her.

“Why’d you want to save her when she’s—” Aethon wanted to protest, but Dixon cut him off.

“Why wouldn’t I want to save him when she’s my mate?!” Dixon revealed.

“Your mate?!” Aethon's eyes widened, shocked. "No…" He whispered. Dixon nodded gravely, and Aethon shook his head, as if trying to shake off the words. It can't be true. The woman couldn't be his master's mate.

Was fate playing a cruel joke, or had they stumbled into a nightmare?

Dixon turned to Aethon, his voice low. "You know what her absence risked. You know how long we've kept the secret of my mate, and now that I've found her, shouldn't keeping her safe be your priority?"

He locked eyes with Aethon. "Have you forgotten your promises? To pamper her, to bow to her, to make her happy even when I'm not around? You swore to be consumed by regret if she ever stopped smiling."

Aethon’s head shook slowly, his eyes clouding with emotion. "No, my Lord. I've not forgotten. I shall stand by my words till my last breath, but..." He hesitated, and Dixon’s voice prodded him gently.

"But what, Aethon? You're the one person I trust. Have you stopped caring about my affairs?" Dixon's voice cracked, tears glistening in his eyes.

Aethon's gaze fell upon Dixon's face, and he felt a pang of regret, helplessness washing over him. He knew Izzy's presence was a danger, yet he yearned to help, torn by the cruel fate that bound Dixon to her.

He shook his head, his voice a gentle breeze. “Forgive me, my Lord...” He chose his words carefully, trying not to inflict more pain on Dixon's already battered heart.

“There's no escaping it, my Lord. Your mate's soul's already footing the bridge to the great beyond. There's no physics to recall her spirit. Her body's already starting to decay.”

Dixon's face screwed up, his voice a raw growl. “No...” He shook his head, his eyes blazing with determination. “I'll not give up on her. Even if it costs me my life. I'll pay any price.”

Aethon's gaze dropped, his head bowing in a slow nod. “I knew you'd say that, my Lord. I expect no less from you. But fate's already dealt you...”

He paused, his eyes flicking to Dixon's face. “She's the one you need to live a full life, to fulfil the prophecy, but she's also the one the prophecy warned you to shun.”

“What in the name of the gods are you talking about?” Dixon demanded.

Aethon took a deep breath, his expression unshaken. He lifted his head, his gaze meeting Dixon’s, and spoke in a measured tone. “The reaper's making his way here.”

Dixon leapt up, his stare sharp with unspoken fury. “To do what?” He spat, his voice a lash. Before Aethon could respond, the answer slapped Dixon across the face, leaving him breathless, his eyes wide with realisation. “That’s...”

His voice faltered. The towel slipped from his hand, falling onto the ground. With his eyeballs popping out of his eyes and his mouth widely opened, he locked eyes with Aethon, whose expression was neutral.

After a confused moment, Dixon followed his thought. He rushed to pick up his sword and removed it from its shield, wielding it towards the entrance.

“I will not allow her soul to be taken away. That'll be over my dead body.”

“Are you sure you can stop the reaper?” Aethon asked, but Dixon wasn't in his right mind to think properly at the moment, and he instantly gave the only response that fled his lips.

“You're here. You'll help me.”

“I’m afraid, I may not…” Aethon responded, his tone blunt, yet polite.

Dixon’s eyes widened in shock. “Uhn!” He hummed, taken aback by Aethon’s unprecedented bluntness, a stark departure from their usual dynamic where Aethon reliably came through, even without being asked.

Aethon curtsied his head. “My Lord, instead of wasting these fleeting moments in futile rage, why not lay down your sword and take her hand?” He suggested.

“Let her feel your warmth, your presence, as she embarks on this irreversible path. Only in this gentle gesture, I believe, can you both find a measure of peace.”