The Blind Witch
Chapter 31

You are stronger than him. His darkness is but a mist, feathering through the wind. You are eternal, you are ruinous. Show him.

Clarissa was chained to the wall for some time. She did not know if it had been several days or perhaps a week. But the whole time, she refused food and water. She did not trust that Erebus would not give her something to make her complacent. But she was on the verge of collapsing. She was tired; she was lethargic.

Erebus would visit her for a few minutes at a time. But he would always leave. She knew a bed was in the room, but he did not sleep in it. She spent much of her time alone in the darkness.

Using what little strength she had, she pulled herself to her feet to look out the window. She tried to look out often, searching for those that she knew. But there was always darkness. No one had come for her. Except, this time, there was something in the distance. Dark orbs; she was sure of it. But it just barely came into her vision before disappearing. It could have been one of the Requiem witches. But she thought she saw a familiar swirl before they vanished.

It was time. She needed to do something to escape Erebus. It was either now or never. She was getting weak. Her body was close to giving out. She sat on the floor, waiting. After some time, she saw the familiar smoke of Erebus entering the room. She watched him through hazy eyes as he sat in his chair.

"Water," she whispered with a hoarse voice.

"What was that?" He questioned as he leaned forward. For three days, she had been firm in her resolve. Did he finally break her?

"Please, may I have water," she begged as she knelt. "Please."

Erebus smiled as he took a cup of water. He walked to her but set the cup just outside of her reach. She looked up at him, but then her gaze faltered. Her eyes looked to the floor, defeated. Erebus nudged the cup with his foot, inching it closer and closer to her. When it was within her grasp, she did not instantly take it.

"The cup is in front of you."

"Am I allowed to drink from it?" She inquired softly. She remained unmoving, which confused Erebus. Was she indeed that broken? Was she so weak that it took only a few days to break her spirit?

"You are," he replied after a moment.

Clarissa reached down, taking the cup in her hands. She brought it to her mouth and quickly drank it. Her dry, parched mouth was finally getting relief. She smiled as she set the cup back down to the floor.

"Why now?" He questioned, his voice becoming stern.

"What do you mean?"

"Why now do you break down and ask for water?"

"Because you were right," she whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek. Erebus flinched, surprised by her words. He knelt down, getting eye level with her. "They aren't coming for me. They've abandoned me."

"Now, how do you know that they've abandoned you?"

"Have they come to get me?" She questioned, her voice wavering as she held back a sob. "You would know."

"No, no one has tried to come for you," he answered as he reached over.

He touched her cheek, wiping the tears that fell. His darkness was finally able to touch her. It surrounded her, clinging to her skin. For the first time, he could make out her features. And her eyes, he could see them clearly.

"I can see the fire within your eyes." He remarked with a smile.

"My eyes are black," she said as she shook her head.

"To the mortals, they are black," he replied. "But to me, they hold the universes that we have conquered in the past. I can see space, with its planets and stars. I can see our future and all the possibilities that lie within it."

She was silent as she listened to him. Her face leaned into his hand. He was warm against her frigid skin. Without the use of her fire magic, she had become cold. Erebus was enjoying her skin against his. His other hand reached up and gently stroked her hair. But it felt different. Clarissa felt different than Nyx. Clarissa's hair was smooth to the touch. And although it was wavy, it was nothing compared to Nyx's bouncy, coarse curls.

"Do you know what you look like?" Erebus inquired curiously. "I do not have my normal sight while in this mortal body."

"They say I have fair skin, and my hair is bright red," she answered softly.

"Hmm," he thought aloud. "A stark contrast to Nyx. She was a child of the eternal darkness. Her skin was a rich black that shined in the light. When she stood on the edges of space, you could see the stars and planets dot across her perfect flesh. And her hair, though it was black, it was luminous at the same time. I loved to feel her springy coils as we laid side by side in bed."

"I can't remember," Clarissa murmured as she began to sob. "Why can't I remember?"

"Let me help you," he whispered to her, almost pleading to her.

Clarissa pressed herself against Erebus, gripping his shirt tightly in her hands. She pressed her face into his chest, crying into it. All she could do was nod her head to him, unable to speak. Erebus could not help but soften to her touch. She had truly given in to him.

He reached down and removed the chain from around her wrists. He scooped her up effortlessly in his arms. Erebus laid her down on the bed and crawled on top of her. He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her roughly. Clarissa held back a grimace as he did. She could not fight him; she needed time.

As he kissed her, she could feel the warmth of her fire return. She put her hands on his arms, keeping him close to her. His lips left her lips, traveling down her jawline to her neck. His hands rubbed the sides of her waist. His attention was on her. He needed her, body and mind. And for the moment, she would give it to him.

Show him.

Clarissa closed her eyes and concentrated. Behind Erebus, fire began to form in the center of the room. It was just a little ball that was spinning. She did her best to ignore Erebus as his hands slipped under her dress, up to her thighs. Her mind was on the sun forming behind him. She carefully called forth the magic and powers of creation.

Something felt familiar to her. This, creating the sun. It felt natural. The last time she made a sun, she was in a trance with no memory of what had happened. But now that she was purposefully doing it, there was something instinctive about it.

Your powers lie rooted in creativity and wonder.

Clarissa opened her eyes as Erebus seemed to freeze. Her sun was still growing; it needed another minute for it to be destructive. She needed time. She put her hands on his face and slammed her lips against his. Her tongue shot into his mouth, claiming him instantly. Erebus fell forward, enthralled with her actions. He let her take the lead. He knew it would be easier to make her submit.

Clarissa lifted one of her legs, wrapping it around him. She pulled at his shirt, forcing the buttons apart. Erebus tried to pull up her dress, but she placed her hands on his, stopping him. He growled as he leaned closer to her.

“Don’t worry, little one. I shall be gentle this time.” He whispered.

"I won’t be!” She yelled as the room began to tremble.

Erebus turned around to look at what was going on. Clarissa took the opportunity to slip out from under him. She ran past her sun, putting it in between her and Erebus. He quickly stood from the bed. He wanted to chase after her, but the sun’s gravity was pulling him. He held up his arms, trying his best to shield his eyes from the bright magic before him.

Clarissa stood there, unmoving. The sun did not affect her as it did him. Her hair did not blow in the torrential wind. Her feet were not compelled to be dragged into the flaming inferno. This was a product of her creation. It would not harm her. But it stood between her and Erebus.

Erebus moved around, trying to catch a glimpse of Clarissa. He was in shock. He knew she had the power to create a sun. But how could she create something this great after days of her magic being subdued? He looked up as he heard the crumbling of the ceiling above him. He stepped back, further away from Clarissa.

“Nyx! Please, stop this! Please! Stay with me!” He called out to her. His voice wavered. There was a hint of sincerity in his voice. But that love and desire that he felt was for his own personal gain.

“I am not Nyx!” She yelled back as she held her arms out. “I am Clarissa, the Queen of Queens. I am my own being, my own person. Do not mistake me for Nyx again!”

The sun’s size began to grow rapidly. The floors and walls around it began to crumble. Erebus’ face began to scowl. She had tricked him. The sly girl. He underestimated her, but he would never do that again. He looked up as the castle continued to fall around him. He would have to let her go this time. But he would get her. He always found Nyx. Clarissa was no different, even if she refused to realize it. She was Nyx. She was a god. But she was still young. He would control her, bend her to his will. He planned to break her into hundreds of tiny pieces so that he could put her back together in his own vision.

Clarissa watched as Erebus transported away. But she waited, her eyes searching. She needed to be sure that he was gone; that he was not hiding, waiting for her to recall her sun.

“Clarissa!” She heard someone yell at her.

She turned, glancing over her shoulder. It was Victor. He was holding onto what remained of a stone wall, trying his best to reach her. She smiled and turned her attention back to the sun. The barrier was down. Victor was able to slip in to retrieve her. She held out her hands, concentrating on her powers.

“Inoelo!” She yelled, commanding the sun to grow smaller.

She could feel her arms shake as she tried to close her hands together. The sun had grown large and was starting to fight against her. But she held the power; this was a thing of her creation. It had no choice but to listen to her. She released the breath that she held when she could feel the sun growing smaller. Once the sun and its gravity had died down, she called for the fire to return to her.

Victor had watched from a distance, clinging to the stone wall as best as he could. The sun was nearly triple the size of the one she created at Haerford Palace. It had destroyed much of the castle, leaving nothing but rubble in its wake. But then he watched as the fire rushed into her hands, and the light that lit up the area disappeared. It was dark.

Victor instantly rushed through the shadows. He grabbed Clarissa and whisked her away. He traveled for several minutes, jumping from shadow to shadow, putting space between them and the Requiem. He did not know if they were being followed, but he could not risk it.

He stopped only when his magic could no longer move them. He had exhausted himself and his powers. He set them on top of a ridge overlooking the ruined castle in the valley below. Only then was Clarissa able to catch her breath. With heavy breathing, she looked at Victor. She could see that his cloud was smaller, thinner than usual. And he had fewer orbs floating around his shadows. She reached out to him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. Only then did she begin to cry.

“Dad!” She sobbed into his chest. She held out, waiting, and he came for her. And her heart felt heavy. She needed him; she needed her father. She needed his comfort, his warmth, his security. Something she had grown up without. But at this moment, she desperately wanted it.

“I’m here, baby girl,” he whispered as he held her close. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

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