Chapter 25: Elena

　　The second worst day of Elena`s life was when she had hurt Luna. As all memories did, this one flowed through her veins and spilled into her mind like a relentless nightmare. She had regrets - oh, how someone like her wished to be free from the burden of regret.

　　That would make every day the worst, daughter of ash, the Flame spoke to her. Her Flame, as it always did, tormented her with fragments of guilt. You`ve been hurting her for years; don`t pretend it was only once. There is only penance for you.

　　Elena took a drink, relishing the burn on its way down. She sat in the empty and dark tavern alone. After what she`d done to Caden the night prior, she couldn`t help but come home and destroy everything. Tables were flipped over, papers were scattered, and glass windows were broken. She even threw a chair across the room, and it landed on one of the booths.

　　"Only penance," Elena said out loud to no one.

　　The day was still vivid in her mind. It was such a visceral memory, and no amount of regret erased it. She closed her eyes and remembered.

　　She had been standing behind the bar, and Luna had crumbled to the floor. Her sister was sobbing, her arms stained with blood, and her eyes. . . pleading to stop.

　　Elena was so full of rage at the time she didn`t even care. She adored the pain her sister was in. Why?

　　"Who`s weak now?" she had said. The Flame burned through her veins and fueled her actions. Her vision bled crimson. "Don`t you dare forget who is in charge of you! Do not ever defy me again."

　　I had always wanted to set Luna free. . . Elena thought. But Isabel`s dream is worth more than her.

　　It was the most terrible truth.

　　She could not blame the Flame for all her actions, as she was still guilty. Even when she lifted Luna up by her hair and slammed her head onto the ground. . . oh, that poor child. But the Flame, it too, held part of the blame.

　　Kill her. It had said.

　　Elena had refused.

　　But when it had taken control of her mind, of her body. When the Flame itself became Elena. . . that was when she had almost done it. Back then, she had ignited a spell. A flame in her hand to burn Luna alive. To watch her suffer. The burnout was that bad. . . she was that bad.

　　"No!" Elena had shouted at the Flame. In her mind, she was in a dark room, watching her body move on its own. She sprinted through an unseen environment and approached her Flame. It looked just like her, but. . . vengeful. She tackled the impostor to the ground and began fighting with her Pyromancy.

　　"Please!" she shouted. "Please stop!"

　　Luna could not die. She couldn`t lose her.

　　"No. NO! You won`t take her too!" Elena wrapped her hands around the Flame`s neck, choking the life out of herself - out of her curse.

　　This is what you`ve always wanted. Let me tear her limb from limb. The Flame roared in her mind, and they fought, rolling around in the dark corners of her subconscious. Elena would do anything to stop Luna from dying.

　　"Anyone else! You can take anyone else! But not her! She`s my sister!"

　　Back in the tavern, flames grew hotter in her hand; Luna was going to die.

　　Elena found strength within her that day, a shred of honor, a fragment left by the waves of valor that used to flow through her. With it, she took control back.

　　"She`s my little sister, and she`s all I have left!" She plunged her hand into the Flame`s heart and tore it out.

　　She blinked, and she was suddenly thrust back into her body. The dark room vanished, and she had returned. She grabbed her arm and pushed the flames away to the left. It exploded out from her. The fire roared and filled the tavern. She stared down at Luna, who was shaking and sobbing.

　　I`m so sorry, she thought, but she couldn`t bring herself to say it.

　　Then she snapped her fingers and absorbed the flames before sprinting from the tavern.

　　Why? What caused her to be like this? The answer was so obvious.

　　"Isabel," Elena said. "Why did it have to be you. . . who died that day?"

　　It was not the first time Elena had succumbed to madness. Ever since Isabel died, she was teetering on the edge of sanity.

　　Even now. She had tortured a man, beaten him nearly to death. . . for the information needed to compel Caden Arkell. That boy was hers to command. All so she can set Luna free.

　　Blame me. . . said the Flame. It is not your fault but mine. After all, I am the one filling you with sin.

　　The Flame. It claims to be a Shard of Sin - a child of The Crown.

　　Is this what it`s like for all Pyromancers?

　　Kill her. Kill the Tigress, said the Flame.

　　The corners of Elena`s vision bled crimson. She blinked, then swallowed the rest of her drink in one gulp. The weightlessness of the alcohol caused the Flame to momentarily retreat.

　　God, she thought. If you do exist. Please, make all of this worth it. I want to see the Sun again. Elena rubbed the bridge of her nose but spun around as she caught a glimpse of movement behind the slightly open side door.

　　"You can come out," Elena said.

　　Luna slowly entered the main room. She looked shy and closed off. A red line - visible only to Elena - materialized in the air and pierced Luna`s heart. This was a result of her Emberward abilities, which she was given full access to by her Flame.This narrative has been purloined without the author`s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

　　"Am I going to be able to sleep tonight? Or will you keep me up again with your incessant shouting?" She glanced around the room. "What have you done with the place? Looks horrible." Luna`s tone was rude; her arms were crossed, and she leaned her shoulder on the doorway. Her eyes ripped into Elena`s soul.

　　"I. . ." she struggled to reply.

　　I didn`t know I was keeping you up, she thought. I`m sorry.

　　"You can rest. Tonight. I`ll be& quiet." Elena swallowed, forcing her tears back. She coughed to relieve the lump in her throat.

　　"What? Spit it out. What else could you possibly say?"

　　"You never saw Isabel`s memories. . . did you?"

　　"This again? No," she rolled her eyes. "I`m useless. I know that."

　　"Then I& I think it`d be best if&"

　　"Just speak, Elena. Your words won`t hurt me," Luna snapped.

　　"I`m just trying to set things right," Elena whispered.

　　"Is that why you let me go to the festival? To the party? Was that supposed to be some kind of compensation for hurting me?" Luna strode into the room and pulled over a chair.

　　"I let you go because I wanted you to be happy."

　　Luna threw her head back and laughed a terrible, fake, callous laugh. "You`re losing your edge. You`re terrible at lying now."

　　That stung Elena a little more than she thought it would.

　　Kill her, said the Flame.

　　"I know. . ." Elena took a deep breath. "Luna. . . now that the duel is over, I have pulled some strings and made a few alterations to the job."

　　She scoffed, "Great, what else do you need from me, big sister?"

　　The words were covered in malice and disdain; Elena was supposed to be her protector, not her tormentor.

　　You sacrificed that the day you decided the Sun was more important than her, said the Flame.

　　She hardened her resolve and swallowed her pain.

　　"Nothing."

　　Luna raised an eyebrow.

　　"I need nothing from you," said Elena. "I don`t need you anymore."

　　Her sister looked as if she was about to laugh or cry. "What?"

　　With Caden under my wing, Luna is no longer needed. I tortured a man for this. . . just let her go. Elena thought. I can bring back the Sun without her. I can change the plan.

　　Was she ever really needed? Or did you just enjoy hurting her? The Flame mocked her own thoughts.

　　"Let me make this clear," said Elena. "You are free to go."

　　Luna`s eyes went wide.

　　Elena reached out with her Pyromancy and snipped the red line in two, cutting the connection. She`d no longer be able to compel Luna until another red line was forged.

　　The weight of the world seemed to vanish from her sister`s shoulders.

　　"You`re serious. . ." she said. "Are you serious?"

　　Elena nodded. She couldn`t bear to form words. Usually, Luna wouldn`t trust her, but with the red line gone - she should be able to feel the difference. She stood, jaw dropped, and simply asked: "Why?"

　　"I said I don`t need you anymore. . ."

　　"No," said Luna. "The job is in three days. There must be a catch. Why let me go now?"

　　"Because. . . I`m guilty."

　　Luna scoffed, then rolled her eyes. "You expect me to believe that? Nobody cares if you are guilty, Elena. Nobody pities you, and this will not make me grateful - nor will I forgive you. Stop wallowing about your guilt when -"

　　"I care," said Elena.

　　"What?"

　　She stood: "I care if I am guilty!" She was screaming now. "When I sleep, I`m thrown back to that day I nearly killed you. I relive it over and over again. Pyromancy is a terrible curse, the one I am trying to end. Can`t you see that I`m trying to fix the world? I wished not to ever hurt you. I never once enjoyed it. I am guilty. I am a monster. I know that."

　　"Don`t blame your magic for what you did to me," Luna snapped.

　　"I AM GUILTY!" Elena shouted.

　　Luna flinched.

　　"My Flame, my Pyromancy. . ." She began to pace around the room. "It speaks to me; it makes me feel nothing but madness." As she moved, she began to rip at her nails and the skin around her hands. "It makes me kill people. Ask your boy, ask him how burnout feels - and know that it is infinitely worse for me. I am aware that everything is my fault - but I am telling you why I am the way I am."

　　"You think I am going to buy that?" Luna snapped. She rushed Elena and lifted her by her collar. "You put me through hell every day. You turned me into a monster. You made me into your own personal killer. You destroyed my life and took away my only friend. And you expect me to believe you made those choices because your Flame skewed your judgment? What the hell is wrong with you?"

　　"Can`t you see? I`m trying to break the curse to end this nightmare. All I`ve done is to help the world - to rid them of Pyromancy before we all go crazed. Why do you think I never talk about my magic? It always happens - to every Pyromancer. You start off normal, but one day, you break. Sooner or later, you and Caden will fight each other, and one of you will die."

　　"Shut up!"

　　Luna hit her. She punched her in the face, and Elena stood there and took it. Her sister looked surprised as if she was expecting herself to be compelled to stop.

　　"You stupid, arrogant bitch!" Luna said, hitting her over and over again. "You took my friend! You took my life! You made me into your slave, and you won`t even apologize!"

　　Pain ripped through Elena`s face as Heat rushed to heal her. Luna hit her again and again. Not stopping - she wouldn`t stop - not until she was dead. She wouldn`t die, though; the Flame would not let her die.

　　Luna lifted her further so they were face to face. She pulled a dagger out and placed it on her throat. "Fight back! Or I`ll tear out your heart! Fight back! Fight me!" She screamed. Luna`s hands shook, and the two met eyes. It was a moment of grace, a moment where, in a flash, Luna was a little girl again.

　　Before getting sick, she would take her sister to pick up shipments. They would travel to the gate and load up their cart from the carriage that held goods from Rehysh or Talvira.

　　Luna would always smile when she could help.

　　Elena would always let her.

　　"I can`t let you take my life yet," Elena said. Knowing what she had to do next, her heart shattered with every beat. "Not until the Sun is back."

　　"Why the hell would I listen to you?"

　　"Oh, Luna. . ." Elena said. "Do you really think you have a choice?"

　　So, it comes to this, then? The Flame laughed in her mind.

　　"Get off me," Elena ordered. A red line ripped through the space between them and pierced Luna. Her eyes faded, and she watched as her sister lost all hope.

　　And then Luna obeyed.

　　"You lied."

　　"Silence," Elena said, draining more Heat into the line. She got to her feet and wiped her shirt. "Darian can compel Caden. He plans to erase his mind and turn him into a puppet."

　　You lie, said the Flame. That is your plan. I thought you were letting her go.

　　She was letting her go. Once again, the connection was lost.

　　"I`ll take him with me then," Luna said. "When I leave."

　　A silence akin to the weight of the world washed over them.

　　"And tomorrow," Luna said. "Meet me at the southern gate. I`m going to kill you there."

　　"After the Sun is back, you may kill me."

　　Luna grunted, "No. Tomorrow."

　　"I will attend this meeting of yours tomorrow, but I assure you - sister - you will not kill me then." Elena snipped the red line once more, eradicating the magic a second time.

　　Luna threw her arms up into the air and walked toward the side door. "I`m going to pack my stuff. Flame off!"

　　"Wait. . ." She did not order but simply asked.

　　Luna turned around.

　　"I just hope. . ."

　　Her sister tapped her foot impatiently.

　　"I need to hope. . . that one day, you could find it in your heart to forgive me. That one day, I can make all this up to you."

　　She was desperate, and she knew that. Her burnout had destroyed her and nearly taken away the only good thing she had left.

　　Luna was silent for a very long time. Finally, she said: "I don`t think you will ever earn that from me. But letting me kill you is a start. Do not ask for my forgiveness; you will not have it." And then she was gone.

　　Elena could hear her sister stomp up the stairs and begin to pack everything together.

　　She deflated, sitting on the floor and sobbing in her arms. She pulled her knees up to her chest and just cried.

　　"Oh, Isabel," she said through tears. "Please, don`t you think you could forgive me for this? For what I am going to do to your brother? For everything? Can I ever find a way back? Or is this darkness. . . this empty dread - all worth it in the end. . . as long as I can see the Sun once more."

　　Elena had no choice in the end; she could not go back on her promise made to Isabel. She would do anything to see the Sun return. . . but she just didn`t think it would hurt this bad. She needed to accept her malice and could not let Luna kill her until the Sun returned.

　　She wiped her cheeks. "I don`t need Luna anymore," she said aloud to nobody. But the Flame was always listening.

　　"That," said the Flame, using her voice, "was the biggest lie we have ever told."