Acrasia

Bargaining.

           I betrayed her. She was dying, I knew deep down there was no saving her. She was bleeding out, eviscerated. She wouldn't have made it long enough for me to try to intervene, but that doesn't make me feel any better. I feel that restless, empty feeling again, yet as empty as I feel I also feel heavy. Burdened. Like concrete or lead has settled in my chest. I hadn't realized I was crying. I have never cried, but my tears still fall onto Sera's face. I loved her. The only thing I've ever halfway loved, even if I was terrible at it. If we can bring Barima back, I will bring Sera. That was my intention when I had finished her off. "I want to be...happy. Content even. I don't want to suffer." She said. And I did not let her. I ended her quickly and I fed from the last of her energy, on her life source.

         I scoop her up after dressing and trying to compose myself and I rush out of the room to gather what I need. I slam straight into Barima as I open the door. She immediately grabs for Sera and screams.

        "No! No. Oh no. Is...is she..." I only nod. "Samael is wounded. I got him stable and came as quick as I could. Axar is with him, safe. It took so long to get him calmed and bandaged. I'm...I'm so sorry I couldn't get here sooner. Maybe I-"

        "You couldn't have stopped him. I...I couldn't stop him. He bested me. Sera attacked him when he had me down..." I can't bring myself to finish, to say what I did or what was done. I can't even bring myself to assess my own injuries out of guilt. Guilt is a new concept for me.

         "That's just who she was..." Barima whispers, eyes overflowing with tears. ""you're-you're bleeding!" I look down to see blood dripping from both me and slightly from Seraphine, though most of hers remains in the floor.

       "I'll be fine. I need to bring her back. I have to bring her back." I run down the hall with her on my heels.

        "I'll help. What do you need me to do? Please tell me. I owe her this!" She calls as she pushes to catch up.

         "Candles, sand. You'll help me chant. Is Samael alright with Axar?"

          "On it. Yes, he's resting. I have him bandaged and blood has stopped, you need to be bandaged too." She rummages until she finds the bag and shakes it out till finds what we need.

          She follows me back to mine and Sera's room, and I sit Sera down so I can work. I mix the sand with her puddle of blood for the added energy and I start to arrange the circle. The candlescare lit and arranged, and while they might not be necessary, I'm using anything I can to draw her spirit here. We place her into the circle and place our hands onto the sand circle.  I begin the chants in native tongue and she listens and copies closely, her emotions all over the place. A tiny puddle of tears forms below her bowed head as she tries to perfect her chants. We call out to Sera over and over, but nothing. Not a damn thing. I snarl and rip at the floor in frustration. Please Sera. Give me something. We stay at it for ages, yet we recieve nothing.

         "Why isn't it working? Did I mess up?"

         "No. Narius and I couldn't summon her when she escaped me last. I don't understand why." I need Grandfather. And Samael. I need Narius too but I know he would not come to me now. I don't dwell on my pride as I call out to Grandfather this time.

          "You dare call me, Noxodius? Even after your little outburst last time you called to me? Why am I here?"

          "I was wrong. I am sorry. Yeomorah...he...he killed my Seraphine. She died protecting me. I need your help-"

          "No. It's dead. What would you have me do for it now?"

          "I know she's dead! I've only grieved and tried in vain to summon her for an hour, or more I do not know. We brought Barima back into her body. If I could summon Seraphine's soul here, I could try to resurrect her."

          "It's a waste. She's a waste. Save your resources and time and move on." I go for broke, I'm not above begging at this point.

          "I love her. Without her I am weakened, miserable. I'll-I'll starve. I'm willing to bargain. Anything, everything." I clasp my hands and rise on my knees.

           "It's tough love. You can, you will do better. I will not accept that mutant thing into our family bloodline. No cambion-"

          "Not just a cambion. She's part nephilim. Her grandfather is Ezekiel.  You have heard of him?" His eyes widen.

          "And you're willing to bargain?"

          "Anything." He thinks for a moment.

          "I want to feed from her too. I also will have you name her first born after me."

          "You will accept her into our family?" It only took her death.

          "Yes, only because regardless of her muddled bloodline, she has ties to nephilim Lord Ezekiel. I will contact Ezekiel to confirm this."

          "Do not tell him where she is. Samael, her father, has warned me that Ezekiel wished to have her sacrificed to gain longevity. His strength vastly deteriorates. Her power is now split between two beings, so even if he had her she couldn't bring him enough power to benefit."

           "Interesting. We have a deal. If you do not hold to your word, I'll hand her to Ezekiel myself." He materializes before us and inside the circle, standing over Sera's body. "A beautiful creature, even in death. I can see why you fixated on it...oooh. The stomach. That will scar even when she is resurrected. Shameful. What is her name?"

         "Seraphine." He nods gruffly and lowers to the ground, outside the circle and begins to emit energy as he chants. I do not miss him lick the floor beside him to consume a forgotten trail of Sera's blood. "Delicious. I imagine drinking straight from the living host will be much, much better." He cleans his mouth and begins to chant again.

         "Seraphine. Are you with us? I command you speak." It takes immense power to refuse a summons from a royal. Nothing happens. "SPEAK!" He roars. Barima flinches and cowers as things shake on the wall. I can feel his agitation as he tries again, and again.

        "Seraphine." He stops midway in thought. "That's not her name. Her given name. Fetch me her father."

         "He's in serious condition." Barima whines.

         "I'll go get him myself. If he can produce her real name, or help us to find it, I will take care of him."

         "Do you think he knows?" Barima whispers.

          "If he does not, he's our best bet to find out. I have the feeling we need her mother, but I don't want them knowing her connections or whereabouts incase Ezekiel tries to take her anyways."

         "Can he? I mean she's dead now..."

          "But has her soul crossed, or in limbo? We can resurrect her either way, but if she has already crossed over her soul will come back differently. She'll be herself, but basically still deceased. It is complicated." I look up at Samael and Grandfather enter the room.

          "He believed her mother had not named her, that Seraphine was her only name and given by him. I have mended him enough to assist us. Now we summon her mother, Ivara."