Charmed [✔]

28.2 ▌Blood Pact

"YOU CAME," the blood-curdling voice said.

Every time it spoke, Elise could almost hear her teeth chattering automatically. Rivulets of sweat trickled down from her forehead to the crevice of her neck. The apprehension resurfaced that it took a while before she noticed the man walking beside Aricson.

The black eastern outfit, blonde hair, and green eyes were familiar. She had seen variations of a combination of features already but this person stuck in her memory.

How could she forget the person who froze time?!

'No. His eyes look normal.' It was still the same color but it didn't shine like gemstones just like the moment when she met first him. 'Does he also have a twin?'

"With your atrocious plan, do I have a choice?" the man replied with an air of nonchalance as if the wisp of giant smoke talking was a common occurrence.

"You have vowed to never meet me."

"If I was not forced, I won't," the man stated, shrugging.

"Still as apathetic as before. You've always been on the sidelines. Sometimes, I think you suit destruction rather than me. How many centuries has it been again? I see that you even took that woman."

"Heh. It appears the years of isolation made you verbose," the man riposted with a flash of ridicule. "It must be a side effect of having flies buzz around you all the time."

"I won't be here if you tried to use your authority." This time the voice that was already scary enough, became twice as frightening when it became lower and dipped with contempt. "Ironic how the God of—"

"Still dwelling on the past, I see?"

The two men continued the vagueness of their conversation and Aricson was already on her side. His palms caressed her cheek and the gash on her hand began closing.

The contrast of the heat from his fingers made her realize how cold this place was. Mistaking the shiver from her body, Aricson's eyes were filled with worry.

"It's alright. I'll take you back. I'm sorry, I—"

Elise took his hand and dragged him but she was yanked back by the chains connected to the unconscious man beside her.

"Ferios." Aricson uttered the spell and the metal melted away. "What's wrong?" he asked right after.

She opened her lips but her voice was still gone. She huffed from frustration and pulled him towards Iona.

The woman was already kneeling and her complexion that was originally pallid became more lurid. Elise checked her pulse and signaled Aricson to heal her. She mouthed the words but it did not help.

"Why can't you talk? Did you lose your voice?"

She nodded, almost desperately. Aricson reached for her forehead. "Lithine."

A series of unrecognizable words were spoken. Aricson's brows knitted together when he was done.

"Damn it! You're cursed. Who's the bastard that did it?" His tone fluctuated paired with the rare signs of anger showing on his face.

This time, she shook her head. Elise had no time for his interrogation when the other women needed assistance. Thankfully, he understood her flailing arms and scrunched face. Aricson began chanting another spell while Elise ran to the other two.

Leilani was the first one who fainted but she was healed longer than Amaranth. She checked the pulse of the latter first. A sigh of relief broke from her lips hearing the stabilized thrum. Elise went to Leilani next but before she could, the ground rumbled on her feet, creating a visible rift right in the middle.