The god looked affronted.
Umbra couldn't see his expression, but he had a feeling he couldn't shake off…that he was right.
He could almost imagine that harried look.
Yet, he dare not laugh.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm the god of Death."
Umbra nearly chuckled at the god's exasperation. But the thought of what lay ahead stopped him.
Only a painful smile lingered on his face, contrasting strongly with the worry in his eyes.
With a sudden draining wisp, the gigantic outline vanished without a trace.
Umbra turned around in a full circle, trying to figure out a way from here.
His fear returned when he noticed an arcane occurrence that began with the god's departure.
All around him, ghoulic fingers emerged, grasping the air hopefully, seeking life.
A remote image of a hovering locked and heavily runed magic circle drifted into firm form in his front.
Resolution and fear of failure blinded him as he stretched his hand to touch the locked circle.
He concentrated every last bit of his auric energy, into achieving that last task…
The purple mist began to swirl faster.
Simultaneously, a throbbing pain picked up in Umbra's head.
He ignored it and increased his intensity.
Nothing else mattered to him anymore, except for that locked runed circle…
He had to shatter it.
He couldn't unlock it…the magic was absolutely beyond his level.
So his only hope was to override it…break it.
It was the only way…
He reared up, releasing his hold on the dark Powers at last.
Allowing them to possess him fully. Perhaps they could help.
'...'
But they did far more than help.
A second wave of auric explosion coursed through the hall.
With a grim smile, Umbra watched the magic circle disintegrate.
But then, things went horribly wrong.
Horrified, he watched his aura begin to spin out of his control, creeping into the crevices of the Underworld to free unsuspecting souls.
He had no option but to undo that…
He coerced his powers to reverse their actions.
But his body was strained beyond mortal recovery.
He had become a spectator in his own body. Unable to act or even move.
Not to talk of breathing.
And that was when he felt his eyelids close…
—-----------------
Elsa sat at the dining table with her sisters and aunt, all immersed in Nymphadora's narration.
A maid brought wine and some goblets but Elsa declined politely.
Just then, Ilyana remembered that she had been unnaturally quiet, after the forest visit.
Elsa was naturally quiet, but in matters like adventure, she never missed a narration.
But even more strangely, she wasn't listening to Nymphadora this time around.
Nymphadora also noticed that, but dismissed it as one of her usual brainstorming.
Elsa read a lot. Far too much than was healthy sometimes.
That was why she was so awful at sword fighting, preferring books to swords.
Meanwhile, Elsa remained quiet because she was worried.
Because of two things…her vision in the forest and her aunt's suspicion.
She normally had visions, but she relayed them to her family as coincidental dreams.
That reminded a secret known only to her.
But no vision ever disturbed her like this.
And she had no reason why.
Suddenly, in the midst of her deep thoughts, a sharp spasm of pain seared through her heart.
It left as soon as it came, but a wince already escaped her.
A wince loud enough to incite worries from everyone present, including her jealous twin.
"Are you alright?" Ilyana asked, as a maid hurried to her with a goblet of water.
Elsa slumped in her seat, suddenly exhausted.
"Fine…just recalling a nightmare. It's really nothing to worry about," she smiled reassuringly at her sister and sat up again.
Ilyana shrugged and turned away. Typical Ilyana.
She already knew that whenever Elsa spoke like that, she wasn't planning on revealing anything.
No matter however she was threatened.
And she was never, just for the record.
Nymphadora cast a questioning look at Elsa, who refused to meet her eyes.
She knew Elsa had lied.
But it was no big deal trying to force her to spit it out.
She was a very able sorceress. She could use a lot of unimaginable ways.
Elsa looked down at the table, but suddenly another wave of pain washed over her.
This time, Nymphadora's practiced eyes didn't miss her discomfort.
"Elsa"
Elsa looked up, suppressing her grimace.
"What's wrong?"
"I've already said that it's nothing. What are you all really taking me as?" she flared up at once, shocking the maids around.
Princess Elsa never displayed discourteous manners.
But now they were seeing something different from the gentle Princess they knew.
Elsa stood up, attempting to storm away.
However before she reached the door, another excruciating wave went through her whole body.
Leaving her numb with pain this time..
She screamed this time, collapsing.
She caught herself, but she couldn't see the floor before her any longer.
She was in some dim temple, everywhere around her dark and foreboding.
Somewhere in her mind, she could see an extremely pale black haired boy.
His outstretched hand gripped the edge of a glowing round altar tightly.
He looked like he was trying to let go. But for some reason, he couldn't.
She didn't know him. But he looked really familiar.
And he needed help.
As she watched, a purple aura exploded around the boy, swirling super fast.
She could even see sparkles as ghosts clawed their way back to life. Using the unchecked aura as a power source.
Elsa didn't know much about the arxra and vital essence composition of Incarnas.
But she surely knew that if he was the owner of all that aura, then he was doomed.
The image faded gradually, and Elsa opened her eyes…eyes she didn't remember closing.
Her sisters were clustered on the floor around her, while maids looked on worriedly.
"What's the matter?" She asked, confused by both the vision she just saw, and her own present predicament.
"You looked pale…"
"Your eyes flashed purple…"
Nymphadora squatted beside her too, but she wasn't even looking at Elsa.
The sorceress's eyes were fixed on an unseeing target, and glowing silver.
"Elsa," she called in an otherworldly voice, "You have to let go."
"Let go?" Ilyana glanced worriedly at Beth.
First, Elsa, now Nymphadora. What was going on?
Meanwhile, Elsa partly understood Nymphadora's words.
She didn't know how, or why. But she knew she understood.
"How do I do that?"
She sounded really desperate.
That boy needed her help, and she might be his only saving grace.
She had to waste no more time.
"You're resisting", Nymphadora still sounded eerie, her voice reverberating slightly. "Let yourself free."
At long last, Elsa understood.
And so she did let go.
As she did, she remembered something she had left out.
The reason she couldn't recognize that boy.
Because she saw something she had only just remembered.
Flailing long black hair.