Eve knew that the person who hovered above her wasn't her mother because she had buried her mother and put her to rest. But it had been too long since she had seen her mother this clearly as her memories had faded, and she had to rely on her ability of touch to see her mother. Which was seeing her mother breathing with her eyes full of life, it had left her with a frozen expression.
"My dear daughter," Rebecca said to Eve with pity in her eyes. "How could you do this to me? I miss you," she whispered before coming near Eve and staring into her blue and gold eyes. "Come join me where I am."
Eve stared back into her mother's eyes and replied, "I don't know how your mother was, but my mother would have never expected me to die for her. She was a fighter who wanted me to live."
Saying these words, the water that Eve had been accumulating on the ground nearby. She brought the water to her hand, which started to cover into ice and a sharp dagger-like end.
"What a wise woman you have turned into," Rebecca smiled, showing his large set of teeth, and he dragged his hand back which held Eve's dagger and he used all his force to stab Eve so that he could injure her.
But Eve brought her hand covered in an ice dagger and it clashed against the dagger. It didn't stay long as the dagger was no ordinary one and it quickly cracked the ice on her hand. Before the dagger could get to her, Eve pushed Erasmus away from her and tried to crawl away from there. But Erasmus quickly caught hold of her leg which had turned slimy and pulled her back to where she was.
"Where do you think you are going? I have a sacrifice to make," Erasmus hadn't returned to his appearance and continued wearing her mother's appearance to distract Eve. "Look there, the moon is ascending the sky and it is soon going to be time when I send you where your mother is."
When Erasmus raised his hand along with the dagger, a gunshot was heard and to avoid the bullet from hitting him, the werewolf quickly apparated from where he was and away from Eve, while also dropping the dagger next to Eve.
"I didn't know you liked to cross-dress, Erasmus," Vincent said, letting the gun rest on his side. He turned to look at where Eve was, and noticed her on the ground. Even with the distance between them, he could see the scales that had formed across the leg, as if ready to join the legs and feet to form into the sea creature's tail.
Erasmus bitterly chuckled before the smile on his lips lowered, and he said, "I wasn't expecting you here. Not this early at least, brother."
"I would apologise to disappoint you, but you seem to have taken my wife from me," Vincent responded, sliding the gun in his trouser belt.
Eve was happy to see Vincent here and it had her relax her mind and body. It was probably because she had faith in him, knowing there was nothing that could harm her when he was around.
"I was merely taking what rightfully belongs to me," Erasmus finally changed himself back to his usual past appearance, and he ran his fingers through his hair and said, "Seriously what were you thinking coming here? Her essence is with me, and she is going to die."
"It is yet to be known who is going to die. Did you forget that you were unsuccessful even last time?" Vincent questioned Erasmus, as he walked forward.
"That was then, and now is different from what I know and have. I cannot watch you beg, Acheron," Erasmus snickered with pure evil reflecting in his eyes. "Father didn't know better on who was the right heir to the throne and power. But I will show you."
"Did you know what happened to the couple who killed the golden goose, Erasmus?" Vincent questioned calmly before answering, "They were sent to hell in the living world because they had no golden eggs anymore. You shouldn't have brought Eve here. It would have been wise if you continued your life with no one knowing who you are, just like how you were in the past. A nobody."
Erasmus turned angry at Vincent's words, and his eyes turned bright yellow in the oncoming shadows that were forming in the forest. Soon his body started to bulk and tore the shirt that he was wearing, while his face started to morph into the werewolf's face. Eve had never seen a werewolf transform before, and she realised Erasmus's form was huge. The werewolf stood on his hing legs, baring his ferocious teeth at Vincent.
Erasmus growled, "Watch me kill her with my bare hands!"
Vincent was in no mood to joke either and in no time, his wings appeared from his back, spreading wide like a spider ready to lay traps to its prey. Eve, who was watching him, noticed his face started to morph with his ears growing pointier at the top and his eyes turning into slits. His face held a hollow gaunt appearance as if taking the form of the first vampire that walked on these lands.
"Why don't you try it," Vincent taunted Erasmus, who sneered at him.
When Erasmus tried to apparate from where he stood to reach where Eve was on the ground, Vincent used his ability of command, and this had Erasmus's body freeze and move in pauses. It gave the pureblooded vampire the time to swoop in by flying where the werewolf was and punching him right in the gut and kicking him, having Erasmus fly and hit the two trees, one after another.
Vincent chuckled and watched Erasmus on the ground, as the werewolf pushed himself to stand up. He said, "You seem surprised, Erasmus. Did you think you were the only one who took something from our father."
The werewolf spat the blood on the ground and stared at his brother, "Bastard…" he cursed, and he wiped his mouth before he laughed, "It is good to know that I wasn't the only one who stole something. I didn't know you could steal our father's ability that the sea goddess gave him."
Erasmus tried to apparate once again, and he almost succeeded reaching where Eve was, but Vincent's wings were fast, and he caught Erasmus's leg and threw him on the ground.
"It isn't stealing if I asked him, is it?" Vincent smiled at Erasmus. "He realised his mistake, but it seems like you haven't."
"The only mistake is that my father thought you were superior to me, when between us, I was the older one," Erasmus then raised his hand and a beam of orange light was sent towards Vincent that hit the pureblooded vampire. He laughed at seeing the burns on Vincent's body and said, "It will be a pity, brother. To think that the blood we share isn't thicker than the need to rule this world."
Vincent placed his hands on his knees, huffing for air and he said, "I believe you are the only one who wants to rule."
"Then let me take the rule!" Erasmus spoke in excitement. He said, "You can go about your—"
Vincent started to cackle and sighed before saying, "Isn't it time we end what was started many years ago? You don't think I would agree by having you sacrifice the woman I love."
Erasmus grinned at Vincent and said, "Look at you, you are burning like a log of wood. Do you think you are a match for me? Even though you have a few abilities, it isn't enough to keep you alive."
Soon Vincent and Erasmus came near each other and started to fight with their hands and legs.
They used their abilities and strength to the maximum level as they fought each other. Erasmus moved his hand forward, his hand pistoning and trying to land a punch, while Vincent dodged it by his hand. When the pureblooded vampire went to kick Erasmus, the werewolf caught hold of his leg and tried to swing him, ready to throw him far away so that he could start his ritual with the sea creature.
Erasmus finally was able to punch Vincent's jaw upwards and then his stomach that had him fall on the ground. But Vincent's endurance was better than most and before the werewolf could get a bite from him, he grabbed the branch on the ground and pushed it against the werewolf's mouth that was snapping at him.
The moon had ascended into the sky and now burned brightly with a golden light that blazed around it.
Eve looked at the sky and then looked back at the two men fighting against each other. One who wanted her dead, while the other wanted to protect her. She had to get her strength back then sit here and do nothing!
With that thought, she looked at the far end where she could hear the sound of waves.
Eve raised her hands and with a deep breath, she used her ability to draw the salt water out of the sea and bring it where she was before it fell on her body until she was completely drenched in it. Soon the scales that had formed on her skin started to disappear. Though the fatigue was still there as her essence was missing, she was now able to stand on her feet.
When she turned back to the fight, Eve noticed Vincent had brought his bat wings to shield himself from the fire that Erasmus's hand was emitting. But no matter how much fire was sent, it didn't burn the wings. Erasmus growled and said,
"Now you cannot fly anymore." He turned to look at Eve and said, "It is time for you to die," he brought his hand forward, which showed the large and sharp claws on his hand.
Eve said, "You speak a lot. Instead of ending things quickly."
Erasmus replied to this, "Let us end this then!" He then turned to look at Vincent, who had got back on his feet. The werewolf brought his hands forward, and a roar of fire emerged out, and at the same time, Eve used the water to interrupt the direction of the heat. The trees caught fire, and soon it started to spread to the other trees as Vincent dodged and got closer to Erasmus.
At the same time, Eve threw the dagger towards Vincent, who caught hold of it.
With the little distance between them, Vincent quickly got hold of Erasmus's collar and punched the werewolf in his gut, which had Erasmus throw up blood. But before Vincent could attack him one more time, the werewolf quickly apparated from his place and appeared right behind Eve.
Erasmus wheezed for air, while he looked excited as he stood in front of Eve. With a large grin, he said,
"Looks like it's finally time." But just as he said this, a mist started to form in the air, hindering each other's visions. For a moment, Eve wondered if it was Vincent or Erasmus, but it was neither. Erasmus questioned, "What the hell is this?!"
Eve took this opportunity to step away from Erasmus as quietly as possible without his notice.
The fog that formed in the atmosphere and around them, started to slowly extinguish the fire that had earlier been spreading around the forest. Smoke started to drift from the trees in the air that had been burning.
Vincent's eyes narrowed when his eyes looked through the fog where Erasmus stood, while Eve heard a woman singing a song. The song felt serene as if she was home after a long time. Erasmus didn't realise Eve had stepped away because he saw the continuous shadow that stood in front of him.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: You can now switch all your votes from AOTN to the new book 'Garden Of Poison' as AOTN will be coming to an end soon
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶