Chapter Text
No one had ever expected them to be together, not even herself, but somehow destiny just had a way of throwing itself into a situation, if only to make sure you follow your predestined fate. Although, no one had ever imagined that this would be her fate, in fact, it should have been the opposite. It had been the opposite to this, and yet she had never seemed to miss it.
The Sun Summoner, they had called her as they begged her to save them. Sankta Alina, they had shouted as they called her name in desperation. Our brave heroine, they had cried when she'd died defeating the Darkling. But neither of them had died, not really.
She had faked her death, with the help of her Grisha friends in the Second Army. And he'd left enough of his soul trapped in this world, that his followers had managed to bring him back to life. The two of them were trapped in an everlasting cycle of destruction, or so she had thought.
She had lost all her powers in their last battle in the Fold, but when he'd come back to life she knew that she couldn't just hide from it all with Mal on their island. And there was also the issue she had with the fact that she couldn't stand it on that island.
It wasn't that she hated the place, because she didn't, she loved it. It was more the fact that she was bored of it, too much of a good thing is a bit overkill, and she was definitely over that island - and Mal.
When they had first gotten there after the Battle of the Fold where he'd died, only to come back to life, they had gotten married. But now, all she could think about was that it was a mistake. They had been best friends since childhood, and when she'd struggled with her identity she'd clung to the only thing that had always been there for her. Mal. Except, now she knew that it had never been love between them. She loved him, but only like a brother, and she didn't have it in herself to tell him that. So she'd put up with it.
That was until they received the message from Nikolai and Zoya, begging them to come and help battle the Darkling once again. And so she and Mal had left that awful island, and she couldn't help but feel happier than she had since she'd lost all her powers. Although, that didn't mean much, her ability to bend and create light had meant so much to her; and when she lost that ability it was like someone had torn her apart and taken her identity. And she'd have done anything to get it back, anything. And he knew it too.
He'd used it against her in that first battle, or should she say reunion, between them after he'd come back to life. "Join me, Alina."
"Why would I?" She had snarled at him, struggling to find a good reason to join him, despite the huge crush she'd had on him in the past. A huge crush that was fighting to return each time she forced her eyes up to his.
"Why wouldn't you when I can give you everything your heart desires?" He had counted. Her heart raced pondering the possibilities, just thinking about getting her powers back. Could he really give them back to her? As if he knew exactly what she was thinking about he smirked," yes, even that."
That was the first time she'd ever really considered joining him; the idea of having her powers back, leaving Mal and that horrible island, not having to be afraid to show her face to anyone, the chance of being with him. Her heart beat faster and faster. Could she really do this?
"Don't do this Alina!" Nikolai had yelled in an attempt to talk her out of it, "we can't beat him without you!" That much was true, she was the only one who had ever fought him before and killed him.
She didn't say anything back, she only stood there pondering her options, despite the fact that there was one she was leaning greatly towards.
"Alina," Mal had called out, grabbing her hand, "you belong here, not with him!"
She had pulled her hand from his grip before he had the chance to get a stronger hold on her. "And that is to say with you?" She asked sharply, wanting his hands as far away from her as possible.
"Well yes," he'd replied quickly, making another grab for her hand, which she had just managed to dodge.
"Then I know exactly what my choice is," she stated as if it was obvious, which it was, to her. And the Darkling it seemed, he'd had a smirk on his face since he'd made the offer, as if he knew just what she would pick.
Mal ran forward with his arms spread out as soon as she said those words. He wrapped his arms around her, "Thank you."
"What do you feel the need to thank me for this time?" She'd asked, trying to hide the disgust in her voice.
"For picking me."
"Then you're a fool Malyen Oretsev." Forceful pushing his arms off her, she smirked as she stepped forward and placed her hand in the Darkling's. "Because I pick him."