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Erin hadn't felt pain like this before, Spiral , she didnt think it was possible to feel this much. But here she lye, wishing to writhe in agony but unable to move due to her sustained injury. She had lunged infront of an attack that was sure to kill her pyromancer ally. Erin made a choice, a choice on who would live, and who would die.
She barely heard Andy’s horrified screech once she realized what she had done. She barely saw Andy use the last of her mana to dismantle the shadow creature that caused this. She barely felt herself being lifted in her lap. All she felt was a burning pain in her chest from her newly gained shadowmancy, and the sharp pain from the jagged knife in her heart.
Andy was careful as she lifted Erin into her lap, attempting to keep the knife in place, not that it would help, the damage was already done. Erin saw her look through her spell deck in dismay, none of her spells were of any use to her now that her mana was depleted to nothing. But that didnt stop Andy from attempting to cast a pixie healing spell on her.
She lifted her hand infront of her as the card floated infront of them both, the green leaf sigil of life spells began to form but shattered into nothingness before them. Erin heard the younger girl sniffle, she managed to make out her face, it was red and blotchy, and her eyes threatened to spill tears.
Erin raised her shadowbitten hand slowly to Andy’s cheek and used it to gently wipe a freshly fallen tear from her face before another wave of pain forced her arm to drop. “Andy,” she whispered, “it's okay.”
Andy choked back a sob, “Why?” She begged an answer from the swashbuckler in her lap, “Why didnt you just let me take it?”
She let out a painful chuckle, “You know I couldn't let you die, you're too important.” Erin attempted to smile for her, but it turned into a wince.
“I promised Helena I would bring you back, Dev,” Andy shook her head. “That I would bring you back alive .”
“Sorry to make a liar out of you, Blitz,” Erin tried not to imagine the look on Helena’s face when she heard the news, she felt a tear run down the side of her face and into her hair. She didnt even know she was crying.
Andy was silent for a minute, only the sound of her sniffles filled the dark area around them. She spoke solemnly, “I can't save you, you know that dont you?”
Erin tried to speak but it turned into a grunt of agony, she swore she could feel her heart beat slower and slower as time passed. It felt like a dying clock, the ticks turning slower and more distorted every second. She nodded in response.
“I can get us to the rest of them, maybe Rowan can heal you?” Andy suggested desperately. They both knew it wasn't a realistic hope, if Andy’s mana had been entirely depleted by now, there was a fair chance the rests were too.
But Erin nodded again, to ease Andy’s thoughts.
She nodded fervently, “Okay,” Andy took a deep breath. “Okay,” she repeated.
She raised her hand upwards as a fiery aura surrounded them both. Erin almost felt comfort from the flames around them. Andy’s teleporter flames could never burn you, they tickled at most when they licked playfully against the skin.
Andy looked at Erin mournfully as if she were already dead as she flicked her wrist. In a flash, the flames dissipated and the two were at their base camp. Almost instantly a tear-jerking scream rang out from the left of them.
Helena.
Juniper caught Helena’s arm, steadying her before she almost fell to the floor in her grief. The sight before her was one only found in her nightmares, her partner, her love lye dying on the ground before her. Andy looked up at her with teary eyes as Helena gazed back with ones full of desperation. The desperation that her love wouldn't die here, Andy only shook her head.
Helena moved forward towards them, and Andy moved to the side, allowing Helena to replace her. Gently Helena moved Erin's head into her lap, running her hands along her cheeks. She sobbed, tears running down her face, this wasn't fair. Erin had done so much for her, for her crew, for the spiral. She didnt deserve to die here, in a world that caused her so much suffering, so much grief. It wasn't fair .
“Doll,” Erin’s voice snapped Helena out of her trance, “Helena I want you to know I love you.” Her voice was so weak like she was barely holding on. She saw the tears on Erin’s face and heard the shake in her voice and breath.
“Erin, you're going to be fine,” Helena shook her head, “you're not dying.”
“Helena.”
“No, im not going to hear it,” she shook her head in denial.
“Helena!”
She felt Erin’s hand graze against her cheek, and she used her hand to cradle it to her face. “You can't leave us,” Helena took a shaky breath, “you can’t leave me.”
Erin managed a weak smile, “I dont think I have much of a choice, now do it?” She attempted to laugh but it was cut off by an ugly cough. Erin turned to the side and coughed up a mouthful of blood. She tried to catch her breath before admitting softly in a voice that reminded Helena of a frightened child, “Love, I’m scared. I dont want to disappear.”
Helena watched as Erin shut her eyes, “You are not going to disappear,” She reassured her dying lover, “You always said you thought when your father and aunt died they became stars looking over you in the sky right? You’ll become one too, and every time we look into the sky we will see you, looking over us like you always did.”
Erin looked up at Helena, her eyelids drooping. Helena kept a wary eye on the rise and fall of her chest as she spoke. “You always know just what to say, dont you?”
Helena gave her a comforting smile, “You know I do.” She gently bent to plant a kiss on Erin’s forehead. “We have all the time in the world Erin,” she lied, “Dont worry about anything. I’m here. I love you.”
Erin took a shaky breath and allowed her eyes to flutter shut, “I love you too,” her voice trailed off.
Helena froze as she felt Erin’s hand go limb within her own, and as she watched Erin's chest rise and fall for one final time before she was still. She didnt want to believe it. “Erin,” she panicked, “Erin look at me. Erin, please,” she begged. No movement. “Please wake up darling.”
Nothing.
She barely registered Juniper kneeling beside her and checking Erin’s wrist and neck for any type of pulse. She barely registered Juniper hesitantly taking the dagger out of Erin’s chest. Helena couldn't move. She could hardly think anything other than that the only woman she had ever loved was dead .
She felt Juniper wrap an arm around her and she finally broke. As Juniper wrapped their arms around Helena, she screamed. A scream full of grief, agony, pain, and a question as to why? Why did she have to die?
Her scream turned into an uncontrolled sob as her shaking form clung to Juniper, who let Helena grieve within their arms with no protest. Helena didnt hear the other members of her crew sobbing behind her. She didnt see or feel Juniper's tears as they fell into her hair. She didnt see Isis holding onto Ophelia who held onto her father. She didnt see Delphine turn away from the sight before him, as she held onto Dead Mike. She didnt see Gaspard lower his hat to his chest as he witnessed his niece die infront of him. She didnt see Sarah holding desperately onto Subodai, who was barely holding it together on his own. She didnt see the crew comforting each other. She didnt see the rest of the wizards arrive, but too late to do anything.
All she saw was the image forever engrained into her brain. The image of Erin Devereaux, her love, dead in her arms.