Ismael collapsed on the couch.
"How. Just how. I had her with me at all times, and the second I closed my eyes, I...no, maybe a bit after that. Didn't feel anything. And coming back is a horrible feeling, I don't want to die ever again. And if I really have to die, let it be forever. Not this ever again. Little June is somewhere out there, lost all alone. We died in ways that prevented us from seeing him. I'm already done with this shit."
Ismael fell asleep, Melisa came to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She went back to the circle to earn her lives.
Amphelise, Alice and Melisa left, Amphelise looked back at Anaïs who nodded in respect. She obliged and the doors closed.
"Remember what the men said, the cave is that way, one minute thirty seconds full run north then west. Stay sharp and awake."
Amphelise immediately felt an uneasy pressure and despite her short motivational speech, her blood went cold as she ran as far as possible, leaving the group behind.
In pitch black darkness she quickly adapted and could easily sight the traps he carefully crafted and placed to ensure captivity of his preys in real time.
Upon quick critical thinking, she opened her hand stuck the palm on the grass.
"Nerida told me one day that all Cardinal Sins are somehow linked to the elemental force of fire. But it obviously burns the Sin itself in the process. I'd say it's worth the shot with ten lives."
Amphelise endured the pain as even her skin burned red and hot. She released all of it in one singular explosion that took down most lf the greenery. The leaves calcinated and the grass was no more, dethroned by coal-like dirt.
The fire spread to the far ends of the forest of Perseus, finally allowing the blinding sunlight into the forest that was no more. Branches filled the paths and for what was left of the green natural plants and flowers, they seemed to be dying at first, but then the strong sun somehow grew them back.
"This has got to work in our favor. The quicker this guy dies, the better."
As beautiful as she was under the sun, she could barely stand, and when she did, Helios was power walking towards her, no restraint.
Amphelise's damaged eyes could not get a good glimpse at his figure, let alone his face; her legs could not move, the bones in her feet permanently shattered could not help her escape.
"Focus on the healing. Heal the eyes, let the limbs die. I HAVE TO SEE HIS FACE. SEE HIS FACE. HIS...FACE..."
It's in the very last second that everything plays out. And it doesn't always play out the way one would want it to. It crashes in front of your eyes, leaving nothing behind.
In the very last second, there is a sudden architecture of events that takes down everything that has ever made you who you used to be and who you tried to become.
One movement took her back miles behind, with one lost life. Amphelise screamed as Anaïs stood at the large glass windows. She gets up, knowing Melisa and Alice are still left on the battlefield.
"I'm off to sleep, I don't want to do this anymore. Tell Ismael and Theigon the next time they leave to hunt, I have to be there."
"Not happening. Genova will go tomorrow, you can go with her if you want."
"Fine..."
"Amphelise?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. I haven't seen the sun in a long time."
"Yeah, well, stare at it and find a way to kill this fucking thing."
"Did you see his face?"
"I...no, I don't remember it. I don't think I saw it."
"Amphelise", she calls, on a more serious tone. "Don't be too harsh on yourself. Nobody ever did better than you so far. Be proud, girl."
Amphelise climbed up the stairs after addressing one last gaze of sadness to Anaïs, collapsed on the bed and fell asleep in tears.
Now that three of them were stuck deep inside Helios' cave, his own den, it was obvious to everyone at the Structure that the reason they wouldn't appear back in the circle was because he was simply not killing them.
Anaïs wouldn't talk about it because she knew what was going on out there. He makes sure that when they do come back, they never leave again.
But a day went by, and Amphelise woke up next to the witch who told reminded her of what she said.
"Leave. Bring them back. Bring me a face."
Amphelise reluctantly got up from her bed at an early time of the day, blinded by the sun shooting from the window.
"You did this, Amphelise. You're the one who took down his precious black forest. I had almost given up hope."
"Yeah...does he sleep?"
"Not ever since he became this way."
She left in shambles, slow and clumsy, hair unkempt. Joined the exit lobby with Genova who looked at her with admiration.
"Anaïs said you went far, and managed to take down the surroundings. Seconds away from seeing his face."
"Not seconds. One second. That's all I needed."
Anaïs joined Ismael and Theigon talking in the living room space of the Structure.
"I'm starting to think we should have brought Ashnael with us."
"For this to work, we needed to not just fill the quota but to respect it also. I couldn't take another one of you."
"Ashnael is extremely aggressive and could have been of a great help."
"I refute. He's blinded by his extreme ego, he doesn't have the integrity required."
"Maybe you should have taken him instead of me, then."
"You're Helios' son."
"So I'm bait?"
"Ismael. Helios is not the only problem we have. I think you are seriously underestimating the amount of time we're going to all stay here together."
"You've planned that we would go insane?"
"We all did. Ruin, Piper and the others lost their shit long ago."
"Let's see. Me, Amphelise and Theigon are Cardinals. Amphelise burned the entire thing but the cost was almost an entire life."
"It was. She was dying anyway, she tried to get a glimpse at Helios' face."
"Do you know what he looks like?"
"I also almost caught it."
"Why are you not going with us?"
"Helios...Helios is prepared against even the most impossible odds. And I only have one life."
"The circle doesn't work on you?"
"Would be too easy. I'd give myself a million lives if I could, and end up killing him. The limit is ten, and only to others."
"Genova will find a way and Amphelise is out if her mine, it'll be enough."
"It won't. Helios will win. Like he always has."
"Your lack of faith is astounding."
"Faith alone won't take down the devil."