State of Grace

Cassie knelt in front of the altar, tears burning in her eyes as she gazed at the floor in front of her, not able to look up, her muscles aching with exhaustion.

"Please, don't do this," she begs, her hands shaking as she claws at the ground in front of her. 

"You know I have to," the woman says, her voice betraying no emotion. 

"You don't. I swear you will never see me or him again."

"Your promises don't mean anything. Not after you are in this circumstance because you broke your promise," she says, watching as she watches tears fall down Cassiopeia's eyes. 

That was what made Cassie finally look up, up into the eyes of her mother, eyes that were copies of her own, sea blue with black specs in them. 

"I broke my promise? I fell in love, that's what I did," she spits out, glaring at her mother, earning a mocking laugh.

"You are a Dhrishma, Cassie. Dhrishmas don't fall in love," his mother replies, scoffing, as she walks down the steps of the altar, her robe trailing behind her, covered with the blood she had spilled just moments earlier. 

"The only reason I am not killing you right now is that you are my daughter. But I won't hold back much longer if you continue being the way that you are right now," her mother continues, lifting up her daughter's chin with the tip of her nail. 

Cassie looks away, not baring to look into the eyes of Felix's murderer. 

No, Cassie. He isn't dead yet. You have to believe that he isn't. You'd feel it in your heart if he died. He isn't dead yet.

When Cassie doesn't reply, Vaela drags her up, pulling her to stand on her feet. 

"Look at me. I want you to look me in the eyes and beg. Beg me to let you live," she whispers.

Pulling herself free, Cassiopeia gives her mother a disgusted look, pushing her aside as she rushes towards Felix, who is lying near the steps of the altar, her wedding dress now mostly covered with blood, letting the white peek through at only some places. 

Dropping by his side, she pulls him into her lap, rocking back and forth as she whispers name. 

"Felix. Come on, you can't die on me like this. Please. Just come back. You promised me that you'd take me to London. You promised me you'd show me your home," she says, her voice breaking as tears fall down cheeks, wetting Felix's black tux. 

A cruel laugh enters her ears, making her blood boil even as she lets her tears fall, leaning forward to keep her head on Felix's blood covered chest. 

"Felix, you need to come back. Or I am going to end this world," she whispers, slowly getting up, unaware of how her eyes had started glowing a bright blue. 

"There you are. There is my daughter," Vaela says, looking up at her with a smile. "Too bad that it's too late now, though," she sighs, looking dejected. Climbing up the stairs, she closed the distance between her and her daughter. "You are too late, daughter. There is nothing you can do now," she says in a malevolent whisper, a scream leaving Cassiopiea's mouth as her mother grabbed her by her hair, dragging her down the altar again. 

Cassie falls to her knees as Vaela presses her hands to her temple.

"It's never too late, mother," Cassie whispers, a small smile slowly forming on her face. Cassie looks up, pushing all the power that she could feel surging inside of her, screaming as she puts her full power to use. 

Vaela's eyes widened as she flew back from the force, the feeling of Cassie's power flowing through every inch of the ground making her dizzy for just a second. But she was much more powerful. 

She laughs, getting up in an instant. "That was a good attempt, Cassie. But do you really think that that's all it's going to take to defeat me?" she asks, mockingly. Pushing further, knowing that her daughter was nearing her breaking point. The only question was what she would do when she breaks. Would she burn down the whole world? Or would she burn herself in grief?

"He's dead anyway. You have nothing to fight for," Vaela mocks, getting up as she extends her hands to her side, shaping them into claws as she summons her power. 

"He is not d-" Cassie starts, but has to stop, as her voice disappears, the air leaving her as she starts to choke. Her eyes widen and she grabs her throat, desperate for air. 

"I could kill you right now. I could end this. But I won't. You have shown me your true powers now, I know that you are useful." her mother starts, "Now there is only one thing is left to do. One memory drain and you'd be back to the obedient daughter you used to be."

A look of pure fear forms in Cassie's eyes. No. She couldn't forget Felix. She couldn't. 

Black spots appear in her vision, and she falls to her knees, her head spinning. Back to the spot where she'd been kneeling just minutes before. Her mother had overpowered her like it was nothing like it was just a game. 

Suddenly, a finger forces her face to make her look up and oxygen rushes into her lungs, her taking gasping breaths, feeling relieved for just a second before she realises what was going to happen. 

She couldn't forget him. His smile. The feel of his skin under her fingers. The feel of his soft hair as she ran her fingers through them. And most of all, she couldn't forget his voice, his angelic voice that sang to her every day. 

Tears fall down her cheeks as she shakes her head, begging Vaela not to do this. 

Her voice breaks, as she begs, "His voice. Please don't make me forget his voice," and that's the last thing she says before darkness falls over her. 

^^^

Cassie looks around in a haze. Where was she and what had happened? She is confused as she notices her unfamiliar surroundings. 

A sweet voice greets her just as the door opens, sunlight flooding in, and in comes her mother, relief flooding into her as she gives her mother a smile. She wasn't alone. She had her mother. Everything would be fine now. 

"You have been asleep for three days Cassie. You sure are a deep sleeper," Vaela says, and Cassie could hear the affection in her voice. 

"Three days? What's the happening mother? I feel lost. I don't even remember how I fell asleep."

"Don't worry about it dear. There was an attack at the palace and you got hurt. You hit your head, so your memory must be a bit hazy," she reassures Cassie, a soft smile on her face. 

Cassie smiles back, getting out of the bed slowly and walking up to her mother.

But just as she walks up to hug her mother, the moment she touches her mother's arm, a voice floods her brain. 

'I hope I never lose you, I hope it never ends"

A voice, a male voice sings in her head and she falls back, her eyes widening as memories start to flood in. Her mother was a traitor. 

The sound of his voice and his sweet smile was the only thing she thought about before she let all hell break loose.