Hakken laughed weakly, causing him to grunt.
“Could you please stop with the comedy while I try to patch him?” Finn was far from relaxed. He didn’t stop working over the wound, sealing the lacerations with magic, but the blood kept pouring. “Shit,” he uttered.
Maeve sensed his worry. “What is wrong?”
“There is... a lot of damage I can’t... reach.” He scanned the crowd. “Ystävä... find him! He can do better!”
Regn and Kniv shot to their feet, looking for the Warlock, and Maeve succumbed to angst. Hakken’s hand grew cold.
“Come on...” she whimpered, looking around, hoping to find Ystävä.
“Hey,” Hakken’s soft voice called her. She could hardly see his face, now tears blurred her sight.
“Hey... you did it.” He took a few shallow breaths. “It’s all right, Maeve, you did it.”
“Shh, don’t... don’t talk. We did it. Stay still so Finn can—”
It was like all the air in the world vanished. Maeve cringed as the pain in her chest threatened to break her. She opened her mouth to let out a cry, but nothing came out. Seconds before, she could clearly sense Hakken’s emotions, but now they were gone. He was gone.
Maeve searched his face, his eyes still staring straight at her, empty. His soft smile remained, brightening his face but now, lifeless.
This can’t be...
“No, no! Shit!” Finn frowned and pushed against the wound, sending a strong blast of magic that shook Hakken’s body. But nothing changed. “Where is Ystävä?” he yelled. The elf chose that moment to arrive and immediately started working, Regn and Kniv close behind. As soon as they realized Hakken was dead, Regn let out a cry, pulling his hair in despair.
Kniv knelt by Hakken’s side once more, taking his hand and pleading with him. “No! You can’t leave now! Not when you—!” His voice caught up in his throat. Flyg had joined Dröm, hugging him while they both stared at the scene, completely spent and somber. Dröm kept muttering sorrowful words.
Ystävä now shouted incantations, and he seemed about to pass out. He tried again and again, sweat sliding down his face, but nothing changed. After long, excruciating minutes, he let his head fall and whispered. “I can’t... I-I can’t. Maeve, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
She stared at the elf, the meaning behind his words breaking her heart. Hakken’s face rested right in front of her, and she couldn’t bear the thought of not hearing his voice again. Without thinking, her hand moved to caress his face before closing his eyelids. He is dead. After burying her mother, her father... she should probably have a little more resilience to this pain.
The ground pulled her with such force, the idea of letting her body go and lay by his side became too compelling. She’d lost Hakken. The one who made her feel safe and loved. The man she was all too happy to have by her side. The life she dreamt of with him was lost.
Finn reached to touch her, but she jerked back. The sudden movement broke the spell, and all the pain rushed to engulf her. Maeve gripped her stomach, bending her body and letting out such a mournful wail, everyone around her dropped to the ground, feeling her heartbreak as their own.
Her sobs were endless, and as she realized her emotions ran wild, affecting those around her, she shut her eyes, trying to hide from the world. Maeve’s pain spread unchecked. The will to move had left her, but when Maeve heard the disconsolate cries of a child, she raised her head and looked around.
Not far from them, standing alone on the same hill, a beautiful little girl sobbed inconsolably. Black hair framed her pale, rounded face, falling behind her and burying on the ground. Tears poured out of her eyes. Eyes resembling a storm; thunders glowing deep.
She used the sleeves of her white gown to dry the unstoppable tears, gaping at the wetness on her arms. She held her little hands at them, terrified. “What are these? Why does it hurt so much? Make it stop! Please!”
CHAPTER XXXXV
PARTING BLESSINGS
Maeve
The pain had rendered her unsteady, so she struggled to get on her feet, staggering before she rose. But as soon as Maeve stood firmly on both legs, sheer hate pushed her body, and her long strides took her to stand right in front of Pouri.
Heat radiated from her clenched fists, and her body shook with rage, but she dared not move.
She wanted to beat her, to sink her nails on her skin and scar her. Make her bleed and hurt. She wanted to kill her for taking away Hakken and all the lives that had been lost since the beginning.
But in front of her stood a child. A scared child, sobbing into her hands and trying desperately to catch the terrifying tears. Pouri’s frail body shook with each wail, and she raised her mournful eyes to Maeve’s face, silently pleading for help or comfort.
Maeve’s arms hung limply by her side, and all her anger morphed into grief and pity. What good hurting Pouri would bring? She had lost Hakken, stabbed by a man who didn’t control his actions, commanded by a child goddess who couldn’t comprehend the pain she caused.
Maeve fell to her knees once more, a breath away from the little girl. The striking storm in Pouri’s eyes reflected her own tormented gaze, and Maeve waited for the child to wipe more tears, settling her endless sobbing into whimpers.
“Who are you?” the goddess asked.
“I’m no one, Pouri,” Maeve muttered as she reached to gently stroke her hair. “Please... you need to stop now, you need to set them free. They are hurting too, and they need you to stop.”
Pouri blinked, tilting her head in confusion. “These?” She showed her hands wet with her tears. “Do they hurt
