"Die?" Felix asked out loud, unaware he was even doing so. Fea whipped around to face him, a look of pure torture on her face.

But before she could speak, Lorenzen turned his head to face him. "Yes… I am ready… To die."

Felix first looked to Fea and then to the dragon. This was news to him, startling news. "Why?"

"I have…lived a long life. I have served long enough… Now, I am ready to die."

In an instant, all of his rage, his anger, vanished. As it did so, it took every other emotion with it. It stripped him bare, down to his core. The sensation left him numb.

Death… What had he said to Fea? What had been his exact words? That he would gladly give up his life for her? How hollow…

He realized then, he realized now, just how fake those words had been. He would do anything for Fea, but making such a declaration was far too easy.

No, that just won't do. I screwed up, and now I'm forcing her to make decisions no one should ever have to make. And I'm not the only one.

An epiphany. There is another way…

Slowly, quietly, Felix stepped closer to the dragon. He stared down upon him. He spoke. "You wish to die?"

Lorenzen peered up and into his eyes, there was a conviction held in them that no one could break. "Yes."

Felix pulled out his sword.

"FELIX!"

He ignored Fea's scream. "I can end it," he said. "I can take your life, but then what? What would that accomplish? Look at Fea, look at how scared she is. Look at Yarnel," he gestured to the small, floating dragon. "Do you know how much effort he put into saving your life?"

He waited for a response but none came.

"I do. I was there. I kept that crystal, that is pumping mana into your body, stable while he worked. I was exhausted and I only did that. Yarnel did much, much more and he still wasn't finished when I left"

Felix took a breath, raising his sword higher. "I am just as foolish as you. I said something that was easy to say but horrible to hear. I told Fea that I want her to use me, my body and soul, if it was needed.

"Do you know that the teleport spell will require a sacrifice?" he asked.

Lorenzen gave a weak nod. "She can…use–"

"NO!" Felix roared, slamming his blade onto the table. The entire room flinched.

"Don't you get it? How easy those words are to say?! Do you understand what you are asking her to do?! Let me tell you… Because I didn't understand until now. You are asking her to kill. You are asking her to murder her friend," he growled the last few words out between his teeth.

"And I asked her to kill me! Her lover, her mate. I never stopped to think what it was I was saying. I never stopped and considered how that would make her feel. I never paused and considered if there was another option!"

He took a deep breath, trying to reel in his frustration and anger for himself. "And there is…"

Raising his head, his eyes locked onto Yarnel. "The unfinished crystal, where is it?"

The small dragon blinked as if coming out of a spell. "I…have it stored, safely–"

"Bring it here and give it to me."

Yarnel hesitated, but the look Felix gave him made him comply quickly. He waved a hand and the crystal in question materialized in front of Felix. It was large and clear, and pulsing with unstable mana.

Dropping his sword onto the table, Felix reached up and took the crystal into his hands. He brought it down and close to his chest.

"I don't know if this will ever become necessary. I don't know what will happen once the fighting properly begins. But if it comes to it… And Fea must cast the spell… Must sacrifice a life… Then this will be my way of surviving."

He closed his eyes and delved deep into his core, his soul. There, he found the source of his mana and life. Delicately, he grasped it and took another breath.

As he exhaled, he snapped it in half.

A pain, an indescribable pain filled his entire body. A scream, a terrible and incoherent scream, escaped his lips. But he still had more to do.

Fighting through it, as every fiber tensed and spasmed, as his mind reeled, as his very essence begged for it to end… He guided his fractured soul to the crystal.

It was done, the pain ceased and his mind calmed. But he wasn't done, not yet.

Trembling, Felix opened his eyes and faced Fea. She was frozen in pure terror and agony. Of course she is, he realized. She just experienced what I experienced…

That troubled him more than breaking his soul in half. But, what he was about to do would make up for it.

He approached her, cautiously, and with the mana crystal outstretched. "Take it… Keep it safe and sound. It is–"

Her eyes widened. "Your soul!"

A grim but determined smile spread across his lips as his vision grew dark. "Yes… And with that, you will always have me. You need not fear to…use…me–"

Felix collapsed onto the floor.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fea watched as Felix was taken care of by healers. They had moved him to the medical ward and, thankfully, his condition was not serious. However, the crystal she held onto suggested otherwise…

'You will always have me…' Those words echoed throughout her mind. She could feel him in there, in the crystal. Somehow, her mate had done the impossible. To split one's soul was tantamount to suicide.

She grasped the mana crystal tighter, even as the healers finished their work.

"He is resting. We could not find anything wrong," one said to her.

She gave them a slow nod, but her eyes were transfixed on Felix's sleeping form. "Thank you, you may leave…"

Giving her a bow, the healers silently exited.

Alone, Fea took the moment to study her mate. He was laying on a small cot, one of many made for the non-dragon races. He looked peaceful as she traced his visage with her eyes.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

She could feel him through their bond, weak and faded, but there. There was nothing more she wanted right now than his touch. She yearned for it…

Setting the crystal down on a small stand next to his cot, she reached for him both physically and mentally. Her hand touched his, just as their minds made contact.

Instantly, she was propelled into his dream.

***

With a gasp, Fea looked around. She was floating in a void, no lights and no sound. Even her voice died as it left her throat. But she could feel she wasn't alone. Somewhere, out there in the nothingness, was her mate.

Half-floating, half-walking, she made her way through the silence. She called out for him as best she could, hoping that their connectedness would be enough to carry her call for him.

I'm here…

The words caused her to stop. She looked around, turning in place, to find him. But there was no sight of him yet.

Where–

Her own words were cut off as a familiar touch enveloped her. Here, he said.

Closing her eyes once more, she leaned into Felix's embrace.

I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you. For the senseless words. For putting the choice of who lives and who dies into your hands. I am…so sorry, Fea. It did not occur to me what I was asking you to do.

She felt his chin rest between her neck and shoulder. Please, forgive me…

She stood there motionless, while her thoughts collected and gathered. I…forgive you, she said after several seconds. But, what you did with your soul… Why?

Now it was Felix's turn to pause, his own thoughts racing. Because, you will still need help casting the ritual. Now, no one has to be sacrificed. You will still have me, and I you.

But there is more, Fea. Much more. The crystal is now a container for my other half. If you ever need it– If you ever need me, I will be there. My powers will be diminished, but if you combine our souls…

A shiver ran down her spine. What? Is that… Is that possible?

She felt him smile. It is… I think. I was able to hold on to a piece of another's soul, trapping them within mine. But, if the soul is willing, why couldn't it become part of another?

I am willing, Fea. I will always be willing. I never wish to be without you.

And I always want to be with you, she added. But why not now?

He chuckled, his breath tickling her ear. Truthfully? We probably could. But I worry about what sort of state we will end up in. With the coming battle looming over us, we should be cautious. In fact, it might change us for the worse.

I cannot say with any certainty it will be to our benefit. Perhaps it will curse us and turn us into a monster? The theory needs more research. And that is fine, so long as we are able to cast the teleportation spell.

We do not need to rush this. I will always be there…

Fea felt herself being shook and jostled. In her confusion, she tried to glance over to Felix, however, he was gone. In fact, the void was beginning to fill with light.

***

"Your Highness! Your Highness! Please, wake up!"

Shaking her head, Fea stared up blearily. At some point, she had crawled into her mate's cot and fell asleep. Now, however, a guard was standing over her with a panicked expression.

"W-what…"

"Your Highness! We're under attack! The siege has begun!"

Now fully awake, she jumped out of bed just as Felix was beginning to stir. "Not a trick this time?" she asked, picking up the crystal.

"N-no! They're–"

The entire spire shook.

"I'm heading for the war room!" she shouted. "Get back to your station!"

Before the guard could even reply, she was rushing out of the medical ward and through the corridors…

She made it there in record time, her heart racing and taking heavy breaths. But she wasn't the only one. Nevrim was waiting outside. His eyes fell upon the crystal.

"Where is Felix?" he asked.

"Still resting, but he will be awake soon."

The other dragon gave her a worried look. "I hope so, this isn't looking good."

Fea grimaced but did not respond. She would figure out what was happening soon enough…

Stepping into the war room, she found a battered looking Lorenzen and Yarnel. Both of the dragons had small mana crystals floating around them.

"I told him to stay still," Yarnel said to her unspoken question. "But, he refused. So, now I have to work around him…"

For his part, Lorenzen waved the concern away. "I will…be fine."

"No you won't! If you so much as use a hint of mana, it will kill you!" the smaller dragon argued back. "You damned fool…" he muttered as he returned back to his work.

Fea shook her head in disbelief. It wasn't long ago Lorenzen was begging for his death, and now? Now he was trying to lead their forces. I guess what Felix said got through to him–

The spire shook once more, this time much more violently.

Catching herself with the nearest wall, she focused her attention on the battered dragon. "Tell me, what's the situation…"

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Felix woke as he fell out of his cot, landing hard onto the floor. Disoriented, he did his best to get his feet underneath him but the ground shook once more…

Fea… Fea, what is–

The High Prophet and the Chosen are attacking, she said, rather calmly.

The…Chosen? For some reason that name rang a bell but it felt distant, almost lost. It took a long moment for it to dawn on him. How bad? he instantly asked, as his faded memories finally took hold.

Bad. I'll explain more to you, but you need to get prepared. Your armor is coming, once you don it head for the throne room. I'll be there shortly.

The conversation ended, giving him the much needed time for him to reorient himself. He was in the medical ward and he felt strangely exhausted. It wasn't the normal fatigue either, this was different. Different from anything he had experienced before.

Finally rising to his feet, he stared down at his chest. There was a certain hollowness to it, like he was incomplete. Ah, right… My soul.

Before he could dwell on it any longer, a familiar Sergeant and a few of his men made their appearance. "Sorry sir! We would have left your armor here with you, but… Well, it was quite damaged and needed some maintenance."

They quickly handed over his equipment as Ovidius continued. "Unfortunately, we couldn't get it repaired in time, but we did get an enchanter to at least take a look at the enchantments…"

Felix said nothing as he slowly donned his armor, doing his best to remember how it all fit together. It was something that was easily noticed by his men, especially his Sergeant.

The man approached him and whispered, "Are you okay, sir? After what you did… Should you–"

"I'm fine, thank you," Felix finally said. "Just a little lightheaded… It'll pass."

The Sergeant didn't look convinced but he did not argue. "If you say so, sir."

Felix cracked a smile. "I do. Now, let me finish getting this on and we'll head to the throne room. The Queen will be heading there."

They each gave him a salute and he used the moment to quickly finish putting on all his gear. A few moments later, he and his men were briskly making their way out…

The High Prophet is targeting the barrier protecting us, Fea said as Felix made his way. He has somehow found a weak point in it and is concentrating a mass of spells on it.

He frowned at that. Why bother? He proved he could easily enter our defenses without needing to destroy anything.

There was a pause on her side of the bond as he passed by several other men preparing. He gave them a quick salute as she began again.

Lorenzen says it's because of what he did. He managed to break the High Prophet's spell and cause a backlash that almost certainly wounded the bastard.

Lorenzen is with you? Shouldn't he–

Yarnel has already chewed him out. But never mind that, the barrier… We have a few enchanters working on keeping it powered, but with the volume of spells that's hitting it, it won't last long.

Once it is down, I suspect we will see them try and break through.

Her words made him skip a step. Damn it! And what is our plan to counter them?

Another pause, but this time it was clear she was trying to think of a way to break the news to him.

Fea? What are you planning? he asked, not liking how long it was taking her.

I have… I have decided to abandon the Citadel.

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