Illiana didn't move, she wanted to run, to stop this. But she couldn't move, she couldn't breathe. "Rachel..." SHe said softly. "I love you....' She began to wepp, "Don't do this..."
"I love you too Illiana, I'm sorry this needs to be done" Rachel said sadly going silent when the knife cut into her
Illiana lurched forward as teh red blood swelled over Rachels chest. She was beside the alter in half a heartbeat. She pressed a hand to the bleeding skin after pulling thre knife away. "There has to be another way" She said sobbing. SHe tried to apply preasure to slow the bleeding
Rachel pulled Illiana's hands away from her chest and laced their fingers together one last time "speak the words of dismissal my master. you own my soul it cannot go without your consent"
"I, Illiana, do..." Illiana stuttered, her voice shaking adn breaking. "do release you from...from the..." She took a deep breath, trying to calm her voice. "I, Illiana, do free you Rachel, from the power of my bind as your master" She sobbed. Then she whispered, "Goddess, forgive me..." She her knees buckled and she was left kneeling before the alter that held her love. She cried as she hled Rachels hand.
Rachel held Illiana's hand as her blood coated the altar in a thick red flood, the world outside began to quake but inside it was eerily calm. "I love you" she said with her last breath and then fell limp effectively removing her dangerous blood from the world
Illiana burst into a fresh wave of tears, unable to move, unable to breathe. She clutched at Rachel until she had no strength left. She flet the world around her shifting, ut she didn't care. She laid Rachels hand on her cheat and took a lonmg roll of red material from a wall. She laid it over rachels naked body and lifter her up into her arms. When may gave her a questioning look she simply said. "I won't leave her here."
The slow poisoning of the Earth, that had started when the barrier was put up to block the realms, was at last stopped and the sun was out once more. no one knew why this was happening or that a lone demon gave everything to save them all they knew was something had changed. Rachel's body was still increadably warm but she was lifeless with a peaceful smile on her slack face
Illiana walked for miles with Rachels body in her arms, and her loves sword strapped to her back. She carried her through the city, past her home at the outckirts of town, out into the feilds of the outer country. She gently laid Rachel on the soft earth, adn she sobbed as she built a pyre out of brush and hay. She carefully re-wrapped Rachel in the red cloth and laid her down gently--as though she was mearly aslepp and Illiana didn't want to wake her--on teh pyre. She brushed a few strands of hair from the face that now looked so much more peacful than it ever had in life. She kissed her soft lips gently, She whispered the lines--from the human play Romeo and Juliet--that now ment so much
"Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty:
Thou art not conquer'd; beauty's ensign yet
Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,
And death's pale flag is not advanced there."
She wiped away her tears and said, "I love you too Rachel. Rest well my love"
She stepped back from the pyre as she cover Rachels face with the rest of teh cloth and used a single match to light the flame. As the flames grew Illiana kneeled and pulled Rachels sword from her back. She planed the sword blade down in the soil. The funeral of a true warrior, one who gave her life, that the worlds might live.