Page 76 of Lord of the Lone Wolf (Bonded Hearts #3)
Auslin
A fter spending so much time with Maseo, it had pained Auslin to let him return to the barracks alone. However, it was important for Maseo to reunite with his friends, so Auslin didn’t begrudge him for going.
His mood lifted when he received word from Kizoshi that Liros was due to return to the Divine Realm later that night. He left after dinner, eager to speak to the one person who would know how to help Maseo.
The servant’s soft footsteps faded as Auslin stood alone in the corridor leading to Liros’s library.
Golden veins threaded through the white marble beneath his feet, while crystalline formations hummed from the vaulted ceiling above.
The air shimmered with wisdom, making Auslin’s skin tingle with the awareness of the countless secrets housed within these walls.
As the doors opened, it revealed a grand and intimate space.
Shelves packed with books rose to the ceiling, their quiet majesty matched by clusters of inviting purple-and-gold chairs.
A magnificent desk dominated one corner, while windows looked out onto a garden where flowers bloomed in impossible colors, their petals catching the morning light that streamed into the chamber.
The scent of old parchment and incense created an atmosphere that was both scholarly and welcoming.
Liros turned to greet Auslin with a warm smile. His vivid violet eyes deepened to a richer purple as he blinked. He wore amethyst velvet robes and styled his dark hair in intricate braids that caught the light, revealing streaks of pale lavender throughout.
“Welcome, Auslin,” he said, his voice carrying the easy familiarity of friendship. “I offer my sincerest apologies for keeping you waiting for so long.”
Hibiki launched himself from Auslin’s ring, flying across the room toward a small owl perched on the back of a chair.
Shikiji formed from cloud wisps that held their shape, his translucent body steady enough to support Hibiki’s enthusiastic greeting.
The two guardian spirits were old friends, and their reunion was always a joy to witness.
“Thank you for seeing me now,” Auslin observed, settling into a comfortable chair as Hibiki and Shikiji chased each other. “I’m praying it’s not too late.”
“You are here about Maseo’s injuries,” Liros confirmed, his expression growing more serious. “The ones Nasume inflicted through necromancy that you can’t heal.”
The directness was both a relief and a source of dread. “I’ve tried everything. It’s as if the magic is resisting my healing. I can’t even heal the Divine damage because the necromancy is interfering.”
Across the room, Hibiki had caught up with Shikiji, and the two spirits engaged in a playful wrestling match. They tumbled through the air before landing in a heap on a cushioned reading nook, where they curled up together.
“Tell me what you know about necromancy,” Liros requested, settling back in his chair.
Auslin considered the question, drawing on what he had learned during the war. “It’s death magic that summons souls from the Beyond Realm and binds them to corpses or skeletons to serve the living.”
“True, but there’s more to it,” Liros said, his violet eyes shifting to a lighter shade of purple. “Necromancy also creates an unnatural link between the Living and Beyond Realms, a bridge that was never meant to exist.”
A chill ran down Auslin’s spine. “What kind of bridge?”
Liros’s expression turned grave. “One that allows dangerous things to escape. It’s how things break free from the Blightmare Vale in the Beyond Realm.”
Auslin struggled to make sense of Liros’s points. “The injuries Maseo sustained aren’t healing because of this link, are they?”
“Nasume embedded necromancy in Maseo’s wounds, creating a permanent connection between Maseo’s soul and the Beyond Realm that acts like a slow drain. Every moment that passes, it siphons away pieces of Maseo’s soul.”
“But wouldn’t Nasume’s death have severed that connection?”
Liros shook his head. “That’s the insidious nature of what Nasume accomplished. While his body died in the Living Realm, his corrupted soul is very much alive in the Beyond Realm and tied to this one through his magic in Maseo’s necrotic wounds.”
Auslin felt sick. “You’re saying he’s still hurting Maseo?”
“Worse than that. He is attempting to enslave Maseo in eternal torture in the depths of Blightmare Vale.”
“How is that possible?” Auslin demanded.
“Nasume has mastered a blend of shadowmancy and necromancy that’s insidious. His hatred is so profound that it makes the magic self-sustaining. Every second that passes, more of Maseo’s soul is being stolen away.”
Rage flared hot in Auslin’s chest. “Even in death, Maseo can’t escape Nasume?”
“Necromancy is death magic that feeds on life,” Liros explained. “As it slowly kills Maseo, pieces of his soul disappear from your realm and travel to where Nasume waits. Death doesn’t end a necromancer’s hunger. It merely changes the hunting ground.”
Auslin trembled with fear and outrage. “How long does Maseo have?”
“You have perhaps a week before the damage becomes irreversible. After that, there won’t be enough of his soul left to save. He’ll be trapped in Blightmare Vale with his father for eternity.”
Panic clawed at Auslin’s throat. “There has to be a way to sever the connection.”
Liros fell silent for a long moment, his violet eyes growing distant. “There is, but you won’t like it.”
“Tell me. Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”
“You must perform a soulrift,” Liros said. “It’s the only method to save him and defeat Nasume once and for all.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
Liros shifted in his chair, choosing his words carefully. “Maseo’s soul needs to be separated from the necromantic link.”
“How?”
“It must be severed from the Beyond Realm.”
The implication made Auslin’s stomach lurch. “You can’t be saying what I think you are.”
Rather than reassuring Auslin, Liros pivoted topics. “The most ancient magic that exists in the Living Realm embraced you when you stepped outside of time.”
“By going through Fate’s Gate.”
“Twice,” Liros added.
The auramancer couldn’t understand what Liros was trying to convey. “Right, but what does that have to do with anything?”
“You are the only one who can become the space between moments, the breath between heartbeats. Neither fully in one realm nor another. You must stand between what is and what cannot be, holding both as truth simultaneously.”
Auslin rubbed his temples, feeling a throbbing headache coming on. It was almost as frustrating as talking to Kizoshi. “I’m so lost.”
“Because that is how Maseo can be found.”
Auslin’s eyes pleaded with Liros. “Please help me make sense of this. I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me.”
“Maseo’s soul fractured when Ishibiya tried to steal it, and Nasume’s necromancy has been breaking off more pieces. To reclaim all those fragments and become whole again requires a soulforge.”
“Which is different from a soulrift?”
“Yes, a soulrift cuts the soul free.” Liros’s mouth pressed into a grim line. “A soulforge is the process Maseo must undergo to rebuild the fragments of his soul into one. It is the only way for him to survive.”
“And if he can’t do it?”
“Then his soul will remain fractured forever, and the necromancy will consume what’s left of him until there’s nothing.”
The weight of it all threatened to crush Auslin. “When?”
“After your next battle is won, this one will begin. Time is running out faster than you realize.”
Auslin’s mind raced, trying to piece together fragments of understanding. “Are you implying I have to defeat Nasume in the Beyond Realm?”
“You both do,” Liros corrected.
“Both?” Auslin repeated. “What about Kitsuki?”
Liros paused. “He is your way home, so he can’t cross over to the Beyond Realm with you.”
“Kitsuki has to watch us leave him to go through Fate’s Gate?” The guilt of what that would make Kitsuki feel gnawed at Auslin’s peace of mind.
“His mating bond with you is the tether that makes it possible for you to return home. If he crosses over with you both, your link to the Living Realm will be severed. You’d all be trapped in the Beyond Realm forever.”
Auslin frowned, sensing something was amiss. “Fate is never so straightforward. You’re making this sound too simple.” Skepticism laced his voice. “It can’t be as easy as Maseo and I walking through Fate’s Gate together and being taken to the right place. There’s more to it, isn’t there?”
“Sometimes the greatest act of love is the one that appears most cruel. In this case, the only way to live is to die.”
Horror dawned on Auslin’s face. “No, there has to be a different way.”
“As you both pass through Fate’s Gate together, you must pierce his heart with Tatsuki’s sword,” Liros said, his purple eyes filled with regret.
“You are timeless because of the ancient magic of Fate’s Gate that still clings to you.
But Maseo can cross over only in death. The soulforge and being touched by Fate’s Gate’s timeless magic will allow him to return to the Living Realm with your help and Kitsuki’s. ”
“You’re asking me to stab him?” Auslin’s voice rose an octave. “To kill him?”
“The alternative is watching him die a painful death as the necromancy consumes him. If that happens, Nasume will torture Maseo’s soul for eternity. Is that what you want for him?”
Auslin felt torn between tears and rage, his hands shaking as the full weight of what was being asked of him crashed down. “Are you telling me I have to stab Maseo in the heart to send him to the Beyond Realm through Fate’s Gate?”
Liros hesitated. “I’m telling you what you need to know to save him.”
“I can’t kill—” Auslin stopped, unable to finish the sentence.
“Not even to save his life?”
“How am I supposed to murder someone I’ve developed feelings for?” Auslin’s voice cracked with anguish. “Why does fate keep asking such horrible things of us?”
Hibiki launched himself from the reading nook, zipping over to land on Auslin’s shoulder. The tiny fire dragon nuzzled against his neck, offering what comfort he could.
“Do you love Maseo enough to do what needs to be done?” Liros asked.
“There has to be something else we can try,” Auslin protested.
“The only other option is for Nasume to steal Maseo’s soul for good.”
Auslin’s face crumpled, the weight of the impossible choice crushing him.
“I’m not unfeeling, Auslin. I understand this is a significant ask.
But with Tatsuki and Corina’s last gifts in your hands, everything will be possible.
” His violet eyes brightened with hope. “Victory is attainable. Only after Maseo completes a successful soulforge can the trinity bond form. The three of you are meant to be together, but this is the path fate has chosen.”
Knowing their suffering would lead to something that would unite the three of them gave Auslin a glimmer of hope. “Thank you for helping me.”
“You’re strong enough to endure this, Auslin. You all are.”
Silence fell between them, heavy with unspoken fears and impossible choices. Hibiki had settled more firmly on Auslin’s shoulder, his body warm against Auslin’s neck.
“How are Kisano and Sephen doing with their decision to become the new king and royal consort of Kunushi?” Liros asked, his tone lighter.
The question caught Auslin off guard, pulling him from his spiral of worry.
“They’re adjusting to the idea. It’s an enormous responsibility, taking over enemy territory and trying to heal the damage Nasume caused.
” He studied Liros’s face, noting how the Power’s violet eyes brightened to amethyst at the mention of the two men.
“They’re remarkable individuals,” Liros said, a slight smile touching his lips. “Kisano’s brilliance combined with Sephen’s cleverness will make them formidable leaders. I look forward to seeing the beautiful world they create together.”
Something in his tone suggested more than casual interest, but Auslin felt too hollow to pursue it. The weight of everything he’d learned and still didn’t understand pressed down on him like a physical burden.
“I should get back,” Auslin said, rising from his chair on unsteady legs. “I need to talk to Maseo and Kitsuki about all of this.”
“Of course,” Liros replied, standing as well. “Remember, Auslin. You don’t have to carry this fate alone. Trust in your bond with Kitsuki and in what you feel for Maseo. Love has a way of making impossible things possible.”
Hibiki disappeared back into Auslin’s ring before he left to return to the Living Realm.
The knowledge Liros had imparted felt like both a gift and a curse. He understood what needed to be done, but knowing and being able to act on it were very different matters.
How could Auslin kill the man he loved to save him?