Supernova Chapter 9 - It couldn’t be all that bad, could it?

Soo this is the last official chapter of this story with Mia. But there will be a bonus chapter with Esther and her actual plan, that does indeed get referenced in the events of Diamond Legacies 2 quite a bit. I will update the wiki with the events of this story soon, including a page on Ignacio.

Thank you SO much for those that are still reading out there. It blows me away everytime i see the numbers of people still on this blog, also thank you April commenting on every chapter i loved hearing your thoughts <3

 Amirah Cullen

 

Axton was asking Ignacio questions, but my mind was still on the sight of Esther screaming in pain in that clearing. Lidiya, Anelie and Ivana, dead.

“I don’t understand” I interrupted and they both turned to look at me. “In the dream, Ivana, Lidiya and Anelie. They were dead, but they can’t die,” I explained looking to Clara.

“Ivana can, and so can Anelie,” Axton answered.

“But Lidiya?” I asked him and he reached out.

“Can I see?” he asked, and I nodded taking his hand and showing him the image. He sat for a moment before he spoke. “It’s a warning not a premonition. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. It means it could.” He emphasised. “Lidiya can’t die on our realm; she controls death here. Her dying would be a paradox, you are correct. But it’s been theorised that if her and Anelie die at the exact same moment, that if there isn’t a second for life and death to come unbalanced, that they can die for good and the balance between life and death remains like it did before they were born. There is also a possibility the vision doesnt take place here, it could be the spirit realm.” Axton explained to the table. Ignacio had stayed quiet. I was trying to process all the information and wondering if we should still go to Esther or not.

“Esther is going to see me as a threat,” I reasoned after a moment of discussion about telling Esther.

“She won’t,” Clara answered immediately.

“It can’t be possible I have the power to kill her right?” I asked turning to Axton.

“No, I’m not sure anything has the power to kill her. But demons do have the power to control her. Maybe you have that power too, now,” he said looking to Ignacio on the last word.

“If you hide this from her, if you ask me to… we’ll make an enemy out of her,” Clara suggested.

“Would you? If I asked?” I turned to her. She looked to Axton and then back at me.

“Yes,” she said but it was as if she was saying something out loud, she had never said before. I realised then looking between Clara and Axton. She would do it for him, and he would do it for me.  “We’d have some of the Cullen’s on our side, but that won’t be enough, and you know it won’t. If we don’t go into this with complete honesty, Esther will see you as a threat. We go to her now, with transparency and she might understand.”

“You’re a mother,” I said to her and she frowned in confusion for a second. “If you were shown a vision of your three children dead at your feet whilst you’re being ripped apart do you think you’d trust the person in the dream that supposedly did it?”

“You haven’t done anything yet Mia,” Axton interrupted. “You won’t hurt Esther and you won’t hurt Ivy or the Life and Death twins. That’s not who you are,” he said his voice stern.

“I hope not,” I said and stood.

“Does she not already know? Esther always knows what happens in this mansion. Do you not think she’s heard us?” Clara asked nervously.

“Ignacio emits a dampener of sorts. No abilities work when you’re around him. Not unless its witch magic.” I informed her and we sat in silence for a few minutes. No one talking, just thinking.

"We have to tell her. I am touched by your loyalty to me but you're right. I need to face Esther. She needs to know her possible fate in this." I sighed and stood to get ready to leave.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Axton asked me standing at the door.

“It’s the right thing. The Volturi can decide what to do with the information. I don’t know how to make decisions like this. They do,” I sighed and looked to Ignacio who looked nervous.

“I can’t come with you. I’m not allowed out of here,” he said, and I nodded. We said goodbye to Ignacio who I realised was rather frustrated he couldn’t come, even if it was just to defend himself. I knew he didn’t mean Esther any harm, but that didn’t mean his demon brethren didn’t.

Telling Zio and Esther went better than I thought. Esther took a moment to process the vision and the fear that built up inside me as I waited for her reaction wasn’t like anything I'd felt before. I don’t know why I was ever doubtful though. Esther pulled me into a hug and with a motherly tone told me I had nothing to fear from her. She had reasoned as much as Axton had. She also insisted the vision took place in the spirit world and that’s how her daughters had dead. She said Clara’s dreams weren’t absolute and this was new information sure, but it wouldn’t change anything.

I wasn’t sure how honest she was being because she gave Zio a look that made me feel uncomfortable. Axton teleported out with Clara to take her home and I left Zio and Esther deep in conversation in the study. I knew I'd done the right thing, but I couldnt help the dread I felt seeing Esther and Zio planning something together. I hoped it wasnt something drastic.

Outside Zio’s study were my parents. My relationship with my mother had been strained the last few days. She was finding it hard coming to terms with the fact I might be born to lead an army to war, something she had tried to protect me from my entire life. I looked at her almost defeated. I didn’t know what that dream meant, I didn’t know what was going to happen, I was trying to take this day by day and she definitely wasn’t helping my mental health.

She stepped forward to pull me into a hug, she took a deep sigh when I finally returned it after a moment.

“I know you’re not a child,” she said her face tucked into my neck. She kissed my skin and pulled away to look at me. “I know I can’t protect you. You’re far more powerful than I ever was and far more capable than I,” she said, and I frowned.

“You kept me safe when I was young. You did everything right for me,” I tried to tell her. She smiled sweetly.

“Thank you, baby. But its time to let you go. I know that.” My mother stared at me and I saw so much of my grandfather in her. Jacob’s eyes were staring at me and I missed him terribly. And my grandmother, and my home. I missed my life.

“You made me strong,” I said emotion breaking my voice. I looked to my dad behind her and back to my mother. “You raised me for this. Without even knowing. You were everything I needed and when you couldn’t provide, you found people that could. I’m a Barnes and I'm a Black. And I'll survive this just as we survive everything else,” I said strongly, and my mother’s tears matched my own.

“I love you,” she said and pulled me back into a hug. I reached for my father and he wrapped both of us in his arms.

“I got this; I promise,” I said as we pulled away. They smiled as they nodded to me. My mother stepped into my father’s arms and he held her in a hug as I said bye and walked back down the corridor to Ignacio’s apartment.

I didn’t quite make it to his apartment when Axton appeared in front of me. He stood for a moment unsure how to move so I just did what I knew both of us needed. I reached for him and pulled him into a hug. I felt the air leave his lungs as he relaxed into my touch. I pulled away for a moment and into one of the holding rooms we were near. These were rooms guests waited in for a court session, or if they needed to hear news or basically anything less formal than the throne room.

“I missed you,” I said the second we entered the room; I still hadn’t let go of him. I heard him swallow as he pulled me closer again. I didn’t care for any barriers or what we’d agreed. I reached for him and kissed him. He returned it with equal passion, and I couldn’t help the tears falling from my eyes. Something about it didn’t feel like before.

“Mia,” he said pulling away after a moment and I noticed he also had tears in his eyes. He didn’t let go of me though, we moved to the couch and he pulled me onto his lap. I ignored my name and began kissing him again. “Stop,” he said softly, and I couldn’t ignore that word. I did as he asked and rested my forehead against his. I wanted to tell him nothing had changed for me. I wanted to tell him I was still in love with him, and Ignacio was nothing more than a friend. I wanted to keep him by my side, but I couldn’t be selfish. I knew that. It wasn’t fair on him. He had been by my side for so long knowing this day would come. He’d been strong enough to be with me despite it. Now I had to be strong for him.

“I know I have to let you go,” I said, hearing my own mothers words in my head. If she let her own daughter go, I could let Axton go.

“I would go through it again, over and over. Don’t doubt that for a second.” He said opening his eyes. “But we can’t do this now,” he said looking at the space between us that barely existed. “All that matters now is your safety and focus. You need to have your energy on what’s to come. On him.” He said and reached forward to kiss the tear on my cheek. I wanted to tell him I loved him but instead I swallowed the words.

“This is our turning point. Your life has changed. Your old one is gone now; I know it went suddenly but your new life is here.” He explained with a hopeful smile.

“Like a supernova,” I mumbled. That’s what I felt like. I felt like I wasn’t who I was for the past fifty years. I felt like I had lost everything I was in a burst of light and suddenly I had to be a completely new person. Everything was changing, everything was new.

“You’ll burn the brightest there’s ever been,” he said in awe and kissed my forehead. “Thank you for letting me be in your life. Thank you for teaching me how to love someone that wasn’t my sister. Thank you for being everything I ever needed.” He said and I swallowed the emotion in my throat.

“Thank you for keeping me sane all these years,” I said with a chuckle.

“We said we’d never do this cringy stuff,” he said scrunching his nose in fake disgust.

“It's fitting.” I laughed and reached forward to kiss him one last time. Just a peck, nothing more.

“I'll be there when you need me.” He said and we stood from the couch. He finally dropped my hand and was gone from before my eyes.

I took a deep breath and fell back onto the couch for a moment. Just to process what happened. We’d broken up. Officially broken up and I wasn’t even sure how I felt about it.

I walked back to Ignacio’s in almost a blur. I was oddly okay but also broken.

“What happened?” Ignacio asked before I even reached the top of the stairs. “Do you know how hard it was not to leave this place? To come find you to make sure you were okay?” He asked as he started to pace around the room. I hadn’t said a word as I closed the door. Vicente was sitting at the table in the room watching both of us. “I knew I couldn’t break any of Pancrazio’s rules or we’d be in very big trouble but it's so hard not knowing about you,” he was still ranting, and he kept dipping into Spanish as he spoke. I wanted to tell him it was just the imprint making him freak out over my safety but I didnt have the energy in that moment.

“Mia?” Vicente asked coming to stand in front of me. Trust him to notice my demeanour over my own imprint. “Are you okay?” He asked. I looked up at him before me. I don’t know why I was ever worried about this man. He was so sweet really. He cared about Ignacio so much and had done everything he could to help my family in their research. He truly cared about the cause.

“I’m okay,” I answered him shaking myself free of the dumbness.

“What happened with Esther? Is she mad? I’ve heard stories you know. Of Esther. She’s not someone you should get on the bad side of,” Ignacio asked coming over to me.

“She’s fine. She knows the dreams are subjective. I left her talking to zio. She wasn’t mad with me at all. She doesn’t think I’m capable of hurting her. And honestly neither do I,” I said coming to sit at the table again. I rested my head on my hands and both men sat opposite me on the other side.

“I think we need to do the ritual soon. The packs need to learn their new powers. Ignacio can be in better control; we can cooperate better if you show us you’re full committed to this,” Vicente said to me and I knew my anger was misplaced but I looked up to glare at him.

“You question my commitment to the cause? I just broke up with someone I love, for this cause. I just faced Esther Josephson as a possible threat, for the cause. I have been doing everything I need to, for the past few days, for the cause. I have given up everything about my previous life, for the cause. Don’t question me just because I’m a little bit upset after today’s events”.

“Forgive me alpha, I didn’t mean it that way,” Vicente said bowing his head immediately. Ignacio’s hand went onto his friends’ shoulder and he mumbled something in Spanish. Vicente nodded and stood up leaving me in the room with Ignacio.

I put my head back in my hands and stared at the wooden table below me. Trying to breath slowly and steadily. Ignacio didn’t say anything he just sat there, and I calmed oddly quickly in his presence.

I knew that was a thing with imprints, but I never imagined someone could calm me faster than Axton could. I dropped my arms and folded them on the table.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, and Ignacio was just watching me curiously.

“That’s okay. Vicente gets excited too easily. He’s idolised you since the day he joined the pack. He was always one of those children that loved the stories more than most. He sort of sees us as his superheroes,” he joked, and I smiled softly.

“I’m too hard on him.” I said solemnly.

“You’re his alpha. That’s what you’re meant to do,” he smiled and reached across the table to hold my hand. “I’m sorry you broke up with your guardian,” he added after a moment.

“How much did you know about him?” I asked looking at his dark skin in contrast to my own. He was in his normal demon hybrid form again.

“I saw you both were happy. I saw he cared for you deeply and you for him in return. I know he taught you most of what you know. I know he was your safe haven.” He explained but I didn’t look up at him.

“That didn’t bother you?” I asked wondering.

“Why would it bother me? He was protecting you. He was keeping you safe and happy. You got to live a life before finding out about all this. I was envious of him, yes. But not for the reasons you think. We are not here to get married and live happily ever after with our chimera offspring. I know you’ve been wondering that. Your imprint in your culture finds your mate, I’m not sure if I’m that Mia but I know we’re tied together to save the world. That’s as far as I can fathom at the present time. If you need him, in that way, I will not stand in your way. I want you to find comfort in the war that is to come.” He explained and I continued to play with his hand in mine.

“Thats all you know isn't it? All you talk about is war." I frowned at him.

"It's all I was raised for. When my mother arrived at Navarino island, the tribemen and women knew she was carrying the one from the prophecy. I was raised to be ready for you, for this war." He explained.

"That's heartbreaking. Your mother, she didn't object to that?" I asked. Thinking of how much my own mother fought for me.

"I was allowed to play as a child, if thats what you mean. I was raised as close to my brothers as I could be. Except when I would lash out."

We shared so much of our lives and experiences without even realising. I guess imprints really were fate in disguise.

"What were you envious of?” I asked him realising he didn’t finish his statement about me and Axton.

“A simple life. A normal life,” he added in one breath. I chuckled slightly and looked up at him.

“I’ve never been able to have a normal life,” I stared into his dark eyes and knew that statement was relative. “Maybe when this is all over, we’ll be able to find that normal life.” I added trying to give him a little bit of hope.

“Maybe,” he responded with a smile.

“Bring Vicente back in here. We should do the ritual,” I sighed. What did it really matter? I was bound to this man for the rest of my life. He needed my power so that he could be normal sometimes. That was the least I could do for this man that looked at the mess of my life and called it normal.

“Are you sure?” He asked squeezing my hand.

“I’m sure.” I said with a nod and a smile back.

It only took moments. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, some big fancy ceremony? A wedding and vows? He needed our blood, which we provided whilst he went to get their tribes seer. When the seer arrived, he did some chant in a language I didn’t know and ran his hand over the cups of blood which he then poured into the other. Ignacio’s black blood mixed with my scarlet red and it almost seemed like it was dancing in the glass.

“Drink,” he instructed handing me the cup.

“Um what?” I asked in shock. You wouldnt normally have to ask a vampire twice to drink blood but the thought of drinking my own, mixed with demon blood, turned my stomach.

“You need to drink it. So that you are one.” He explained. I swallowed nervously but took the glass. The blood smelt sickly sweet. Not like blood I drank regularly. There was nothing human in this cup. I looked to Ignacio for a moment who looked as uncomfortable as I did.

“Does he not have to?” I asked.

“After you.” The seer announced reaching to tilt the cup towards my lips. I closed my eyes tightly and brought the glass to my lips and swallowed.

I almost choked but managed to hold it down long enough to pass it onto Ignacio who did the same. He coughed but held it down and almost dropped it onto the table.

“You are one,” the seer announced, and transparent white strings left Ignacio’s chest. I noticed as the same appeared from my own and they wrapped around each other in between us before vanishing after only a moment. I gasped as a wave of something new flooded through me. Ignacio did the same and used the table for support.

“Are you okay?” Vicente asked us both when we didn’t speak for a moment.

“Yeah,” I mumbled, I felt different but not by much. I wondered what had changed but I guess time would tell for sure.

“I feel stronger.” Ignacio said smiling as he stood. His demon form faded, and he placed the human illusion in its place. “This is easy now,” he said with delight in his voice. I couldn’t help but smile at the elation.

“Mia, does anything feel different?” Vicente asked me but I shook my head.

“Not really.”

“You will be immune to demons now. That much we know for sure,” he said strongly with a nod. “Anyone who follows you will have it too.” He added.

“We should merge the packs too. So, they can get to know each other. So, they can train,” I said to Vicente and he smiled like an excited puppy. “I'll gather the bears, so they can submit to you,” he said and immediately left with the seer.

I turned to Ignacio who was smiling widely at his hands, looking at his arms and walking around the room in delight.

“I’m glad it’s helped you”.

“I always imagined but… it doesn’t quite do it justice. The power you have. And this is only a slice of it.” He said in awe as he almost bounded around the room. He shifted between his full demon form and his human form as if it was as easy as breathing. When he reached the wall separating the bedroom and the living area, he became a shadow and immediately disappeared.

“Ignacio?” I asked nervously but he appeared again after only moments. “You can walk through walls?” I asked him as he appeared human again before me. He smiled delightfully.

“Apparently so,” he laughed. “I’ve never felt that kind of control in that form before. It would always try and fight me. Like the demon part of me was trying to break free. But now I can use it's powers with my own free will,” he explained happily.

“So, what happened with Esther, that won’t happen again? You’ll be able to control it better?” I asked.

“I think so yes,” he said and came over to me. He took my hands and pulled me to my feet and immediately hugged me. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. I tensed for a moment but relaxed and returned the hug. He smelt like the ocean, and honey with a little bit of burnt kindlewood in there.

“You’re welcome,” I said softly, and he pulled away to grin widely at me. His happiness was sort of infectious. I had never seen him so carefree before, so light.

“I don’t know what’s to come Mia. The seers and the visionaries can dream and theorise all they want but no one knows for sure. We can read endless prophecies and legends and it won’t matter. In the end we know we’ll win,” he said holding both my hands in the space between us.

“How can you be so sure?” I asked him searching for this sudden optimism.

“Because we have each other. We were created for this very purpose. We wouldn’t exist if the universe didn’t want us to win. We are two perfect halves to a whole and we will get through anything.” He said in awe.

“Where did this sudden optimism come from?” I asked with amusement.

“You.”

Maybe that was enough. Maybe all I needed was this strange man in front of me. This boy so oblivious to the western world, who just wanted to be normal like me.

What ever was coming, the Volturi would help, Esther would have a plan. And I had all the support in the world, I had my pack, my immortal guardians, my family, my power and I had Ignacio.

It couldn’t be all that bad, could it?