The Hands of Fate

Chapter 1


I follow cruel fate to lands forlorn
Through valleys of death, moon unborn
Like a story woven, with three different threads
Tangled and wrought, her black spider web

         Aidoneus could feel the blood clotting under his fingernails, streaking in thin lines down his fingertips. The blood lines crossed and formed an X on his palm. Was it his blood, or hers? He didn’t know. Even the blunt side of the blade was sharp.

         “Dante-” The woman beneath him couldn’t finish. A bubble of blood formed in her throat and burst, sprinkling her teeth in red.

         “That’s not my name.” Aidoneus pressed the dagger harder against her neck and felt a rush of warmth in his palm. She gagged, a dry gasp coming from her lips as he choked her.  She opened her mouth and spit blood. It sprayed over Aidoneus’ face but he did not wipe it away. She saw his eyes dilate. Horrible eyes, a mosaic of broken glass. She looked away quickly, and stared at her crown, thrown aside. A sapphire gem set in silver sparkled back at her, glowed for an instant and then died. She tried to speak again.

         “…mercy.” She managed. A weak stream of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth. This was not her only wound. Two in her stomach, that felt like they were gaping. Maybe others, but she could not feel them, and Aidoneus could not remember inflicting them. Her life was trickling away in his hands, leaving her feeling half empty. 

         “You showed me none.” He hissed and lowered his face down to her. Their eyes met for an instant. In her eyes he saw everything he had lost, and everything he had yet to gain. Now, all she had taken from him, he would take from her.

         Aidoneus leveled his lips to her ear. “In life, in death, we are united.” He whispered and drew the blade across her throat. Blood sprayed across the floor, and pooled around them both. Her head lolled to the side, white eyes staring at the sapphire gem that blinked like blue eyes. And there her gaze settled forever.