The Price of Redemption (Part 3).

"And what is the price for that?" asked Marcus. He doubted that the ancient spirit was generous enough to fulfill their wishes for nothing.

Zed smiled at the corners of his lips, "As usual. Life for life."

"I agree," Taubert replied promptly.

"What do you agree with, damn you?!" Armand was indignant. "David is alive, which means Elena is not dead too. He's just fooling your head!"

They teleported here with Sean's help. Considering what abilities the boy demonstrated a couple of minutes ago, everyone can teleport back just as well. You just need to seize the moment, then they will figure out the consequences.

If this creature was really going to kill them, it would have done so immediately. It was obvious to everyone that the advantage in force was on Zed's side. And as far as Armand could understand, this Zed himself was not sure what he wanted. Or he could not resist what he did not want to do, which was also likely.

Polina was supporting David's strength, he was unconscious, but not dead. So Elena was also alive. And until none of them dies, the second one will also be saved.

"Are you afraid of losing your brother?" Zed appeared in front of Armand and looked the younger Taubert in the eyes, "Maybe then you will share your life? Or you?" he turned his gaze to Polina. Armand immediately blocked the girl from the creature's black gaze.

"You see it, don't you?" the ancient king turned to Lina. "Your efforts are just a pitiful spark that is about to be swallowed up by the elements. This light is not enough to keep life."

"W-what, what does that mean?" Marcus looked at the girl and she dropped her eyes, staring at David's motionless body. Taubert saw that both Elena and David had the vitality inside. Yes, it was not enough, but still, it was present. Even in a bigger number than Rick had after the transformation. This means that there were more chances.

"All the energy that I give to David goes to Elena and dissolves there. It's like sand through your fingers, Marcus," Lina sobbed. Her healing powers were not limitless. She wasn't even sure she could make a difference if she gave everything she had.

"They have a paired relationship. If you break it, there will be a chance to save the man. I can't say anything about the woman. She has a strong fusion with an ancient essence," Zed explained, examining the thin golden thread stretching from David to Elena.

"Okay, I agree," Marcus confirmed. If David can be saved, then Sean will not be left an orphan. "Kid, go to Lina," the man pushed the child towards his friend.

Zed stood opposite, it was again hard to judge by its face what the creature was thinking. The black veins almost disappeared, moving to the face. The darkness seemed to become stronger, invisible, but tangible even in the air.

Marcus felt his chest fill with weight. He gasped. Zed leaned over to the man, and the next second he disappeared and appeared opposite Armand.

Polina screamed as the creature's spread palm plunged into the younger Taubert's chest. Armand twitched, feeling as if someone else's fingers gripped his heart in their grip. A moment - and a golden ball, sparkling with life energy, was in the palm of Zed.

"Armand!" Marcus was in front of his brother, Armand doubled over, clutching the heart area with his hand and breathing hard.

"I'm fine," he croaked.

"What the hell did you just do? You shouldn't have touched him!"

Zed raised his eyebrows, "Didn't you agree to trade life for life? I would have taken what is not yours anyway." He twisted the ball in his hands and pressed it into David's chest. "You did the same thing once, right?"

In the next second, Marcus was drowned in two black chasms of eyes that appeared before him. Something cold entered his chest and squeezed inside. His fingertips were numb, the breath was caught in his throat, and a stabbing pain shot through his entire body. He felt how each of his cells was torn in two, giving a half of itself, the best, the strongest part. It was as if he was in the center of a whirlpool that pulled out strength, energy, life itself.

It darkened before his eyes, nausea came to his throat, and there was a drawling buzz in his ears like the one from the steam locomotive.

"And how does it feel to be an ordinary person again, Mr. Taubert?" Zed grinned, dropping the sparkling golden ball onto Elena's chest. "This little girl is lucky that she has such a strong dad, so much vitality. It will be enough for a hundred years." He ran his fingertips over the woman's cheek, brushing aside the strands that covered her face.

The designs on Elena's skin flashed even brighter. The gold thread tying the couple taut and vibrated.

The darkness within Zed echoed with a satisfied rumbling. Black currents burst out and rushed to Elena. He jumped two meters back, grabbing the angry energy and pulling it towards him.

"Polina, break the thread! Now!" he shouted to the girl.

Lina grabbed the golden thread with both hands and felt her own strength being pulled there. With every moment she realized how much weaker she was getting. She tried in vain to break the bond with her hands, but the thin thread, like a spider web, was stronger than a steel rope.

"It's not working!" everything floated before her eyes.

"Sean, give her the energy, otherwise she will die!"

The darkness, like a black cloud, was released from the king's body, soared into the air and, turning into a huge black dog, in one jump overcame the distance to Elena.

"BREAK IT!"

Zed dashed across the twilight dog, covering Elena with his body. The thread in Polina's hands twitched and shattered into golden sparks. A white flash blinded space.

The dog backed away, whining and pressing its muzzle to the ground.

"You dare to step on my land, you vile creature of darkness?" a calm and pleasant woman's voice spread through the air.

Marcus rubbed his eyes, which were moist from the bright light. The vision seemed blurry as if it had dropped by several diopters.

But even with his current ordinary vision, he saw her.

She was standing with her back to the man. Her skin was as white as freshly fallen snow. Sky-blue patterns wrapped around her arms. Marcus was sure that these drawings were all over her body. The hair, which had previously been brown, became snow-white and shimmered with silver.

It was the body of his daughter, but it was not his Elena.