Eius watched as the group emerged from the mist and moved silently across the shadow dappled glade. There were six moving in unison in a circle, 3 tauren, 3 night elves, and in the midst was Lily and a human, who was clad head to toe in chain-mail.

Not knowing why he had been asked to meet her here, he crushed her note within his hand, anger seething in him, held in check just below the surface. His eyes flared red as he looked upon the Kaldorei he thought to be his soul mate. Now he could see her for what she truly was. Weak. How could he fall for someone like that, the voice within his head asked. She deserved to die along with the rest of those he took out of this world everyday. A sneer curled one side of his mouth as he watched her move forward. Did she really think she could be protected from him with this group, the voice chided Eius. His sneer turned into a full evil looking grin.

His eyes took in those in the group, looking for weaknesses. He turned his gaze back to Lily, taking in the simple robe she wore. She was dressed similarly to those walking with her. They must be part of the Circle. All the better, the voice that had been his constant companion since his change, told him. They needed to die. It would be his pleasure to rid Azeroth of a few druids.

The tauren who had been leading the group drew to a halt a couple yards away from Eius. He and the night elf studied each other , their eyes searching. Turning slightly, the tauren held his hand out to Lily but never took his eyes from the night elf in front of him.

Lily tentatively put her shaking hand into Ventari’s. Gratefully she gripped it , drawing strength from him and stepped forward to face Eius. With a deep breath, she dropped Ventari’s hand and took another step forward till she was standing in front of the Arch-druid. She stood there for a moment, drinking in the site of the night elf she fell in love with. She took in the disgust and hate in his eyes, the sneer on his lips.

“Why did you send for me, Lily?” Eius’s voice came out soft and deadly. “Why would you think I would want to see you again?” His smile turned uglier as he watched Lily take a step back toward the big tauren behind her. “You do remember what I do to those who betray me, don’t you, Lily?”

Lily felt Ventari brush her back with his hand, keeping her from retreating further. She darted a quick look over her shoulder at him but the Shu’halo’s eyes were settled on Eius. Taking another deep breath she turned back to face the hatred emanating off of Eius.

“Not that I expect you to believe me,” she began, her voice held low, betraying her nervousness. “I did not expect what we started to come to this.” She shook her head, her voice then turned sad. “There are things that have come about as a result of our bonding, Eius, things I find I am not able to live with. Your determination to continue as the Deathbringer is not right and I have asked you here out of self preservation.”

Lily dropped her hands to her sides and drew back her shoulders. She stood there as bravely as she could in the face of the hate in his gaze and continued. “I know you believe I have betrayed you, Eius. Really the only thing I am guilty of is running away.” She masked her face with a blank look. “I know I should have tried to speak with you more, to get you to see what was happening,” she gave a slight shrug, “a hard thing to do when I was left alone so much and you were unreachable.” She let out a sigh when she saw her words were not reaching him.

“I have asked you here so that we may break this bond between us.” She said. “My friends have come to assure that it happens.” Lily held her breath, waiting for his response.

“You do realize that one of us has to die,” he paused, his eyes boring into hers. “That one has to wish the other’s death…and that if one dies, the other will die too. I have wanted your death numerous times, Lily, but it does not happen since I am not ready to die myself.”

Lily nodded her head in agreement. “I am familiar with the bond. I was there too when it was put upon us.” She held one hand out to him imploringly. “Truly, Eius, if there were any other way, if you had not changed, if these visions did not plague me so, I would not have run. I wish you to believe that. I do love you, the Kaldorei inside, but not what you have become. This persona that has taken over you brings naught but pain and anguish, for me and for others. You wrought havoc across the world and then tell me I have to deal with it. How, Eius, how?” Lily stepped closer to him and reached out a hand to lay on his chest. Suddenly she could sense his heart no longer beat. Standing this close to him she could smell that taint of demons coming from him. She looked up into his face, taking in the glowing red eyes, the sneer on his lips. Lily swallowed the lump that suddenly lodged in her throat and shook her head.

“How could you tell me to just deal with it when you knew that was the one thing I am against most of all? You kill for pleasure, Eius, not because you have to, but because you want to.” Lily shook her head again and closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them she let Eius see all the pain she held within herself, hoping somewhere inside of him was the elf she fell in love with.

With lightning reflexes, Eius grabbed Lily, spun her around and had one arm pinned behind her back, his other hand at her throat. The circle all drew at attention and a soft growl emanated from Ventari, but he held his hand up, stopping the others from moving forward against Eius.

“You have found a way out, haven’t you, Lily.” There was no question in Eius’s voice but more of an accusation. “That is why we are here, isn‘t it, girlie. You think you are going to kill me, don’t you.” His lips were pressed against her ear so the others did not hear him, but he kept his eyes on the druid in the front of the group. Inside Eius‘s head, the voice cackled and urged him to hurt Lily, to end it, once and for all. Use the knife, the voice told him.

“You are mistaken, Lily.”

“Eius, please.” Lily whispered through her constricted throat. She closed her eyes. “There is no other way.”

He tightened his fingers and chuckled in her ear. “Of course there is. You die. Not me.” Eius released Lily’s bent arm and had a dagger in his hand before she realized what he was doing. He shoved it into her back. “I came prepared too, Lily. You are not the only one searching for a way to break this bond. This blade has a curse, darling. I stick it in you, I break the blade off in you and you die. I don’t because I hold the handle, sweetheart. As long as I have the handle, I live.” He pulled the blade out and stuck in back in a lower spot, hitting a nerve and causing Lily’s leg to buckle under her. “Now, to find just the right spot…” he pulled the knife out once more and moved to stab Lily higher in the back.

When he pulled the knife out, Lily raised a hand out pleadingly to Ventari, her voice strained and called out to him. “Shan’do…” her voice broke off.

“Now!” Ventari gave his command, his deep voice moving the others into action. The human who was actually a paladin, called forth the Light and whispered for a Divine Intervention to encompass Lily at the same moment knocking Eius away, sending the knife flying out of his fist, to land in a pile of leaves. The Light’s glow surrounded Lily in a golden halo. She was stopped from falling to the ground and stood there stunned. She began to turn, moving in slow motion, and sluggishly as the healing light the young paladin, who was now lying on the ground, had caste at her closed her wounds. She found Eius encompassed in roots from the earth, her gaze turning back to look at the circle of druids, each with their hands held up, poised to help should Ventari need it. She turned back to look at Eius and watched as he battled with Ventari while entrapped. Starfire and moonfire lit the glade as the Arch-druid and exiled druid battled each other.

Eius’s powers diminished by his outcast state were no match for Ventari, who suffered no one who set themselves against the Circle. Lily struggled to make her way over to where the two fought., her feet dragged against the grass as she moved forward slowly. She got to them just as Ventari delivered one last blow to Eius, his moonfire lighting the night elf up from the inside. Lily caught Eius in her arms as he fell forward, the roots letting go of him and sinking back into the earth.

Lily slowly sank to the ground, the Light was gradually fading away from her. Her eyes were filled with tears that flowed down her face, the salty droplets landing on Eius’s face. Eius laid draped across her lap, his head cradled against her breast. Gently she rocked him and pushed his hair away from his face to see him looking up at her, for the first time in a long time, the amber glow shined without a tint of red. A sob escaped Lily as she leaned forward and pressed a kiss against his lips.

“Do not, Lily…” Eius’s voice cracked, but already Lily could feel the strength returning to his limbs.

“I have to, Eius.” Lily said as more tears fell from her eyes. “You cannot be allowed to continue with your pain and destruction.” She laid her hand against his cheek and looked into his eyes. “I wish for your death, Eius Wildheart.”

“Please, Goddess, forgive me.” Lily turned her face to the moon with her plea, then raised one hand to bring down a bolt of starfire that seared through Eius, silencing the amber glow of his eyes forever.