Touched

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"It seems you have your champion.

" The Matrone's voice burst through, setting the crowd on a frenzy. Katrina stood. Her body coiled tight. The Matrone's gaze fell on her and she fought to keep signs of emotions off her face. She would not show them fear.

"Yet you have not been claimed."

Katrina gazed at the Matrone unmoving and numb. Even now she felt the wave of her energy, having been unleashed and craving more. Her hand clutched at the sword tightly as if the blade could serve as a shield from herself.

The Matrone motioned for one of the sisters to step forward and she kneeled in front of Katrina, spreading her robe as it pooled around her. Katrina gasped as she felt a current of electricity run by her and saw a warm glow light up under the Maiden. When she rose a beautiful, oval crystal the size of a tire laid at her feet. It was breathtaking! She'd never seen anything so beautiful. Katrina's eyes warmed as her gaze landed on the strange stone.

"

Made by dragon flame, forged by high mages, raised by us. This is your legacy. Left behind to your family for their tribute to the race. You've earned this by your perseverance but without your mark it cannot be filled."

'"

Essentially, this is a vessel. You will leave a part of your essence here for them to honor. One piece of you that will be remembered and known by the name you still hold.

But first, let us see to your claiming, child.

"

She swallowed as the Maidens formed a triangle around her. Katrina turned, watching them as they started to hum. At first there was nothing, only silence and then gravity fell on her. The air around her contorted and blurred with the weight as it brought her down to one knee, held up by the strength of the sword in her hands, Katrina's' body shook.

The force upon which they laid on her, unbearable and even so- her body fought back. Fought for breath and Katrina knew, knew the claiming required her submission. Her acceptance of what would transpire and she roared. Her fangs extended, the ground shook and tore apart beneath her. Tears poured down her eyes at the immense and horrible force of gravity that pushed her towards the ground, threatening to flatten her. It's heavy weight on her shoulders vibrating her.

Her energy shifted painfully inside her, threatening to rip her inside and out. For a second her mind wondered if this is how Stefani felt in her last moments when her rampant energy was taking her life.

Her thoughts were hectic, she thought of the Elders words momentarily before a pair of eyes flashed across her mind. A sob ripped from her throat. She conjured his face in her mind. His beautiful gunmetal grey eyes as they laughed and teased her. '

You are stunning.'

His words floated through her mind, forever engraved inside her soul. Closing her eyes, Katrina pictured Luciano. His dirty blonde hair as it moved gently in the wind, his strong hands as they held her pinned to the wall. His chuckle against her ear. Katrina cried out in agony. She'd loved him for so long and so completely. He was her entire world and without knowing it he had filled her existence with life. Even if he never loved her back the way she wanted, even if he could never be who she needed... She was a soul created for giving and she would always give to him. She had given him everything she had, more than he could understand.

And now....

Katrina looked up, searching for what she needed to see. Grey clashed on gold. She looked up at him through blurry vision and the world faded. Only the two of them existed. '

I love you

.' She thought, unsure if he saw it now. She had to let him go... Had to say goodbye. It was the end of the rope.

The crowd gasped, Katrina hissed as the blade slipped easily through her skin. She looked down and trembled. Her tightened knuckles where white as they shook on the pummel of the blade. She heard her name in the distance. Her body fell back onto her heels as the sword materialized out of her body and her grip.

"

Here forth Rina, we witness your mark."

Katrina breathed a sigh of relief as the constricting energy vanished and she was left deflated, staring up at the Matrone. Tears fell past her eyes and down her cheeks. She had no energy left. She'd drained her beast long enough to reach this point. The point of submission or her best version of it. And in truth, she just needed to see his eyes to find a reason to submit. She would, after all, always and only belong to him. Finally deciding to let him go thrust her over that edge. As she knew it would. Her hands pressed tightly against the wound over her torso, blood bubbled and slipped past her fingertips in rivers of scarlet.

Katrina bit down on her lip as the connection to her family was severed sharply and violently. She didn't make a noise as she shook and gazed out into the portal that awaited her. Voices moved around her. The crowd's deafening approval of her made her feel sick.

She watched as her bright emerald energy spun around her, grazed her skin. She had the oddest sensation it thanked her for releasing them as part of it merged with the fog and the same emerald energy fled her body and centralized into the stone. Numb, she watched. Katrina was glad that her family would have something so valuable, so intrinsically a piece of her. And when she was gone, a piece of her would still be here with them. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Hands helped her up and supported her weight as they walked her towards the portal. Every step closer to the blinding light brought a dulling pain in her veins but as the fog touched her she felt a sense of peace and love so strong it left her breathless. She turned her head back for one last look. Her eyes met Lucianos.' If only for a second, she was back with him last night when he was hers. She felt the hands over her arms tighten as her body melded into the mist and the vortex. The last thing she saw was grey, the last thing she heard before she fell unconscious was...

"Welcome daughter of Esui."

***