Grimoire’s Return. discussion

Like the name suggest, this beach is soulless. Simple sand and nothing more. But there's always magic to be found here.

There was so many funerals that week. So much burning of bodies, so much tears, so much pain.

Ace had lost it when they had to cremate her parents.

And Mal.

She was out of tears by the time Darian came around, so instead, Hestia cried. And cried. And cried. They couldn’t find Marcus; it was assumed that he had fell down the crevice so deeply, he couldn’t be retrieved.

The war was over; Gaelanon was the leader of Illusium, turned out, and without a leader, they had no reason to fight a war anymore.

And so, the soldiers went away back to their little land.

So, here, three months later, Hestia stood in the Soulless Beach, watching the sunset. Her dark hair was out, flowing with the wind, and her light brown fingers were covered in golden rings. She wore a billowy white dress, the waist pulled back with a small brown corset. Around her neck was a dark black ribbon, which contrasted nicely with her light brown skin. The sleeves of her dress didn’t have shoulders, so that started at her arms.

Suffice to say, she looked like the Queen that she was. As it was, it was time for her to return to Stiria, as the war was over, and she had a kingdom to run.

So, she was waiting.

To say her goodbyes.

Ace had become queen of Aenia.



She was the only one left. As much as she didn’t want this position, she knew it gave her the power to do the one thing she wanted to do most.



Kill Gaelanon.


She wanted that man’s head on a spike. On display, so everyone knew she’d bested him. She wanted him to die slowly and painfully. She wanted to watch the life drain from his eyes.


She wanted him to beg her for mercy. She wanted his blood on her hands.


But for now, she had to play nice. She had no tears left. She couldn’t bring herself to smile. All she had left was rage.


She didn’t know who she was. Even when she stood in front of the mirror, she didn’t know who was looking back at her. Her hair was long again. Jewelry decorated her neck and ears, and a crown glittered atop her head. She wore a stupidly elaborate dress: It was heavy, and big. There was a cage for the skirt.

She kept her sword with her at all times. It was stained with blood, and she would keep it that way. One day, the blood would be freshly dripping.


One day, she will have peace.

Hadrian smiled at Ace in the mirror. “You look quite uncomfortable.”

Throughout these months, he had become Ace’s Second. What’s exactly did that entail for him? He didn’t know, but he did know that he trusted Ace enough to make sure that they didn’t all die, or have… THAT happen again.

“And anyway,” Hadrian said, standing up. His dark hair was cut short, in a buzzcut style. He wore a short cut shirt, the cut on his abdomen showing off, along with the glistening sweat in his abs. He had just finished training.

“We have someone to meet, don’t we?” He moved to the window and looked out, towards the Soulless Beach.

Ace just hummed in response. Her throat was closing, it was dry. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten. She couldn’t. She constantly felt sick. She would feel this way until she brought all of them to justice. And if that took another war, so be it.


Because this time, she wouldn’t hold back. That bastard had taken everything from her. And he deserved to burn. He deserved to suffer. She would have his head on a pike beside her throne. To remind everyone of what they went through.


She started off towards the beach, eventually making her way in front of Hadrian. She was a fast walker. Her fists were clenched. Her brow was furrowed.

It’s not like she was angry at Hestia. She wasn’t, promise. She was just angry at everything else. What if something happened to Hestia while she was gone? Ace wouldn’t be there to save her. Just like she couldn’t save her parents. Or Marcus. Or Mal. Or Duke.

She had lost everything.

Hesti whirled as she heard footsteps behind her.

Ace was there, Hadrian trying to catch up. “Ace!” He yelled, “what if you get assassinated?!?”

Hestia smiled.

She moved toward a bit, catching Ace in her arms and kissing her with a passion. She had a smile on her face. She felt sad, but also happy to start this new life, to start being a queen.

“How are you?” Hestia asked, pulling back from Ace. She looked at her crystal blue eyes. “Are you okay?”

Ace kissed her back. She held her by her shoulders, trying not to squeeze too hard.


“I’m okay. As okay as I can be, I suppose. How are you?” She asked, ignoring Hadrian’s pleas. She slid her hands down to Hestia’s, lacing their fingers together. Hestia was the only thing she was sure of now. She couldn’t go to the town square anymore. It’d been rebuilt, but the blood remained.

But perhaps the most terrible part for her was the statue. The statue of everyone close to her that she’d lost. Malory. Darian. Caspian, Dante. Marcus.

She couldn’t look at it without feeling guilty. She couldn’t breathe around the knowledge that she could have saved them.

“I’m okay.”

Better than okay. Better than fine. She was great.

Wonderful, even.

“But, I think we should talk, Ace—“

Hadrian caught up to him. He spent a moment in his knees, wheezing. “Ace…you can’t…do that…you would die.” After a moment, his body shuddered with a loose breath, and he looked up at Hesti.

“Hey Hesti.”

“Hey, Drian.”

Quickly, over those months, Hadrian and Hestia found themselves fitness. They found that they had more in common than they thought, despite Hadrian being a human who used to believe witches were corrupted, and Hestia just being…Hestia. They even had a little handshake that confused Ace, just the way they liked it.

“How are you?”

“Good, Drian. Now, could you excuse us for a moment?”

He looked between the two women, Ace and Hestia, and his cheeks went a bit red. “Oh. Um, sorry.”

He stepped away, before spotting a Raven at the far ends of the beach, and running after it.

Hestia rolled her eyes and turned back to face Ace. “Ace.”

Ace tried to relax her muscles, patting down her skirt. She cast her gaze towards the Raven, and it filled her with a false sense of hope.

There was no way he could be here.

She shook her head, and met Hestia’s eyes.

“Hestia.” She said simply, resting a hand on the hilt of her sword. Her jaw was set, she looked.. she looked tired. Truthfully, she looked as if she wanted nothing more than to sleep. She looked upset. Angry. Depressed.

All of these things weren’t far from the truth. She was a whirlwind of emotions, but she would never express that.

(YES, you got the Raven hint 💃🏾)

“I love you, you know that?” She said, reaching forward to push a lock of Ace’s hair behind her ear. A month ago, Ace had requested for Hadrian to cut her sue, except it turned out awry, and she ended up almost murdering him for making her look bald, instead of a small cut.

Hestia smiled at the memory. Then, rested her hand on Ace’s face. She leaned toward and pressed her forehead against Ace’s. “I’ll always love you. But I have a kingdom to rule, and I have to go back to it. You understand that, right?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hadrian tilting his head at the bird a bit, furrowing his brows.

(I SURELY DID)

Now, Ace’s hair had grown out down her waist. Unlike before, her curls were tamed. It didn’t look like her doing. None of this looked like her.


She nodded.
“I.. I understand. I just don’t want anyone to hurt you.” She whispered, speaking so low you had to strain to hear her. She leaned into Hestia’s hand, closing her eyes. Her crown slipped off and to the ground, but she didn’t seem to care.


The raven peered at Hadrian, with his beady black eyes. He tilted his head, and spoke. As good as a raven can get at talking, at least.
“Hadrian?” It seemed to say, as if asking for confirmation.

Hestia nodded. “I won’t die, Ace. I won’t get hurt at all. I promise you that. I love you so much, and I won’t do anything to. Leave you. Not anymore, not with all you’ve been through.”

She promised, and she would keep that promise, unless for some reason, she HAD to stay down here. Hestia didn’t think there was any scenario, unless all Hell broke loose, quite literally.

••••


Hadrian opened his mouth before closing it. He paused.

Then he screamed as a hand landed on his shoulder. He reared his elbow back, knocking into the person behind him, before grabbing the hand and flipping them. The person— Hadrian could see, it was a man now— grunted before twisting around and causing Hadrian to fall to his knees.

Hadrian tilted his head at the dark haired man in front of him; a string shouldered, widely built man, with freckles and piercing hazel eyes. “Who are you?”

“If you would let me speak—“ the man panted, “I’m Alexius.”

Someone let out a laugh. A man taller than this one, with a coat hanging on his shoulders and a button down. The raven fluttered onto his shoulder.

He wore an eyepatch, and had burgundy red hair.


“Thrilling performance, Alex.” He hums, wearing a shit-eating grin. He had on gloves. Which was unusual, to say the least. Everything about him was unusual.

“Shut up, Jules.” Alex panted, before twisting Hadrian’s arm even greater, causing the boy to fall to the sand, on his face. Alex stood up, hands on his hips.

“I still got it.” He had a wide toothed grin on his face. Then he looked at Hadrian. “Do you know where my goddaughter is? Acelopina?”

Hadrian flipped over, laying on the ground, panting. He looked at Alex. “What?”

This was insane.

This was borderline insane, Hadrian thought, which was weird because he literally witnessed a genocide in front of his eyes, and one of his friends dying by falling down an abyss.

But this was another level of weird.

•••

Hestia paused in the middle of her talking, seeing Hadrian fighting. A lighter skinned man, one with red hair, came up behind Hadrian.

“Ace?”

“Congratulations my dear, you are not completely withered yet.” He hums, though he himself was no older than 50. 47, to be exact.
He just liked teasing.




Ace turned her head, before gasping.


Julian. Alex.


She picked up her skirt and ran for it, nearly tripping over herself. There was sand in her skirt. And her shoes.


She tackled the red haired man, hugging him so tightly she feared she might hurt him. Tears fell down her cheeks, and she was shaking with sobs. It felt so good to see someone familiar, someone that she knew loved her. Someone from back when everything was alright.

Hestia followed slightly, confused. She quickly unsheathed a dagger from under her corset, seeing Hadrian on the sand, looking like the breath was knocked out of him.

Just because Ace hugged them, doesn’t mean they were out of danger just yet. Ace had hugged Marcus too, and he ended up trying to kill her at one point, apparently.

“Who are you?” She asked defiantly, dagger held out in front of her.

Alex turned towards her, surprised for a moment before quickly settling for a look of interest. “I suppose your Hestia. Personally, Julian, I prefer her to the other one. What was his name..? Aloysius, no, that was his middle name. OH, Marcus. Yeah, he has an aura I didn’t like. I like this one.”

Hestia watched the man speak, his brows furrowed. Was he insane? She had a dagger held out at him, AT him, and he was reacting like Eleonora’s husband…

Eleonora’s husband.

What had happened to him?

He wasn’t dead, they would know, because they had to count the amount of bodies. 167. A genocide.

But, if that wasn’t it, then WHERE WAS HE.

Hestia tried to hide the confusion and irritation on her face as she motioned with her dagger. “Answer my question.”

“Goodness, you’re all grown up, aren’t you?” Julian chuckles, detaching Ace from him and looking her up and down as if he was making sure she wasn’t hurt. Ace hadn’t smiled like this in a long time. Her dimples were visible, and she had tears in her eyes.

“These two are.. my uncles? I guess? Close enough. Uh.. I haven’t seen them since I was little. But they’re.. good. Julian was friends with my Mom. Oh. This is Julian, this one is Alex.” Ace’s voice was somewhat urgent, and she was eyeing her dagger.

Julian nodded in acknowledgment to Hestia, gaze gentle. He was the closest thing to family Ace had now, and he knew that.

Alex raised a brow. Over the years he had gotten to know Dante and Cas, and he liked Cas quite a lot. “What do you mean “was”?”

Hadrian had finally gotten up from the sand, dusting himself off. The sand stuck to his skin, so he grumbled underneath his mouth. “I spent a hard time, working on this shirt.”

“That is not a shirt.” Hestia commented. “In Stiria, we call that a belly shirt.”

“Didn’t ask.” Hadrian said, rolling his eyes.

Hestia smiled and placed her dagger away.

Ace took a deep breath, dragging a hand down her face as if she couldn’t bear to say it. She just met Julian’s eyes, swallowing hard and wiping her eyes. It didn’t do much. Mascara tailed down her cheeks.

“Oh, Ace.” He winced, resting a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t tell me she.. that they were…”

The look on her face was enough. It nearly killed him when she nodded, choking on a sob. He pulled her into another hug, the kind you give someone to remind them they’re real. That they’re alive. It was the kind a father would give his child.

“You know, I never thought anything could kill those two. It seemed like everything in the world had tried.” He chuckled, smiling wistfully.

“It’s just like her, really.” He hums, stroking Ace’s hair. Ace lifted her head, sniffling.
“What?”

“It’s just like her, to go out like that. Nothing ancient could kill her. Nothing new could either. But losing love did.”

Alex nodded sadly. “I’m sorry to hear that, Acelopina. But despite it all, were here do you.” He paused. “I’m here for you.”

He awkwardly clasped a hand on her shoulder, before moving away, to let her and Julian talk. They likely needed to catch on over the span of years, and Acelopina likely needed to explain the sudden appearance of the darker skinned girl, and the apparent GAP in the twin square? What the hell was that about?

Hestia but her lip, watching the scene. This would’ve been the perfect opportunity to leave, yk just slip away. But she couldn’t.

She loved Ace, she came to realize, and she couldn’t just leave her without a proper goodbye. She looked away, at the blue waves hitting the Grey sand.

Wait.

Grey sand?

Ace recomposed herself and took a deep breath. She’d gotten tired of crying, though it seemed it was all she wanted to do lately. She kicked her heels off, turning towards Hestia and taking her hand.
“I apologize. You said you needed to talk to me. We can do that. Privately, if you’d prefer.”

Hestia shook her head. She understood it. She cleared her throat and took Ace’s hands in hers, tearing her eyes away from the grey sand. It was nothing, likely just another freak of nature, like all of them.

“Ace. Acelopina. I love—“

Hadrian cleared his throat, interrupting Hestia in the middle of her monologue. “Um, I know I’m not the magic user or whatever, but is that supposed to be happening?” He pointed forward, directly between the two lovebirds, at the water.

Hestia turned her head, taking a step back. The water was dark, darker even. It was black, and viscous, like fluid shadows, or even blood.

Something began to rise from the water, in the shape of a man. “Ace. What the hell is this?”

“God, can I ever have a break?” Ace groaned as she unsheathed a dagger from her garter, readying herself despite the mounds of skirt that trapped her legs. She’d manage.
Julian was behind her, magic cracking at his fingertips, ready to burst. He was getting old, yes, but at the very least he could be the medic. And surprisingly lithe for his age.

The dark waters pulled apart to show a handsome, wizened face. It was a place man, with a thick white beard, and white eyes, his hair not covered by any sort of hair.

And then it was a beautiful woman, with dark hair, and red eyes, her lips in the perfect shape of a bow, and long dark eyelashes.

And then it was a green snake, with gold scales, and purple eyes to match, staring back at Hestia.

There was no perfect shape, it seemed, for it changed every so often.

Then it spoke.

“I have your lover, Infernalis.”

Hestia looked at Ace. What the hell was it talking about?

“My lover? Marcus? He is not my lover. He hasn’t been for years. So whatever you are, I suppose your knowledge is quite outdated.” Ace snarled, stepping towards the shifting figure. She didn’t seem swayed, nor scared. She’d gotten rid of fear a long time ago. She didn’t fear death. She didn’t fear pain. If anything, death would be a mercy to her now. Whatever killed her would have done her a favor.

The man turned towards her, turning his white, purple, red eyes on her. “He was you love, yes? And he is currently in Hel. You have one chance to save him, so I advise taking it. Otherwise, he will stay here, aftermore.”

Hestia slowly placed her hand at her side, pulling about a smal sword. “Who Are You? And what do you want?”

The man—woman, now—turned towards her. “A stiria. Interesting.”

What?

Ace sheathed her dagger, sighing heavily while tears pricked at her eyes.
“Fine. I’ll play the retriever. Again. Five days. Give me five days.” She pleaded quietly. The fight had gone out of her, her spiteful attitude dissipating. She was just so tired of losing people. On one hand, another shouldn’t hurt. But on the other, she didn’t think she had it in her to grieve another.
She already had her parents picture in a locket.
She held the necklace, gripping it like a vice.
“Five days. And I’ll be there for him.”

Hestia looked at Ace. “What is he talking about?”

“I don’t know how well I can explain it. I can try on the way back to the castle. I need to change.”
She was still gripping the locket. Her eyes shimmered with tears. She swallowed hard and turned around abruptly, unsure of how much time she really had. She stomped off towards the castle, whimpering like a child while Julian followed behind her, calling her name as if she was a girl again.

The man was still there. He glared at Hestia, who had ignored his calling of her name. “Stiria. She must go alone.”

“You have business to return to, in your own kingdom.”

“Oh, they can live without me for five days. There’s no way I’m letting someone go down there alone. I’m not that stupid. Nor am I that desperate.” She spat, eyes ablaze. Julian could have sworn her dress was smoking.
Her eyes flickered. Golden. Back to blue. Once. Twice.
She shook her head.

The man titled his head at the woman before him, her dress flickering with light. Bright blue, a deep gold, a slight red. He premised the thought, before curting his head softly. “I will allow it. But at a price.”

Hestia looked between the two. “Ace, what is going on? I am getting confused, and you know I hate getting confused.”

“Marcus is stuck in Hel and we have to go get him before time runs out.” Ace spat, though she didn’t mean to sound angry at Hestia. She was livid. Her eyes were flickering more now, even more uncertain than before. It was like a ticking bomb.

Hestia shook her head if cobwebs. “Wait, what do you mean ‘Hel’? Like, the place!”

She thought. Of course Infernalis meant the place. Where else would Marcus be? But that meant…

“You’re going to Hel? That doesn’t sound smart to me. Sounds dangerous, actually.”

“SILENCE.” The man spook towards Hestia, his pale hand raised. Hestia glared at him, before looking at Ace. “Acelopina, no. This isn’t worth it.”

“What do you mean it’s not worth it? You don’t even know him. Not like I do.” Ace hissed, eyes flickering that same golden color as those venomous words dripped off her tongue. Her fists were clenched so hard she might’ve been bleeding.
“Ace, really. I don’t think-“ Julian started.
“Shut up! You don’t understand! I’ve lost everything! I have no family, no guidance, nothing!” The flickering was more frequent now, until something moved from beneath the mounds of skirt.
Something came out from beneath her dress and nuzzled against her leg, seeming to calm her.
Bloo.

Hestia stared at the woman in front of her. “I didn’t…I didn’t realize how much you care for him. Do you still love him, Ace? Do you even love me at all?”

The thought came to her, and now it couldn’t leave her brains was she some toy that Ace used to pull herself away from Marcus? Was any of it real?

The man let out a loud chuckle. “Infernalis, you have three days. Choose carefully.”

“I love you both. Dearly. I don’t know what that means, and you can hate me for it, but I really don’t have time to worry about that right now.” Ace huffed, yanking a knife out of her dress and hacking away at her curls. She couldn’t think against the heat and the weight of them.
She started off again, shaking stray curls out of her head and biting her lip to withhold tears.
Would he hate her for this?
Would he be stricken with rage, because she hadn’t helped him that day?

Hestia stared at the man before looking back at Ace. She blinked. Ace had chopped off her locks, leaving a short cut, the hair only barely touching the top of her neck. Hestia stared at it, before looking back towards the man was.

He was gone.

And the ground was beginning to shake.

Hestia steeled herself with her air magic as the ground opened beneath her, revealing dark stairs down to a nothingness void.
There was no light.

She looked up at Ace.

Ace set her jaw and furrowed her brow, wasting no time as she shed her massive skirt to reveal cream colored pants and her sword. She ripped the upper part of her dress until it was nothing more than a corset.
And then she began down the steps. No words, no glances, she just began walking. Quickly. Her footsteps were light yet powerful, as if she planned to make sure everyone knew she was coming for them.

Hestia stared at the slowly descending Ace. She would need to follow, and quickly, if she didn’t want to lose her. She waged between going or not.

Her kingdom needed her.

But Ace.

She sighed and looked at the two men before her. “Take care of my kingdom if I die, yes?” She quickly took a ring off of her finger. It was a band of gold, twined to reminisce an olive branch. She smiled at it, before tossing it at the men.

The redhead caught it and nodded at her.

Hestia lifted the bottom of her dress, and before she knew it, she had stepped onto the first stair.

And she descended downwards into Hel.

Ace kept walking, not stopping for Hestia to catch up. She wasn’t sure if her feet were even touching the steps. Maybe she was gliding, or maybe she was just going too fast. She was swinging her sword at the air, waves of anger coming off of her.

Hestia quickly made it to the bottom of the stairs, where a dark room laid before her. Candles were lit in claw tipped holders, the light creating giant shadows on the wall. She looked around. The wall was made of a dark stone, perhaps obsidian?

She dragged her hand across the wall before turning, seeing Ace behind her. She was leaning on a book shelf.

Hestia took her hand off of the wall abruptly, straightening her back. “Infernalis.”

“What.” Ace mumbled, pulling books off the shelf and tossing them to the floor as if they would unlock a secret passageway if she pulled the right one .She was just so… angry. She needed to keep moving. She couldn’t stop even for a second without losing it.

Hestia watched her pull the books off, waiting for Ace to say something. Anything. Ace would talk to her, Ace KNEW that she could talk to Hestia about anything.

Hestia tentatively reached a hand out and was about to touch Ace’s shoulder…when a grating sound came behind her. She whirled immediately, hands out, when she saw it. A swirl for dark purples and blues and blacks, standing in front of her.

She tilted her head. “Is that…?”

It was a portal to Hel itself.

Ace whipped around and stomped into the portal without a word, or without knowing where she was going.
She ended up in a sharp, dark and nearly barren land. Hues of red splashed across her vision.
She practically growled, raking her hand through her curls. At this point, she was ready to hurl herself into what looked like magma.

Going through that portal felt like she was hallucinating.

She went around and around, up and down, it was like she was being torn apart and being rebuilt and—

It was over.

Hestia stood on dark colored green, that was slightly wet. She looked around. Everything had a slight red tint to it, but Hel wasn’t what they made it sound like. There was no screaming, or any of the sort. Afar, Hestia noticed a waterfall.

Or, more, a flamefall? It was made of what looked like flames.

She looked around for Ace, and spotted her, quickly moving on to her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.” It was a blatant lie in the mental regard, but physically she was whole. That would have to be enough for Hestia. She rested her hand on the hilt of her sword, then grasped at her neck for her locket.
Nothing but skin.
She began to panic. Tears bubbled up to her eyelashes as she swung her sword at the grass, mowing down blades.
A glint of metal. There.
Ace darted for it, snatching up the necklace and breathing a sigh of relief.
She clutched it in her fist and pressed a kiss to the metal, then secured the chain around her neck.
She spoke not a word.

Hestia watched her retrieve the pendant, a silent look on her face. She wondered, absentmindedly, if Ace still had the cloth Marcus had gave her.

Ace told her that story, about how they met and tried to kill one another, and how Ace, in the beginning, was a dancer. A star. A performer.

And now, looking at her now, Hestia wondered what, exactly, had happened to them.

Hestia had grew up with her mother, happy and proud, until her mother had tried to sell her off to an older man. She hated it.

She has tolerated the man until enough was enough, and she had killed him.

That man was the king of Stiria.

As it was, she was in Hell now. She let out a small cough, and nodded towards Ace. “We have three days. So where do we start?”