Decision Point, Part V

Father launched a flurry of punches at the Burning Bride, his skin blistering each time he made contact. But he wasn't deterred - the beatdown continued, Father never letting up. Finally, he tossed Eris to the side, blood running in streams.

For some reason, I expected Eris to be dead - Father's punches had left deep wounds, as if he had cut her with knives. However, Eris just laughed again and slowly got off of the ground.

"He reminds me of how Ferratus was - we fought constantly, both of us spilling an equal amount of blood... In fact, that's how we met, that's how I turned from the Flickering Woman to the Burning Bride. We met and we fought, our raging battle creating the Great Fire of London. At the end he ripped out my heart and I chained him to a rock. Of course, after this there was nothing we could do but wed each other.

"I admit, I had to force your father into this role - he was much too good a man... Luckily he was bound by chains over his wife, and over you, the daughter he felt cheated out of time with. Before you came here I told him everything I was about to do. Then, I took his rage and made it burn brighter, and knocked him out so I'd have time to talk to you. His anger shall be used to free my husband."

Eris walked over to Father and pushed him to the ground. Then, while standing over him, in a soft tone of voice that didn't suit her, Eris said, "Surge, Bruta."

Steam rolled off of my father's skin, which was red and covered with welts from the Burning Bride's flames. My father roared with rage and suddenly a man wearing a suit made of raging, stormy clouds burst out of him, like a reptile shedding its skin. Blood pooled at this brute's feet, and he writhed with pain and anger. For a fraction of a second I thought I could see a tangle of incorporeal chains wrapped around him...

Softly, Eris said, "Ferratus, his fetters freshly forged."

In a voice strikingly similar to my father's, Ferratus said, "You told me that I would be free of my chains!"

"I didn't create these. They are there because of yourself, not me. But you can move. Together we can sweep a wave of fire, rage, and chaos across the world."

Eris turned to me, and a forced myself to look her in the eyes despite my revulsion. "It is time, Misery. I can tell you everything. You can live through this day. I could give you your father back. Just shake my hand."

The Burning Bride offered her right hand to me, the one with the coal-studded ring on it. That's when I knew what to do.

I reached for the hand, and for a second I saw triumph glint in Eris's eyes. Triumph that vanished once I forcibly pulled the ring off of its finger and put it onto mine.

I felt a burning sensation inside my stomach, but I didn't doubt my plan for a second. If I died, I would be free regardless. If I didn't...

Suddenly, the burning stopped, and I smiled.

"What- h-h-how did you-" Eris stuttered, appearing utterly bewildered.

Patiently, I explained. "Ferratus is currently wrapped by incorporeal chains - the chains that nearly everyone is bound by. He was probably always bound by these - you just made them physical, at the end of your fight. I'm willing to bet that Ferratus made this ring by taking one of his chains and melting it down. Both the ring and the chains are made of iron. Now, this ring, being forged by fire and these kinds of chains, has to have inherited some strange qualities. Now, the explanation is long, so allow me to summarize.

"The ring can only be worn by those free of chains, by those who aren't bound.

"Face it, Eris. I've won. Now, move out of my way."

Defiantly, she said, "No. I don't take orders from lesser beings."

I made an exaggerated sigh. "Well, in that case...

"Eat flax, bitch!"

My fist slammed into Eris before she could react, and then she was flying off the roof.

I stood there, watching, as Eris fell into the flames burning in the streets below.

Ferratus made one last, feeble attempt to make me give in. "Child, where will you go? How will you escape? The streets are burning. You can't possibly survive them."

I didn't bother to look at him. "One who is free of chains cannot be bound to the ground."

I jumped off the roof.