Ivory began to chant softly in the Carpathian language, sending the words vibrating through both Razvan and Gregori.
I call to me all that is good to aid me in my desperate plight.
Sky send to me the purest light.
I plead for the song that I may sing to reveal that which is evil buried within.
Light of sky, burning bright, find that which is dark and make it light.
Evil one, I call forth the blight you left behind.
Light burst through Ivory and she directed it into Razvan's body, allowing it to seek out the darkness left behind. The light swam into his bloodstream, rushed through his mind and heart, and sought to go deeper into the very essence of his soul until Razvan's being was entirely illuminated. In his mind there was a dark scar, a very small ridge that Ivory recognized. There was one in his heart, one pumping through his bloodstream and the last in his soul. Four. Heart, mind, body and soul. No wonder Xavier managed to possess Razvan's body at will. Even with that, Razvan had fought back for centuries.
Razvan appeared splintered, as if he'd been broken apart and put back together wrong. Ivory's breath rushed out in a long, slow hiss. She had been in pieces, her body filtering through the soil, struggling to pull itself together, so fractured she couldn't even knit her skin and bones back together evenly. This was worse than mere flesh. This was the very essence of who Razvan was. As each point of darkness was revealed, Ivory attached a thread of white light, anchoring it so that all of the pieces could be kept connected.
Ivory knew without Gregori having to tell her that she had to provide the light to repair the fractures to Razvan's soul and drive out that small splinter of evil. Words were powerful, the truth and rightness of them to bring his fractured mind together. They could tune sound to the true rhythm of Razvan's body to restore balance and push the fragment of evil from his bloodstream. But the heart . . .
I do not know how to love, healer. There was despair in her voice. I lost that emotion a long time ago. He will be lost because of me.
There are all kinds of love, Ivory, and you are capable of all of them. He is a warrior first. Love him for that. He is a man alone who fought for all those around him and did not succumb to darkness when others embraced the darkness with far less to drive them. Love him for that. Find what you have to give and it will be enough when he's never had anything.
Ivory took a breath and steadied herself. The healer's faith was convincing. She felt herself settle. This was a battle for a man's sanity, for his very soul, and they would win because they had to.
When we chase out the pieces of Xavier, the splinters will need to find a host. Gregori spoke to both Razvan and Ivory.
Something in Gregori's voice made everything in her go still.
Long ago, I experimented with the forbidden and broke our laws. I have a need to understand how things work and I violated our sacred laws to find out.
The confession was given freely, but Ivory knew it was more than that. Gregori not only wanted to warn them what to expect, but he was also giving Razvan and Ivory a piece of himself because he knew so many terrible things in Razvan's life. It was a great risk for Gregori to admit such a thing and she respected the healer a lot more.
What was put inside of you, Razvan, can be removed. I have done this myself.
Razvan was silent a long moment while Gregori waited for his condemnation. Razvan sighed before he spoke. Sometimes, what started as wrong can be turned to good. I pray that is the case. I am ready, but take no chances that you may open yourself to him.
Ivory began to sing, synching her tones to Razvan's body's natural rhythm. Gregori and Ivory matched the beat of his heart, the breath in his lungs, so that the notes flowed through all of them together, vibrating in every cell and organ. Blood rushed in and out of his heart, ebbing and flowing in his veins.
I call to blood flowing, hot like the tide, Seek that which is dark, holding it still inside. Pulsing heat, spread and sear, Cleansing and cleaning that which is unclear.
Like the sound of waves rolling, the chant spread through Razvan's veins so that heat spread like molten lava, hot and thick and cleansing. Every cell embraced the steaming inferno, muscles and organs reaching for it. The heat gathered steam, rising, picking up speed as the song changed tempo. The notes provided the cleansing, each of them tuned to the exact same rhythm so that only that small dark splinter hiding in his veins, running before the purifying heat, was discordant.
Gregori moved quickly now that the splinter was running, murmuring the words to exorcise Xavier from Razvan's body. He trapped the tiny fragment so that it couldn't burrow or hide, his words holding it prisoner.
Ivory began to sing again, the notes changing to those of immense power, her words resonating throughout Razvan's mind. Gregori's voice joined hers, in perfect harmony, and then counterpointing, calling, commanding.
We seek that which is dark, that which has lain fallow.
We command you forth from the darkness and shadow.
We command you, Xavier, come forth into the light.
We abolish every part of you, Xavier, from Razvan's mind.
Razvan could hear, as if from a great distance away, the sound of Gregori and Ivory's voices rising, the notes tuned exactly to his body's rhythm, the words powerful and commanding. He knew words were powerful. Names. He heard them call to the high mage, the name reverberating through his mind, demanding he leave, demanding their bitter enemy leave and not return. He heard the ancient Carpathian language, the beat of his heart, his pulse, and knew he wasn't alone.
Gregori and Ivory walked with him, striding toward the parasitic fragment with absolute confidence and mastery. He actually felt the moment the splinter rolled into a ball, desperate to escape the trueness and purity of the cleansing words. Once again it was Gregori who drove the fragment into the holding prison with the first one.
Ivory's song changed. Her voice grew soft and loving as she called on memories of her lost childhood and strong brothers holding her close. She remembered the love she had for her family, intense and consuming. She poured that love into her song. Her voice was powerful and persuasive, bringing tears to the eyes of all who heard.
Heart that is pure with body worn, I find you beautiful standing tired and alone. I give you my heart, I will shed your tears, Take my hand, I will hold all of your fears. I give you my word, no bindings attached, I give my love freely so no harm may attack. Having fought a long war, withstanding many sorrows, Know that though you are weary, I am your tomorrow. Cling to my words, hear the song that I sing, Let it sink deep that you may find peace once again.
She changed her words, singing tribute to a warrior, strong and pure and all alone in a world of madness. Honor drove him, love of his sister, of his people, a code that he refused to break no matter what was done to him. She sang the song of tribute to a warrior, love pouring into every note. The more she moved through Razvan's memories and saw his life, the way he struggled to maintain honor in the madness surrounding him, the way he barely clung to sanity when he faced what Xavier had forced his body to do, the killings, impregnating women, feeding from his own children, stabbing his aunt. Tears choked her, and love flowed from her heart to his, filling his until there was no other emotion but love. The splinter fled, unable to stand the genuine, untainted emotion that Xavier could never feel. Gregori surrounded the fragment with his strength and herded it to join the others in darkness.
Ivory knew saving Razvan's soul was her task alone. She was his other half. His soul was hers as well. An intruder had invaded and dared to dwell, to take what was rightfully hers. Razvan had not claimed her, had not joined their souls together, but each time they were near, she felt the pull between them, strong and intense. She changed her song again, this time singing from her soul to his, calling to her true lifemate to accept her, to join with her, to accept her merging. Her light would be too much for someone as evil as Xavier.