Heartbreak with blood and Moonlight

ZZOOM!

“Move!” Callen barked.

I grabbed Lira’s wrist and yanked her just as the shelf behind us exploded into burning splinters. The shockwave knocked us both forward.

Lira stumbled, nearly falling, but I caught her.

“Keep moving!” she shouted.

“You don’t have anywhere left to run!” Eliorynna’s voice echoed from every direction.

She had us and she knew it.

Smoke in my eyes, fire on my back, psycho in front of me. Perfect day. But I wasn’t worried because this was a part of the plan. We just needed an opening.

And then Eliorynna appeared in front of us.

She stepped barefoot through the burning splinters as if she couldn’t feel them. Blood still streamed from her eyes, carving red lines down her cheeks, her skin had now darkened around her fingers, heels and eyes.

“Are…you…ready…to…die,” she said softly, catching her breath.

“You know she’s going to follow us,” Lira whispered holding my hand.

“Yeah,” I replied, interlocking our fingers and tightening my grip on the sword with my other hand. My heart thundered so hard I could feel it in my teeth. “Just do it.”

Eliorynna snapped her head back ready to strike.

FWWOOSH!

Lira’s rune blazed to life. In an instant, we were flung upward through the gaping hole in the upper floor, shooting past debris and flames.

Eliorynna’s face twisted in fury below, her eyes following us as we vanished from view. We landed on the upper floor — too hard. My knees buckled. Lira collapsed next to me, coughing violently.

“Lira....”

“I’m fine,” she rasped even though her rune was already dimming. “Just…keep moving…”

I pulled her up, ignoring the pain in my arms, and we stumbled forward through the half-collapsed hallway toward the kitchen.

I hauled her to her feet, ignoring the screaming in my ribs, and together we stumbled forward through the half-collapsed hallway toward the kitchens. Behind us, I heard the floor groan as something ran after us.

***

Meanwhile, Outside the Palace

“Keiji!”

Draken’s voice rang out as he jogged up the steps, feigning urgency, his hair damp with sweat.

“Draken?” Keiji turned, startled. “What are you doing here? I thought you were…”

“No time!” Draken cut him off sharply, grabbing his shoulder. “It’s Eliorynna ... she’s under attack. I saw the fight break through the lower levels myself. These guys are strong; we don’t have long before it spills out here.”

Keiji’s expression hardened. “Then we’ll move to reinforce her.”

“I’ll take you,” Draken offered, his shadow rune already glowing purple. “Teleportation will get us there before they finish her off.”

A faint grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, gone before Keiji noticed.

****

The hallway was half-buried under collapsed pillars and chandelier glasses. Every step sent pain flaring through my legs. Lira leaned on me, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Then I heard footsteps.

“Ash?”

I turned quickly, stepping in front of Lira.

“Verra.” Relief hit me like a wave. “I’m so glad to see you….now let’s get out of here.”

Verra didn’t hesitate; her staff hummed with violet light as she lifted the pillars and walls blocking the kitchen door.

Ariyanna darted to the edge of the broken floor. “What happened to the floor?!”

Then the floor shuddered.

Lira flinched, pinching my sleeve. “Oh no...”

A low, distant ZZOOOM rumbled from below — faint at first, then building until the whole ground glowed from beneath.

Eliorynna shot upward through the ruined floor, riding the column of fire like it a staircase from hell. Her hair whipped wildly behind her, twisting midair as she landed in front of us.

Her eyes were darker now, veins spreading beneath them.

I expected her to attack — but she didn’t.

She just stood there, chest heaving, gaze locked on us. Her breathing was erratic, her body twitching like she was trying to hold something back.

Then her eyes flared again — too bright, too fast — and she let out a strangled gasp, clutching at her face.

“Go!” I barked.

Verra yanked Lira up as Ariyanna darted to the edge of the broken floor, scanning for threats. Together, we sprinted for the kitchen doors.

“You won’t escape,” Eliorynna whispered behind us, voice so low it was almost a growl.

I turned just in time to see her eyes ignite so bright they turned pale blue —and they burst in a spray of sparks.  She collapsed, clutching her face, blood running freely between her fingers.

“She’s burning out,” Ariyanna said softly.

I dropped my sword and ran to her before I even thought about it. She was hot to the touch, trembling like she was on fire from the inside. I panicked and tried to touch her eyes, maybe to absorb the fire but it wasn’t working.

And then—

A purple light split the air.

Keiji and Draken stepped through the portal.

“Rynna!” Keiji’s roar was raw and panicked. He shoved me aside, dropping to her side, cradling her head with both hands.

“What did you do to her?!” he roared, his voice breaking.

“It was an accident….”

Keiji stood and grabbed my collar hauling me off my feet and holding me over the burnt floor. His hands felt hot against my throat. His eyes burning with rage.

“She was trying to kill us!” I shouted, a bit winded.

“She would never hurt anyone without reason!” His voice cracked and I felt his other hand twitch, ready to snap my neck.

“You know me. I would never…”

“Enough!”

Draken’s voice cut through the noise. He knelt down and purple strings dug into Eliorynna quieting her body.

Keiji hesitated, enough to glance back.

“I have stabilized her,” Draken said, stepping closer staring at me. “…but we need to take her to the Guild immediately.”

Keiji’s jaw clenched. He looked between Draken, Eliorynna, and me — then shoved me back hard enough that I stumbled but kept standing.

“Fine,” he growled. “But you better hope she doesn’t die.…”

“She won’t,” Draken interrupted smoothly, almost with amusement.

Keiji scooped Eliorynna fully into his arms, holding her like something fragile, and with one last burning look at me, let the purple shadows swallow them both.

When they were gone, my legs gave out and I hit the floor awkwardly. All I could do was stare at the empty space where they’d stood, Keiji’s stare replaying in my head.

“Ash!” Lira called out from the doorway, her legs shaky. “Let’s go.”

I got up slowly and grabbed the sword.

“No!”

“What do you mean No?” Lira’s voice cracking, ringing in my ears.

“I say we leave,” Ariyanna snapped, pacing back and forth. “Thomlin can hold his own, but you two are at the risk of burning out.”

“I’m fine,” I said wincing.

“No, you’re not,” Lira shot back. “You look like hell. Right now, you couldn't even beat me.”

“I always look like this.”

“This isn’t a joke, Ash,” Verra said sharply, leaning on her staff. “We need to cut our losses. The plan didn’t work.”

“Exactly,” Lira clutched her head, wincing. “Fuck this place.”

“I’m done waiting….Done running, done hiding, done letting them play games with us.”

Lira stood too, grabbing my wrist. “Who? The Church? Draken? They’re not worth it…”

“I have to do this,” I snapped, then softened when I saw her flinch. “You don't understand but if I don’t stop him, everyone is going to die.”

There was a silence as smoke started filling up the room.

Ariyanna crossed her arms. “Okay. What’s the plan?”

“No plans. I’ll finish this alone.”

“The hell you are,” Ariyanna said firmly, stepping close. “If you’re going after the Church, I’m going with you. Verra and Lira can get to safety while we destroy their perfect Sanctum.”

“Fuck that noise,” Lira rasped. “I’m not being sidelined.”

Verra exhaled, nodding. “I guess we’ll do it together. Even if it kills us.”

“Ah,” Ariyanna sighed. “Why’d you say that? We’re trying to be positive here, Vee.”

“I’m sorry, it just came out.”

Looking at them as they laughed, I couldn’t help but want to scream at them, push them out of the way. But they wouldn't back down. 

I appreciate the help but can we really do this?

If I maximized the amount of time resonating with Callen, Ryder and CIX, it was possible we wouldn’t die. And that’s if we don’t fight anyone else until we get to Arisu.

“Idiots. All of you.”

“Maybe.” Lira’s lips twitched into a menacing smile. “But we’re your idiots.”

I moved forward sword in hand, watching every side as a hawk. Ariyanna followed close behind and Lira in between her and Verra, leaning against the wall, pale but stubbornly keeping up.