My breath came in ragged gasps, the remnants of white flames still flickering around my fist. The silence that followed the chaos was deafening.
And in that silence… I looked toward her.
"Vanessa…"
My body moved before my thoughts caught up. I stumbled forward, dropping to my knees beside her and pulling her into my arms. She didn't resist. Her pale, trembling arms weakly wrapped around me as she leaned into the embrace. Her warmth, faint, fragile, was still there.
For a moment, we didn't speak.
The only sounds were our breathing, the distant creaking of fractured walls, and the subtle hum of fading energy.
Eventually, we parted slowly, reluctantly.
Then, from the entrance of the corridor, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Kajin! Are you okay?!"
I turned my head.
Klara.
Waving frantically, sprinting toward us. Her golden hair fluttered behind her like a banner of light against the dim corridor.
I smiled without meaning to.
"I'm fine," I said, rising to my feet. I reached down to help Vanessa up, watching carefully as she steadied herself. She leaned into me slightly, but I didn't mind. I was glad she could still stand.
Klara reached us and immediately scanned our bodies, her eyes sharp with concern.
"I felt that massive spike of mana and heard something explode. I came running as fast as I could," she said breathlessly, crouching to inspect Vanessa. "And this must be…"
Her voice trailed off with a teasing note, eyes flicking up to mine with a knowing grin.
I let out a light chuckle. "Yeah. This is Vanessa."
I turned to her. She looked dazed, understandably so.
"Vanessa, this is Klara. She's a healer. One of our allies."
Vanessa listened to me then nodded with gentle grace before turning her head at Klara. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Klara beamed, her eyes glowing softly with warmth. "Likewise," she said, her voice soothing.
But my gaze had already shifted upward.
The jagged hole in the ceiling above us remained. Rubble still crumbled from its edges, faint trails of dust spiraling through the air. I could still feel the remnants of his presence. That pressure… that aura...
He'll be back.
"Klara," I said, my voice low and serious.
She looked up at me, sensing the shift in tone.
"Rhyver's here."
The color drained from her face.
"R-Rhyver…? But he—he was supposed to be out of the city!" she stammered, clearly rattled.
I nodded grimly. "Yeah, well, turns out he got tired of pretending to be what he's not. He found me, said he wanted to fight. No warning, no reason, just his bloodlust."
My jaw clenched.
"I guess a beast is always a beast."
Klara's expression darkened, her brows furrowing in frustration. "That ruins everything…" she murmured, her tone filled with rising dread.
She stood, arms crossed tightly across her chest.
"With Rhyver showing up here… our escape route is compromised. There's no way the soldiers haven't noticed that explosion by now. It's only a matter of time before every squad in the area converges on this position."
Her words weighed heavily on the room.
I clenched my fist. White flames crackled to life once more, circling my hand like a restrained storm. My blood simmered.
We were so close…
But then something shifted inside me. A spark of clarity. A spark of resolve.
The fear didn't disappear, but it was replaced. By purpose.
A moment of silence passed.
"…I've got a plan," I said.
Both Klara and Vanessa looked at me.
I raised my head. My eyes, still glowing faintly from the power shone with the confidence of someone who'd already made a decision.