It took every last bit of strength Gwyn possessed to drag Roe and the other nightsworn - both unconscious and severely wounded - back to the waystone.
Roe's breathing was ragged, but at least he was still breathing. Blood slowly dribbled out of his mouth as Gwyn laid him next to the still burning campfire.
"What the hell have you been eating, Rosie?"
The other nightsworn began to stir, a series of coughs waking him up in time. Gwyn had dragged the boy by his arms, his legs trailing in the dirt as they slowly made their way back. She may or may not have dropped him a time or two out of pure exhaustion.
"Hey." Gwyn said, half asleep with her head bent back on Roe's chest, as she was using the boy as a pillow. Her voice was soft, almost shrill.
The nightsworn touched his face, wincing. Roe had really done a number on the boy. One of his eyes refused to open, his lip was busted and his nose was bent. Blood stained nearly a third of his face. He eyed Roe with venom in those grey eyes.
"You lifted his curse." He says. He looks over the girl. She was covered in dirt and both his and the other boy's blood like another layer of skin. She looked so unlike the others he had known, those so called Darkstalkers.
"No," she huffed, her eyes closing entirely. She slowly raised her hand and touched her neck. "I wish."
The nightsworn gathered what little strength he had left and struggled to his feet. "Then he is dangerous."
"No."
"We barely managed to survive this time, if he is allowed to grow stronger-"
"No."
The nightsworn watched as Gwyn opened her eyes to stare at him. She looked like a wolf staring down a threat to her pack. If he tried to make a move, whatever strength she had - if any - she would protect the boy. Whatever it took, she would not let him die.
"Why?" He asked.
"He is my sword." She said simply.
"Useless sword he makes." The nightsworn scoffs. He turns away, eyeing the waystone. So close to getting home, and yet he fears he is too weak to force her into taking him back. But he must return.
"A truce." He proclaims. "I will not kill him, but you have to take me back."
Gwyn smirks at the boy, a fire in her eyes that didn't seem to suit her. It was angry, malevolent.
"You know I can't."
"You can, and you will."
Gwyn tilts her head, almost leering at the boy. "Only those I have a contract with can travel the road. You know this."
"Make a pact with me."
"I will not."
The boy closes the distance between them and grabs her neck, his fingers digging into her skin.
"I will not." She repeats.
He stares down at her, into those angry eyes that reflect the storm inside her heart. He decides against hurting his only ticket home and lets go of her.
"I helped you save what's left of this freak. You owe me."
"Karza." She says bluntly, shaking the boy to his core. He freezes entirely. "How's my brother, hmm? Did you save him?" She smiles at him sourly.
Karza feels these past few years rush violently back into his mind. All those tragic, miserable memories flooding to the forefront of his thoughts. Every little thing he's done to survive since…
"H-how did you…" Silence. Gwyn stares at him, that fire in her eyes burning brighter and brighter as she's met with confirmation. She didn't know, not really, but he gave her what she wanted anyway.
"Nightsworn," she started. "Your life is mine, and mine alone. You will become a blade that I will use to carve out my place in this world, as conqueror of the dark place, specter of the void, darkstalker in the shadow of light."
Karza flinched as Gwyn recited Orion's words back to him. He shrunk back, guilt consuming him.
"I know you," She says, closing her eyes once more. "I see your silhouette every time I shut my eyes. I see you in the shadows around my castle. Your form casts the most unholy glow on my house, and for that, you will keep your place here as its sole survivor. After Roe and I have laid waste to every single entity inside this hell, you alone will remain. You are what lies in the abyss."
"I tried to save him! He went past his limits. There was nothing more I could have done!"
"I don't care. My brother is dead and you are what remains."
Gwyn turned her head, resting her cheek on Roe's side. He was beginning to grow warmer as the temperature returned to his bones. Soon he would awake, and Gwyn didn't want that to be in this hellhole.
But she didn't have the energy to take them back. Not yet. Karza, even in this weakened state, would easily be able to kill the both of them without any real struggle. Using his guilt for her brother's death was the only card she had that would give them the best chance of escape. She could break her contract with Roe and join hands with Karza if only she wanted to escape, but that was never an option to begin with.
"Please," Karza begged. "I need to go back."
"And I need my brother." She dug her fingers into the dirt beneath her. "You can kill me like you killed my brother, but you are never leaving this place."