Everything went numb. Not the numbness that came with the glee of crushing Inprobus’ squadron. This was a primal, raw, dread that threw him to his feet. Like a fleeing animal that could feel teeth snapping at its tail.

  The blood pounded in his ears, his eyes clouded and stinging with blood and tears. He saw Rikka as he passed, grabbing her wrist and pulling her along. He had to run. He couldn’t let the Eternal Flame touch them again, or it could burn them to ash. Or something far slower, and far more painful with his father at the controls. He wouldn't kill them, and that was the most terrifying truth about the situation. Everything. The bandage, the fight, allowing Corian to hold on to a mere second of hope as his sword pierced his father's heart. He had played it out in his head before it ever happened. Orchestrated a hopeless mission just to see the anguish it wrought.

  After a few seconds of sprinting, he felt Rikka’s legs drag. And then resist.

  Corian kept pulling, until a root snagged his ankle, throwing his balance and both of them to the ground.

  The cold dirt brought him back from his blind panic, but anxiety still swarmed in his chest as he eyed the forest with wide eyes. Searching for the light of their pursuers. He saw the glow of his father’s sword, still at the bridge. He was coming closer, but at a slow pace.

  Walking.

  Why? Where was the urgency?

  Corian looked around for his soldiers. Someone would have run after them.

  Rikka coughed, struggling to lift to her knees as she held her neck. He came to her side, fearful that she may have caught a branch to the neck while he was dragging her through the forest.

  He pulled her mask off with little resistance, catching a glimmer of red at the nape of her neck.

  Corian brushed her black braid out of the way, folding down her collar to see the cut more clearly. Tiny pricks of blood lined a tattoo of star-like shapes that glowed like embers around Rikka’s neck. Corian stared at the marking, the fear rising as he tried to touch the tattoo, only for its magic to bite back and draw more blood. He could barely push out the words as the panic swirled into his vision. “What is that?”

  Rikka stayed quiet, trying to get up again, but falling to her knees.

  “Rikka, what is that?”

  Rikka lifted her gaze to the trees, pointing to Inprobus. He had stopped a ways away, simply waiting as the remainder of his squadron filtered through the trees.

  Corian suddenly realised why his father hadn't made chase. There was no point in chasing a dog leashed at your wrist. Rikka couldn't run.

  “You have to come with me, how do I get you out?” Corian pleaded.

  Rikka scooped up a handful of dirt, her hands trembling as she spoke a soft incantation. Corian watched the spell hopefully. Praying that Rikka was working on a way to break the tie. They had no time. They had to break it. They had to run or everything. Justin. His squadron. Everything they lost so far would be for nothing.

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  But from the dirt in her hands, a small blue wildflower sprouted. Rikka didn’t have to speak, Corian knew what she was trying to tell him.

  I remember.

  But now wasn't the time.

  He didn't have magic. The only one that could do anything against the spell was Rikka.

  But she knew they had no time, except time to waste in a situation neither could fix.

  His voice hitched as he stared at the flower, meeting his sister's pained eyes. “I know.”

  He felt Rikka’s arms wrap around him. The embrace felt cold and heavy. Like chains. A tie that neither could rip through. The hope had fallen from his eyes in tears, and died in the grass at their feet. Or maybe it had been pushed off a bridge, and smiled at Corian as it fell to its death. And these tears meant nothing. Just like his attempt to free Rikka.

  He could hear the soldier’s footsteps approaching, his body devoid of a will to fight. Maybe if he didn’t fight back, Inprobus would lay the punishments on him instead of Rikka.

  But she had attacked an Archon.

  That was a strike.

  Rikka pulled away from the hug, her face wet with tears as she kept her gaze on the ground. But there in the anguish, she willed her lips into a smile, pressing the blue flower into Corian’s hand.

  And then he felt the root wrapping around his leg.

  Before he could react, it pulled, dragging him away through the woods and towards the edge. Rikka shrank from sight. And then, he was free falling.

  Rikka

  The converging soldiers.

  His father.

  All of them quickly disappearing from view as the ravine engulfed him.

  He did not feel it as he struck the ground. Just a consuming darkness that he wished would last forever.

  He had escaped...

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  Without Justin.

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  Without Rikka.

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  Alone.

  ━━━━━━ ? ? ? ━━━━━━

  End of Act 1