Richmond lay motionless in the mud, his body broken, his breaths shallow.
The cold earth beneath him sapped what little warmth remained in his limbs, and the rain fell relentlessly, mingling with the blood that seeped from his wounds.
His vision blurred, reduced to indistinct shapes and shadows. The metallic taste of blood coated his tongue, and every attempt to move sent agony coursing through his body.
Zephyrion's words still echoed in his mind. "You were never supposed to exist."
The dark figure had stood over him, voice heavy with bitterness, as if Richmond's mere presence had disrupted some ancient plan.
Zephyrion had ranted about lifetimes lost, worlds destroyed, and a woman whose soul he'd chased through the galaxy.
Richmond hadn't understood half of it, but one thing was clear, Zephyrion had taken Khaterine.
And now Richmond was left to die.
The rain intensified, each droplet a sharp sting against his skin. He couldn't remember when he'd last felt warmth.
