Kael
The alley stank of blood.
His blood.
Every breath was harder now. Every step slower. The cut across his side had deepened when he twisted to block the third strike. A lucky blade had sliced just beneath his ribs. Then another had found his thigh. He no longer knew how many wounds he had—he just knew he was still standing.
Barely.
They kept coming.
Faceless shadows in gray, blades shining red now, circling like wolves.
He slashed left, drove his boot into the chest of the nearest attacker, spun with a roar and forced another back with a wide, desperate swing. But they didn't fear him. They didn't care.
Because they weren't here for him.
They were here for her.
And Seraphina was huddled behind a stack of crates at the far end of the alley, her cloak tangled around her small frame, her hands shaking over her ears.
Kael shouted over his shoulder. "Don't watch, little star!"
But she did.
She always did.
Even now, her wide, tear-streaked eyes were locked on him, frozen with terror as he fought to keep her alive.
He gritted his teeth.
He wasn't going to last.
Seraphina
She couldn't scream.
The air wouldn't come.
She couldn't move.
Her knees wouldn't work.
All she could do was stare—at the blood on the stones, the way Kael moved slower now, how he limped, how his sword dragged just a little more with each swing.
They were hurting him.
They were laughing now.
The hooded ones. They circled him like a game.
"Some protector," one hissed. "Bleeding like a pig."
"Barely a man," another sneered.
They looked at her.
"She's shaking."
"Doesn't look divine to me."
"Does she even know what she is?"
Kael roared and lunged at them again, pushing two back.
But the third slipped in—
A glint of steel.
A sickening crunch.
"Kael!" she screamed.
The sword went clean through him.
Through his stomach.
Straight out his back.
His sword fell.
His knees buckled.
He dropped to the ground, coughing—blood spilling past his lips.
"Kael?" she whispered, voice breaking. "Kael… Kael…"
She crawled forward, numb, dragging herself on hands and knees across the alley floor toward him.
The hooded men stepped back now. Watching her. Not killing her.
Mocking her.
"You're supposed to shine, little light," one of them whispered. "Where's your god now?"
She reached him.
He was choking.
He couldn't speak.
His hand moved to hers.
It was shaking.
"You—can't…" he tried, gasping.
She gripped his hand in both of hers. "Don't leave me—please—don't—don't—"
They laughed again.
And something broke.
Seraphina
Her body felt hot. Her heart too loud. Too full.
The fear didn't vanish—it shattered.
Like glass.
It cut something open inside her.
And the light came.
Not like before.
Not soft.
Not flickering.
Blinding.
A wave of white fire erupted from her chest—no flames, no heat—just pure light.
It exploded through the alley, engulfing every hooded figure in an instant.
They didn't even have time to scream.
They were gone.
Ash.
Wind.
Nothing.
Silence returned like a hammer.
Then the light dimmed.
And she dropped.
Right into the pool of his blood.
Kael
He couldn't feel his legs.
Couldn't feel the pain anymore.
That scared him more than anything.
But he could feel her.
Her body curled beside him. Her breath soft. Her fingers still wrapped around his hand.
She was safe.
He did it.
He did it.
But gods—he couldn't see anymore. The world was dimming.
Still… her presence kept him grounded.
Kept him there.
She'd live.
Even if he didn't.
His lips parted.
He used the last of his strength to turn his head.
To whisper one last thing.
"…my little star."
Then—
Darkness.
Seraphina
She was still clutching his hand when the temple guards arrived.
Still lying against his chest when Omel's voice cracked in horror at the sight.
Still unconscious when they pulled her away from his lifeless body.
Her power gone.
Her heart silent.
And the world that had once whispered her name with reverence…
Now only spoke it with dread.