Page 117 of Twisted Bonds

This whole plan rested on my abilities. My deep well of Chroma, and now I’ve failed. Despair rises in me as I flail wildly against him.

Helpless and alone.

sixty-six

Bobble

Agony sears through every nerve in my body as the dark magic slams into me, a relentless force that threatens to tear me apart from the inside out. I struggle to channel what little healing power I have left, desperately trying to keep myself and Sunder alive against her barrage.

My fingers frantically dig into the unforgiving ground beneath us, seeking anything that can be wielded as a weapon. But all I feel is cold stone and dirt. Just when all hope seems lost, my fingertips brush against something smooth and cold, almost like metal.

Sunder’s dagger.

With the ferocity of a dying man, I grasp onto it with all my strength. Because I am a dying man. This object is our last chance for survival, and I will hold on to it until my final breath.

Malicryn’s eyes narrow into slits, her annoyance palpable as we somehow manage to survive. She stalks forward with a purpose, her attention now solely fixated on inspecting the way the dark Chroma seeps into our bodies. My heart races with anticipation.

This is my opportunity to strike.

Summoning every ounce of my remaining strength, I launch the sharp metal towards her with a primal scream. It pierces through her body, splitting it in half with a sickening crunch, mirroring the spot where she mercilessly stabbed Dan’thiel. Her dark Chroma splutters out in a flurry of sparks and I hastily use up my last reserves of yellow to heal both Sunder and myself. With adrenaline pumping through my veins, I yank Sunder to his feet just as Malicryn coughs up blood and crumples to her knees.

In a final act of revenge, Sunder delivers a powerful kick to her chest, sending her sprawling and driving the knife even deeper into her body. As she lays lifeless on the ground, her once menacing gaze now reflects only the orange glow of the flames engulfing the city around us.

Sunder practically collapses against me, his hand weakly patting my back. “We have to find the others,” he gasps, his voice strained and barely audible. I throw his arm over my shoulder, feeling the weight of his body pressing down on me as we stumble through the chaotic city towards Mira.

Every step feels like a Herculean effort as we push through crowds of panicked people trying to extinguish the flames, our bodies battered and bruised from the relentless attacks. But I refuse to give up, not when my friends need me most.

We will make it to Mira, no matter what obstacles stand in our way.

sixty-seven

Mira

Just as my knees begin to buckle, my vision fading around the edges, there’s a sudden burst of energy in our bond. It’s not Tairyn, his presence is almost absent now, nor Callum, who is lost somewhere in the swirling storm of souls.

No, it’s me.

The realization hits me like a punch to the gut. Me. Sucking in a sharp breath, I call upon that strength, pulling it through the bond and into myself. It gathers in the pit of my stomach, a ball of wild energy waiting to be unleashed.

With ferocious determination, I lunge forward in a frenzied attack, unleashing a torrent of white energy that pulsates with blistering heat. I gasp at my own power, thrusting it deeper against Yurghen, pushing his darkness back.

The swirling vortex of tormented souls draws nearer and nearer, screaming and shrieking toward the channel of white light. But Yurghen remains motionless, completely unfazed by their presence.

I hold my breath as they barrel towards him, emotional energy leaking from the swirling storm of lost souls like fiery anger. It twists and turns, barreling closer.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned growing up in the south, tornados are no joke. Distantly in my head, a song from my youth plays, reminding me what to do when a tornado catches you unaware outside. Get low, Get low, Get low.

With a last flash of attacks, I spare a blow for the ground below, creating a small divot for me to huddle in. I throw myself into the makeshift ditch and cover my head as the vortex swells around me. The wind howls in my ears so loud I can barely finish the lyrics in my mind.

To the windoooooooowwwww.

Ok, stop.

The roar of a thousand voices echoes overhead, a chaotic symphony of past, present, and future. I hear the desperate cries of lost souls seeking hope, the whispered plans of parents dreaming of their children’s futures, and the haunting melodies of those consumed by despair. This is the essence of life, all its beauty and pain colliding in a deafening crescendo. And this is what we fight for, the chance to keep living amidst the chaos and find meaning in it all.

Once the storm passes me, I peek over the edge of my shelter. The tornado is gaining speed, barreling towards Yurghen. A gap in the chaos becomes visible, and he turns his focus towards the souls. With a vicious cry, he unleashes dark magic that knocks out hundreds at once. The lost souls scatter and dissipate like a mist. As if drawn to the sound, the demons of the Underworld descend upon the incapacitated souls, consuming them with ease.

“No!” I scream, all the air in my body leaving me. Taking no time to recover, I clench my teeth as I heave myself back to my feet.

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