Page 1 of Crowned

Carrying Malia through the portal almost kills me. It’s a crushing burden, and each step feels like an eternity. My muscles scream in protest, weakened not just by my own injuries, but by the magical strain of sharing her pain. I expended too much energy removing her pain from her – but I don’t regret it for a second. How could I, when she gave everything for us? I bear it willingly, fueled by a deep well of gratitude for her sacrifice. For me to feel a little pain and weakness is nothing compared to what she chose to go through. Compared to what she did for everyone.

All around me, the whirling magic of the portal engulfs us, choking me and blurring my vision. Suppressed and stolen memories of home crash into me like tidal waves, but with such speed I can’t begin to process them, and the anguished cries of our people echo in my ears, intensifying the weight of my responsibility.

The air crackles with raw power, the very fabric of reality trembling around us. Every fibre of my being screams of imminent danger, a sensation as palpable as the weight of Malia in my arms.

Desperation claws at me.Please, don’t let it be too late.

The professor’s initial warnings about the perils of taking Malia’s body to Aerwyna resurface in my thoughts, but the urgency of the Shikari threat overrides caution.

As soon as we realised we were being attacked, the prof was the first to get on board with the plan. We can’t risk them getting hold of Malia. The stakes are immeasurable; even a trace of Malia’s blood in their hands could spell catastrophe for both our worlds.

But it’s hard to care about the fate of the worlds when the sacrifice we’ve just paid is so great, the wound still raw and bleeding, an unbearable agony that claws at my chest with every breath.

Too great.

Glancing down at her pale body in my arms, I refuse to allow my exhausted brain to think of her as lifeless.She’s just sleeping, I tell myself, clearly in denial and resisting acknowledging the harsh truth – anything to fend off the unbearable weight of her loss.

Leaving my brothers behind in danger contradicts every single one of my instincts, but my duty to bring Malia home compels me forward. She was always the most important piece in the puzzle.

Trusting my brothers to confront the Shikari alone, long enough for me to see Malia to safety, I stumble.

Upon arrival, I slam into the ground, my knees jarring painfully, Malia’s body only just remaining in my weakened grip. The air is thick with the scent of magic, an oppressive presence that seems to seep into my very bones, making every movement an effort.

“Child?” The bewildered voice pierces through my disorientation. “Reef?”

Blinking and looking up, I vaguely recognise my surroundings from dreams that started once Malia came into my life. I know the man standing before me is an Elder – also from my dreams, and some other distant memory tugging at the back of my mind. His importance is evident in the gold edging of his robes.

Wielding my last shreds of energy, I plead for aid. “Help me,” I wheeze out, suddenly feeling like my body is boneless with exhaustion, whilst feeling like it’s made of lead.

“What happened? Who is that? Where are the others?” Questions bombard me, but my responses falter, the exhaustion rendering me virtually incoherent.

All I can do is shake my head.

I need them to take Malia from me.

“Mal—” I begin before my vision blurs, words slipping away. “Shik?—”

Fragments of conversation and ominous references to the Shikari flicker through my fading consciousness. The ground shifts, and a momentary relief washes over me as Malia is taken from my arms.

Then, my head hits the floor and I’m plunged into the black shadowy abyss as darkness claims me…

In that void, I wade through thick tar, attempting to stand alongside my brothers and fight beside them. But instead, I’m forced to witness their fall, one by one, in slow motion. I’m useless. Helpless. Powerless in this unfolding tragedy.

Yet, even amidst the consuming darkness, faint glimmers of memory flicker like distant stars. Memories of laughter, of shared triumphs and struggles with my brothers and…someone.

Memories that feel like lifelines, pulling me back from the brink of despair. With every fibre of my being, I cling to them, allowing their warmth to pierce through the cold grip of the abyss.

As consciousness ebbs and flows like the tide, I find myself caught in a whirlwind of fragmented thoughts and emotions. The weight of responsibility presses down on me like a mountain, threatening to crush me under its immense burden.

In the midst of the chaos, a voice cuts through the darkness – a voice filled with wisdom and strength, a voice that resonates with familiarity. It speaks of hope, of courage in the face of adversity, and for the briefest moment, I feel a glimmer of light pierce through the shadows.

With renewed resolve, I push myself to rise, to break free from the suffocating grip of the abyss. Each movement is a struggle, every breath a battle against the encroaching darkness. But I refuse to surrender – to the despair, to the uncertainty that threatens to engulf me.

One step at a time, I navigate the labyrinth of my mind, guided by the faint whispers of memory and the steady rhythm of my heartbeat.

And so, with Malia’s sacrifice burning bright within my heart, I forge ahead into the unknown, ready to confront whatever challenges may lie ahead. For as long as there is breath in my body, as long as the flame of hope still flickers within me, I will continue to fight—to protect those I love, to honour the sacrifices of the past, and to carve a path towards a future where darkness holds no sway.

I watch him fall, his body tumbling down the stone steps amidst the chaos of the Shikari onslaught. The pain that seizes me is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. My knees hit the hard surface with a dull thud as his form crumples to the ground, surrounded by the relentless tide of attackers.

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