Page 33 of Bound In Stone, Claimed In Fire

We begin a slow trek across the ravine floor, heading toward a cluster of pines that might offer some concealment. I keep one hand hovering near the wounded purna, ready to bolster them if they falter. My mind churns with the significance of their message:Nerezza is active.Kaelith sealed himself away centuries ago to stop her. And now that seal is undone, and the horror is no longer hypothetical.We thought we had time. That she’d be weakened.But apparently, she’s already claiming territory.

Adrenaline buzzes in my veins. I force down the swirl of guilt:I freed her. I freed both of them.The urge to run is overwhelming, to vanish into the wilderness, to avoid entangling myself in an ancient war I barely comprehend.But Kaelith is bound to me, and Nerezza is drawn by that same link. Would I abandon him to face her alone? Could I live with myself if I run?

My brand throbs, recollecting Drayveth’s accusations that I’m on the path to become a Nyxari as well.He used to say it was my “destiny.” I refuse to believe that.Yet the fear lingers. I glance at Kaelith’s profile—he moves with grim purpose, supporting the wounded purna, scanning for threats.If I leave him, I free myself from the risk of becoming entangled in Nerezza’s hunger. But… I also doom him to fight alone. And we’re tethered. Perhaps we’d both die if we separate too far.

We find a shallow hollow among the pines, shielded from the open ravine. Kaelith lowers the purna onto a patch of mossy ground, eyes scanning the surroundings. “I’ll keep watch. Patch them up more thoroughly if you can.” His tone is clipped, a reflection of the swirling urgency.

I crouch beside the purna, reapplying the healing incantation with trembling hands. Their eyes flutter open, gaze flicking between me and Kaelith. “Thank you,” they whisper, voice raspy. “I—didn’t know… if you’d kill me on sight. Drayveth says you’re… lost to darkness, but I see… you’re not.”

A hollow laugh escapes my throat. “He’s the one consumed by darkness.”Or at least allied with it.“And you said Nerezza is… unstoppable now?”

They shudder. “That’s what they believe. She attacked the outskirts of an old purna settlement. The survivors talked about black wings, stone-limbed creatures answering her call. Gargoyles, but twisted.” Their eyes flick nervously to Kaelith, who stands at the perimeter. “No offense… but these gargoyles are monstrous, nothing like him.”

My heartbeat stutters. Twisted gargoyles?Spawned from Nerezza’s corrupted lineage?Kaelith warned me that she used chaos magic to transform his kin before. If she’s truly resuming that practice, Protheka is in grave peril. “What about the other purna? Are they rallying? Or do they fear Drayveth more than Nerezza?”

The wounded figure shakes their head, eyes distant. “They fear her. Some want to negotiate, to bend the knee rather than face annihilation. Others believe Drayveth’s cause might shield them from her wrath. Many are scattering, seeking refuge in hidden enclaves—like Snowfall Glen.”

My pulse quickens. “Snowfall Glen. That’s where we’re headed.”Though the path is fraught.“Do you know a safe route?”

The purna winces, pressing a trembling hand to their bandaged side. “Maybe. West of the ravine, there’s an abandoned lookout. The old trails behind it lead to a pass that crosses the mountains near the Glen. But it’s rumored that both Drayveth’s rogues and Nerezza’s new brood watch those paths.”

I blow out a breath, anxiety coiling.We either brave that route or wander lost in these ravines forever.The purna coughs, leaning back, their energy spent. “I’m sorry,” they mumble. “I can’t come with you. Not strong enough. I’ll hide here, rest. If Drayveth or Nerezza finds me first… so be it.”

A chill runs down my spine. “That’s… no.” I glance at Kaelith. He meets my eyes, expression grim. We can’t drag a half-dead purna along. But leaving them to fend alone feels cruel.Yet what choice do we have?

Kaelith speaks up, voice low and measured. “I can leave wards to mask your presence. It won’t be perfect, but it may give you time to recover.” He steps closer, studying the purna with a mix of caution and pity. “If you value your life, you’ll remain hidden. Drayveth is lethal, but Nerezza…” He trails off, voice tight.

The purna closes their eyes, tears slipping down their cheeks. “Thank you. I’ll stay out of sight. The pass to Snowfall Glen… it’s your best chance.” Their eyes flutter open, focusing on me. “You must stop her, or warn the Glen. They have power. They might join you.”

I swallow hard, a swirl of fear tangling with duty. “We’ll do what we can.” My voice trembles.I never asked to be the one who has to stand between a monstrous Nyxari and total annihilation.Yet Kaelith and I are tethered, and we can’t outrun the past.

We linger a few more minutes, Kaelith scrawling rudimentary wards across nearby stones with his claw, using faint glimmers of gargoyle magic. The purna watches him with awe and a hint of fear. My heart clenches.That used to be me, seeing gargoyles as looming nightmares.Now I see Kaelith as… something else.

When the wards are in place, we depart, leaving behind a whispered prayer that the purna recovers. The tether pulses with a sense of urgency—Nerezza is awake.Neither Kaelith nor I speak as we pick our way through the ravine, heading west in search of that old lookout.We’re in motion again, but the weight is heavier now.The faint drizzle of earlier has subsided, leaving the air thick with tension.

After an hour of silent walking, I can’t bear the quiet. “She’s truly back,” I murmur, voice taut. “I… didn’t want to believe it.”

Kaelith’s shoulders tense, wings flexing. “I knew it was a risk. When you undid my seal, you undid hers too. But I hoped we had more time. Or that she’d still be weakened.”

A bitter laugh escapes me. “She’s apparently strong enough to destroy entire covens.” My chest aches with guilt. “Kaelith, I?—”

He stops abruptly, pivoting to face me. His eyes burn with repressed turmoil. “Don’t,” he growls softly. “Don’t shoulder all blame. She always had the cunning to break free eventually. My seal was never a permanent fix.” His tail lashes the ground. “She’s unstoppable alone. But maybe not if we stand together.”

My throat tightens.Stand together.The memory of the cave, the fierce intimacy, the synergy of our magics surges in my mind. “That’s just it,” I whisper. “I want to escape, stay away from you, from this bond… from the fear that I’ll become another Nyxari. If I keep tapping my magic, if we keep letting the tether deepen…” My voice wobbles. “I’m terrified. Yet… I can’t leave. Not after everything.” I stare at my bandaged shoulder, at the brand that marks me as a purna. “My conscience won’t let me abandon you. And maybe… I don’t want to.”

He exhales, stepping closer. The ravine walls press in, a confining corridor of rock. I sense him battling his own instincts—gargoyle wariness, the lingering scars from Nerezza’s betrayal. “I understand,” he murmurs, a quiet admission that slices through my chest. “I’ve considered pushing you away to keep you safe. But we’re tethered, in more ways than one.”

Tears prickle my eyes. “So what do we do?” My voice cracks. “Fight a monstrous Nyxari with half-baked synergy, hoping we don’t blow ourselves up in the process?”

A faint, bitter smile touches his lips. “That’s the gist of it.” He lifts a hand, brushes it gently along my arm. My body reacts to the contact, the tether flaring with a complicated warmth. “I know you considered leaving. But it would kill me… likely kill both of us, or at least shatter this bond in a catastrophic way.”

I nod, swallowing the knot in my throat. The choice was there, a fleeting thought to slip away, hide from the war. But I can’t do it, not now. Guilt, duty, and the echo of affection swirl in my chest.I won’t run.“Then we face her,” I say, quiet but resolute. “We warn the Glen if we can, gather allies. We survive.”

He inclines his head, gold eyes flickering. “Agreed.” For a moment, we stand in the hush, ravine shadows stretching around us. My heart thunders with a swirl of fear and an odd sense of relief.We made a choice—to stand together.

We press on, each step forging deeper into uncharted territory. The landscape changes slowly, the ravine walls giving way to rocky foothills. The midday sun peeks out, painting the slopes in pale gold. Despite the precarious future, a small spark of hope ignites in my chest—like the faint sunrise after a punishing night.We have a goal, at least.With Nerezza awakened, we have no illusions of safety, but maybe we can find a path to fight back.

Before long, we crest a ridge and glimpse what might be an ancient lookout perched on a rocky promontory. Collapsed walls rise from the ground, half-buried in rubble. Kaelith narrows his eyes, scanning for movement. “No sign of watchers.” He frowns. “That doesn’t guarantee it’s empty.”

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