Page 65 of Bound In Stone, Claimed In Fire

I nod, heart pounding. “I feel it too. A hush after the storm.” My tail flicks, a mere vestige of its old might. “Nerezza won’t trouble Protheka for a long while, if ever again. That seal was forged from purna purity and gargoyle essence… stronger than the old wards.”

She exhales softly, tears glinting in the corners of her eyes. “Kaelith, I—thank you for trusting me enough to fuse your last powers. I know what that cost you.”

My chest tightens, emotion threatening to overwhelm me. “I trust you with my life. That cost is nothing compared to losing you or letting her illusions devour the world.” My voice cracks. “You gave me something better than stone sleep. You gave me a reason to live.”

Fresh tears slip down her cheeks, and she leans in, pressing her lips to mine once more, a slow, tender affirmation. My heart warms, synergy fluttering in a gentler rhythm than any frantic battle trance.Yes, we’re not unstoppable warriors anymore, but we share a bond deeper than illusions.

Gradually, the tension in my muscles eases. The fortress stands quiet—no shrieks, no illusions, no swirling shadows. If we strain our ears, we might hear the faint wind or distant debris falling. The entire domain, once bristling with Nerezza’s malevolence, feels drained, as if purged by our seal. Drayveth might reappear or remain hidden, but for now, he’s irrelevant. We’ve accomplished what was deemed impossible: banishing Nerezza’s darkness without dooming ourselves to centuries of isolation.

We help each other to our feet, leaning on our staffs—hers literal, mine figurative, as my wings no longer bear me in flight. My body aches, yet an undercurrent of relief cushions the pain. Sariah threads her arm through mine, brand pulsing lightly as if content. Together, we pick our way across the courtyard, mindful of loose stones and the occasional inert gargoyle thrall that disintegrates into dust upon contact.

At the fortress threshold, we pause, turning back for one final glance at the half-collapsed citadel.Our last battleground.A swirl of emotions churns in my chest: sorrow for the gargoyles warped by Nerezza, relief for this victory, and a quiet sense of finality.I once sealed her at the cost of my own freedom. This time, Sariah and I sealed her together, forging a better future.

Sariah’s fingers tighten around my arm. “We did it,” she whispers, her voice laced with awe. “She’s gone.” Her brand flares with a warm glow, a testament to her unstoppable heart.

I recall how illusions once enslaved me.No more.“She’s gone,” I echo, voice unsteady. “And I remain with you.” My runes are shadows of themselves, but that doesn’t matter anymore. I have her. My heart yearns for rest, for the chance to rebuild a life unchained from illusions.

Her gaze searches mine, a tentative smile appearing. “So… what happens now? The coven branded me Nyxari, Drayveth wants our heads, and the world might remain suspicious of gargoyles, even if you’re half-human now.”

A rueful chuckle escapes me. “Perhaps we travel away from these mountains, see if Snowfall Glen offers refuge. Or we wander, forging alliances. Whatever we do, we do it together.” My wings twitch in muscle memory. “I might not fly anymore, but that’s a small price for freedom.”

Tears shine in her eyes again, though a tender light brightens her smile. “Together,” she agrees, kissing my cheek softly. The synergy hum resonates in the afterglow of victory. My chest feels lighter than it has in centuries, a sense of peace blooming where guilt once festered.

We exit the ruin, stepping onto the rocky slope beyond the fortress gates. The night sky spreads overhead, a tapestry of brilliant stars and a bright moon. The air remains cold, but my runes no longer bristle from illusions. Sariah and I help each other over broken stones, the hush of the wilderness embracing us. Occasionally, she sways from exhaustion, and I prop her up; sometimes my leg gives out, and she steadies me with a gentle hand. We share quiet, exhausted laughter at our mutual bruises and scrapes.

When the moon climbs high, we find a small ledge overlooking a dark valley. A few scraggly pines grow near a rocky overhang, offering minimal shelter. Sariah and I collapse onto the stony ground, leaning against each other. I gather enough wood scraps to spark a faint fire, using the last flicker of my gargoyle friction ability, though it feels foreign now. The meager flames cast dancing shadows on our faces, reflecting the exhaustion etched into every line.

Sariah rests her head on my shoulder, brand calming to a steady glow. “I can’t believe it’s over,” she murmurs. “I was so sure we’d—one of us—would die in that fortress.”

My arm drapes around her waist, pulling her closer. “We nearly did. But your will never faltered, even when illusions hammered us.” My voice softens with reverence. “You saved me from myself more than once.”

She snorts softly, a tired grin ghosting her lips. “Only because you also refused to let me drown in chaos. It was synergy, Kaelith, always synergy.”

A wave of affection floods me.Yes, synergy.The brand and my dim runes are living proof of that union. Slowly, my hand shifts to brush a strand of hair from her face, thumb lingering at the corner of her mouth. She leans into my touch, eyes gleaming with unguarded emotion. My breath hitches, remembering the frantic lovemaking we shared to save me from mortal wounds, remembering the heartbreak of illusions that parted us. Now we’re here, raw and exhausted, yet unbroken.

“Sariah,” I say softly, a trembling note in my voice. “We faced so much—betrayals, illusions, condemnation. And still, we stand. I… love you.” The last words come out quieter than a whisper, but the brand sparks all the same.

She shifts, turning fully into my arms. Her fingers curl around the ragged collar of my clothing, drawing me close. “I love you,” she echoes, tears streaking her cheeks. “Even if the coven never pardons me, even if Drayveth or others call me Nyxari, I choose you.” She tilts her chin, lips brushing mine in a tender kiss that sears away the lingering ache.

Heat coils through me, not the frantic pulse of a life-or-death synergy but a gentle warmth that resonates in my chest. The brand pulses gently, and though my runes no longer blaze with gargoyle might, a faint shimmer lingers, a testament to the connection we forged. Sariah deepens the kiss, arms slipping around my shoulders. I let out a sigh, returning it with equal fervor, relief and passion melding in a sweet, unhurried moment under the moonlit sky.

When we part, foreheads touching, breath mingling, she murmurs, “Wherever we go, we’ll likely face suspicion or fear, but as long as we’re together, we can handle it.”

I nod, a tiny surge of confidence filling the void left by my relinquished gargoyle powers. “Yes, we handle it. That’s enough.” My heart flutters at the possibility of traveling with her, maybe seeing corners of Protheka where no illusions threaten. Perhaps forging new alliances or proving to distant enclaves that we’re not the monsters Drayveth claims. The future brims with uncertainty, but in what feels like centuries, I greet it with hope.

She nestles against my chest, the fire crackling softly. My wings curve around her in a loose embrace—no longer stone-strong, but still capable of holding her gently. She hums in contentment, brand flickering in a steady rhythm.How far we’ve come,I reflect, tears pricking my eyes. She was once an exiled purna, I was a sealed gargoyle. Now we stand on the threshold of a new dawn, having banished the greatest threat we both feared.

“Tell me we’ll find peace,” she whispers in a shaky voice.

I lower my head, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “We’ll find it,” I vow, “or we’ll make it if we must. We banished Nerezza, and Drayveth might never trust us, but we walk our own path. Together.”

Her arms tighten around my waist, tears of exhaustion shining on her lashes. She nods, letting a quiet sigh escape. “I’m so tired,” she confesses, a watery laugh in her tone. “I could sleep for a year.”

A gentle chuckle rumbles in my chest. “We have a lifetime of rest ahead, hopefully. Let’s rest now, and tomorrow, we’ll plan. Maybe Snowfall Glen or beyond.”

She smiles, eyes fluttering shut, brand’s glow dimming to a soft pulse. I gather her closer, heart thrumming with a calm sense of triumph. Nerezza’s final defeat, the forging of a new seal, the synergy that overcame illusions—it all led us here.A battered, half-collapsed fortress behind us, a flickering campfire to chase away the night. Even if the world remains uncertain, I hold Sariah in my arms, free from illusions, free from guilt.I’ve never felt such relief.

Night deepens, stars overhead glimmering in an expansive canopy. The air carries a faint chill, but Sariah’s body warmth and the dying embers of the fire keep us comfortable. I cradle her as her breathing steadies, a soft serenity settling over her features. My heart clenches with love so profound it stuns me.She risked everything—her coven, her future—to stand by me.

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