She chokes on her words. Atelier stares horrified at the tip of a blade that protrudes from Athena's chest, effectively silencing her before she could finish speaking. The blade pulls out, and Athena falls, turning into white glittery ashes – revealing the wielder of the weapon who killed her.
/Kreiss./
Atelier believes her predecessor now. She shouldn't have trusted him. Her knees buckling, she backs away, her eyes bulging as she fears for her own life. Her grip tightens around the hilt of her weapon as she wields it in front of her.
"Your highness, I –"
She doesn't stay to listen. Or fight. She just runs.
---
Atelier is tired. Her legs scream for her to stop.
So she does. She crumples and falls; heart racing, breaths hitching. She turns to look back. Kreiss is nowhere near, it seems. Maybe he gave up, or maybe he is lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce on her when she is unaware – just like he did her predecessor.
