☆*: .｡.Ume. .｡: *☆
The cold night air enveloped me as I was hurled out of the window by Naboru. The Sanalith Fragmentheal clenched tightly in my trembling hand, I struggled to comprehend what was happening, my mind clouded by confusion and panic. Before I even hit the ground, a deafening explosion erupted behind me. A powerful blast wave propelled me even further, pushing me away from the burning house.The impact was brutal. My body collided violently with a tree, tearing a cry of pain from my lips. I lay there, gasping for breath, my vision blurred by tears and agony. It was hard to gather my thoughts, each breath burning my chest.Struggling to get up, I glanced towards the house. The devouring flames rose high into the sky, an infernal dance of light and heat. The entire house had become a blazing inferno, and I could hear the distant echoes of explosions, accompanied by sinister crackling.I gripped the Sanalith Fragmentheal in my hand, determined to save it despite Naboru's plea. With great difficulty, I stood up, my legs trembling under my weight, and began to move towards the hellish blaze. Just as I fully stood, a massive explosion rocked the air, throwing me back once more. The flames shot even higher, licking the night sky with an untamable fury. As I watched the horror before me, I realized that all the Lumicrystals I had installed had caused this catastrophe. Guilt overwhelmed me, an unbearable pain crushing my heart. Naboru was probably dead, and it was because of me.I cast a desperate look at the Sanalith Fragmentheal in my hand. The shattered stone was now useless, its healing power dissolved in the explosion. My last hope of saving Naboru had vanished. The reality of the situation engulfed me, leaving me paralyzed by grief.As I looked around, I noticed that the thick mist enveloped the garden, not extending beyond the fences. No one would come to our rescue. We were trapped in this hellish nightmare, alone.Tears flowed freely down my face as I cried out Naboru's name, my voice breaking under the weight of emotion.
"Naboru! Naboru!"
I fell to my knees, my hands clawing at the ground in desperate fury.
"Naboru! Forgive me! I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
My cries echoed in the oppressive silence, mingling with the crackling of the flames and the distant rumble of explosions. Pain and guilt twisted within me, an unbearable agony. I continued to scream his name, hoping against hope that he would answer me, that he would survive this chaos I had helped create.I kept screaming, my tears blurring my vision, when suddenly, a shadow emerged from the flames. My heart leapt with hope.
"Naboru?"
I whispered, hope rekindling.
The shadow moved slowly, staggering, as if each step was a titanic effort. I leaned forward, straining to make out the figure emerging from the blaze. My heart pounded so loudly I could hear it in my ears.When the shadow finally came close enough for me to distinguish its features, my hope turned to terror. It was Lysandros. His face was a mask of pure rage, his eyes blazing with hatred. His gait was uneven, as if he was struggling to maintain his balance, but he kept advancing, driven by a dark and relentless force.His face was covered in soot and ashes, streaks of dried blood marking his skin. His lips were curled into a grimace of anger, revealing teeth clenched in frustration and pain. His hair was disheveled, some strands singed by the flames, adding to his menacing appearance.I instinctively recoiled, my body trembling with fear and despair.
"Lysandros..."
I whispered, my voice a trembling breath.
"Why...?"
He continued advancing, each step a silent threat, a promise of vengeance. Terror overwhelmed me as I realized the nightmare was far from over.
Lysandros drew closer, each step amplifying my terror. His eyes burned with an unquenchable rage as he stared at my face with murderous intensity. I wanted to flee, but my legs refused to move, paralyzed by fear.
"Lysandros, I..."
I began, my voice trembling and almost inaudible.
He stopped a few meters from me, his gaze piercing my soul. A sinister smile stretched across his bloodied lips.
"Do you really think you can escape your fate, Ume?"
His voice was icy, laden with hatred.
"Naboru is no longer here to protect you. There's no one left."
Before I could react, he shouted with a powerful voice,
"Acies Ferrum - Gladius!"
A massive steel blade began to form behind him, towering over six meters high. The blade was enormous, its edges sharp and gleaming in the flickering light of the surrounding flames. It emitted a sinister glow, amplifying the aura of menace that emanated from Lysandros.I instinctively backed away, my eyes widening in terror. My breath came in short, rapid gasps, each inhale a struggle against the panic engulfing me.
"No, this can't be... Lysandros, stop..."
But he wasn't listening to me. His smile widened, becoming almost bestial.
"This is your end, Ume. You'll pay for what you did to me."
I watched the blade fully form, realizing that my end was near. Terror paralyzed every fiber of my being, leaving me defenseless against Lysandros's relentless vengeance.As Lysandros prepared to strike me down with the gigantic steel blade, an unexpected sound pierced the tension-filled air. A harsh, painful cough, followed by words interrupted by suffering.
"Is... that all you've got, Lysandros? You still haven't touched me, I remind you..."
Lysandros froze, his face twisting with surprise and anger. He slowly turned, searching for the source of this provocation. My eyes widened with a mix of hope and fear as I recognized that voice among a thousand.
"Naboru..."
A wavering shadow emerged from the flames, advancing with difficulty. Naboru was in even worse condition than Lysandros. His clothes were in tatters, and his body bore the marks of countless burns and injuries. His one good arm hung uselessly at his side, and his face was smeared with blood and soot. He moved slowly, each step a Herculean effort, but his eyes burned with an unwavering determination.
Lysandros, shocked, stepped back, his great blade trembling slightly.
"You... how are you still alive?!"
Naboru gave a smile, twisted by pain.
"It'll take... a lot more... to kill me."
His words were punctuated by coughs and groans of pain, but he showed no intention of stopping.
I watched Naboru advance, my heart clenched with fear and admiration. Despite his pitiful state, he stood there, facing Lysandros, ready to fight to the end.
"Naboru, no..."
I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks.
Lysandros, still in shock, clenched his teeth and prepared to strike again.
"I'll finish you off this time. And you won't be able to stop me."
Naboru straightened as much as he could, his silhouette trembling but resolute.
"Maybe... but I won't let you touch Ume. Not as long as I breathe."
Lysandros, in a movement as swift as it was brutal, brought down his gigantic blade with devastating force. The blow struck Naboru's stomach, tearing through flesh and slicing with terrifying precision. Naboru's body was thrown back, tumbling towards the inferno of the mansion like a lifeless puppet.A piercing scream tore from my lips, a scream of despair and terror. My legs moved with a supernatural agility, as if the very fabric of reality bent to my will. My steps were like those of a dancer, an unreal grace enveloping me, allowing me to slice through the air with unmatched speed. The world around me seemed to slow down, every movement fluid and precise, like a mastered choreography.In an instant, I passed by Lysandros, my sharpened senses detecting danger with instinctive precision. I dodged his giant blade with such finesse that I found myself beneath it, maneuvering around the deadly weapon without even glancing at it. My focus was entirely on Naboru, whose body was disappearing into the raging flames of the mansion.My heart pounded as I raced towards the inferno where Naboru lay, the dancing flames reflecting in my eyes. The consuming fire, the screams, and the explosions no longer mattered; only Naboru mattered. I couldn't lose him now.
☆*: .｡.Lysandros. .｡: *☆
I watched Ume move with a grace and speed that defied the laws of reality. Her movements were an effervescent dance, almost unreal, as if she were driven by a supernatural force. My gaze was fixed on her, amused by the way she fled the inevitable threat that I represented. My weapon was an extension of myself, floating in the air with impeccable control, ready to strike at any moment.As Ume passed near me, I attacked her with my blade. The gigantic sword lunged towards her with terrifying speed, but she dodged the blow with an almost supernatural agility, moving so quickly that I could only follow her with my eyes. My laughter rang out, filled with scorn and disdain. Her frantic escape amused me, and I mocked her desperate attempt to save Naboru.
"Ha ha ha! Look at her, what a joke!"
I shouted, my voice echoing in the night.
"She's running straight to her death, like a lost soul in the darkness!"
I let out a cruel laugh, devoid of any pity. I didn't even need to chase her, didn't need to stain my hands with blood. Everything was so perfectly orchestrated that I could afford to mock her. She was running towards a blaze, towards an inevitable end, and I savored the scene, almost amused by the desperate determination she displayed.
"Isn't it ironic?"
I murmured to myself.
"All this commotion for nothing, because death awaits them there. And I won't even have to lift a finger to send them to it."
To be continued...