Giselle pulled the bloodied sword from her body, gasping as the pain surged through her. Her clothes were torn, her skin covered in bruises and cuts, and strands of her hair clung to her face, slick with sweat and grime. She fell to her knees, her vision blurring, yet she refused to fall completely. She saw Mike staring at her, frozen with horror. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. The sheer terror in his eyes spoke volumes.
The bandit leader sneered at her, his eyes gleaming with a twisted satisfaction. "Guess there's no place for me, huh?"
Before Giselle could react, the remaining bandit lunged forward, his sword gleaming in the dim light. She tried to raise her weapon, but her arms trembled, her strength almost completely drained. She could barely hold her ground, much less defend herself. The bandit grinned, savoring the moment as he saw her falter.
Then, out of nowhere, a sudden figure blocked her. The bandit leader her supposed enemy stepped between them, catching the blade with his own body. Blood sprayed, and Giselle could only stare in stunned silence as he slashed his subordinate, sending him crumpling to the ground.
The leader turned, his face a mixture of pain and sorrow as he locked eyes with Giselle. In that instant, a flood of memories crashed into her. She recognized him a face from her past, a life she had nearly forgotten. The pain, the bitterness in his gaze… it all made sense now.
"Kade," she whispered, her voice thick with disbelief and sadness.
"So….... you remember me now." His tone was broken, almost a whisper, as he guided her trembling hand toward his chest, allowing her to press her blade against him. She looked away, but he forced her gaze back to his, guiding her hand as the sword drove through his chest. Blood poured from his mouth, but he didn't flinch.
"Why, Kade? Why did you do this?" she cried, her voice raw, but there was no answer. He fell to his knees, his strength fading.
As he lay dying, memories of the two of them flooded Giselle's mind, taking her back to a time before darkness had taken over his life.
They had met in the halls of Aldoren Academy of Magic, young and full of dreams. Giselle remembered Kade as the quiet but intense boy who sat in the back of the class, watching her with an intensity that made her blush. He wasn't like the others, he didn't flaunt his power or boast about his skill. He worked quietly, always pushing himself harder than anyone else.
At first, she hadn't noticed him much. But over time, she'd caught him staring at her, his dark eyes softening whenever he looked her way. She'd felt something back then, something she hadn't understood. She'd invited him to join her study group once, and that's when everything began to change.
Kade had been hesitant, but over the weeks, he grew bolder, his presence becoming a comfort to her. He understood her ambition, her drive to be the best, and he admired her for it. They spent long nights studying spells together, their conversations drifting from magic to dreams, to their fears and desires. She'd never known anyone who listened so intently, who seemed to understand her so deeply.
One night, after hours of practice, they had found themselves alone in the empty classroom. She'd been exhausted, her magic reserves drained, but Kade had insisted on helping her perfect a difficult spell. They'd been standing close, her hands in his as he guided her movements, his voice a low whisper. She'd looked up, her heart racing, and he'd leaned in, his lips brushing against hers. It was soft, tentative, and yet it felt like everything she'd ever wanted.
But Giselle, ambitious as she was, couldn't let herself be sidetracked by romance. She knew what she wanted out of life, and she couldn't afford distractions. She'd pulled away, stammering an excuse, her heart breaking as she saw the hurt in his eyes.
Days turned into weeks, and Kade grew distant, his warmth replaced by a chilling coldness. Giselle heard whispers that he was seen with the darker crowds, those who dabbled in forbidden magic, those who didn't care for rules or morality. She tried to reach out to him, but every time, he'd brush her off, his gaze icy, his words laced with bitterness.
One evening, he cornered her in the empty corridor, his face hard, his eyes wild. "Why, Giselle? Why did you push me away?"
She'd tried to explain, but he hadn't listened. "I thought.....… I thought I meant something to you," he spat, his voice shaking with rage and pain. "But you're just like the rest. You only care about yourself."
She'd flinched, his words cutting deep, but she held her ground. "Kade, I do care about you. But I can't let anyone...anything.....hold me back."
His expression had twisted into something unrecognizable, his face dark with anger. "Fine. You want to be alone? I'll give you exactly that." And with those words, he'd stormed away, leaving her heart in pieces.
Giselle had heard rumors over the years that Kade had abandoned his studies, had disappeared from the academy altogether. Some said he'd joined a dark guild, others whispered of crimes he'd committed, alliances he'd formed with those who had no respect for life or honor. She'd wanted to forget him, to erase his memory from her heart. But there had been moments, in the quiet of the night, when she would remember the boy he had been, the boy who had loved her so fiercely.
Back in the present, Kade lay before her, his eyes glassy, a faint smile on his bloodied lips. Giselle fell to her knees, clutching him as the weight of their past washed over her. "Why, Kade? Why did it have to come to this?" she whispered, tears streaking her face.
He coughed, blood staining his lips as he tried to speak. "I…... I wanted to be the one by your side, Giselle. I thought if I was strong enough….... if I made a name for myself, you'd see me. You'd want me."
She shook her head, her heart shattering. "Kade….... you were always enough. You didn't need to prove anything to me."
His gaze softened, a trace of the boy she once knew flickering in his eyes. "Too late for that now," he murmured, his hand brushing against her cheek before it fell limp. His eyes closed, and with a shuddering breath, he was gone.
Giselle clutched him close, her mind numb with grief. She'd lost him long before today, but now, the finality of his death struck her with a force she could barely endure. Mike approached, his face pale as he took in the scene, the blood stained ground, and the broken woman before him.
He knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder, offering what little comfort he could. "Giselle…...." he whispered, his voice choked.
But she didn't respond. Her mind was far away, trapped in memories of a love that could have been, a bond that had withered and died under the weight of her own ambition. She had wanted greatness, but at what cost?