Lisa stood by the window, her fingers tracing the cold glass. Outside, the sky was a pale grey, the promise of rain heavy in the air. It had been hours since the necromancer's warning, and the words still echoed in her mind. His voice, dark and threatening, had promised horrors if she didn't sever the bond with Liam. But how could she? How could she let go of the one person who had become everything to her?
With each passing moment, the weight of the necromancer's ultimatum pressed down on her, suffocating her with the impossible choice. She was paralyzed, caught between love and fear. If she didn't break their connection, the necromancer would make good on his threat, and the town, the people she cared about, would suffer. But if she did sever the bond… what would that mean for Liam? For them?
She ran her hand through her hair, the frustration bubbling up. Every attempt to push him away, every moment where she tried to create space, felt like it was choking her from the inside. The closer she got to the truth—the price of doing nothing—the more impossible it seemed to make a choice.
The door creaked open behind her, and she froze. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. The air around her had shifted in a way that only Liam could cause.
"Lisa," he said softly, his voice a quiet echo in the otherwise silent room.
She didn't respond. Her gaze remained fixed on the dim world outside.
"I know you're afraid," he continued, his voice stronger now, though tinged with hurt. "But this—whatever this is between us, it's not something you can walk away from. You can't just—"
"I have to, Liam," she interrupted, her voice sharp and cold. The words tasted like poison on her tongue, but she forced them out. "I can't risk it. If I stay with you, the necromancer will destroy everything. I—" She stopped, swallowing hard. "I have to protect the town. I have to protect you."
Liam's footsteps were closer now, and before she could brace herself, he was standing in front of her. His eyes searched hers, full of confusion and something darker—pain.
"You think pushing me away is the answer?" His words were laced with disbelief. "You think I'd just let you go? After everything we've been through?"
"I'm not asking you to let me go," she whispered, her throat tightening. "I'm telling you I can't stay."
His hand reached for her, his fingers brushing against her cheek, but she pulled away, stepping back from the warmth he was offering.
"You can't just—" Liam's voice cracked. "I'm not going anywhere. I won't let you do this. You're making this harder than it has to be."
She closed her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. This wasn't what she wanted. But in her mind, there was only one way to end this, only one way to make sure no one else suffered because of their bond.
"I'm sorry, Liam," she whispered, her voice barely audible, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I have to do this. I have no choice."
Liam looked at her as if she had struck him. The hurt was evident in his eyes, but it was nothing compared to the fury that was building beneath it.
"No," he growled, stepping forward, his voice shaking with emotion. "You do have a choice. And I'm not going to stand by and let you make this mistake."
Lisa shook her head, backing away, her pulse racing. She was suffocating in the pressure of this decision. Each step she took away from him felt like she was tearing herself apart, and yet the only thing that seemed to make sense was to do the unthinkable: break the bond.
But as she turned, she heard him stumble. The floor creaked beneath him, and she whipped around to find Liam on his knees, gasping for breath. His face was pale, his body trembling, and it was then that Lisa realized the full extent of what she was dealing with.
"Liam?" Her voice cracked as she rushed to his side. "What's happening? Liam, talk to me."
He didn't respond, his eyes glazed over, as if he was no longer truly there.
"Don't—" Lisa's voice faltered, a wave of panic rising in her chest. She gripped his shoulders, her hands shaking. "Please, don't do this. Don't pull away from me now. We can't do this alone."
But his body jerked violently, and Lisa gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in horror. The air around them thickened, as if something unseen was pressing down on them.
"No," Liam whispered, his voice strained, barely a sound above the chaos building around them. "I won't let him win."
The words hit Lisa like a slap to the face. The necromancer. It was his doing. The power he held over Liam was growing stronger with every passing moment. He was losing him, and she was powerless to stop it.
Liam collapsed fully onto the floor, his breathing shallow and uneven. Lisa's heart raced in her chest as she tried to steady him, but it was like holding onto a fading dream. His skin was cold to the touch, his body no longer responding to her touch, to her words.
And then, as quickly as it began, it stopped.
Liam's body lay still, his chest rising and falling with the faintest of breaths. Lisa was frozen, her mind reeling with the terror of what had just transpired. He was still there, but for how long? How much longer before the necromancer fully took control?
Her thoughts spiraled out of control, her hands trembling as she held Liam in her arms, her face pressing into his hair. She could feel the weight of the world crashing down around her. The longer she hesitated, the more the necromancer's power tightened around Liam's heart.
And then, it hit her.
The price of inaction would be worse than anything she had feared.
With every second that passed, Liam was slipping further away from her, and the town—her friends—were all at risk. The necromancer had warned her. He'd made it clear. There was no more time to waste.
Lisa took a shuddering breath, her eyes filled with determination. She couldn't keep running. She couldn't keep pretending this would just go away.
But as she looked down at Liam, her heart clenched. No matter what she chose, the cost was already too high.