The swirling portal of dark mist materialized out of nowhere.
They didn’t stop. Couldn’t.
The surge of cold, sinister magic crawled over them like an infection, warping around them and invading deep into their senses.
A sharp, piercing sound rang through Neveah’s ears. A force pulled at her, and she propelled forward out of her control.
As the ringing faded, she was ejected out of a portal, crashing into the ground harshly.
Neveah’s eyes snapped open, and for a mont, the world swayed around her. Her head throbbed harshly, and her vision spun.
She shook her head forcefully, finding herself staring up at a glaring light.
’Jian.’ She thought.
A mont ago, she’d been riding. And now...
Neveah attempted to get up to her feet, but she crumbled back to the ground, a sharp pain lancing through her side.
She hissed through gritted teeth. She’d definitely broken a few ribs.
And the sticky liquid dripping down the side of her head told her the ache in her temple wasn’t there without cause.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw him. Silver tresses dyed red, matted against his bleeding forehead.
Her heart took a dive.
"Jian!!!"
Gripping fistfuls of dirt, she tore herself off the ground as much as she could manage, crawling over to him.
Her vision swayed and she felt a weight on her lungs, each breath more painful than the last.
But she pushed her way through it, collapsing beside his unconscious form with pained gasps.
They’d crashed, she realised.
Badly.
A deep gash on his forehead bled profusely. His silver robes were dyed red at the sides, indicating he had more than a few injuries.
His breathing was weak. The rise and fall of his chest was all too slow.
Compared to her, he was in a bad state.
Whatever had happened just now, he’d taken the brunt of it. He’d protected her at the cost of his own self.
At the cost of everything...
Her chest tightened, tears springing to her eyes.
She pressed her hands to his side to staunch the bleeding, the warmth of his blood on her palm reminded her of that mont, inside the volcano in Fort Inferno.
She hated it. This feeling of Deja vu.
"Jian..." She sobbed, "Jian please, wake up! Please! Please!"
"Open your eyes! Look at ! I’m here! I’m here!" She cried, glancing around desperately.
They were in a vast grass field. Towering blades of grass surrounded them on all sides.
This place...it was eerily familiar, but Neveah couldn’t place a finger on it. She could hardly think through the cold terror that gripped her heart.
But one thing she did know, they were not alone.
The crash wouldn’t kill Jian. But he was vulnerable now, at a ti he needed to be strong.
In this state...he would be no match for Asrig.
"Jian..." She sobbed, co on...wake up!" She shook him desperately.
Sucking in a sharp breath, she dug deep within, reaching for that familiar power.
Golden light roared to life around her, and then spluttered out in sparks.
"No. No no no..." She sobbed, "Not now! Please! Please!"
She reached within again, pushing through every limit. Her body scread in protest, the world swirling around her.
Finally, she felt it. The arcane flowed through her veins, wounding around Jian and encasing him in a warm glow.
She poured everything she could muster into it. Holding nothing back.
Slowly, the gash on his head healed over, and the bleeding at his side stopped.
His eyes fluttered open weakly, settling on her. "That’s... enough." He said slowly, "No more. You’ll...hurt yourself."
The relief flooded her, and she threw her arms around him, sobbing into his chest. "I thought you were going to die, you... you..."
"Forgive ." His tone was guilty, "I don’t an to make you worry, but I keep doing it."
She didn’t get to reply. The mont was interrupted by a deeply amused, and eerily familiar voice. "What a touching sight."
Jian stiffened.
Neveah turned slowly, her hands clenching into fists.
Mykael, now Asrig stood a short distance away, arms crossed behind him, eyes glinting in sinister mischief.
The towering grasses all around them withered, the decay spreading from his feet till there was nothing left alive for miles around them.
"I hope I’m not interrupting anything..." He says, smiling, "As much as I hate to break apart such a loving mont, I fear I have little ti. And I am not a patient man."
Jian rose to his feet slowly, helping Neveah up with him.
He moved slowly so he shielded her from Asrig’s view. "Asrig."
Asrig grinned, nodding in approval. "We et again, brother."
Jian stood straight, glowering viciously. "You ca back to life...how?"
Asrig tilted his head to the side, "And here I was thinking I would be welcod with open arms and a royal banquet."
"Silly ." His expression turned cold, "n may die as easily as the seasons change, but old grudges it seems, never die."
"Especially when your little brother who preaches honour, stabs you in the back, and steals your throne."
"I pierced a sword through your beating heart. While looking you straight in the eyes." Jian clarified, "And I didn’t steal your throne. It was never yours, and you and I know that."
Asrig’s brows twitched, "Is that what you tell yourself?", The runes on his face made him all that more nacing. Unlike Misha, he didn’t even bother to hide it.
On the contrary, he seed thoroughly pleased with his new appearance.
"That the throne was always ant to be yours?" Asrig smiles darkly, "Because your scales are a few shades lighter?"
Jian shook his head. "Because I understand honour, the essence of the existence of our kind."
"And you don’t." Jian shook his head, "You never did."
"You killed your own kind, to save yourself. You’re no better than the Dark Lord."
Asrig throws his head back, "Then it’s a good thing, he and I will soon beco one."
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