We had been walking for six days already.
The road was always the sa:
dust, traces of flight, scorched grass, piles of broken wagons.
And then, at last—the city.
Or rather, what was left of the city.
Stone walls had collapsed inward, houses were leveled to the ground.
Roofs—burned.
Towers—broken.
Streets—black with soot.
The South… had fallen.
People were fleeing in front of the ruins.
Not soldiers—just civilians.
n, won, children.
So wounded.
So barefoot.
So unconscious.
A column of a thousand people.
We broke into a gallop.
Noxus spoke for the first ti in many days, his voice trembling:
— Zenhald… I’m scared. Why did I choose you?
— I… I’d understand if I had chosen soone else… an ordinary knight… heavy, stupid, lazy…
— But with him, I’d be safer than with you.
He snorted, as if holding back sobs.
— You… you’ve beco cold. I don’t recognize you.
I didn’t answer.
I saw no point.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
We entered the night camp.
More than twenty thousand soldiers.
Exhausted.
Dirty.
Beaten.
With broken spears and empty eyes.
If this was all that remained of the South…
Then the South was dead.
Silver and Norris went to the headquarters.
We sat on crates near the fire.
A minute later, Norris ca out. His face was pale, tense.
— In two days… the final battle, — he said.
Finn swallowed.
— Final…?
Norris nodded.
— Reinforcents will arrive from the south—five thousand.
— And from the north—nine.
— But they’ll be exhausted.
— And most importantly… the demons are launching a counteroffensive.
Tara turned pale.
— So… they’re not defending?
— No, — Norris replied. — They’re coming to finish us off.
Haras let out a heavy sigh, like a beast that had learned fear for the first ti.
Seteya went off to drink with him.
We stayed by the fire—, Finn, Siren, Astra, Tara, Kairen, Miella.
Everyone sat in silence.
Each lost in their own thoughts.
Finn exhaled:
— The final battle, huh?..
— We’re… just kids.
Siren answered dully, without his usual confidence:
— If we don’t win…
— Then no one will.
I stared into the flas and thought:
Could I destroy an entire army?
Would my power allow it?
Or would I go insane before the battle even began?
I didn’t care.
Not until she stepped forward.
Elinia.
She stood in front of , hands clasped, as if gathering her courage.
— Zen…
— Take off the amulet.
I looked at her with empty eyes.
— It’s affecting you badly, — she said insistently. — You’re not yourself. You’re… soone else.
— I don’t want to, — I replied calmly.
She took a step toward .
Then another.
And in one motion—fast, precise—she grabbed the amulet and tore it from my neck.
It seed Norris wanted to shout.
Seteya—to stop her.
Haras—to jump up.
But no one made it in ti.
The amulet fell into her palm.
And sothing struck my chest.
Warmth.
Light.
Emotions.
My heart ca alive.
I inhaled for the first ti in a month.
A smile appeared on my face—real, warm, sunlit.
— We’re still alive! — I laughed. — Hahaha!
— We… we made it to the end! Look! We’re together!
They stared at
in shock.
Kairen smiled.
Finn laughed.
Astra wiped away tears.
But…
The laughter inside
broke off.
The horrors of the war ca rushing back.
The world beca sharp.
My pulse—fast.
My vision… began to flicker.
Black.
Red.
Black.
Red.
Black.
Red.
Power surged outward.
My breathing broke.
— Zen… — Elinia whispered. — You’re again…
But I didn’t hear her.
With a sharp motion, Elinia put the amulet back around my neck.
It flared with a bright, cutting light.
My vision stopped flickering.
The world… died.
Again.
And I beca cold.
Empty.
Silent.
Elinia stood in front of , trembling as if plunged into icy water.
— I’m sorry… — she whispered. — This… this is because of . I’m sorry.
And I looked at her—
and felt nothing.
No gratitude.
No anger.
No warmth.
Just… emptiness.
— Tomorrow… — Norris said quietly.
— Tomorrow we’ll stand wall to wall.
— And either survive…
— Or die.
No one answered.
The night was quiet.
Too quiet for a world about to die.
Reviews
All reviews (0)