My stomach felt like it had turned inside out as we plummeted from the cliff. The wind howled past, carrying Lyra's furious shouts and my panicked curses into the night.
"I swear to every god in existence, Alex, if we survive this—" Lyra began.
"We're not dying! Stop jinxing it!" I yelled.
System, because it couldn't resist, chimed in. "Technically, the odds of surviving this fall without breaking every bone in your body are—"
"Shut up!" I roared.
We hit the water with a bone-jarring splash. The world went dark for a second as freezing cold engulfed me. My body screamed in protest, but I forced myself to kick toward the surface. Breaking through, I gasped for air, coughing and sputtering.
"Lyra!" I shouted, scanning the dark waves.
She surfaced a few feet away, looking just as miserable as I felt. "You're an idiot."
"Yeah, well, I'm an idiot who's alive."
---
Escape (Temporarily)
We scrambled onto the rocky shore, collapsing in a heap. My entire body ached, and the wet clothes clung to me like a second skin.
"She's going to follow us," Lyra said, shivering.
"I figured that much," I muttered.
"Any brilliant ideas?"
"Running and screaming usually works."
Lyra groaned. "We need a better plan than that."
System interjected. "May I suggest not jumping off cliffs next time?"
I glared at the air around me. "You're really not helping."
"I'm here for commentary, not life advice."
"We need to move," Lyra said, pulling herself to her feet. "She won't stop until she burns this entire forest to ash."
Great. More running.
---
A Familiar Flame
The forest stretched endlessly ahead of us, dark and twisted. Every rustle of leaves or crack of a branch set my nerves on edge. I kept expecting Seraphina to burst through the trees, fire blazing.
"Why does she want you so badly?" Lyra asked, breaking the tense silence.
"It's… complicated," I said, wincing at the memory.
Lyra shot me a sharp look. "Complicated how?"
"She's a yandere," I admitted.
"Yanderes don't just happen for no reason."
"She got obsessed after I saved her life. I thought we were normal—then she started burning down buildings because I talked to another girl."
Lyra sighed. "You have the worst luck."
"Tell me about it."
System, because it lived to make things worse, added, "You should consider dating advice. Or maybe therapy."
"If I could punch you, I would."
---
Ambush
We didn't make it far before the forest erupted into chaos.
"Alex!" Seraphina's voice rang out, full of manic glee.
"Run!" Lyra shouted.
We tore through the trees, dodging low branches and roots. Heat prickled at my back—she was close. Too close.
I risked a glance over my shoulder. Seraphina floated above the ground, her hair a blazing halo of fire.
"You can't run forever!" she called.
"I can damn well try!" I shot back.
Flames erupted, cutting off our path. We skidded to a halt, trapped.
"End of the line," Seraphina said, landing lightly in front of us. Her eyes burned with a terrifying mixture of love and madness.
Lyra raised her staff. "Stay back!"
Seraphina barely spared her a glance. "This doesn't concern you."
"I beg to differ," Lyra growled.
Seraphina stepped forward, and the temperature soared. My skin prickled painfully.
"Alex, you're mine," she said softly. "Why do you keep running?"
"Because you're insane!" I snapped.
Her expression darkened. "I'm insane because you made me this way."
"Oh, sure, blame me for your pyromaniac tendencies."
System whispered in my ear. "Might be time for a tactical retreat."
"Brilliant observation, Sherlock."
Lyra suddenly lunged forward, slamming her staff into the ground. A shockwave of energy erupted, momentarily extinguishing the flames.
"Run!" she shouted.
We bolted again, dodging through the trees as Seraphina's screams echoed behind us.
---
Temporary Shelter
We stumbled into a clearing, breathless and battered. Lyra collapsed against a tree, wiping sweat from her brow.
"We can't keep doing this," she panted.
"I'm open to suggestions," I said, slumping down beside her.
"Fight back."
"Fight back?" I laughed bitterly. "With what? Sarcasm?"
"You have power," Lyra said firmly. "You just need to stop being a coward and use it."
I bristled. "I'm not a coward."
"You've spent this entire time running."
"Because running keeps me alive!"
Lyra sighed. "You can't outrun her forever. Sooner or later, you'll have to stand your ground."
System chimed in. "She's not wrong."
"Oh, now you're on her side?"
"I'm on the side of not dying."
"Great."
---
A Decision
We sat in silence for a long time. The night deepened, stars twinkling overhead. For the first time in hours, there was no sign of Seraphina.
"I'm tired," I admitted.
Lyra looked at me, her expression softer. "Then stop running."
I clenched my fists. Part of me wanted to keep running forever. But another part—the part that was sick of being afraid—knew Lyra was right.
"Fine," I said. "No more running."
System whooped. "About time!"
"But if I die, I'm haunting you," I added.
"Deal."
---
To Be Continued...