The throng marched through the dim coral corridors, Sunny's shadow gliding ahead to light the way. The only sounds were ragged breaths and echoing footsteps—until a voice cracked through the silence.
"Let go of me, Stev! Pig bastard! Someone has to help that idiot!"
Aiko's cries rang through the hollow Spire. No one answered. The survivors trudged on, heads bowed, too numb or too afraid to meet her gaze.
She bit her trembling lip, wiping at the tears streaming down her face looking at Nephis. "What's the point of being a damned leader," she spat, voice breaking, "if you can't protect the people you actually care about?! Giving up that quick should be a crime!"
Nephis stopped.
Her steps faltered, and the line behind her stilled. Sunny turned sharply, his brows furrowing. "Neph?"
Changing Star exhaled once, then placed a steady hand on Cassie's shoulder. "Cass… give me your Wing Cloak."
Cassie hesitated, her blind eyes tightening with worry. "Neph…" she whispered, but after a moment's silence, she reached forward, pressing the cloak into Nephis's waiting palm.
Nephis gripped the cloak tightly. Her expression hardened as she turned to Sunny, her voice quiet but resolute.
"Lead them to the Gateway. Make sure everyone escapes."
Sunny's eyes widened. "Neph—!"
But she was already moving.
Without another word, Nephis broke into a sprint, the Dream Blade gleaming in her hand as she ran back into the dying light.
She couldn't leave him alone. Not again.
Sunny's fists clenched until his knuckles turned white. The air trembled with a low curse as he slammed a shadowed hand into the wall.
"Damn it all…"
***
At the very tip of the ancient tower, there was once a vast and beautiful chamber. It seemed as though it had a large circular opening in its center, allowing sunlight to easily flow into the gargantuan structure at high noon.
Then, however, that opening had become overgrown by crimson coral. And now it was gone.
Asher's gaze fell on the giant creature in front of him. Its body was made out of a perverse fusion of crimson coral and mutilated human flesh. Instead of a human face, the Terror had hundreds of them, all contorted in expressions of blind agony and suffering.
"What an ugly bastard," Asher muttered, loud enough to draw its gaze.
The Terror shuddered. Then it roared—a sound that shook the coral hall to its core. The hundreds of faces turned toward him at once, a grotesque sea of black, unseeing eyes.
"That's right, you piece of shit," he shouted back, raising his blade. "I'm right here!"
A tentacle made of sinew and coral lashed out instantly.
Asher launched himself upward, augmenting his strength and the sword's weight mid-leap. For a heartbeat, he was airborne—face to face with the monstrosity.
The Terror opened its gaping maw, revealing countless rotten teeth. A sphere of pure, searing light formed inside, like a miniature sun.
Asher's frown deepened.
"...Oh, that's new."
The beam fired.
He twisted midair, the ray missing him by mere inches before crashing into the ceiling. The roof collapsed with a deafening boom, molten debris raining down.
Asher blinked through the blinding flare.
'How the fuck is light solid?!'
Then it clicked. Photons. Moving so fast, so dense, that the heat alone could melt stone.
Asher finally understood how Nephis had beat this thing.
She could deal with the light with her lineage and the soul attack part of the light with her sword. Asher however, didn't have the boon of the immunity to fire.
He clenched his jaw. The Terror's maw glowed again, charging another beam.
He couldn't outrun light. The best he could do was predict the direction—and pray he guessed right. Meanwhile, chunks of coral and rubble kept crashing down around him.
Staying at range was suicide. The longer he kept his distance, the more it would fire.
"Fine," he hissed. "Up close it is."
He darted forward, blade ready to stab.
A tentacle lunged from behind. Asher spun, blade flashing—a clean cut, spraying dark fluid. Kicking off the air, he dodged sideways just in time to avoid another blinding beam.
He landed on a floating shard of rock, crouched low. Sweat trickled down his temple. His breath came ragged.
"This… is gonna suck," he muttered.
Another tentacle whipped toward him—too fast. He shifted left, but not enough. Pain sliced across his ribs, a thin line of scarlet before his lineage kicked in.
The terror didn't escape unscathed though. Asher hurled the rock at the Crimson terror, the boulder breaking as the beast screamed.
That was just a distraction though...
The explosion of dust filled the air—until it cleared, revealing him again.
His blade was already buried deep in the creature's side.
The Terror howled, its countless eyes widening in agony.
Asher's own gaze locked on the writhing black cores within its body, soul essence leaking out in waves. A smirk tugged at his lips.
"Finally."
It was evolving.
That meant, Asher was going to have an easier time stalling.
But then… the world grew brighter.
Too bright.
He turned, his stomach dropping.
'No… that close?!'
The beam's glow reflected in his eyes. He'd prepared to dodge claws, teeth, tentacles—but this was point-blank.
"Shit."
He pulled his trench coat around him, shutting his eyes tight before the light consumed everything.
All he could do was hope—the enchantments in his coat and second skin were strong enough to keep him alive.
—CRACK!
A violent shock tore through Asher's ribs, hurling him sideways. The world spun in a blur of red and white—until he hit the ground, breath ripping from his lungs.
For a moment, everything rang. Then—silver.
Strands of silver danced across his blurred vision, glimmering against the ruin and light. As the haze cleared, the silver fell into place—belonging to the figure now standing between him and death.
Changing Star.
Her stance was unyielding, a single hand gripping the silver blade that gleamed like moonlight against the inferno. The faint shimmer of her flame rippled through the air, burning the dust away.
For a heartbeat, Asher forgot to breathe.
"...Why?" His voice cracked, hoarse from dust and disbelief. "Why are you here?"
Nephis didn't answer immediately. Her gaze remained fixed forward, shoulders steady, as her hair caught the wind, fluttering ever so gently
Then, slowly, she turned to him.
A small smile touched her lips.
"Because I made a promise, Asher."
Her eyes met his.
"And I won't break it twice."
________
[A/N: I see 27 reviews. Let's make it a nice 30 :)]