Elenya slowly tilted her head, the movement jerky as if she would break apart at any second. Her eyes were steady and determined, though they were circled with red from the rupture of tiny blood vessels. Her mouth still formed words as if she was speaking, but Asthia couldn't hear them, for the explosion had made her ears ring.
Asthia moved forward, each inch of her frame across the unforgiving stone appearing to be a struggle. Her sword lay somewhere in the ruins, but today she did not mind.
Elenya's knees gave way, and she fell into the earth. She thrashed on the earth, grass and soil scraping on her burned palms as she tried to absorb the fall.
Smoke continued to rise from her burnt skin. Her shield had absorbed the blow—by half.
Asthia crawled over the broken stones and the disturbed ground until she could reach her finally. She grabbed at Elenya's arm, cringing at the blistering heat that emanated from under her touch.
