The battle had moved beyond blood and steel.
Now, it was personal.
---
1. Kael vs. Theron
Blades clashed beneath the moonlight, sparks scattering like dying stars. Kael grunted as his sword locked against General Theron's, muscles burning from effort and memory.
"I trained you better than this," Theron hissed. "Where's your focus, Ashguard?"
Kael shoved him back, boots skidding on the blood-slick floor.
"You trained me to follow," he spat. "Now I lead myself."
Theron's eyes narrowed. "And where has that gotten you? Serving a cursed prince? Betraying the throne?"
"I didn't betray the throne," Kael said coldly. "I betrayed you."
They lunged again.
Every movement was loaded with history — feints from old drills, parries they'd practiced together under the whip of imperial command. But tonight, Kael wasn't the eager soldier chasing approval.
He was the man who had chosen Lucien.
Theron moved to disarm him — a swift sweep of the heel meant to flip his footing — but Kael anticipated it. He countered with a brutal elbow, then brought his blade down.
Steel pierced flesh.
Theron's breath hitched. Blood bloomed from his side.
He dropped to his knees, stunned.
Kael didn't finish him.
He leaned close, voice low.
"You once told me, loyalty was the sword and the shield. But you forgot—the sword can cutthe wrong master."
Then he turned his back and walked away.
---
2. Elias Falls
Elsewhere in the temple's ruined outer ring, Elias dropped to one knee, his body trembling.
The runes on his skin flickered, sputtered… then dimmed.
He had used too much magic — not just light magic, but the forbidden kind, the fire-glyphs buried deep in exiled scripture.
Blood dripped from his nose.
His vision doubled.
The last of the Bloodbound Guards near him disintegrated into ash, swallowed by the backlash of his spell. But Elias didn't rise.
Instead, he collapsed.
A soft thud against stone. Unmoving.
Lucien arrived seconds later, Kael close behind.
"Elias!" Lucien knelt, pressing a hand to his chest. "He's breathing, but it's faint—Kael, help me—"
But Kael didn't move.
His eyes had caught something.
A scar.
It ran down Elias's ribcage, partially hidden beneath torn robes — one stitched with old runes, imperial in origin.
Kael knelt beside Lucien. "That's not from a wound. That's surgical."
Lucien blinked. "What do you mean?"
Kael's jaw tightened. "I mean… Elias wasn't just trained as a priest. Someone rebuilt him."
Lucien looked down at Elias's pale face, the flicker of pain even in unconsciousness.
"What did they do to you…?"
---
3. When Flame Remembers Desire
After moving Elias to a safe chamber, Lucien stood alone at the edge of the balcony. His body still hummed with power from the merge, his fingertips twitching.
He could feel Riven more clearly than ever before. Not like a voice anymore, but a presence — a shadow leaning too close. A breath against his neck.
He gripped the balcony rail.
"You're getting stronger," Lucien whispered.
"Soareyou," Riven replied from inside. "You called me willingly. That opened thegate."
Lucien swallowed.
"I felt it. Your memories. Your pain. Even your…" He hesitated. "...desires."
Silence. Then a slow, velvet hum.
"It's all yours now. We shareit."
Lucien turned inward, forcing focus.
"Then tell me this. When you kissed Azrael… were you truly in love, or were you using him for the ritual?"
The voice didn't answer at first.
Then—
"Iloved him. But I hated that I did."
Lucien closed his eyes.
"I think Elias feels something. But I don't know if he wants me… or you."
"Does it matter?"
"Yes," Lucien growled. "Because I want someone who sees me."
"Then you're already ahead of me," Riven said quietly.
For once, there was no threat. No temptation.
Just regret.
---
4. Fire Without Flame
That night, Kael stood watch outside Lucien's door, silent as ever.
Inside, Lucien sat beside Elias's sleeping form, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. He had bandaged the scar, laid a cloth across his brow.
He thought about the kiss.
About Kael's promise.
About Riven's past.
His heart was a room with three doors — and none of them were open.
He leaned close to Elias, brushing a strand of hair back.
"You burned yourself for me," he whispered. "Why?"
Elias stirred, half-conscious.
"Because…" His voice cracked. "You made me believe again. Even if… you're not whole."
Lucien swallowed.
"Then I'll try to stay whole. For both of us."
He didn't kiss him this time.
But the warmth in the silence between them was enough.