The moment Liana stumbled backward—eyes wide, breath trembling—Kael felt her blade slide out of his chest. The world blurred for him… sound fading… colors dimming around the edges. He dropped to his knees, hand pressed to the wound, blood spreading fast beneath him.
"L… Liana…" he whispered, still reaching for her even when his strength failed.
She stared at her own hands in horror—hands the Darkness had used to stab him.
"No… no, no, no…" Her voice cracked, breaking.
Then her knees buckled.
As she fell forward, something warm slipped down her cheek—a single teardrop, bright, shaking, filled with every emotion she had been forced to bury.
It landed on Kael's chest.
And the world changed.
The moment the tear touched him, a faint glow erupted beneath his palm—weak at first, then brighter, pulsing with a soft, ancient light. Kael's breath hitched. He lifted trembling fingers toward her face.
"Liana… that's you," he whispered. "Not the Darkness… you."
But she didn't hear him.
She collapsed fully against him, her head resting on his shoulder, her body limp. Her breathing was shallow—too shallow—and her pulse flickered like a dying flame.
Kael's heart lurched painfully inside him.
No. Not her. He would bleed out, he would die a thousand times, but he would not lose her.
"Liana… stay with me," he begged, voice cracking. "Please. Don't leave me."
Her eyelashes fluttered—but only slightly.
Then the Darkness reacted.
A thin black mist rose from her skin, swirling in the air around them like smoke searching for a host. It hissed, angry, resisting her breakdown.
Kael winced as pain shot through him—but he forced his shaking arms to wrap around her.
And he made a choice.
If the Darkness wanted her… it would have to go through him first.
With a broken, weakening roar, Kael crushed her to his chest, ignoring the agony tearing through his wound. He pressed his forehead to hers.
"You cannot have her," he growled at the Darkness.
"I don't care what it costs. I will not let you take her."
As if answering him, the black mist lunged toward Liana's face—trying to slip back inside her.
Kael grabbed it.
His hand sizzled, skin burning instantly—but he didn't let go.
The mist shrieked, twisting, fighting, trying to slither away.
Kael pulled harder.
Every muscle in his body trembled. Blood dripped from his wound. His vision turned white… then black… then white again. He gritted his teeth until they almost cracked.
Slowly, painfully, he dragged the corrupted Darkness out of her… inch by inch… tear by tear.
A shockwave burst from Liana's body as the last strand of Darkness ripped free, tossing Kael backward and slamming him against the stone floor.
He coughed hard—blood spilling from his lips—but he stayed upright.
He had it.
He actually had the Darkness in his hand.
The swirling corruption twisted violently, shrieking without sound.
Trying to escape.
Trying to return to her.
Kael slammed his other palm to the ground, muttering a spell so old it tasted like iron on his tongue.
A binding circle flared beneath them.
The Darkness screeched—trapped.
Then it dissolved into ash.
Gone.
Completely.
Kael collapsed forward, chest heaving, the last of his strength fading.
But then—
a soft sound.
"Kael…?"
His head jerked up.
Liana was waking. Her eyes fluttered open, weak but clear—clearer than he had ever seen them. No red. No corruption. No Darkness.
Just her.
Tears gathered in her lashes.
"You're hurt…" she choked. "Kael… I-I stabbed you—"
"I know," he whispered, reaching for her cheek with a bloody hand.
"But you came back to me."
She covered his hand with both of hers, sobbing quietly. "I didn't mean to—"
"I know," he breathed. "I know, Liana…"
His vision blurred again—but this time from relief.
Her fingers hovered over his wound, glowing faintly—just a flicker of power, not yet returned, but responding to her emotions.
"Don't die…" she whispered. "Please… Kael… don't die."
He managed a weak, tired smile.
"For you? Never."
His body finally gave up. He slumped unconscious, collapsing into her arms.
Liana screamed his name—voice breaking into raw anguish.
And for the first time—
the Darkness was gone.
But her power… it had only just begun to awaken beneath the surface.
A storm was coming.