Victor Hugo has crept into my writing. Okay, so right now I'm having
serious doubts about my own writing style, because there are so many people
out there who are so much better than me. This chapter didn't express half
as much emotion as I wanted; I cried a lot while writing it. If this is
even remotely sad to you at all, then I've done my job.
-
Madi was the second to notice Liam's absence. "Damn it all, he's gone after the crystal," he growled, more in irritation than surprise. Rising so swiftly that the chair crashed to the floor, he took flight, racing at full speed down the corridor. Ayame hesitated a moment, then followed at his heels.
Liam was nearing the end of the hallway, chin tucked into his collarbone, straw-colored hair come loose from its ties and streaming behind him. His legs took long strides, covering ground faster than seemed possible, arms and elbows tucked in close to his body to maintain speed. He must have heard Madi's furious cries from behind him, but he did not turn, increasing his speed fraction by fraction. From between his clenched fingers pulsed the urgent glow of the crystal.
Madi slowed, fumbling with something under his shirt. His hand retreated out into the open again, something glinting with a metallic sheen. With a jolt of horror, Ayame realized it was a gun.
"Liam, don't make me shoot you," the prince shouted, his voice shaking, though his hands were steady. His pace slowed down to a halt, raising the gun to chest level, extending it out in front of him. "I swear to God, I'll shoot you if you don't stop running!" His screams were frantic and unsure, a bad combination when one is holding a murder weapon.
Liam didn't stop. His pace only increased, as he turned a corner and was lost to view. Cursing the air blue, Madi took off again after him, with Ayame close behind. When they reached the corner, a blast of sunlight from an open door rendered their eyes temporarily blind; he was outside. As soon as they passed through the door he was visible again. Not fifty feet from them, he was doubled over, hands on his knees, panting with the exertion of long-distance sprinting. When he caught sight of Madi, he straightened up, still clutching the crystal. Disheveled hair hanging into his face, eyes alight with calm terror, clothing rumpled and legs shaking, he looked much the part of the pursued fugitive.
He flung his left arm out, clenching the crystal tightly in his fingers. "I'll throw it," he warned, eyes flickering to the side. Madi followed his gaze. The forest was a thicket of unexplored, untamed growth; if the crystal were to be thrown in there, it could be years before anybody found it. "I swear, I'll throw the damned thing!" Liam repeated again. He was shaking like a leaf, but there was no doubt that he would do as he said.
Then Madi drew the gun. For an instant Liam faltered, his eyes flicking to Ayame, who stood petrified ten paces behind the prince. Then his shoulders straightened, and his hardened gold eyes fixed onto Madi.
"Shoot." His free hand fumbled with his shirt, then tore the front open, exposing his chest, muscled from years of fighting to preserve his life—the life which he was now so openly giving away. He faced the gun squarely, unflinching and unafraid, his shirt torn down the center and the crystal extended far from his body. "Go on, shoot, I won't stop you. All I want is that you will let Ayame leave this place and be free."
There was a moment of silence. Ayame's heart pounded so fiercely in her breast that she would be aghast if someone had told her that she was the only one who could hear it. Then Madi's finger closed on the trigger.
The crack of the bullet rent the air. Liam staggered a pace backwards, but his gaze did not falter, even as red blossomed onto his shirt. "I love you, Ayame," he whispered. The crystal fell from his fingers to land silently on the earth. He toppled backwards, a deep sigh escaped his lips, and that was all.
Then followed the numb unfeeling silence that comes when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly. Ayame, taking slow, shaky steps, dropped to her knees beside Liam's body, faintly illuminated by the crystal at his side. An unexpected noise made her look up.
The prince had fallen to his knees. Kneeling on the dirt, he pressed the still-warm muzzle of the gun to his chest, hands trembling. Without uttering a single word, he pulled the trigger a last time. There was a muffled shot, and he fell backwards without a sound.
Ayame bowed her head over Liam's corpse, dry-eyed and still. Taking the crystal up in her palm, she stared at the cursed object for a moment, then closed all ten fingers around it. She knew what she must do.
There was an intense white light that filled her whole vision, blinding her.
A cacophony of tumultuous voices rose up around her, deafening her.
Then all fell away into blissful, merciful darkness.
-
Madi was the second to notice Liam's absence. "Damn it all, he's gone after the crystal," he growled, more in irritation than surprise. Rising so swiftly that the chair crashed to the floor, he took flight, racing at full speed down the corridor. Ayame hesitated a moment, then followed at his heels.
Liam was nearing the end of the hallway, chin tucked into his collarbone, straw-colored hair come loose from its ties and streaming behind him. His legs took long strides, covering ground faster than seemed possible, arms and elbows tucked in close to his body to maintain speed. He must have heard Madi's furious cries from behind him, but he did not turn, increasing his speed fraction by fraction. From between his clenched fingers pulsed the urgent glow of the crystal.
Madi slowed, fumbling with something under his shirt. His hand retreated out into the open again, something glinting with a metallic sheen. With a jolt of horror, Ayame realized it was a gun.
"Liam, don't make me shoot you," the prince shouted, his voice shaking, though his hands were steady. His pace slowed down to a halt, raising the gun to chest level, extending it out in front of him. "I swear to God, I'll shoot you if you don't stop running!" His screams were frantic and unsure, a bad combination when one is holding a murder weapon.
Liam didn't stop. His pace only increased, as he turned a corner and was lost to view. Cursing the air blue, Madi took off again after him, with Ayame close behind. When they reached the corner, a blast of sunlight from an open door rendered their eyes temporarily blind; he was outside. As soon as they passed through the door he was visible again. Not fifty feet from them, he was doubled over, hands on his knees, panting with the exertion of long-distance sprinting. When he caught sight of Madi, he straightened up, still clutching the crystal. Disheveled hair hanging into his face, eyes alight with calm terror, clothing rumpled and legs shaking, he looked much the part of the pursued fugitive.
He flung his left arm out, clenching the crystal tightly in his fingers. "I'll throw it," he warned, eyes flickering to the side. Madi followed his gaze. The forest was a thicket of unexplored, untamed growth; if the crystal were to be thrown in there, it could be years before anybody found it. "I swear, I'll throw the damned thing!" Liam repeated again. He was shaking like a leaf, but there was no doubt that he would do as he said.
Then Madi drew the gun. For an instant Liam faltered, his eyes flicking to Ayame, who stood petrified ten paces behind the prince. Then his shoulders straightened, and his hardened gold eyes fixed onto Madi.
"Shoot." His free hand fumbled with his shirt, then tore the front open, exposing his chest, muscled from years of fighting to preserve his life—the life which he was now so openly giving away. He faced the gun squarely, unflinching and unafraid, his shirt torn down the center and the crystal extended far from his body. "Go on, shoot, I won't stop you. All I want is that you will let Ayame leave this place and be free."
There was a moment of silence. Ayame's heart pounded so fiercely in her breast that she would be aghast if someone had told her that she was the only one who could hear it. Then Madi's finger closed on the trigger.
The crack of the bullet rent the air. Liam staggered a pace backwards, but his gaze did not falter, even as red blossomed onto his shirt. "I love you, Ayame," he whispered. The crystal fell from his fingers to land silently on the earth. He toppled backwards, a deep sigh escaped his lips, and that was all.
Then followed the numb unfeeling silence that comes when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly. Ayame, taking slow, shaky steps, dropped to her knees beside Liam's body, faintly illuminated by the crystal at his side. An unexpected noise made her look up.
The prince had fallen to his knees. Kneeling on the dirt, he pressed the still-warm muzzle of the gun to his chest, hands trembling. Without uttering a single word, he pulled the trigger a last time. There was a muffled shot, and he fell backwards without a sound.
Ayame bowed her head over Liam's corpse, dry-eyed and still. Taking the crystal up in her palm, she stared at the cursed object for a moment, then closed all ten fingers around it. She knew what she must do.
There was an intense white light that filled her whole vision, blinding her.
A cacophony of tumultuous voices rose up around her, deafening her.
Then all fell away into blissful, merciful darkness.