Iftia: Nix, Dark Alley

• Tristan •

Tristan leaned against the brick wall, trying to breathe through his ragged, erratic breaths. He was slowly losing strength from the constant bleeding and even his vision was slowly washed over by a tint of red. His hands were soaked in his own blood but when he tried to move his legs, they wouldn't budge no matter what. Damn, they must've severed my legs. I can't feel anything.

"Sir Tristan?!" Larry scurried over to him, his tear-streaked face hovered before him as he tried to assess his situation.

"It's all your fault!" he glared at him, hatred burned at the back of his eyes. However, he clearly knew that that hatred was directed towards himself and his own inability to prevent any harm in Elianna's way. He had promised Rowan that he would watch over Elianna and keep her safe, but he had failed terribly. He clutched onto the material of his official garb in front of his chest and heaved painfully. The overwhelming guilt within him was devouring him in full.

"Please d-don't d-die!" Larry cried desperately. "I'll g-get help! S-so p-please don't d-die!"

Then, he pushed himself off the ground and stumbled but ran as fast as he could out of the dark alley, disappearing into the shadows out of panic and fear. Tristan could only watch from where he was, unsure if Larry had run to escape or to get help. He lifted his head up to face the sky, his eyes squinted shut to shield his eyes from the bright rays of the sun. Tears glided from each corner of his eyes.

I'm so sorry, Elianna. If only I was stronger...

※

Not sure how long had passed but he was losing the battle with his consciousness. Feeling cold and weak all over, he could feel his own life slowly slipping off his grasp. He was about to close his eyes when he heard heavy footsteps trudging through the snow and familiar voices shouting his name. Frowning slightly, he felt someone grabbed his arm and moved his body.

"Tristan!"

He immediately recognised the voice at Kaylon's and he sounded frantic and horrified, "Come on, buddy! Please don't close your eyes!"

Wishing that he could heed to his plea, he struggled internally but his eyelids had grown so heavy that they refused to open no matter how much he tried. So, he forced himself to speak, "Kaylon."

"Hey buddy, we're bringing you back. Please don't close your eyes just yet," Kaylon hushed, sounding desperate.

"Elianna—" Tristan mumbled as an overwhelming feeling of helplessness filled him.

"Tris, it's okay. We'll figure this out." Kaylon held onto his arms and positioned them on his shoulders before pulling his body towards his back. Kaylon carried him on his back and walked.

"Elianna—" Tristan continued to mumble weakly, holding onto her name as though that was the only word he knew at that point in time.

━━━━━━━━━━

Thethia: Royal Grounds, ____

• Elianna •

Elianna woke up to the sound of water dripping. When she opened her eyes, her vision was in a total blur and she had to blink a few times to make out what is ahead of her. Yet, other than the prominent darkness, there seemed to be nothing within the space. She lay on her side and her skin rested against a rough, wet ground that felt annoyingly uncomfortable. Her whole body felt numb and she let out a silent groan of irritation, knowing that she's back in Thethia and is currently being locked up. The surrounding air was stale and the floor was filthy with dirt and stagnant water that had contributed to the horrible conditions of the cell. When she tried to push herself up, the noisy clanking of the chains on her wrists and ankles sounded. Raising her arm, she inspected closely and saw sharp needles on the cuffs that would pierce through her skin if she were to pull the chains taut.

"Eli?!" A man appeared in front of her cells and she lifted her head to find a pair of bright emerald green eyes staring right at her. She shook her head slightly, knowing that it would be too dangerous to communicate with him in her current circumstance.

"You can talk to me here, you idiot," he breathed harshly.

"Thunder, what's going to happen to me?" she jumped straight into the main question.

"Why are you even here?!" he scowled in an angry whisper.

Then, she elaborated the entire incident to him and he glared at her, eyes filled with anger. He gripped onto the bars surrounding her cell and rested his head dejectedly on it. Hissing through clenched teeth, he mentioned, "Why? Eli! Why did you even sacrifice yourself for both of them? Do you even know what does coming here mean for you?"

"I can't possibly let them die," she explained agonizingly.

"Eli, my sole purpose is to protect you." Thunder stared at her, his eyes glowed in the dimness of the surroundings in luminescent green. "Even if it's Rowan, I'll let him die if it meant that I could keep you safe."

She jerked her head to her side, refusing to look at Thunder any longer while feeling her heart squeezing in her chest painfully.

"I'll figure something out. For now, don't act rashly," he sighed and walked away, leaving her alone in the cell.

She kept her head low and brought her legs close to the chest. Deep down, she understood that Thunder cared for her deeply and would do anything in order to keep her from harm's way. But too many people had been hurt because of her and too many people had sacrificed for her. 

It was to the point at which she started to question if she was worth enough for everyone to walk these great lengths. Her thoughts suddenly drifted towards Tristan and wondered if he had made it out alive and if his legs are okay. Having another person to throw their life away because of her would be a fact too difficult to swallow and impossible to accept.

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Iftia: Lyx Palace, Large Foyer

• Rowan •

"Ro!" Alec shouted as he burst through the main gates.

Rowan stopped pacing and turned sharply to see Tristan on Kaylon's back, severely injured. Blood had gushed from the knife wounds above his knees and flowed along the length of his calves before forming a bloody trail on the grey marbled ground. He ordered, "Place him on the ground! Hurry!"

Kaylon lowered himself slowly while Alec and Ilias helped to rest Tristan on the ground. Rowan knelt beside him and placed his hands above his wounds. Chanting a string of Iftiac, a ray of glow surrounded him and he concentrated his magic energy towards his hands. However, Tristan reached to grab on his wrists.

"D-Don't w-waste it on me..." Tristan begged feebly, "P-Please go and s-save Elianna..."

Rowan frowned at him, deciding to ignore his plea because if he doesn't heal Tristan at this instant, he would die. And even if he doesn't die, he would be crippled and never be able to walk ever again.

"R-Ro—"

"Stop talking," he warned, continued to tap into his gift and channel it into his magic energy.

"D-Don't..." Tristan continued pleading.

"Tristan!" Rowan shouted, his patience ran thin in this dire situation. "As much as Elianna is important to me, you are important too! I am not going to let you die and I am sure that Elianna would not want that!"

Finally, Tristan ceased his resistance but he reached for his chest and clawed into his skin as he cried. The other knights witnessing this had forced their eyes close as they dropped their head in understanding of all the desperation he had felt. Due to the severity of his injury, it had drastically exhausted Rowan's gift and it would take him almost a month to recuperate but he doesn't have the time privilege because Elianna's in the hands of the man who had sought a million ways to bring harm to her since she was born.

There's no way he would sit still and let someone harm her.

He needed to think.

Because there must be a way to save her.

※

Later in the night, Rowan had retreated to his study. He stood beside the tall window just behind his desk ask he peered right out into the distance. Placing his palm over his heart, he whispered, "Elianna Evarix."

A small glow appeared in the thin space between his palm and his chest and a familiar beat pulsed within his chest. The rhythm was slightly weak, but he felt her there. Her heart beating in his chest was the only way that he could confirm that she's still alive right now. However, each beat didn't feel like a promise. What if the next beat never comes?

He couldn't imagine being without her. It would definitely kill him entirely to lose her. Closing his hands into tight fists, he fought the complicated emotions within him as he missed her warmth in his embrace. He promised her that he would protect her, but he had failed.

Then, there were two knocks on the door.

"Come in," Rowan said from the inside, expecting that it would be Ilias or any of his knights. He composed himself and turned to face towards the door.

To his surprise, the person who stepped in was someone he had never seen before. The man had short black hair that was cropped neatly to his sides and he had a pair of emerald green eyes that looked so surreal. He stepped into the room and closed the door, not saying anything.

"Who are you?" Rowan asked, his voice cold and dangerous. 

※