The earth is careening straight down the tracks to hell and the humans are at fault.
Trapped in the dungeons of an ancient burial grounds and tortured to the brink of insanity, the God and Goddess of balance have been separated, unleashing a terrib...
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It turns out Daniel is very bad at staying out of Meika's way.
Though my consciousness fades from time to time and my eyes grow heavy and cloudy, I can see the man I've come to know following her every move. For the most part, he pensively crosses his arms and hovers. More like a gargoyle than any duckling, even if she does whirl around and crash into him occasionally.
I wait for the moment she snaps and unleashes a flurry of curses and insults.
I wait for Meika to lose her grip on the control she clings to.
But she never does.
She doesn't lash out and chew him up with words, she doesn't fight him. Meika gives him a long, critical glare before sighing and ordering him around too. Perhaps this was Daniel's goal all along, forcing her into making him useful.
But the Demi-god goes over to the journal filled with notes and begins reading out a list of the things she needs. He then writes it all down and hands it to her on a spare sheet of paper, just so she doesn't have to continually ask.
They whisper to each other in secrecy and suppression, occasionally passing looks back to me and to the young girl laying beside me.
Shai' has long since disappeared, likely off scouring for ingredients and protecting the camp.
Never once have they let on about the toll Kiel's leash had taken. While I don't know if this is out of stoicism, there is no doubt in my mind they were subject to more torment than could be fathomed. Shai'rune does not carry a lick of pain in their eyes, carrying themselves with strength.
What I do know is the intense, searing pain coursing deep within my chest is unbearable. It's warm and sharp, bursting with every movement.
Remi had been tasked with watching over me, making sure I had easy access to water and food, and the blankets I continued to throw away from me. No matter how many times I have to bite my tongue about her lean hands tucking me in again, I know what they're doing.
Keeping her busy.
Keeping her mind working.
Making Remi feel useful while the two immortals work together in disjointed synergy. Taking her painfully sad eyes and broken will into consideration, if only to babysit me.
To make sure I don't die in the process.
My stomach turns with nausea and I roll away from Remi's sleeping frame to spit more blood against the dirty sand. With how hard they're all trying, I feel like it's my duty to fight. Even if I feel like I won't make it.
Even if right now it feels hopeless.
I failed him.
I failed Lindon.
His life being stuck inside an ancient temple and wasting away just like mine, but never escaping. Never breaking out of that hellhole.
For all I know, he could be looking for me all around the world too.
