Beneath the Sunless Sky

Chapter Forty-Eight

—Khae Falairas—

The world burned. She had thought she had prepared herself. She had thought she understood the horror she would see. A battleground. A war. Death. Destruction. Suffering. All things she had seen before. And yet all she had seen was nothing compared to what awaited her within the Entanglement.

Above, a sky painted red with falling meteors. Below, a cracked and trembling city. The screams pierced her soul, their echoing pitch far louder than anything she had heard before. People ran. They begged. They prayed. They sobbed. They stared in abject horror, as uncomprehending of the loss as she was. Everything was falling, failing, dying, and there was nothing, nothing, that could stop it. The loss would be absolute. Everything that was would be gone.

Idelle had seen what had become of the Grave. She knew that it fell, knew that it was wiped from all memory, but still the reality was difficult to understand. These were living, breathing people. And they had all died in an inferno of madness and despair.

But the worlds, as she knew it, knew nothing of this loss.

Another meteor struck the ground, cracking the metal streets and buildings with ease. Idelle stumbled. Her foot stepped on something soft. She twisted around to see what it was and immediately wished she hadn't.

A boy. Not more than three or four. He was half buried under some rubble, his face bloodied, small arms stretched out for help that had never come. Idelle felt her heart leap into her throat, her stomach churning violently as the screams seemed to grow louder and louder, an ear-splitting crescendo that ended in an echoing shriek that was somehow louder than all the rest. She turned toward the sound. It came from somewhere beyond her field of vision, but she could still see a flash of golden light on the horizon. Another tremor, the sky itself split asunder, and then, for several long, painful seconds, an eerie silence until—a wolf's howl.

And then, just like that, time rewound itself.

The boy. She could save the little boy. Idelle turned, ready to reach out and save him, but the time loop didn't afford enough time. Instead, she watched as his little body was crushed before her eyes. Idelle dropped to her knees, stomach threatening to heave. She squeezed her eyes shut, a sob tearing from the back of her throat. The suffering of the city, of the entire world—she could feel it all, every whimper of pain, every prayer, every tear. It crashed over her again and again. There was no hope. No future. Nothing but darkness and despair and a hollow ache that would never end, not even—

Two warm hands settled on her shoulders, coaxing her gently to look up. Zhar knelt in front of her, understanding in his stormy eyes. Idelle shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

"I...I can't..." she sobbed. "How can you take another step? These are your people. They're dying, and nothing will save them."

Zhar bowed his head, pressing his forehead to hers. "Because if Virmira Tanadall uses the Aetherial Accumulator, she could open a rift to the Grave. What happened here could spill over, and then, your people will be next. I will never allow this to happen. Not ever again." He held out a hand to her. "But I need you to walk by my side, Idelle Ralia. I will not leave you here in this unending sorrow."

With a shaking hand, she placed it in his palm and allowed him to help her to her feet.

"We need to be careful. We are not bound to the time loop Aldressa put in place, meaning if we die..."