𝕬𝖗𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖘 𝕷𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖞 - [𝗞𝗮𝘇 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗲𝗿]

𝐱𝐥𝐯. 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯

 Darkness flooded through... and Aleksa could feel him before he even entered.

 Aleksander trailed forth on a tidal wave of shadows, each one rippling, lashing out like unruly dogs. Aleksa could almost feel them calling to her; she couldn't have been sure if they were beckoning her forth, or begging for release.

 The nichevo'ya were by his side, great claws made of shadow lapping as gunfire spilt the air once again. But such weapons would never truly be enough; the nichevo'ya writhed and whirled around Aleksander, shifting as bullets tore through their rippling forms... they only chittered, one taking the place of another while Aleksander didn't even break his stride.

 Aleksa was stunned; his display of raw power was unlike anything he'd ever demonstrated before. She'd grown tired after simply reaching out to just one nichyevo... and yet he could craft them with ease, he could call them to fight without trouble.

 Aleksa, no matter the sudden distrust flooding her veins when it came to the Heartrender twins, stood between them as they flanked Alina with guns drawn. The Grisha formed behind them, each and every one of them ready to fight no matter the fear they all inevitably could feel.

 Alina rose her hands, and Aleksa could feel her burst of sunlight warming her back.

 "Stand down, Alina." Said Aleksander, his chin poised high. His stature was the only familiar thing about him these days. He stood tall and regal, as though he thought himself a king... or a Saint. His eyes flashed, and they soon left Alina and fell to his own blood. "Aleksa."

 She could see a hint of amusement dancing within those quartz-grey eyes, the same ones that had fooled her time and time again. He'd flooded them with care and kindness, yet all she could see was betrayal... anger.

 His voice echoed through the chapel, silencing the chittering of the nichyevo'ya at once, "Both of you, stand down... stand down, and I will spare them."

 Aleksa could hear each of their remaining Grisha readying themselves. There was the click of Inferni flint being struck, the light jostle of wind brushing by as Zoya prepared herself, and Tamar scraped one axe blade over another, eliciting a terrible shriek of metal that rose the hair on Aleksa's arms.

 She hadn't yet called to the shadows... for unlike the Grisha around her, they came when they needed. There was no preparation, no time to bide. They rushed forth on a mere thought.

 Aleksander hadn't spared a glance at the flames, the winds caressing his sharp cheeks, nor the axes within Tamar's hands, "Look around. "You cannot win. You can only watch them die. Come to me now, and I will do them no harm — not your zealot soldiers, not even the Grisha traitors."

 Aleksa wasn't often one to give up. In the midst of the most terrible of heists, Aleksa would always twist her head to Kaz and trust that he'd concoct some kind of plan to get them out alive... he had never failed her. But he wasn't here, was he? It was just her, a lone crow in a flock she didn't quite belong to.

 She liked to think she was almost on par with Kaz. She could guess the things slitting through his devious little mind... but this... how could anyone get out of this? Aleksa swallowed... and then, she could feel it. Fear.

 Aleksa Corvina Morozova was afraid.

 She didn't want to leave with him, she didn't want to fall straight back into the arms that had already harmed her in so many ways. He'd never apologise, and he'd never grow into a better man... it just wasn't within Aleksander's nature.