A Throne in Chains

Chapter Twenty Three - Fragile Truths

The battle was over, but the wounds it left behind remained.

Jade sat beside Alex in the dimly lit infirmary, the weight of everything pressing down on her chest. His breathing was steady, but his body was still weak, his skin pale beneath the lingering remnants of Void corruption. The blue in his eyes flickered in and out, as if the battle between who he had been and what the Void had twisted him into had yet to be decided.

She hadn't left his side since they carried him back.

The others kept their distance, not out of malice but out of caution. Price and Ghost were assessing the aftermath, already discussing defensive measures in case Alex's change wasn't as permanent as they hoped. Soap had been quiet, his usual humor dulled by everything that had happened. Even Krampus, normally unwavering in his presence beside her, had given her space.

Jade knew why.

No one was sure if Alex Keller could truly be saved. Not even her.

A Brother Lost, A Shadow Returned

Hours passed before Alex stirred. His fingers twitched, then his entire body tensed as though he were waking from a nightmare. His breathing hitched, and when his eyes snapped open, they glowed—a brief, haunting flicker of fire before settling into a dulled, tired blue.

"Jade..." His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.

She straightened, leaning closer. "I'm here."

His expression twisted, confusion, pain, and something darker flashing across his face. "What... happened?"

Jade swallowed, forcing the lump in her throat down. "You fought me. You almost killed us all." Her voice trembled, but she didn't back down. "But I didn't let you go."

Alex let out a weak laugh—bitter, self-deprecating. "You should have."

Jade's hands curled into fists in her lap. "Don't say that. Don't you dare say that to me. I thought I lost you, Alex. Do you have any idea what that did to me? To all of us?"

His jaw tightened, but there was no fight left in him. Just exhaustion, regret. "I thought I lost you first. And then... I became something else. Something I don't even recognize anymore."

Jade reached out, her fingers hesitant before brushing over his wrist. "You're still you. It's not gone, not completely. But you have to fight it."

His eyes darkened. "And if I can't?"

Jade inhaled sharply. "Then I'll fight for you. Just like I did out there. Just like I always will."

A Rift Between Them

The door creaked open, and Krampus stepped inside, his presence immediately shifting the air in the room. His crimson gaze locked onto Alex, calculating, assessing.

Alex tensed beneath his stare. "So, what now? You put a bullet in me while I'm too weak to stop you?"

Krampus remained still. "If I wished you dead, you would not be here."

Jade shot Krampus a warning look, but he ignored it, his focus entirely on Alex. "You are not free of it yet. The Void lingers in you."

Alex let out a humorless chuckle. "Yeah, no kidding. It's not like I can just wash this off."

Krampus stepped closer, towering over the weakened man in the infirmary bed. "Do you want to be free of it?"

The question hung heavy between them. Jade held her breath, waiting.