❝ Pain was my fuel, until the fire began bleeding from my veins. ❞
The girl without a name.
The black-haired fiend devoid of fear.
The sharp-tongued scoundrel always ready with a trick up her sleeve.
Thief and street rat Azura knows how to hustle a...
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◢✥◣ PREVIOUSLY... ◥✥◤
The Order was attacked by the Sharlik Empire. During the attack, Ari was forced to shift, revealing his other form was a great wolf. Suri and Azura followed Sharlik soldiers into the school where they had too good of an understanding of the layout. They succeeded in their mission, sacrificing themselves and burying the healing waters under the school in an explosion of rubble. Suri was caught in the blast and severely injured. With the healing waters gone, Wymler was the only other place that could possibly heal her injuries.
༛༛ ༛ ༛༺༻༛ ༛ ༛༛
I don't get to say goodbye, they leave in a rush, skirting around the remnants of the Empire's army.
I stand by the rubble beneath the school, watching the slow process of clearing it. It'll take weeks to make it stable without risking the collapse of part of the school above. The Empire just continues to take and take without a care for the lives it crushes. And now there's a chance...
I turn away, not wanting to think about the state Suri's in but being unable to think of anything else.
I make it above ground, the rest of the Order still recuperating. Many pyres have been set alight in the past few days, sending off the souls of the dead as a heavy downfall has continued to bombard Sharlikire. It patters against the windows now, the wind whistling against the old stone of the school, seeming to mourn the fallen with us.
This wasn't supposed to happen. The Empire hasn't tried to touch the Order in years.
"Azura," Ari says as his hand touches my arm.
I lift my chin, glancing at the empty hall around me. I didn't even realise I'd stopped and was staring blankly out of the window, watching the flames lick at yet another body. I look at Ari now, his eyes soft as he regards me. "What if she doesn't make it, Ari?" I can't help but ask.
"You can't think like that," he replies, shaking his head as he cups my jaw in his palm. "She'll make it, our sygils are still bright."
I look down at my left wrist with his words, the three sygils still glowing just beneath the end of my glove. "What if they don't work?"
"Trust Suri. Trust her magic, and trust her will to survive. Besides, Lilja won't let her die."
I let out a breath and press my forehead against his chest, seeking his comfort. "I wish I had your strength."
"You do, and more." He wraps his arms around me, holding me close, reminding me that I'm still not alone. "We'll get through this and so will they."
I breathe in the pine of his scent and try to believe his words. I need to believe they'll be alright, otherwise I'll crumble.
Someone clears their throat next to us, drawing my attention. I lean back and scowl as I meet the slanted eyes of Vera, watching us with her hands on her hips. She tilts her chin and I know why she's here.
