The Lightning Mage

34 | The Second Farewell, Part I

ϟ☁ϟ☁ϟ

Opposite Boston Common, three streets down the Dawn Avengers headquarters, there was a small, cozy cafe. Inside, Lyn's usual table sat at the back, right next to the window. She frowned and tapped her fingers—wait a minute, what was she doing here?

Her eyes floated towards the copy of the Quester's Tribune next to a notepad and a cup of coffee. Ah right, she was finding commissions for her newly-formed team. Not an easy task—she had never received this many rejections in her life before.

Lifting her head, she looked around. Huh, the cafe was peculiarly empty. Where was everyone?

She spotted a familiar figure from the corner of her eye and cried out in relief, "Cinnamon!"

The petite woman spun around, her silky ponytail fluttered across the air with a soft swish. The moment her large, round eyes spotted Lyn, she broke into a smile—a smile that never failed to make Lyn's heart soar like a helium balloon.

"Lyn." Cydney trotted towards her, a plate of dessert in her hands. "I got you your favorite tiramisu."

"You did?" Lyn could not stop grinning. "Oh, thank you so much, Cinnamon Cake. You're seriously the best."

Cydney chuckled, her cheeks turning pink. "Am I?"

"Of course you are! I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Really?" The smile on the Asian woman's face disappeared. "Then why did you let me go?"

Lyn blinked. "W- What?"

The next thing she realized, the cafe was swallowed by dark shadows. When the world appeared around her again, she found herself on her bed, face down and on all fours. Lying under her was Cydney, her black hair sprawled over the pillow while a rosy hue washed over her contorted face. Lyn's heart skipped a beat.

"Cinna?" Her eyes traveled down towards Cydney's bare body.

Pale, slim, a flawless hourglass figure, the woman could've been a model if not for the endless amount of scars all over the torso. With a shaky hand, Lyn caressed the wounds.

"Oh my god, Cinna..." she whispered. "Who did this to you?"

"Will you protect me from them?" Cydney's voice was weak and breathy.

"Of course I will." Lyn's free hand wrapped around Cydney's waist, pulling her body up into an arc. "I swear, I will protect you forever."

"Then, why, Lyn?" Once again, Cydney's expression became as blank as a soulless doll. "Why did you let me go?"

"What? No!" Lyn shook her head. "I will never, I swear, I- I won't-"

But the warm touch of the porcelain doll began to fade.

"No, no, no, wait!" Lyn screamed. "Cinna, don't leave! Please!"

She tried to grab Cydney, but she ended up grasping the air, pulling at the bedsheet, tearing through the bed. But no matter what she did, Cydney was getting away, disappearing, leaving her... No, no, no, no, no...

Then, she jolted awake, heart beating through her chest, skin sticky with sweat.

Oh, it was another one of those nightmares. She must have forgotten to take her sleeping potion again. Slumping back down on her bed, Lyn let out a loud groan. What the heck happened last night? Her entire body was aching so bad.

She sighed and rolled over to the side—or at least, she tried to roll over. But she couldn't; her hands were pulled up into a rather awkward position, a metal chain tying them up to the bedposts behind her. She blinked.