Darkness & Light: Book 1: Shatter Our Fates [COMPLETED]

31 - Tiber

Tiber follows Corvo, Lydia, and Lyrrha through the tunnel system connected to the cave they stayed the night in. Corvo holds a lit torch, its flames casting flickering shadows across the walls. Tiber can't help but think the shadows seem to be dancing. He wishes Hayley were here, so he could show her the strange ways they move.

But then, he wishes she was here regardless. She'd know what to do, or so he tells himself. He looks over at Lydia, who stares at the floor as they walk, and he wonders if she's worried she will trip. He thinks he hears Hayley's cane, but then, he realizes it's just his imagination.

But as they walk, he does hear the sound of water running up ahead. They walk around a corner, and stop when they reach a drop off, the darkness in front of them all-consuming and absolute.

The four of them peer into the shadows, and Corvo sighs. "This puts a damper on things."

"Where are we going?" Tiber asks.

"Not that way, I suppose," says Corvo.

He turns and looks around.  Lydia clears her throat. "Um, guys? Look." Tiber looks up, and sees something skittering across the ceiling of the cave. He watches the thing move, its long, spindly legs twitching as it moves.

"What is that?" Lydia asks.

"A crawler," Corvo answers.

"Hmm, original name," mutters Lyrrha.  "Will it harm us?"

"It can try," Corvo says, his tone dry. He draws a knife from its sheath at his side, and watches the crawler as it skitters about on the roof.

"Maybe we should leave..." Lyrrha murmurs.

"No, we must press on," Corvo says sternly.

"Why?" Tiber asks him. "What's got you so dead set on this?"

Corvo shakes his head. "I don't have to explain anything to you."

"What is your fucking problem with me, Corvo?" Tiber demands.

"Now's really not the time for a dick measuring contest, boys," Lydia growls. "Look!"

At least a dozen more crawlers come skittering out of the dark drop-off. They hiss and snarl, their all-white bodies twitching and clicking. Bones snap as they move, and Tiber feels a bit nauseated by it.

One of them leaps up, its massive, needle-fanged mouth snapping in Lydia's face. Lydia screams, shoving it back, but it sinks its teeth in the side of her throat. Corvo screams in rage, throwing a knife. But the crawler somehow knows, and it dodges the blade.  The blade Corvo threw embeds itself in Lydia's chest.

"LYDIA!" Lyrrha screams, her voice echoing.

Corvo screams in rage once more, and green, fiery energy swirls around his hands. "What the fuck?!" He looks at the flames, but then he smiles, his typically blue eyes turning the same sickly green as his flames. He throws a blast of the fire right at a crawler, and it shrieks as it catches fire.

Lyrrha holds Lydia in her arms, and Tiber whips around, drawing his sword from his satchel. He slashes at two crawlers, and decapitates one. The second is cut deep in its chest, blue blood pouring out of its body.

Tiber feels his powers rising once more, and he unleashes a blast of dark purple energy, that slams into the remaining crawlers, killing them. Corvo collapses to the ground beside Lyrrha and Lydia. Corvo is sobbing, which shocks Tiber.

But then again, Lydia's impending death is his fault.

Lydia is bleeding a lot, and Lyrrha is sobbing, telling her she will be okay. But it's a lie and they all know it, even Lydia.

"Help ... me... I'm so ... c- cold."

"Oh, Lyd.... " mutters Corvo. "I'm so sorry ... I'm so, so sorry. I wish I could..."

Lyrrha holds her hands over Lydia's body, her hands glowing bluish silver. But the healing magick isn't helping. Lydia coughs, blood painting her pale lips. Her body is shaking hard. Corvo inches closer to her, tears pouring down his face.

Tiber reaches into his satchel, focusing on a healing salve. He pulls free a couple bottles, and immediately gets to work on helping Lydia. Corvo looks at him, his blue eyes wide with anger and fear and sadness.

"Help her, Tiber," he whispers.

Tiber applies the salve to the wounds on Lydia's throat and chest, but even though it's helping a little, it's not fast enough. She's lost a lot of blood. She's going to die, no matter  what they do. No matter how hard he tries ...

"No, no, no no no no! Stay with us, Lyd!" Lyrrha cries.

Lydia looks at the three of them. "I'm so cold... Lyrrha.... I- I love you."

Lyrrha sobs. "I love you too."

"Can you... kiss me? Before I..." Then, Lydia's eyes turn glassy, and her breath leaves her lungs, not to rise again. She is dead.

Tiber steps back, staring at the three of them. Lyrrha screams. Then, her hands begin to glow. Silver light pulses from her hands, and crystals begin to crackle and crawl up Lydia's body. Lyrrha stares, eyes wide in shock.

"What's happening?" Corvo asks.

"I want to make sure time cannot harm her," she says softly. "Lydia, I love you." She leans forward, kissing Lydia's forehead. "I'm so, so sorry I didn't know sooner. But I love you. Please, Lydia.... Wake up!"

"Lyrrha..." Corvo whispers.

"No!! No, she's not dead!"

"Yes, she is, Lyrrha."

Lyrrha screams and cries, and all Tiber can do is sit there and watch, numb as he watches Lyrrha mourn for Lydia. He hates himself for not being able to save Lydia. What use is he as an alchemist and a mage, if he can't even save a friend from death?

Corvo sighs shakily. "Lyrrha, we must carry on... There will be more of them."

"I don't fucking care, Corvo."

"She wouldn't want you to die here, too."

"She didn't want to die, anyways, Corvo! And yet, you helped kill her!"

Corvo sighs.  "I know..."

"I loved her," Lyrrha whispers. "And she's gone. Dead... so now, I.... I need to avenge her"

"How? How will you do that?" Tiber asks.

"By finding the person who trapped us here, and killing them."