Your Shadow Is My Light

Prologue - If I can go back in time

Normal text
Thinking
Onomatopoeia

Ahri's POV
Whoosh!

Silver cut across my vision.

A heartbeat later, a white katana—etched in gold—drove straight for my throat. I moved on instinct. The blade slipped past my face, close enough that death brushed my skin. The air tore around it. Something grazed my cheek.

Then warmth.

Blood traced a line down my face.

Durandal warped the very air along its edge. Of course it did. A weapon praised for "purging all evils" was bound to be cruel.

My bloodshot gaze tracked the blade as it withdrew. For a moment, I wished it had not missed. Wished it had taken my head cleanly and spared me the rest.

What was left for me?

The sword had already taken everything.

My parents.

My clan.

My lover.

Gone.

Erased.

And yet it still remained. 

So did the man who wielded it. 

The thought burned hotter than any wound. Hatred twisted with regret, festering beneath my ribs.

I wanted to die.

I truly did.

But not like this.

Not before his head lay at my feet—just as he had left my little deer's.

My vision sharpened. The haze thinned. My pupils narrowed as my tails rose behind me, stiff with intent rather than pride.

Power surged through my limbs without warning—violent, painful—forcing life back into my leaden body. My ears flattened as a snarl tore free. Exhaustion gnawed at my thoughts, but I moved anyway.

My hand closed around his retreating forearm.

I squeezed.

Bone splintered with a wet crunch. His scream followed a heartbeat later.

I hooked his leg and wrenched. He slammed into the ground. I loomed over him, fist raised to smash that smug, detestable face into something unrecognisable—

A fireball tore towards me.

I leapt back. Heat scorched through my fur, searing the tips. The blast struck where I had stood, embers scattering in every direction.

I landed lightly, though my breath came thin. My tails lashed once behind me before settling as the sparks dimmed.

Damn them.

If they had not crippled me—

If they had not torn out my mana core—

This would have ended long ago. I would have reduced them to ash instead of being forced to dirty my hands with something so small.

"Die, monster!"

The Dragon Knight charged, his voice shrill with hatred.

I recognised that look in his eyes.

I had seen it before.

The same warped delight he wore when he severed my baby's arm.

Monster.

From him.

How fitting.

Of course I knew who he was. The rat who never left Rae in peace. The shadow that trailed her, gnawing at her spirit piece by piece. The one who smiled when she flinched.