Whims of a Quiet Dreamer

Chapter 47: The Sacrifice

The battlefield still echoed with the remnants of the battle as Sithu, Jaren, and Finn pushed forward, their resolve strengthening with each step. Kahdros loomed in the distance, his dark energy crackling in the air as he prepared for one final assault. But something wasn't right. Sithu could feel it—a growing unease gnawing at the back of her mind.

As they moved closer to Kahdros's position, a sudden explosion of energy erupted nearby. Sithu barely had time to react before she saw it: a bolt of dark energy hurtling toward her. In a heartbeat, a shadowy figure emerged from the chaos—Kaelin, had joined the fray, aligning herself with Kahdros. She hurled the bolt with deadly precision.

Sithu's instincts kicked in, but it wasn't fast enough. Jaren stepped into its path, pushing her out of the way. The bolt struck him with full force, and he crumpled to the ground, his face twisted in pain.

"Jaren!" Sithu's voice broke through the chaos, her heart seizing as she rushed to his side. Finn was at his other side in an instant, his face pale with fear.

Jaren's breaths were shallow, his body trembling from the shock of the hit. "I'm... okay," he managed to say, but the pain in his voice told a different story.

Panic gripped Sithu as she knelt beside him. She could see the wound where Kaelin's energy had struck him, searing through his skin and draining his strength. It wasn't fatal yet, but she knew he couldn't take much more. And with Kahdros and Kaelin closing in, they didn't have time to waste.

"Jaren, you shouldn't have—" she began, but he cut her off with a weak smile.

"I had to," he said, his voice soft but resolute. "It's what we do... we protect each other."

Tears pricked at Sithu's eyes. The battlefield felt distant for a moment as she looked down at her friend, the one who had stood by her through everything. Now, here he was, sacrificing himself to protect her.

Finn knelt close by, his face a mixture of fear and determination. "We have to stop Kahdros and Kaelin, Sithu. But we can't leave Jaren like this."

Sithu's mind raced, torn between the two impossible choices in front of her. She could see Kahdros gathering his energy for another strike, his dark power growing stronger by the second. Kaelin stood at his side, her dark presence looming like a shadow over the battlefield. If Sithu didn't take them down now, they might lose their chance forever. But if she left Jaren behind—if she allowed him to suffer while she fought—could she live with herself?

Her heart pounded as the weight of the decision bore down on her. Her justice, her loyalty, every lesson she had learned up to this point came flooding back. She knew what she had to do.

With a deep breath, Sithu placed her hand on Jaren's shoulder, letting her own energy flow into him. It wasn't a healing spell—she wasn't that powerful—but it was enough to steady him, to keep him going a little longer.

"I'm not leaving you," she said firmly, her voice filled with resolve. "We'll do this together."

Jaren looked at her with gratitude, his eyes shimmering with pain but also pride. "Thank you."

As Sithu channeled her energy into Jaren, something unexpected happened. The Krevathians, who had been fiercely loyal to Kahdros, began to waver. Sithu felt it like a shift in the air—Kahdros's hold over them was weakening. Her choice to save her friends, to prioritize loyalty over victory, was rippling through the battlefield. The Krevathians, sensing the strength of that bond, began to falter.

Kahdros, standing in the distance, noticed it too. His face twisted into a snarl of fury. "You think you can save them? You're too late, Sithu. They're already mine."

Kaelin's cold voice echoed beside him, her gaze fixed on Sithu with disdain. "This will be your end, Avelia."

But Sithu stood tall, her determination unshaken. "You're wrong, Kahdros. You don't understand what true power is. It's not control or fear. It's the people we fight for—the bonds we share."

With a newfound strength coursing through her, Sithu helped Jaren to his feet. Together with Finn, they regrouped, standing as one united front. The Krevathians, sensing the shift in power, hesitated, their loyalty to Kahdros and Kaelin crumbling in the face of the trio's determination.

This was their moment. Sithu, Jaren, and Finn locked eyes, each knowing what they had to do.

"Ready?" Sithu asked, her voice steady.

"Always," Jaren replied, his strength returning.

"Let's finish this," Finn said, his eyes gleaming with resolve.

With a final surge of energy, they charged forward, their combined powers pushing back against Kahdros's darkness and Kaelin's deadly strikes. Sithu's inner light flared brighter than ever, and with Jaren and Finn at her side, she knew they could end this once and for all.

Kahdros roared in fury, and Kaelin launched another desperate attack, but it was too late. Sithu's decision, her sacrifice, had turned the tide. Now, together, they would bring the battle to its rightful end.