Spirit of the Ashes: A Nyssara story

Chapter 13

Nyssa's POV

She looks at me, confusion etched on her face as I jump out of the bed. I can hear shouting outside the door.

"Sara, we have to go!" Her eyes finally clear as she realizes what I'm saying. She gets out of bed and runs over to me. I grab my sword off the wall and open the door.

I run out, making sure Sara is following me. Assassins run all around us, trying escape the flames. I go into an abandoned hallway with Sara in tow. Quickly, I pull a torch down and a passageway opens in the wall.

Once safely inside, I turn to Sara. "Stay here, the catacombs are one of the safest places in Nanda Parbat. The fire will not be able to spread here."

She looks at me, her chest rising and falling in quick recession from her lack of breath. It takes a second, but she realizes what I'm saying and her eyes widen. "Wait. You're not going back there. Are you?"

I nod. "I must get everyone else to safety."

"No please don't go back." She grabs my arm. "You could die."

I smile at her comfortingly, trying to wash all of her doubt away. "Sara, I have been through much worse. I will not die."

"Then take me with you." She begs, her eyes filling with tears.

A sudden fear flashes through me. "I can not, it would put both of us in even more danger."

She looks up at me, I feel my heart tugging at me to stay with her, but I know can not. "I can't lose you." Her voice breaks.

"You won't."

A single tear runs down her face. She nods as she realizes that arguing is fruitless. I look at her one last time before running out of the catacombs and back into the scorched hallways.

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Sara's POV

As soon as she runs out, I start to follow her. I can't stand not knowing if she is alive or not. She runs around the fortress; getting people out of burning rooms and blocked hallways. I always stay a couple meters away from her so she won't see me.

At one point she turns around and catches a glimpse of me before I can hide behind a pillar. I hold my breath as she stares at the spot I was seconds before. But after a couple seconds, she shakes her head as to clear it and I let out a sigh of relief.

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Nyssa's POV

I see Sara everywhere. She is in every face, wall and pillar around me. Father was right, love will get me killed.

I shake my head, trying to rid it of all emotion. A couple seconds later, there is nothing left of me except for the assassin.

I finish checking all of the rooms, everyone has been evacuated. I turn to go back to the catacombs but a prickling feeling stops me. I turn around, trying to find where it's coming from. The corridor is empty. I mentally scold myself for being so anxious.

I get to the backdoor, but something feels off, this was easy, too easy. I let go of the handle and start towards the main room, the only room that had not caught fire. It is sparsely decorated, just like the rest of the compound except for Ra's throne.

At first the room appears to be empty, but a shrill laugh echoes around the stone walls. A girl steps out of the shadows, her hair jet black, similar to mine.

"Talia." Surprise echoes through my voice, but I quickly cover it. "What have you done?"

She does not answer right away. "It is funny, you were the only one to check in here. Everyone else was too panicked to think of anything except for escaping. Well done, Sister."