March from Darkness | ✓ (to be edited)

FORTY

PHRER

Please be careful, Daraya. You're running on empty, and I cannot use my powers here as well as I can in Glitnir.

I didn't want him to know that I was also running low on energy. He could probably sense it if he really wanted to, but I hoped he didn't break his concentration for that.

I watched them steadily, trying to make sure that everything stayed relatively safe. I was keeping a close eye on Latvaya, knowing that he could very easily do something.

Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly if I really thought about it, Latvaya backed down, moving to leave. However, he didn't get very far before Sāma brought his Blade of the Twins to Latvaya's throat.

And as the two snarled at each other like rabid dogs, I glanced over at Daraya...

But, I was standing too far away from him.

I didn't see her in time.

And when I did, when I managed to shout out to him, to run to him, it was too late.

As the energy sliced through his chest, I felt it slice through mine, as well. Everything happened so fast as the world began to tremor, the moonlit skies above filling nearly instantaneously with clouds, blotting out the stars and the light from the moon.

Koralai yanked the energy from Daraya's chest just as I got to them. I didn't even think as I used the last of my energy to form a blade of my own, sinking it into her belly and slicing her harshly. My rage took over then, even stronger than it had when I'd sentenced his family, and I did something I never thought I would be able to do: I gripped her hair at the roots and, pushing her body down, yanked as hard as I could. The snapping sound of her spinal cord lasted for a split second before wet tearing replaced it.

I discarded her head to the side just moments before Daraya collapsed, his voice just uttering an unwarranted apology; although to whom it was directed, I didn't know.

Sāma nearly slipped in his mad dash to his brother, and even Latvaya, who prior to now had been intent on killing the Twins, looked stunned.

He tried to move towards Daraya's form, now limp in my arms, but someone took him to the ground. Latvaya screamed for him, shouting words unintelligible to me as my ears began to ring. I wiped my bloody hand off on my pants before I brought it to his face.

I cradled Daraya in my arms, watching him struggle to breathe. I barely felt the hot tears of fear and anguish wash over my face, the only indicator of my aching chest. He stared at me for a moment, his eyes not filled with fear, but with confusion.

Sāma stared at his brother in shock and horror, his eyes filling with white tears. "I thought Firsts could only die by beheading," I choked out to him.

He didn't even look at me as he shook his head, his tears singing the dirt and sand at our knees. "It is different for each First. They die by their weakest trait. My brother's is his heart... he cares about everything and everyone, even to the bitter end. Even if he doesn't want to say it."

I love him... fuck.

The thought wasn't mine, but the feeling was mutual.

I don't exactly know when that had happened, when that indescribable feeling had turned into a word I negated to use my entire life, but it had. And now it was here.

And now it was falling apart in front of me.

"I love you, Daraya," I whispered, bringing my forehead to touch his. I wished to say it louder, but I couldn't anymore. Just saying it made an involuntary sob come out of my throat. "I love you. And I'm sorry."