Despair

I stumbled through the forest, each step sending waves of agony through my battered body. My left arm hung useless at my side, a mess of gore and torn muscle.

Blood seeped from the deep gashes in my chest, each breath a struggle against the sharp, stabbing pain. My thigh, where a chunk of flesh was missing, felt like it was on fire, and my dislocated shoulder throbbed with every jolt of movement.

Trees blurred past me as I limped forward, my vision narrowing to a tunnel of sheer willpower. I couldn't stop. I couldn't afford to collapse here, not when Sasha and Jacob were counting on me to catch up.

My mind was a haze of pain and determination, each step a monumental effort to keep moving.

The only thing keeping me alive was my willpower and my higher-than-normal constitution.

The forest was eerily quiet, the

usual sounds of nature muted as if the world itself was holding its breath.

My heartbeat thundered in my ears, a constant reminder of my fading strength. I stumbled over roots and rocks, barely managing to stay upright. Each fall was a battle to rise again, my blood staining the forest floor.

The fight with the Kraglin Elder still weighed heavily on my mind. It outclassed me in every way. If not for the weapon art taught to me by Farya , I would have long perished.

I was too weak.

Even with the bloodline that was granted to me, I was still too weak.

The adrenaline that had fueled me then was gone, replaced by a bone-deep exhaustion. But I couldn't let it end here.

They were waiting for me.

The forest seemed to stretch on endlessly, every step a test of my resolve. My thoughts became a mantra: keep moving, keep fighting, don't give up. I clung to that, using it to drown out the pain and fatigue threatening to overwhelm me.

As I trudged forward, something caught my eye. A trail of blood on the ground, stark against the greenery.

My blurry vision focused slightly, and I registered the significance.

The trail led deeper into the forest, a morbid breadcrumb path. I followed it, my heart pounding with dread.

It ended at a tree, where a man was slumped against the trunk.

His faded grey robes were soaked with blood, and his stomach bore a large, gruesome wound. His brown hair was matted with blood and dirt, his angular nose broken. He was missing an eye.

Jacob.

"No," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

I stumbled closer, collapsing to my knees beside him.

His remaining eye was half-open, staring blankly into the distance. I reached out with my good hand, touching his shoulder gently.

"Jacob, no... You can't be..."

My mind struggled to process the scene before me. Jacob, my friend, my comrade.

Gone.

A wave of nausea hit me, and I doubled over, retching. The pain from my injuries flared, but it was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

"Why... why did it have to be you?" I choked out, tears mingling with the blood and dirt on my face.

My vision blurred again, but this time from tears. I clenched my fists, feeling the warm, sticky blood on my fingers.

The voices in my head returned, resuming their merciless taunts.

'This is your fault. You left them. You ran.'

"No... I didn't run... I had to..."

'You failed them. You failed him.'

I pressed my forehead against the ground, the cold earth offering no comfort. Jacob's lifeless form was a stark reminder of my failure. I had led them into this, and now he was dead because of me.

"Sasha... please be safe," I whispered, my voice breaking.

I forced myself to my feet, my body screaming in protest. I had to keep moving. I had to find Sasha. I had to make sure she was safe.

As I took a step forward, I looked back at Jacob one last time. I swallowed hard, trying to push down the rising tide of grief and guilt.

There would be time to mourn later. Now, I had to survive. I had to save Sasha from whatever it was that did this to Jacob.

With every painful step, I carried the weight of Jacob's death with me. The forest closed in around me, but I kept moving, driven by a desperate need to atone for my failure.

I would not let his sacrifice be in vain.

'You're no hero. Stop being a hypocrite.'

Ignoring the voice, I forced myself to keep moving, each step a new agony. My body swayed with pain and exhaustion, my mind a numbed haze of grief and determination.

The forest seemed endless, every shadow a potential threat, every rustle a reminder of the dangers that lurked just beyond my sight.

My thoughts were a chaotic mix of memories and fears, the faces of my friends flashing before my eyes.

I stumbled over a root, barely catching myself before I fell. But then my foot caught on something solid, and I went down hard, landing on my injured arm.

The pain was excruciating, a white-hot flare that tore through my body. I cried out, unable to stifle the sound. My vision blurred, and for a moment, I was lost in a sea of agony.

Then I heard it. A faint voice, calling

my name.

"Rybane..."

I forced my eyes open, focusing through the tears of pain. I saw her, prone on the ground, her body riddled with holes. Magic wounds. Blood pooled around her, soaking into the forest floor.

"Sasha," I whispered, crawling toward her.

She looked up at me, her face pale and contorted with pain. "Rybane... you're... alive..."

I reached her, my heart breaking at the sight. "Sasha, no... no, this can't be happening..."

She managed a weak smile, her hand reaching out to touch mine. "It's okay... you made it..."

Tears streamed down my face as I took her hand.

"I'm so sorry... I should have... I should have

been faster... I should have protected you!", I cried out.

She shook her head slightly, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "It's not... your fault. We tried... we tried to fight back... but they were too strong..."

"Who did this?" I asked, my voice trembling with anger and grief.

Her eyes flickered with pain and sorrow. "The elves... it was the elves... they attacked us... the townspeople ran... but the elves... they went after them..."

I felt a surge of rage, my hands trembling as I held hers. "I'll make them pay, Sasha. I swear, I'll make them pay..."

She coughed, blood staining her lips. "Rybane... don't... just... just keep going... you have to... survive..."

"No, Sasha, don't leave me," I pleaded, my heart breaking. "Please, just hold on..."

She gave me one last, faint smile, mustering the strength to cup my cheek with one hand. "I just...want you... to know that.. I've alw... always l—."

Her hand went limp in mine, her eyes still half-open.

"I know, Sasha. I... I've always known.", I whispered, my voice cracking.

I stared at her, my mind unable to process the reality of her death. She was gone. Jacob was gone. I was alone.

The weight of their loss pressed down on me.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't think.

The world was spinning, collapsing around me.

You have to protect them.

You can't stop now.

Deep inside, a voice whispered differently. A voice that had been becoming harder to ignore.

'You're tired. So tired.

You can't go on.'

'Just give up.'

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of despair. But the voices wouldn't stop. They echoed in my mind, growing louder, each one a nail in the coffin of my resolve.

'They trusted you, and you let them down.

You couldn't save them.'

'You can't save anyone.'

'You're a failure, you always have been.'

I pushed myself to my feet, every movement a struggle.

My body was broken, my mind was a mess. Sasha's death weighed heavily on me, her final confession a cruel reminder of my failure.

The desire to protect the townspeople was still there, but it was buried under layers of exhaustion and guilt.

You have to keep going. For Sasha.

For Jacob. For everyone.

But my heart was tired. So tired.

I stumbled forward, every step excruciating, a battle against the voices in my head. Each movement sent waves of pain through my body, but the pain was almost welcome.

It was a distraction from the crushing despair that threatened to overwhelm me.

I wanted to protect them, but in my heart, I didn't know if I could. I didn't know if I had the strength to keep going.

'I should just die.'

'You can't give up. You have to try.'

I clung to that thought, even as the voices in my head grew louder, more insistent. I had to keep moving. I had to find the townspeople. I had to try, even if it killed me.

'You're just afraid. You can't even put an end to your misery.'

'Pathetic.'

With each step, I felt a little more of my resolve slip away.

I didn't know how much longer I could hold

on.

The town of Basil came into sight earlier than I had expected.

Much too early.

It wasn't the town I knew. It wasn't the place where my life found meaning. It wasn't there.

The town was razed to the ground, the whole area up in flames.

A scenery of blood and smoke.

I fell to my knees, my mind blank. The ashes of Basil. The picturesque scenery of indiscriminate slaughter was engraved in my mind.

It was also the final thing I saw before something hard hit my head, and my vision went dark.

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End Of Arc 1 Part 1

Greetings, Dear Readers. I hope this finds you all in good health and spirits. I donot know why tf I am writing this like this is my will.

Anyways, part 1 is done. I hope it kept you on the edge of your seats. Part 2 will be out tomorrow hopefully. Sorry for the late uploads, I have a really tough routine.

Say Hi in the comments for me. Later.