A Fatal Mistake
The artifact exploded with force, sending a shockwave through the battlefield. The air rippled violently, and the clearing was consumed in blinding light. Knights were knocked off their feet, their armor clattering as they fell like scattered leaves.
Adrian was caught directly in the blast. The force struck him like a thunderbolt, lifting him off the ground and slamming him into the jagged stone wall at the edge of the clearing. The sickening crack of impact echoed above the fading roar of the artifact. His body crumpled to the ground, motionless for several agonizing moments.
Lyra staggered backward, the artifact trembling in her hands. Its whispers quieted, almost as if it were savoring the destruction it had caused. She could barely hear the sounds of battle over the pounding of her heart. Her vision blurred as she stared at Adrian’s still form, a sickening wave of guilt crashing over her.
“Adrian!” she choked out, her voice trembling.
He stirred, his body struggling to obey his commands. Blood trickled from a gash on his temple, streaking his pale skin. His crimson eyes found hers, pain and disbelief etched deeply into his gaze.
“You—” Adrian’s voice cracked as he pushed himself up on shaking arms. “You don’t have to do this.”
Lyra’s breath hitched as she clutched the artifact tighter, her hands trembling. “I trusted you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her words felt hollow, weighed down by the agony in Adrian’s eyes.
Adrian wiped the blood from his face with a trembling hand. His voice was raw, filled with an emotion that pierced through Lyra’s guilt like a blade. “And I trusted you,” he rasped. “I would never hurt you, Lyra. Why can’t you see that?”
Her grip faltered, the artifact slipping slightly in her hands. For a brief moment, the whispers fell silent, as though even the relic was waiting to see what she would do next.
Before Lyra could speak, movement caught her attention. A figure emerged from the shadows, her blade catching the artifact’s dim light.
Misery stepped forward, her posture relaxed, her expression unreadable.
