𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

Ⅺ 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔

TOYLA AND TAMAR WALKED AHEAD OF THE OTHERS, LEADING THEM TO THE HIGH WALLS OF THE CAMPS STONE WALLS. Nikolai's already weak steps faltered as he looked up at the shadow Fold. "The Fold

should have fallen by now," Nikolai murmured.

"Did she find the Firebird?" Toyla questioned turning back to him.

"Long story. It's Ma," Tamar said with a huff.

"I'm sorry. Did you say Mal is a bird?" Jesper asked, his eyebrows raising in surprise.

"The Firebird isn't real?" Tenzin questioned and Tamar shook her head. "You need a new signal then."

They walked down a small hill, passing under an arch and facing the thunderous fold. "Still no sign of Kirigan," Nikolai muttered. They stopped watching the cracks of lighting appear through the thick shadows. "We go in, we find Alina and Mal."

Kaz stepped up to Nikolai, tossing his cane further into his hand. "Here."

Nikolai glanced at the crow's head before back at Kaz. "Don't you need it?"

Kaz shrugged softly, "I've got more experience with pain." Kaz walked around him and Nikolai immediately leaned his weight onto the crow cane.

Toyla and Tamar were the first to step into the shadows. Tenzin felt the hair on the back of his neck stand as he stepped forward into the darkness. Shredded bodies were scattered across the field of the courtyard and the low grumbles of Volcara echoed through the shadows. "Follow me," Toyla ordered in a quiet voice. He sped off to the left, into the walls of the military base, everyone following him closely. They walked down a long tunnel, the light glow of candles lighting the stone walls. A harsh shriek of a Volcra broke through the silence, then a pair of beasts tumbled through the tunnel. The beast spotted them and raced down the hall.

"In there!" Tolya yelled, pushing Nikolai into a small prayer room. Jesper pulled Wylan in and the others scrambled in, Tamar and Nadia slammed themselves against the door to hold it shut.

Tenzin and Wylan stood together but Wylan quickly hit Jesper's arm. "Metal hinges. Jesper." Jesper ran forward, pushing between the two girls at the door and wielding the hinges against the door and wall.

Jesper stepped back and slowly the girls dropped their hands. "That should hold the Volcra," Tamar said hopefully.

Jesper shrugged softly, "We'll see."

A low hissing made everyone spin and Wylan stumbled behind Tenzin as the shadows weaved out from the darkness, forming into the Shadow Monsters. "Everybody, back," Tamar ordered pushing Nadia and Nikolai behind her.

"Kirigan's shadow monster," Kaz muttered.

"But without the blade, how do you kill a shadow?" Wylan stammered.

"I think we just have to survive it, not kill it," Tenzin mumbled. "Unless any of you have an idea."

"All we have is this," Adrik said stepping forward. He and his sister knocked their arms together, a powerful gust of wind pushing against the shadow. It disappeared for a moment before growling and appearing in front of them, rising from the ground.

"Shield your eyes!" Wylan shouted. He reached into his pocket and everyone ducked as Wylan lobbed a phosphorous bomb at the shadows. It shrieked as the blue light overtook it before the shadows fell back into the darkness.

"Yes! My man!" Jesper shouted in excitement. "We haven't actually put a label on it, yeah?" Jesper stumbled over his words before waving his hand. "I mean, he did that." The shrieking and growls simply returned after a moment as the creatures stood tall again.

Tamar and Toyla stood tall, raising their weapons but Tenzin turned to Wylan. "How much phosphorus do you have left?" Tenzin questioned in a rush.

"Uh- I," Wylan stuttered as Toyal and Tamar yelled, rushing at the creature.

Tenzin grabbed Wylan's shoulder, pulling his attention, "Just give me all of it!"

❆

ELVIRA TOSSED HER KNIFE AT A VOLCRA SWIPING DOWN AT HER. She rolled under its talons smiling as she noticed her knife tearing through the Volcra's wing. She rolled out of the way as another raced through the sand after her. She glanced back at the dead Volcra behind her and smiled. She stood, whistling to the beast that shrieked at her. It barrelled at her but she turned and jumped over the dread Volcra, letting the other impale itself on the dead beast's talons.

Elvira looked up at the final Volcra flying at her but a ray of light shot through its torso. Elvira turned back watching the lights from the centre of the Fold expanded in swirling beams. Elvira covered her eyes as the winds rushed for her, kicking up the sand. Once the howling winds settled down Elvira pulled her arms from her face, squinting at the sun. Elvira looked around, the edges of the Fold disappeared, showing the sand in the sun's golden light.

Elvira smiled, laughing to herself for a second. She turned back, grabbing her knife from the sand, that had fallen from the now ashy Volcra. "Nina!" Elvira shouted, rushing through the sand. "Nina Zenik!" Elvira rushed forward, stopping by a rogue rock. Nina was laying behind it, her hair messed with a small cut running along her left temple. Elvira ran to Nina, dropping to her knees and pressing her hand to the cut. "Nina wake up!" Elvira hissed.

Nina groaned and Elvira laughed in relief, helping Nina to sit straight. "Ira..?" Nina said through a groan, her hand coming up to meet Ira's. Her eyes drifted up to the clouds and she smiled. "Is that the sun?"

Elvira smiled, "Thank Djel."

❆

THE SUN CREPT THROUGH THE STAINED GLASS WINDOW, LIGHTING UP THE SMALL PRAYER ROOM. The beast turned to the window, growling softly. "Saints! She did it," Nadia said in relief.

"Why is it still here?" Tamatr asked, holding her axes high.

"The sun can't kill it!" Tolya yelled, slicing at the shadows. It growled and slapped Toyla back, throwing him into the wooden long chairs. Tamar yelled for him, sliding next to him.

Tenzin finished unscrewing the last of Wylan's bombs into his bag, cursing to himself. The monster turned to him, Jesper pulling Wylan back. Tenzin tossed the bag out, spreading a kilo of phosphorus powder over the ground. Tenzin tossed a firecracker into the powder, lighting it up in blue and orange flames. The monster shrieked and disappeared. Tenzin stood on shaky legs, his eyes bouncing around the fire.

"Did that work?" Kaz questioned. Tenzin turned to him but the monster materialised behind him, gripping his torso and lifting him up. Its claws pierced Tenzin's skin and he screamed and his blood seeped through his clothes.

Nikolai ran forward, swiping at the monster with Kaz's cane. It tossed Tenzin back and he slammed through a pew. The monster growled and stabbed Nikolai in his shoulder, lifting him up against a pillar.

Wylan scrambled to Tenzin, rolling him onto his back. Tenzin wheezed, his lungs growing tight, the pain spreading as Wylan tried to stop the bleeding. Wylan looked up at Jesper, who had paled in the face, "I think it hit his lung."

❆

ELVIRA HELPED NINA TO HER FEET AND THEY TURNED TO ALINA'S CALLS. "Nina! Nina!" Alina's voice cracked as she looked over the sand and back at Mal laying beneath her.

"Come, quickly," Nina ordered, holding her dress as she ran through the dirt. Elvira followed her and they both knelt by Alina.

"Oh, Saints. How long?" Nina asked, staring at the blade sticking out of Mal's chest.

"Just now. Can you save him?" Alina said quickly, her hands pressed around the wound against the knife.

Nina stammered, looking at Alina before moving her hands, pulling at Mal's heart. Nina's hands faltered and she froze. "I can cauterise it," Elvira said, already pulling water to her palm. Nina nodded, starting to pump Mal's heart with her power. Elvira quickly took the knife out, the water already moving to hold against the wound, freezing as quickly as she could make it.

"Now you know sacrifice," Kirigan stated as he stood, one hand pressed to his torso.

"Beyond anything you've ever known," Alina spat. "And look what it did.

"Indeed. Look what it did." Alina looked back at Nina and Ira kneeling over Mal's body.

"Mal and I changed the world," Alina said turning to Kirigan. "We tore down your Shadow Fold."

He hummed softly, "You have my sympathies for what comes next, when you realise that what you've done solves nothing. The world doesn't need a Saint to protect it. It needs a monster. And while I remain-" Kirigan cut off with a harsh cough. "Let me be your monster."

"You think that after everything, I'd still stand by you?" Alina scoffed.

"There is no light without darkness. Without me, you have no counter, no balance. Let me carry the hatred of this world."

"Hatred. Because of the choices you made."

"Choices you too will make in time."

"I will never walk your path."

"I know you believe that now." Kirigan coughed again as he stepped closer. "But soon... Soon you will have no equal. The years spent alon will grind you down, they will harden you. And who will be there to shield you from it Who will be there to save you?"

Kirigan reached for Alina's face but she grabbed his wrist. "I will save myself," She hissed. "Your legacy is already written. There is no redemption."

Alina shoved his back and he fell into the sand. A monster growled as it tore itself from Kirigan's back. It growled and raced forward, grabbing Alina's neck and lifting her high. "Leave her alone! No! No!" The monster slapped Kirigans back, ignoring his pleas.

Inej tossed the sword in her hand and threw it at the monster, shattering it into golden dust. It dropped Alina onto the sand, and she groaned as she landed on her knees. "'You can't control them, can you?" Alina questioned as Kirigian walked forward, stopping in front of Alina. You can't control any of it."

"I thought I could control it all once, " Kirigan mused as he held his hand out to her. "Find peace. And for a moment, I swear I did." Alina stood, grabbed the relentless blade, and drove it through his torso. Kirigan sputtered, blackened blood sputtering from his lips. He looked down at the blade before back at Alina. "Without me, know they will come for you."

"Let them come," Alina hissed. She tore the blackened blade out and Kirigan fell back into the sand.

"Alina, Kirigan sputtered, "you make sure there is nothing left of me. Please. Please. Blue skies. My Little Saint."

Elvira scoffed, "Pretentious prick."

Nina chuckled, "Completely. Can't believe he's an amplifier."

Elvira looked up and nodded. "Shame."

❆

THE MONSTER HOLDING NIKOLAI AGAINST THE PILLAR GROWLED IN PAIN. It rippled into golden light and disappeared before their eyes. It dropped Nikolai, but Tamar caught him before his head hit the floor.

"Kirigan must be dead!" Nadia spoke up.

"Toyla!" Wylan shouted, his hands still pressing to the wound in Tenzin's side. "Tolya help."

Toyla rushed to Wylan's side, his hands crossing over Tenzin's chest. He sighed softly and drew his hands back. "What?" Jesper whispered.

Toyla placed a hand on Jesper's shoulder. "I'm sorry, but there's no heartbeat."

❆

NINA GROWLED UNDER HER BREATH, HER HANDS STARTING TO ACHE. "Come on, you stubborn bastard," Nina groaned. Alina dropped the blade and ran back to Ira and Nina, her hand clutching Mal's. "He's putting up a good fight, this one. Like something's holding him on the other side. Give him a reminder then, what matters over here."

Alina nodded quickly and squeezed Mal's hand, bringing it to her lips and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. "Mal. Come back," Alina pleaded, one hand moving to cradle Mal's cheek. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes tight. "Please."

The veins on her hands ran black and Nina drew her hands back. Mal gasped and Elvira moved to Nina's side, pulling her back. Alina cried, dropping her face into Mal's neck, smiling. "Saints, you had me worried."

"How?" Mal whispered and Alina looked up at Nina but Elvira was already pulling her to her feet. "How did you-"

"Hey, hey, you're okay. You're okay." Alina lifted Mal up, squeezing him tight.

"Elvira!" Inej shouted. Inej ran to Ira, throwing herself into Ira's arms. "Thank the saints you're alright."

"Thank Djel you are alright," Ira said with a laugh. Ira stepped back and looked at Zoya. "You're alive."

"As are you," Zoya said with a nod. She walked around, stepping closer to Kirigan's body. "What do we do with him?" Zoya asked, looking down at him splayed out in the sand.

"Someone has to wait with him," Alina said, looking up.

Zoya nodded but Elvira beat her to it. "I'll wait with him," Ira insisted. Zoya looked up at her and Ira shrugged. "Unless you wanna walk halfway across Ravka. I'll stay."

Alina nodded, "I don't want any heretics to find the body and make a martyr's relic of it. We'll burn him where he fell. We're on the other side of this now. There's no turning back."

"I'll make a pyre," Ira nodded. "If you let him burn in the ground, he might take root."

Inej furrowed her brows but Nina spoke up. "It's how Fjerdan's bury their dead," Nina explained quickly.

Alina smiled and stood, helping Mal to his feet. "Thank you, Ira." They wandered back to the hummingbird and Zoya quickly sent them off.

Ira waited until the boat was out of her sight before kneeling next to Kirigan's body. "So you're an amplifier..." Ira muttered. She pulled back his coat and unbuttoned the black shirt beneath it. Ira took her knife and sliced through his skin until she hit a bone. Ira dug her fingers through the wound and wrapped them around the bone. She snapped it and pulled her hand back, spinning the bloody bone in her hand. "Well, aren't you a treasure?"

She wiped the blood off on his shirt before pocketing it. She fixed his Kefta back in place before starting her search for wood.

❆

❝ cold as 𝒊𝒄𝒆, sharp as a knife ❞