Chapter 32
Rohan
Ihave no idea how this is happening, but this is where we are.
My hands shake in Tyson’s tight grip. He feels like an anchor when the world is seemingly crashing down all around us.
I’ve never seen a sky so dark in my life.
My heart thrashes against my chest, thinking of a way out of this for us.
We both dash farther away behind the larger scattered debris, using it as a shield.
“Tyson … I have a plan, but please just listen to me,” I swallow.
“Yeah?”
“We have to distract him … and you’re the only one who has an attack powerful enough to make any significant damage. So, I’ll run out. He clearly wants to take me down first.”
“Rohan, no. Absolutely not,” Tyson says, his voice firm and sound.
“But Tyson, this is the only…”
“No!” he snaps, grabbing my arm. “Don’t fucking do that.”
I can see it, that he’s not afraid for himself, it’s not the plan itself. He’s scared to death of losing me.
“I’ll be okay, Ty, please just let me do this. Let me help.”
“You can help me by staying alive!” he yells at me. “As long as we’re together, Rohan. Please.” His chest is heaving.
“Tyson … It’s the only way,” I say quietly, pleading with my eyes.
He knows I’m right. Tyson’s brows furrow as I slip out of his hold, nodding at him. I just need him to let me do this. To trust me.
“Rohan, don’t get hurt.”
“I won’t,” I say, my voice shaking.
I’m scared.
But I’m scared of Tyson having to walk into what’s obviously inevitable even more. He can’t take him alone, and he definitely can’t keep shielding me at the same time. It’s time I shield him.
I run out into the open, dashing far across the map.
Leon zones in on me, immediately sending black flames chasing behind me.
I dodge away, making him fully turn his body away from Tyson.
This is our first opening, and Tyson takes it.
Shadows violently whistle through the air, sharpening into spears.
And they don’t miss their target, Leon stumbles over, choking out some blood onto the ground.
His HP falls a third of the way to zero. We just need to do this two more times.
“I keep forgetting how smart you boys are,” Leon chuckles, his wings beating wildly, making me shield my eyes from the dust.
I dash back closer to Tyson and replenish his MP.
“It’s working, Ty.”
“But I’m sure he’s on to us. He’s not a pre-programmed NPC.” Tyson says.
“Yeah, let’s try it one more time from a different angle. We just need to get his HP down and melee the rest.”
“Okay, one more time, Rohan. That’s it.”
“Alright.” I take a deep breath before running to the other side of the map.
Choosing to catch his attention from his other side.
Leon smiles, performing the same move, sending more flames after me.
But as I get farther away, trying to make more distance, Leon flies into the sky, suddenly nosediving toward me.
His weapon is summoned, sharp and too quick for me to dodge.
“Rohan!” Tyson yells.
My eyes snap shut as the point of Leon’s blade drives straight toward my heart. The seconds feel as though they’ve simply stopped ticking by. My chest is rising and falling too quickly for my brain to catch up.
I don’t feel anything.
Something wet splatters onto my face and my eyes open.
“Tyson…” I gasp, tears forming before I can even finish his name.
“Ro…” He struggles to get out, more blood spilling from his mouth onto my cheek.
“Tyson!!!” I try to sit up, a shield of shadows is around us, but Leon’s attack was direct, taking Tyson’s HP to a dangerously low point. I try to kiss him to heal; we’re out of potions from taking on the tower’s monsters and Leon’s previous attacks. He pushes me down roughly.
“No!” he chokes out.
“Tyson, please, please, I have to!”
“Save it! I can’t. I can’t take it from you.”
“No … No… Tyson, please. I can’t do this without you.
” I lean in again to press my lips to his, quickly performing the magic before he holds me down with what little energy he has left.
I’m only able to get his HP healed to around ten percent of the way.
Which is absolutely nothing. He won’t survive another attack.
“Seems like you boys are struggling there,” Leon says after Tyson’s MP gets too low to keep the shadow shield up.
I glare up at him. “I could make you kids a deal. I’ll take one of your little souls, and in exchange I’ll let one of you go back to your world.”
He’ll let him go…
“Rohan … No.” Tyson grabs at my wrist, trying to pull me back down into him.
“I thought you wanted us together,” I say, anger flaring in my voice.
“Aw, yes, but what’s the truest act of love but to sacrifice yourself?”
“Rohan, don’t listen to him.”
“You promise you’ll let him go,” I say, ignoring him, stepping closer to Leon’s hovering form.
“Rohan!”
“Swear on it.”
We won’t win this. He’s too strong, and I’m slowing Tyson down too much for him to focus and take him on alone. Now he can barely stand. Our backs are against a wall, and I’m the only one who can do anything about it.
“Ty … I can’t let you get hurt because of me anymore,” I say, turning him to and stepping back.
“No … No..Please, I’ll go!” Tyson screams, trying to stand, but I send thunder cracking at his feet.
“Don’t. You’ve done enough. I can do this for you.”
“I don’t want you to!” Tyson chokes, his eyes pleading with me.
“It’s okay.”
Leon sweeps down, grabbing hold of me, his hands cold against my skin. Black flames sweep over my arms where his touch has landed until I’m completely engulfed in a cage made of the same dark energy.