Chapter 55: Shattered Light

Chapter 55: Shattered Light
Calla’s POV 

The ground split open beneath us. The enormous beast emerged from Morak’s corpse ashes while my only action was pulling Raiden back. The creature’s skin seared like molten rock while its vacant eyes appeared bottomless and its heat made breathing difficult. The creature towered over the surrounding trees with twisted limbs resembling misshapen roots. The creature appeared more like a creation of enmity and smoke than something that lived.

Raiden pulled me back once more, yet I moved ahead myself. We have to contain the monster before it grows more powerful.

He shook his head. “You’re still weak. That fight drained you—” 

My words were sharper than I had planned when I stated, “I don’t care.” I didn’t have time for fear. The boy kept his gaze on us while his smile remained as though he were enjoying a performance. The creature unleashed a roar that shattered the sky and scattered birds in every direction.

Raiden moved once more, causing his bones to crack and his fur to sweep across his body. I moved into the Source while extracting energy from it despite experiencing sharp scraping sensations along my spine. The creature launched toward me at a speed which seemed impossible for an animal of its size. Raiden connected with the creature when it was in the air, and their collision sent waves through the forest that toppled the nearby trees.

I ran quickly around the fight's perimeter while my fingers emitted a bright light. My goal was the boy. The creature would topple if I managed to break its connection with the boy. But I didn’t make it far. The creature released a black tendril that struck my side and knocked me to the ground.

I hit a tree hard. The pain exploded in my ribs with the force of an exploding grenade. I fell to the ground, gasping as a burning sensation raced down my side. Blood. A lot of it. 

Raiden's voice called out my name, but it sounded like an echo that was fading away.

My left leg gave way as I attempted to stand up. Broken, maybe. Or worse. My head swam, and the world tilted. Through the haze, I saw Raiden battling the creature while its claws sliced into fiery skin. While he maintained his defence, the monster continued its attack without any signs of slowing down or showing recognition of inflicted injuries.

I exerted all my strength to move forward, pulling myself along with my fingers gripping the earth. I needed to get up. I needed to help. 

The boy was still there. Calm. Untouched. I stared at him directly and his smile grew even larger.

He whispered "You’re not enough" with a gentle voice as if he were singing me a lullaby. “You never were.” 

The words pierced my chest and filled it with ice. But I kept going. Crawling. Bleeding. Dying maybe. But I wouldn’t stop. 

I reached for the Source again. I felt a greater challenge now as the Source resisted my grasp like oil mixed with water. My hands trembled while I pulled the strand tightly together to create a magical bind. I need to capture the boy with my binding spell to break their connection.

I threw it. 

The light struck him in the chest. 

And vanished. 

He didn’t even blink. 

Then he lifted his hand. 

The assault happened too fast to see, but I could feel it ripping its way through my side with icy, fiery claws. My scream filled the air before my body fell back as darkness began to take hold. My blood soaked into the earth. The Source flickered around me, pulsing weakly. 

“Calla!” Raiden’s voice again. Closer this time. Desperate. 

My throat was filled with blood as I attempted to speak his name. My body wouldn’t move. I couldn’t even cry. I remained silent as Raiden's menacing growl ripped through the clearing. His fury echoed like thunder. 

The creature had stopped. It was turning now. Toward me. 

Raiden launched himself at the creature as his body whipped into an indistinguishable storm of muscle and teeth. He crashed into its side and ripped at its throat. The monster screamed and lost its footing, but managed to shoot out a tendril to wrap around his torso, which forced him to fall onto the ground.

The boy observed everything as if he were seated upon a regal throne.

I searched inside myself once more, moving through the pain to discover the Source. I found only sparks. My power was failing. My eyesight became fuzzy while the edges of my vision turned dark.

But Raiden was still fighting. Still protecting me. 

He howled, breaking free, lunging again. For just one heartbeat, our eyes locked together.

Through that single glance, I understood he had grasped the truth.

I was dying. 

“No,” he said, voice trembling. “Calla, no, don’t you dare.” 

I tried to smile. “Sorry…” 

The shadows swirled around me now. I couldn’t feel my legs. Couldn’t feel anything. The only sensations I had were the cold and searing flames, accompanied by Raiden’s desperate voice breaking into shards as he pleaded for me to remain.

The boy stepped forward then, walking slowly. “You can’t save her, Raiden.” 

Raiden transformed back to his human shape while roaring before he stood above me with blood on his body and laboured breathing.

“Do it again and I’ll kill you.”

The boy didn’t blink. “She was never yours to protect.” 

Raiden stepped forward, broken and limping. “Try me.” 

Something shifted in the air. The creature’s form shimmered with the intensity of a fading fire. The boy tilted his head as though he could hear sounds that others could not.

“You’re out of time,” he whispered. 

The earth trembled again. 

My throat closed up as I tried to speak, but I ended up coughing instead. More blood. My chest was collapsing in on itself. Every breath was a knife. 

Raiden dropped beside me, cradling my head. His hands were shaking. 

“Don’t die,” he said, voice hoarse. “You’re not allowed.” 

“I’m… I’m sorry,” I whispered. 

He pressed his forehead to mine. “You promised me a future.” 

My fingers formed a weak curl on his chest. “I still want it…” 

A tear landed on my cheek—his. Once again, he faced the boy with his rage fully restored. “I’m going to rip your heart out.” 

The boy smiled. “You’ll have to get through me first.” 

The earth burst open once more, and a massive entity started emerging from the dark depths below. The monster had only been the beginning. 

My broken body lay in Raiden’s arms while time slipped away from me.