Kiss of the Abyss

Chapter 6: Silent Protection and Farewell

Three days later, in the palace meeting hall.

Lucas stood before the long table, looking at the map spread out before him, tapping his fingers lightly on the paper. His gaze fell on the spots marked with red crosses—the strongholds of the Chaos Blades, six hidden outposts scattered along the kingdom's border.

"Lord Winter."

Elith pushed open the door and entered, a letter in her hand. Her face was pale, with dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept in days.

"A directive from the Chaos Blades' high command." She placed the letter on the table, her voice flat. "They demand that you hand over Su Ziyan. Otherwise—"

"Otherwise they'll consider me a traitor." Lucas took the letter, opened it, and scanned it briefly. His expression didn't waver. "I've already given my answer."

"What answer?"

"I refuse."

Elith was silent for a moment. She walked around the table and stood before him, looking into his eyes with a faint, bitter smile. "I knew you'd say that."

"Then why did you come?"

"Because I needed to confirm," she sighed, "confirm whether you're truly ready to make an enemy of the entire world."

Lucas didn't answer. He simply tossed the letter into the fireplace. The paper curled, burned, and turned to ash in the flames.

"Elith," he said, his voice low, "you still have a way out. Take your people and leave. Pretend you were never here."

"A way out?" Elith laughed—a tired, resolute laugh. "From the moment I joined you, I had no way out. Lucas, do you think I stayed because of you?"

He looked at her but said nothing.

"I stayed to see how far you could go." She turned, pulled open the door, and glanced back at him. "I'm going to meet with Su Ziyan tonight. Don't come."

"What are you planning to do?"

"To settle things."

With that, she left without looking back.

That evening, Elith summoned Su Ziyan to the garden on the west side of the palace.

It had been abandoned for years, overgrown with weeds. Only a stone pavilion remained, barely standing, its roof covered in dead vines. The setting sun cast its dying light over the stone steps, staining them the color of blood.

Elith stood in the pavilion, her back to her.

"You came." She heard the footsteps and turned.

Su Ziyan didn't step closer. She stood outside the pavilion, looking at the woman with pale golden hair. Only a few steps separated them, yet it felt like an unbridgeable chasm.

"Does Lucas know you're meeting me?" Su Ziyan asked.

"No." Elith leaned against a stone pillar, arms crossed. "And I don't intend for him to know."

"What do you want to say?"

Elith stared at her for a long moment, then suddenly smiled. "You know, I've always envied you."

Su Ziyan frowned.

"I envy that you can make someone like him show that kind of look." Elith's gaze drifted to the distant horizon. "I've been with him for six years, since he was just a reckless kid. I watched him kill, watched him flee, watched him grow cold-blooded bit by bit. I thought he would never have a weakness again."

She turned her head and looked at Su Ziyan. "Until you appeared."

Su Ziyan's fingers tightened slightly.

"I love him." Elith said it calmly, as if stating a fact unrelated to herself. "I loved him from the first moment I saw him. I've fought alongside him, taken three blades for him, earned countless merits. I only ever wanted him to look at me a little more."

She paused, then smiled—a smile filled with both resignation and bitterness. "But his eyes have only ever been for that silver-haired woman who saved his life. I can't compete with you."

Su Ziyan opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

"Don't feel guilty," Elith waved a hand. "I never blamed you. You can't force feelings like that."

She stepped forward and stopped in front of Su Ziyan. "I called you here to tell you one thing—"

"If he makes an enemy of the whole world for you, then I'll clear the obstacles for him."

Su Ziyan's pupils contracted sharply.

"What are you saying—"

"Don't play dumb." Elith's voice suddenly turned calm. "Someone is coming tonight. A joint force of Order Shield and Chaos Blades—three elite squads. Their objective is to take you and kill Lucas. They're already hiding outside the palace, waiting for nightfall."

Su Ziyan's blood ran cold.

"Then I—"

"You leave." Elith cut her off. "Take Lucas and escape through the underground passage on the east side. I've already cleared it. There won't be any pursuers."

"What about you?"

"I'll stay," Elith smiled—a gentle, inexplicably tender smile. "I'll make them think you're still in the palace. Buy you time."

Su Ziyan shook her head. "No, you'll die—"

"Shut up." Elith's voice turned sharp for a moment, then softened again. "This is my choice. I've loved him for six years. Every day of those six years, I wondered what I would do if he ever found the person he truly wanted to protect."

She looked down at her hands. "Now I know. I'll help him protect that person."

Tears welled up in Su Ziyan's eyes.

"Don't cry," Elith's voice trembled slightly. "You're the most foolish person I've ever met. You care so much, yet you pretend to be indifferent. At least I'm more honest than you."

She raised her hand and patted Su Ziyan's shoulder. "Go. There's not much time."

Late at night, an explosion tore through the silence.

Lucas pulled Su Ziyan as they ran desperately through the tunnel. Behind them came the pounding of footsteps and the muffled sounds of battle. The air reeked of sulfur. The walls trembled, and debris kept falling from above.

"She lied to me!" Lucas's voice was filled with fury and regret. "She never meant to convince you to talk to me. She planned this from the start—"

"She loved you for six years." Su Ziyan gasped for breath, tears falling silently in the darkness. "She told me… if she ever lives in your heart, don't let her sacrifice be in vain."

Lucas gripped her hand tighter, his knuckles turning white.

Then came a deafening explosion from behind them.

The entire tunnel shook violently. Countless chunks of stone rained down. Lucas threw himself over Su Ziyan, shielding her as debris struck his back. He let out a muffled groan.

They fell to the ground.

A voice crackled through the communicator—Elith's voice, intermittent, laced with static.

"Lucas…"

Her voice was very, very soft.

"Have you made it?"

Lucas grabbed the communicator, his eyes bloodshot. "Elith! Where are you? Answer me!"

"I'm in the palace hall," her voice carried a smile. "I've lured all those bastards here… I planted sixteen groups of Chaos bombs around me… enough to give them a real headache."

"You're insane! You'll die!"

"I know."

Her voice was as calm as if she were commenting on the nice weather.

"Lucas, take care of her. And take care of yourself."

"Elith—"

A massive explosion came through the communicator, followed by nothing but piercing static.

Lucas knelt on the ground. The communicator slipped from his hand. His body trembled violently, his lips pale. Tears fell uncontrollably, large drops splashing onto the ground.

"Elith… Elith!"

He roared into the communicator like a wounded beast.

Su Ziyan wrapped her arms around him from behind and held him tightly.

His sobs were muffled and suppressed, like stones pressing down on his throat, finally crushed and shattered. He clutched Su Ziyan's collar, his knuckles white, his shoulders shaking.

"She shouldn't have died…" his voice was hoarse. "She shouldn't have died for me…"

Su Ziyan buried her face in his back, tears flowing silently.

She didn't know what to say.

Any words of comfort would have been hollow.

So she just held him tightly, letting him know—

He was still alive.

Someone was still alive.

Someone still needed him to live.

In the distance, explosions continued one after another, their glow painting the sky red. That was Elith's final farewell.

In that long, dark night, she had paved his path forward with her life.

And her last words left in this world were only three words—