Chapter 4
838 Words
Eyana and Shidow had finally stopped fighting. Eyana lay on the grass, quietly staring at the fading night sky.
"It's already four in the morning," she said softly. "We really fought all night."
Shidow sat down beside her with a faint smile.
"Why? Were you hoping we'd do something else?"
Eyana glanced at him from the corner of her eye before her expression grew serious.
"Something could happen at any moment—something we won't be able to stop. Shidow... there's something important I need to tell you."
He turned toward her, listening carefully.
"Every curse has a specialty—something they're naturally gifted at. We call them skills. You probably don't know yours yet, and before you ask... no, it's not telepathy."
She looked back at the sky.
"Every curse can communicate through their minds. It's just like flying or teleporting. Those are abilities anyone can learn. But a skill... that's something you're born with."
She paused.
"My skill is seeing the future. I can glimpse what's going to happen. I've known since I was little... but I kept it from you."
Shidow frowned.
"What about what you said last night? 'I'd rather flee to live than elope and die.' What did you mean?"
Before she could answer, a familiar voice interrupted.
"Looks like you two finally finished your fight."
Krone appeared beside them with a grin.
"So... who won?"
The smile disappeared the moment he noticed Eyana's tears. He hurried over and wrapped his arms around her.
"What happened to my precious treasure?"
Shidow ignored him, never taking his eyes off Eyana.
Then—
**BOOM!**
The earth trembled.
A deafening explosion swallowed everything.
The blast hurled the three of them apart.
Shidow slammed into the ground before forcing himself back to his feet.
Something was wrong.
This explosion was far stronger than anything ACA had ever used.
At least ten times stronger.
Even his own body had been wounded.
He staggered through the smoke until he froze.
Eyana and Krone stood facing each other.
Neither of them moved.
Krone's trembling hands rested on her shoulders.
"What are you doing?" Shidow shouted. "We have to leave! Now!"
Tears streamed down Eyana's face.
"I can't... but you can. Leave me. Go. Please... save yourself."
Shidow's confusion turned into anger. He shoved Krone aside and grabbed Eyana by both shoulders.
"What are you talking about? We're leaving whether you like it or not! I don't care if I have to carry you or drag you away! I'll save you. I'll stay by your side for the rest of my life. I refuse to let you die!"
Krone's quiet voice cut through the chaos.
"Can't you see? She's trying to save us."
Shidow slowly turned toward him.
Krone looked like a child who had already lost everything.
"Eyana can see the future. She already saw this. In the future she witnessed... she wasn't there."
Shidow answered without hesitation.
"Then I'll change it. The future isn't absolute. If she can see it, then it can be changed. I'll never leave her. And if she doesn't exist in the future... then I'd rather stay here and die with her."
**SLAP!**
Eyana struck him across the face.
"Why won't you listen?" she cried. "All I'm asking is for you to live! If you run, you'll survive. But if you stay with me... we'll both die. I don't want that."
She slowly turned away.
Then she removed the outer layer of clothing covering her body.
Dark spell markings stretched across her skin from head to toe.
"This spell covering my body will explode any minute now. When it does... it'll be twenty times stronger than any bomb we've ever stopped."
Shidow and Krone stared in disbelief.
"So that's it..." Shidow whispered.
"The bombs were never bombs. They were people... people covered in explosive spells."
His fists trembled.
"They've been turning human beings into weapons."
Krone slowly walked toward his sister, tears streaming down his face.
"How... how could they do this to you?"
He gently held her hand before looking up.
"Take me with you... my sweet sister."
Eyana smiled sadly.
"Remember when I told you I learned a new trick while we were fighting? It's too bad... I can only use it once."
She tossed two small stones into the air and sent them flying with a gust of wind.
Closing her eyes, she concentrated.
When she opened them again, she smiled faintly.
"Nine kilometers. That should be enough."
She looked at them one last time.
"Goodbye... my dear friends."
A wave of magic spread outward.
In an instant, Shidow and Krone swapped places with the two distant stones.
Nine kilometers away.
They immediately realized what had happened and teleported back.
Too late.
"EYANA!!"
Shidow screamed.
She was still standing there, smiling through her tears.
"I knew you'd teleport. You're so stubborn, Shidow."
She raised her hand as though saying farewell.
Then...
She exploded.
The blast swallowed everything.
The shockwave hurled Shidow through the air.
Darkness consumed his vision.
And he lost consciousness.
- Writer
