A World With/Out Home

Chapter 17: Gambit (Part 3)

Lillia couldn't believe it. Just how much more would it take to kill the Primarch? She had pushed herself beyond the limit time and time again and yet the damn thing continued to pull itself together. No matter how much magic she used or how many times she pushed herself, the demon simply grew again. Hey body no longer felt like hers. The tingling sensation that had started at her finger tips now had spread throughout her entire self. Even her mind felt an odd clarity as if seeing things from an outside perspective.

"Lillia it's done! End this!" the shout from below somehow reached her ears above the Primarch's screeching and for just a moment her attention was pulled back to the ground. The fog was gone and Kyle stood looking up at her with a determined pleading gaze. His chest was bleeding with a sizeable hole layered in thick black gunk. The sight shook her. She had hoped he had run but instead she had trapped him inside and now he had paid for it. But then as the Primarch swung its teeth ridden arm against her, she noticed. It was weaker. The demons below were nowhere in sight. Kyle had somehow really done it and now his message truly sunk in.

A powerful smile unseen through her helmet lit her face. The vibrating tingle within her reached its peak and summoning all the energy she had left she pulled back the barrier. The over encompassing wall of magic quickly shrunk and flew through the sky passing through those on the ground as they looked up in awe. Then with a thunderous roar it surrounded the Primarch like a spherical cage.

"You're not getting out of it this time," Lillia declared with all her might and clenched her fist tighter forcing the barrier to press down on the enormous demon. The Primarch bellowed trying to use all of its body to break free. Sparks of dark energy flittered across the translucent walling as its countless mouths and teeth gnawed against it to no avail. The barrier continued to tighten slower and slower until it was the same size as the Hero who wielded it. The black mess inside seemed to bulge and mix from the pressure as eyes, teeth and other appendages rotated in an undefined mass.

A terrified chorus of voices suddenly penetrated Lillia's mind, "Why? Free us. Save us- Don't- the pain. Stop please."

Lillia pushed through the pleading words and hardened her resolve, "Goodbye." Thousands of icy needles appeared all around the surface of the barrier and with a final command they plunged inside tearing and freezing the Primarch till there was nothing left.

It was finally over. The night that had plagued the city faded to reveal the true colours of the evening sky. A short laugh broke through Lillia's helmet. She marvelled at her own exhaustion and slowly fell to the earth. If it weren't for the one waiting for her below, she might have already disappeared.

"Get him inside," Bethial was commanding the remaining Guards as they forcefully moved Kyle into the open back of the truck. He turned just in time to see Lillia land beside him. "Eternal Hero." He bowed respectfully.

"I'm tired," Lillia spoke in a whisper only Bethial could hear as the others made space. "Is Kyle...?"

"He's... hurt," the Captain spoke the truth, unable to hide it. "He may not make it."

"Let me see him," struggling to remain the composed Hero she should be, Lillia ambled into the truck.

The Captain gestured widely, "Everyone back. The Hero needs space. Your help is needed elsewhere, go and see to the injured."

"Yes Sir!" the men and women saluted dispersing after bowing to Lillia.

Inside the back of the truck and sealed from the outside world she finally took off her helmet. Her purple hair had become even more vibrant and an almost transcendent lustre seemed to shine from her skin.

"You made it back," Kyle winced from his seat leaned against the wall.

She smiled softly, "I did."

"That's good," his skin was incredibly pale, voice barely able to hold together the words. "I... went a bit too far."

"We both did," the pieces of armour that clung to her body began to fall off releasing a hiss of pent up steam. Her uniform clung against her drenched in sweat. Despite the mystical aura she let out her actions showed the exhaustion in every move of her muscles. She kneeled beside him and pressed her hand against his cheek. "Kyle... I think I'm done."

"No," he gripped her hand tightly against his skin. Tears began to pull in his eyes. "No not after all you did. I should be dead but I'm somehow still here so don't you dare say you're done."

Her smile grew weaker, "I can feel it. My body... it's already going back." A tired laugh broke out. "I-I...." the sound turned to crying. "I don't want to die." All her life built up to be a sacrifice against her demons and in the end she finally voiced it. She finally had more and with all her heart she didn't want to lose it. "I don't want to die."

Just like Kyle had seen with Jana a shimmering glow attached to her skin and with a tender rise she began to vanish. The sight caused far more pain than the wound in his chest and desperately he clung to her hand.

"You're not going to die Lillia," he leaned forward, their foreheads touching. "I'm here for you. Everyone is and we're not going to let you go."

"But... I."

"You're staying," eyes closed he gently kissed her lips and as they touched he felt a piece of himself begin to burn and float away. Kyle didn't know how he knew what to do but on instinct he began to spread his own mana into hers. It was quite different to the massaging he had practiced before but similar enough that it didn't feel foreign. Gradually the fragments of light that had left Lillia's body came back and even the overwhelming lustre of her skin faded to normal.

They broke apart and Lillia couldn't believe what she was feeling. Her entire body felt like nothing had happened. As if she never fought with the Primarch at all.

"Kyle what did you do?"

"I...," a cough and suddenly blood leaked from his chin. The wound on his chest had deepened and the hastily tied bandages were saturated in red. "Worth it...."

"Kyle!" Lillia clung to him as his vision faded.