The Universe Rings (A Ringing Purpose)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Halo lay in the snow, her body ached. The shock wave had blown everyone back. Sitting up, Halo eyed the Venenarius army; many lay unconscious and others were stumbling to their feet—she hoped no one had died.

The bodies of Interitus scattered across the distant landscape—sparks and smoke drifted down like a fog.

"Halo," Brel said. He knelt beside her. "Are you injured?"

Halo didn't meet his eyes; she stared forward, lips parted. Her brain struggled to comprehend the last event.

Brel stood, holding out a hand. Halo grabbed his hand, and he pulled her to her feet. He bore past injuries from before the explosion; burns, cuts, magical swells. But now, he had first and second degree burns—which made sense, since he had tried to chase Kenneth and had been closer to the blast.

Halo gasped as her brain began to put the pieces together.

"Halo," Brel said, voice grim. "Listen...Kenneth—"

"No. Wait, he couldn't have." Her heart pounded against her ribs and she tried to run forward but Brel grabbed her.

"Halo, wait," Brel said desperately.

Halo kicked against him. "Stop! I need to find him," she cried. "Let go!" She pushed her hands toward Brel with the pushing spell, and he stumbled backward. She bolted forward, body numb. A ring malfunction explosion—why would Kenneth do that?

Smoke stung her eyes and sparks singed her hair. "Kenneth!" she called hopelessly. Her legs dodged Interitus bodies. Why had she listened to him? Obviously he had wanted her to make a distraction so he could do something stupid. That daft boy—

A firm hand grabbed Halo's arm and she stumbled, shrieking. She whirled around and found Aur gripping her arm. It felt like a nightmare; everyone was stopping her from what she wanted and she couldn't think straight.

Halo desperately pulled away from Aur. The Venenarius were beginning to enter the grim graveyard. Halo slumped to her knees and her wide eyes fell on a nearby body; no brown cloak of the Interitus. Not far from the body was the dead horvas Kenneth had stolen.

Blood pounded in Halo's head, her vision swam. She crawled to the body and gripped him, with a struggle, rolling him onto his back.

The lifeless hazel eyes were open, black chard burns spread up the face, blood filled the crevasses and wounds. The left arm was ragged and burned—fingers hanging on by mere pieces of skin. Blood matted Kenneth's brown hair.

Brel's arms grabbed Halo, she fought against him. "He's not—he's not dead," she choked. Her vision blacked out, and she only felt Brel holding tight to her and the wet snow soaked into her clothes. A fever dream as she gasped for breath...

***
The boom faded into ringing, the ringing faded into silence. A pain like no other filled every ounce of tissue in his body—as if his skin were being peeled off of the bone—but it happened so quickly he couldn't even yell. It was all at once in a second and then faded. Everything faded away.

Kenneth flew through nothing. He couldn't see anything or feel anything. He couldn't find his fingers, legs, tongue or eyes; he couldn't feel himself swallow or breathe. He only had his thoughts.

Kenneth's mind rushed with panic; it felt almost claustrophobic. Was he dead? Was this where people went when they died?

Kenneth landed on the ground, collapsing due to the sudden return of his body. He stared at the grass and leaf covered ground. Standing up, he was surprised to see his clothes weren't torn or bloodied. The wounds on his hands and arms were gone and he didn't even have scars. For once, he wanted a mirror to look at himself.