Golden

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One
Quinn

        The sight of Lysandra’s state nearly brings tears to Quinn’s eyes. This can only mean that the goddess is dead – they are alone.

        Lysandra’s body is luminescent with a radiant gold. She shimmers blindingly as she kneels almost precariously. A scream escapes her lips that cause everyone as well as Quinn to cringe back and cover their ears.

        For a split second, her entire skin becomes coated in gold, and then it dissolves away into the ground underneath her. Gilded ribbons twist out of the open areas around her armour, elongating and stretching in all directions from her body.

        Her back arches in a trembling motion, and then the ribbons explode. They all immediately disintegrate simultaneously into thick, visible particles that flutter to the grass-covered grounds.

        There is a rogue in front of Quinn, mesmerized by the event that is taking place. Her eyes are glassy and her body is slack – off guard. Quinn move towards her with his dagger held firmly in his grasp.

        Quinn is about to slash his dagger at the rogue’s neck when an unexpected, blood-curdling scream erupts from her lips. She clutches at her face as the falling, golden particles land on her skin. As soon as they touch her, it begins to char her flesh. Her face burns until it black, the skin entirely dissolving under the touch of the particles and exposing the face that is underneath the skin.

        The rogue falls to her knees, her body deteriorating before Quinn’s eyes until there is nothing left of her except for her armour and sword.

        One of the particles land on the back of Quinn’s hand, however before he can react and quickly rub it off, the particle dissolves into his skin harmlessly.

        A relieved breath passes his lips. It only kills enemies.

        This is incredible, he thinks, his gaze flicking to Lysandra – only to realize that she is no longer there.

        Panic swells in his chest. Was she killed? A worried thought runs through his mind. Did her body reject the other half of the soul?

        That is when Quinn hears the roar. It causes the entire flat expanse of Valsea to tremor deeply, knocking Quinn and everyone else on the battlefield completely off balance. A grunt leaves his lips as he falls before quickly scrambling back to his feet.

        “Quinn.”

        Recognizing the familiar voice, Quinn whirls around, his heart sinking as his gaze falls upon unkempt, light brown hair.

        “Adrian,” he mutters. “So this is what it has come to.”

        Adrian’s gray eyes observe Quinn with seeming nostalgia. “It does not need to be,” he says. “There is still time to join us.”

        A laugh vibrates deep in Quinn’s chest before he can stop it. “You are a fool, Adrian. You turned on Penella when it was she who protected you this entire time – when it was she who provided you with the necessities you required. Then when she asked for only a small favour in return, you turned your back on her – and why? Because you let Norun taint your mind with lies.”

        “Then Blake must be a fool as well,” comes Adrian’s reply, his lips pulling up into a smirk.

        I should have known, Quinn thinks. “You are both the fools for turning against Lysandra,” he says, his voice rough.

            “The Warrior is fragile, weakened by her love for Penella. She will stand no chance against Norun and his abilities.”

            The laugh that erupts from Quinn’s chest nearly causes him to double over. “Have you not seen Lysandra?” he manages to say. “You are truly oblivious if you don’t know by now the power she wields.”

            With narrowed eyes, Adrian unsheathes his sword. Quinn follows suit, his dagger held tightly in his other hand.

            Adrian is the one to lunge first, Quinn easily dodging the attack and returning one of his own. Adrian ducks out of the way, turning his body and stretching his leg to kick Quinn’s, who jumps to the side.

            “I don’t want to kill you,” Adrian grunts as he dodges Quinn’s sword. “Join us!”

            Without falling back from his first attack, Quinn lunges forward and imbeds his dagger deep into Adrian’s bared shoulder. A shout of pain bursts from Adrian’s mouth as he staggers to the side.

            Without hesitating, Quinn holds the traitor’s shoulders and forces him into his knees. “I don’t want to kill you either, old friend,” he murmurs. “But you leave me no choice.”

            With one swift movement, he plunges the dagger into the back of Adrian’s neck and twists it down, shutting his eyes tightly as he does so.

            The sound of Adrian’s body falling off the dagger and hitting the ground causes Quinn to open his eyes. After a moment of silence, he turns away from the body with a pained expression, looking back only when he is certain that Adrian’s body is no longer there – disintegrated and risen to the stars and galaxies that surround Valsea.

            Suddenly, a bright light catches his attention from the corner of his eye. Whirling to face it, his eyes land on the incredible sight.

            Norun’s figure is massive, towering threateningly over the fields of grass. His face has no time to it, ageless and immortal, the god looks down upon the battlefield with relentless fury. Each thundering step he takes causes the ground to shake and the waters to move fiercely.

            Yet, there is also another sight; one that rivals Norun’s terrifying presence and causes him to bellow deeply, causing the majority of Unborns and rogues to lose their balance.

            Lysandra stands behind him, seeming the size of an atom in comparison to the god’s height. However, her entire body is fluorescent with gold. Her hands are outstretched, facing Norun and are illuminated with light as massive ribbons burst from her open palms, surging towards the god and striking his back heavily. The ribbons split apart as they leave her hands, rising and coiling around each other like Earthbound snakes.

            That is when Quinn notices the gashes that cover Norun’s face and arms, as well as the shouts of fury that Quinn now realizes is laced with pain.

            His breath catches in his throat as hope swells within him. This is it.