Can’t hold it!

Halfway between us, the Icebomb detonates!

*Booooom*

I throw up Mephis’s gauntlet in front of my face as shrapnel flies everywhere. Crouching down, I try to hold my ground as the blast force comes. But my legs aren’t strong enough. I’m blown backwards, and ice shards smash into my stomach and shoulder. “Ahhh!”

Holy crap-

[Stormy Breeze of My Loneliness, Gather Forth-Gust]

Thrusting one arm out behind me, I channel a reverse gust of wind to counteract my momentum. Shards of ice smack into me, and a few dig into my skin, but I ignore them and pray that they don’t hit something important. My eyes squint through the maelstrom and pick out Natalia, flat against the ground on all fours. Blink’s knife is clenched in-between her teeth as she holds on. I try to reach out and snag her as I fly by-

“No! Natalia don’t do it!” I yell. But my hand just misses her. I fly past, and though I turn up the Gust and turn around a second later, by then it’s already too late. She’s on her feet. The Icebomb has left a glittering white cloud of dust and ice. Natalia glances back at me, and I think she might finally hear my cries. But then she turns around and runs for the cloud. My cries follow her, but I can’t see anything as she plunges into the mist, “Come back!”

*Tap Tap Tap*

I can’t see-

[Stormy Breeze of My Loneliness, Gather Forth-Gust]

[Stormy Breeze of My Loneliness, Gather Forth-Gust]

I clap my hands together, creating a high pressure wave which scatters the sparkling ice dust in the air-

*Shuaaaa*

Come on, what’s happening?

The white mist flows aside-

Natalia bounds towards the Stranger. His mask is all scratched up, but he’s alive. My incomplete Icebomb wasn’t enough to kill. Our nemesis draws back. He senses Natalia coming and takes a defensive stance. Natalia’s mouth opens, but I can’t hear what she’s saying over the ringing in my ears. She flickers-

And reappears in front of the Stranger, twisting in a furious spiral. Her dagger spins in a hypnotic circle as she crashes down on him-

“Natalia!”

It happens so fast. He waits till the last second and then…

*Whoosh*

The Stranger stands aside. Natalia soars past him. Then his long leg wheels around in a circle and kicks Natalia in the side of the head. She goes limp as her entire body abruptly changes direction. An orange meteor shoots backwards into the palace wall.

*Boom*

The stone cracks as Natalia hits it. A second later, her body tumbles down, leaving a Demi-sized imprint in the wall. Her head lolls and my sister’s eyes gaze unseeingly at nothing. She doesn’t get up. N-Natalia?

“Myrr. I didn’t want to do this.” The Stranger turns to me as he holds up Selena’s sword. He breathes heavily as he starts to run towards Natalia for the finishing blow, “But you’ve left me no choice! ”

“No!” I’m trying to catch up. But he’s way closer. And besides…the Stranger has always been faster. “I’m begging you!”

*Flicker*

The Stranger doesn’t listen.

Why won’t anyone listen to me?

I throw out an arm, chanting spells…crying…doing anything as he rushes towards Natalia’s fallen form. All my spells are deflected, and it’s just like with Kisa. I can’t stop what’s coming. Even without Foresight, I already know the future. Because this is exactly the same as last time. It’s happening again. And I can’t do a damn thing-!

“Natalia, wake up!” My magic is freaking worthless. My body is crap. I can’t catch up. So I can only pray that Natalia will obey her master this one time. “Please, please MOVE!”

“I told you to control your pet!” The Stranger cackles as he runs. Why is he so fast!

Why…why can’t I do anything?

“STOP!” Howling, I put both hands behind me. Twin silent Gusts propel me forwards at a higher speed than I’ve ever known. The wind instantly dries my eyeballs into shriveled husks but I keep them open, straining to see. “Touch her and I’ll kill you-”

“Ugh.” Natalia suddenly stirs. I can’t believe it. She actually rises wobbly to her feet. Yes!

“Dodge!” I scream with all my heart. But she can’t hear me. Watch out!

The Stranger reaches the fatal ten pace distance. He raises Selena’s sword back. I can sense his killing intent. It’s so thick that the words are choked from my mouth. No! I can see his legs bending, the muscles bunching up as he prepares to lunge. In a second, he will flicker and reappear in front of her. No no no! Natalia looks up groggily, her eyes completely unseeing, as she blinks in confusion. Come on! You can do it! Move! Her eyes won’t focus. She’s completely oblivious to the Stranger about to cleave her in half-

Sh*t!

*Flicker*

He blurs into the final attack. Perhaps it’s because my eyes have adjusted, or maybe it’s because he’s tired, but I can see his movements this time. I wish I couldn’t. This is not something I have ever wanted to see. But I can’t close my eyes. Speeding towards him from behind, I know I won’t make it. This is my fault. I just needed to use better spells, or think of something. Stop Natalia before it came to this. Damnit, damnit, how could I let it come to this! He’s already lunging through the air. Selena’s blade comes up and back, preparing to swing. Natalia doesn’t even move, she just stares blankly as death comes-

“Don’t-!” I choke out one final word. And then the Stranger’s last blow comes down with all the authority of God. And I know it’s over. “NATALIAAA!”

*Whoosh*

Huh?

Somebody throws themselves in front of Natalia. Throwing both hands overhead, a slender girl in black leather snaps open a metal fan and tries desperately to block the Stranger’s killing blow. But Meera’s not really a bodyguard. She’s an assassin. Defending someone isn’t her forte. I watch as the Stranger’s sword sheers through her fan and then…keeps…going. Down, down, the blade carves through her defenseless body like it’s nothing. No…I…why did you?

“Karrrk…” Meera’s mouth opens in shock. But she’s an assassin through and through. The silly girl has to have the last word. She clenches her teeth and reaches forward to grab the Stranger’s sword. Holding his blade inside her, Meera’s eyes find mine-

“N-Now, Boss!”

I shoot in like a hurricane, with my dagger raised.

GET OFF HER!

The Stranger’s back is turned, his blade caught by Meera’s sacrifice. I know there’s one spot that even he can’t defend. Targeting the bloody hole in his coat where Selena hit him earlier, I use the momentum of Gust to push me forwards. And stab him in the back with all my might-

“Arrrgh!” The Stranger lets go of his sword and twists away, scrabbling at his back. Mephis’s dagger slides out and fresh blood spills from the hole as the Stranger drops to the ground and rolls away. Behind him, two girls fall to the ground. One is an unconscious Demi-Cat. She has no idea how close to death she just came. The other is an unruly ex-employee who doesn’t know when to quit. She has an insufferable little smile on her face even as she sways backwards. With a final one-eyed wink, Meera lands beside Natalia’s tail. Her head bounces with a thud. And then she’s still.

“M-Meera?” I whisper. “Why? You don’t….even like Natalia. Damnit, why?”

…

…

Nobody responds.

I turn on the Stranger. For a moment I just stare at him, my mind blank.

…

…

…

“You…” I feel my teeth grinding. “You…you…!”

“Myrr, my boy…” the Stranger stops trying to reach the wound and scrambles to his feet. He holds up both palms and backs away once he sees my face. “Let’s talk about this-”

Every blood vessel in my eyes pops at once.

My world is dyed red-

“You’re DEAD.”