Capítulo 54: Chapter 42: Between Hope and Horror
//Gang PoV//
"Aaaaah!" One by one, they fell down the chute into a trash pile, escaping the enforcers.
"What the hell happened back there?" Claggor demanded angrily as he sat up, his breaths coming in heavy heaves as the scene replayed over and over in his head.
Mylo shook his head, staring at the ground in shock now that they had a moment.
"I can't believe we left him..." Mylo's voice cracked, disbelief lacing his words.
Everyone's gaze slowly shifted to Powder. She honestly didn't know, glaring back at everyone. Her face was still stained with tears.
"It wasn't my fault!" Powder retorted with emotion and aggression. She cast her gaze down at the trash, "Orion will make it back..."
Her expression softened, hope lifting her tone as she looked back at everyone. "You all saw it! That was magic!"
"That's what it was?" Vi croaked, her voice low as her eyes flickered on Powder.
Powder nodded eagerly, her tone growing brighter. "Yeah! He can heal people! He healed your forehead, Vi!"
They exchanged uncertain glances before Claggor slowly spoke up.
"So, he's like those stories we've read? The ones topsiders warn people about?"
"He's not bad!" Powder snapped, glaring at Claggor- an unusual display of defiance. "You saw him! He was trying to stop us! To protect us- again!"
Claggor winced, and the gang fell into silence. They couldn't argue against Powder. Even Mylo glanced at her before his gaze returned to the trash. He said nothing, guilt etched across his face as he pulled his legs in close.
Vi, doubtful as visions of his bloodied face replayed, softly asks, "Can he recover from that?"
Powder opened her mouth initially before uncertainty took hold. A small breath escaped her- a feeling of realization dawning on her- and disillusionment from her ambitious hope.
They could see her expression, her imaginary bunny ears, falling with depression and shoulders slumping.
"We should move..." Vi's voice struggled to carry any resolve or determination. Only despair. "...Vander needs to know."
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//Caitlyn PoV//
"Jayce? Jayce!" Caitlyn stumbled to Jayce in the hallway, who had collapsed after the explosion. They had just returned from a local shop, picking up more tools for his experiments.
Her head and ears rang from the blast, and Jayce looked injured. Stumbling closer, Caitlyn could hear shrieks and cries of sorrow coming inside.
'Those sound like kids? A robbery?' Caitlyn thought, slowing her pace and moving cautiously. Her eyes fixed on the door in case someone ran out.
When Caitlyn reached him, she whispered with frantic worry, "Jayce?" as she touched his neck. A small breath of relief escaped her when she felt a pulse. Her eyes scanned him, searching quickly for injuries but finding none- just soot and small cuts from debris.
Inside, the chaos continued. The cries grew louder, piercing her ears, making her wince with sympathy, and causing her heart to skip a beat.
A loud rumble started to shake the ground beneath her, forcing her to brace protectively around Jayce.
"NO! GET OFF ME!" Anguished cries echoed out from inside.
Caitlyn breathed out and tried wrapping her arms under Jayce's shoulders, pulling. Despite her efforts, he barely budged.
Her gaze snapped to the blown-out windows, catching hazy figures retreating through the smoke. Caitlyn pulled harder, managing to jerk Jayce away from the door.
"Orion!" A tearful scream echoed through the air, "It's my fault! Let me go!"
Caitlyn froze. 'What? No...' she thought, her stomach sinking.
"--We need to run!" Another voice, thick with emotion, snapped her back to reality.
She let go of Jayce, standing with raised fists, anticipating them to charge out in their escape! Nothing.
Seconds ticked by. Still, nothing- just an eerie silence and faint shouts from the outside streets below. Every muscle in her body tensed, her heart pounding. 'Why aren't they running?'
Caitlyn gritted her teeth, the memory of the Cultivar flashing in her mind- her injured family, the helplessness, and watching Orion flee. Jayce was already hurt. Was she going to let this continue?
With a sharp inhale, those childish voices from inside echoing in her mind, she stepped forward and kicked the door open.
She tensed again, ready for a fight- but nothing happened. Her eyes scanned the room, fear tickling at her subconscious with subtle, instant regret for her choice.
Caitlyn couldn't believe her eyes. Charred walls, shattered debris across the room, and at the center- a horrifying sight.
"Orion?" she trembled unconsciously, her fists falling to her sides.
His body was drenched in blood. Even from the entrance, she could see it sprayed across the floor.
'UGH' Caitlyn vomited, tears blurring her vision.
Her gaze flicked to the shattered balcony, piecing together the horrific scene. Breathing heavily, she trembled and took a hesitant step closer to the bloodied figure sprawled on the floor.
Caitlyn froze as Orion's head turned slowly, his bloodshot eyes locking onto her. A faint, knowing smirk tugged at his lips before his eyes closed again.
She couldn't believe it- he was alive? Caitlyn stared in disbelief at the multiple injuries covering his body.
"What are you—" she choked, panic rising in her voice. "Someone help!" she shouted, crouching next to Orion, her skirt soaking in the blood pooled around him and her hands putting pressure on his side.
The door, creaking closed behind her, burst open as if to answer the call.
Marcus, an Enforcer officer, and two other enforcers charged into the room, coming to an abrupt halt. Their eyes widened in shock at the scene before them. Marcus's gaze flickered with sorrow between Caitlyn's tearful and shaken expression, and the bloodied body on the floor.
"He's still alive," Caitlyn stammered out, her face pale and voice trembling. Her arms shook as she applied pressure to Orion's side, hands covered with blood.
Marcus's expression hardened, speaking firmly as he gestured her away. "Step away, Kiramman. Let us handle this."
Caitlyn obeyed, rising slowly and stepping aside without a word.
Her mind reeled, unable to make sense of it all. 'Why was this happening again,' she thought bitterly, her gaze flicking back to Jayce with Enforcers attending him.
Raising her hands, Caitlyn felt her heart pounding through her chest. Her vision blurred and shook, unable to contain herself as she vomited again, body shaking.
Caitlyn barely registered the hands that gently gripped her shoulders, guiding her away. Her mind was fogged, the delayed shock finally overtaking her senses. The vivid horror replayed in her mind over and over, drowning her thoughts away.
Marcus waved to an enforcer and commanded, "Get her out of here."
An Enforcer walked past Caitlyn and reported, "He's alive- just concussed."
Marcus nodded sharply and pointed at Orion, "Find a doctor or an alchemist. This one's still alive. We need answers."
The words echoed in Caitlyn's mind as she was guided away, her body trembling. Glancing back, she clung to those words, a flicker of hope piercing the haze of despair.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder