"Stupid sword." Killian hissed.

"You are only tracking heat signatures, aren’t you?"

Not that he knew any other way for a weapon to tell that he wasn’t an enemy. It had one instruction based on the situation of its wielder. Kill everything but her on sight.

The sword’s response to Killian’s words was swirling round in a spot, and generating fire power enough to scorch through a tree.

Killian looked down at the Void Shield still active, a faint tendril threading his body and only expanding to eat.

The Onyx charged forward, keeping the velocity it charged at. The heat around the weapon was stifling and Killian knew not dodging would be the most reckless move.

’Let’s just test it.’ He tried to convince himself as the weapon burned through the air towards him.

The tendrils wrapped tighter around his arm and chest, forming a thin, dark barrier that pulsed. With the way it covered his body, Killian knew it predicted the affected area of the sword when it met his skin. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

CLANK!

The Onyx struck, and in the same second, it sank. Half the blade was swallowed instantly, the flames bending towards the shield that claimed it hungrily.

Killian’s eyes widened. "Whoa..."

The flames flickered violently, struggling to exit before being extinguished. The tendrils tightened their grip around the steel pulling it inwards.

The sensation messed with Killian’s brain as he felt the sword being buried inside him but he didn’t feel the pain or his skin being pierced. He snapped out of his thoughts.

"Wait!"

The sword strained, trying to free itself but the void wasn’t stopping. The tendrils slowly darkened the edges and dragged it deeper into the darkness that surrounded Killian’s body.

"No, no, this is precious to my sister. Spit it out." Killian reached for the hilt but a single tendril flicked his hand off lightly. "Rude! I said to release it!"

He heard the Void chuckle and his forehead creased. "Quara will kill me. Tell them to let go."

A lazy response filled his mind as the Void answered, quite sinisterly.

"Ask nicely. Then bribe them."

Killian froze. "What?"

The Onyx jerked violently inside the void, its steel blade dimming as more of it disappeared. Killian sighed. The void tightened again forming a stain along the blade.

"Don’t—" Killian’s hand shot forward instinctively. "I’ll do anything, just don’t break it!"

The movement paused. Killian exhaled sharply, wondering why it wouldn’t just obey. But he could feel the hunger it shook with.

"I’ll feed you Juda’s Healing Fire. That fire is more delicious than the sword, okay? Just... release it."

That worked instantly.

The Void Shield loosened like a sigh, spitting the Onyx sword back out mid-air.

Killian caught it by reflex, staggering slightly as the sword snapped back into full form, intact but faintly scorched along its edge.

He stared at it for a second, then quickly wiped out the stain. His breathing hitched when it didn’t wipe off, a mark that will likely forever remain.

He closed his eyes as he imagined Quara glaring down at him for hurting her favourite sword. "You and your tendrils are insane," he muttered to the Void.

"And you call me mad? Where am I going to find Juda now? I’m leaving for the academy soon." He tightened his grip on the weapon that had become docile after he said its life.

He patted the hilt gently. "At least you snapped back to your senses—"

BOOM.

Those words didn’t even finish properly when a sudden impact cracked the surface in front of him. A figure stood there. A figure he didn’t sense for miles.

Killian didn’t move, rooted to the spot.

’George?’

The dust scattered, obstructing Killian’s view. He looked down at his tendrils still out, wrapped around him like they waited for the promise he just made to them.

He had no way to explain what it was other than the Void tendrils. While the dust settled, the tendrils shrank to a faint line barely visible. He hoped George had seen nothing.

"Did you find my sister—"

Quara stood there.

Blood on her arms, with her left arm held tight to her side with stained bandages. Her stance was tilted, like she was holding herself together with pure will.

Just when Killian could feel his relief and pity fully, he felt the murderous intent locked on him. Her ember-bloomed eyes shifted to the Onyx in his hand.

"What did you do to my sword?" Her voice was low, dangerous.

Her gaze filled him with the feeling of vulnerability he felt with the orc-angel at the temple. Bloodlust, he remembered the S-Rank words.

She stepped forward but Killian still didn’t move. His body wanted him to fight or flight, but he chose to freeze.

"Sis, I—"

Her fist came up almost instantly, aimed straight at his face.

And then.

She stopped, mid-motion. Her ember-bloomed eyes flickering to reveal her normal brown eyes.

"Kill?" Her expression softened.

Before Killian could react, she grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. "Kill! What are you doing here?" She pressed his head into her shoulders. "Kill..."

Killian froze completely when he heard her sobbing.

His eyes stayed open for a second longer before slowly lowering as he finally returned the hug. "I came to save you. Are you okay?"

He could tell she wasn’t with how her body winced when he held her right arm. They barely functioned and was likely why her fire scattered to the trees and she had to send Onyx out alone.

Quara nodded, sniffing. "I don’t even know what happened... but I don’t know why I was targeted." Her grip loosened as he looked at him, from head to toe. "Did you come with someone?"

Killian huffed softly. "I am injured too, if that’s why you’re asking. It’s just internal. Very internal," he said quietly.

She laughed softly, sniffed again, then ruffled his head gently. "That’s fine. Thanks for coming for me..."

She trailed off when a slow clap echoed through the broken forest.

"Aww. How cute."