It was Angin. Liron narrowed his eyes, forcing his vision to sharpen. The Alchemist was clutching his chest wound, closing it. He was saying something, but his words were dampened to Liron's ear. A figure responded. Liron turned to her. Twisting his head sent a spike of pain through his spine, a thunder erupting between his temples. He saw nothing but a silhouette barking at Angin. The figure was holding another person, dragging them away.
Angin wanted to hunt after them, but he collapsed on his back. He needed to steady himself, recover from the blow he had received. Liron crawled to him, reaching him as his master regained his footing.
"An… Angin," Liron mouthed, his tongue half asleep still.
Angin startled, aiming his blasting rod into Liron's face. Luckily, the Alchemist didn't shoot. "Liron? Soliar's tits, what happened to you, my boy?"
"I… I have stopped… Sinners. Others. Still fightin'."
"Wait, hold on," Angin said, kneeling in front of his student. He held Liron's head with his hands, his eyes shifting as he used his Alchemy to examine. He clicked his tongue. "You're in rough shape, Liron. But… yeah, I can do something for you."
Liron's vision cleared up, and his head ceased to burn like Drom's cursed soul. He blinked, dumbfounded at the lack of pain. "Wh… what…"
"You head, Liron, it was bleeding. On the inside. I… stopped it. Won't replace a proper treatment, but you should be good to go… for now. So, now tell me what happened. And be quick about it."
Liron crammed all that had transpired in a few sentences, the words flooding out of his mouth. Angin furrowed his brows, his fingers fidgeting as he listened. The Alchemist had taken a beating. His clothes were tattered and soiled in blood. His Nanium had saved him many times, and it had paid dearly for its protection. Entire sections had fallen off or lost their structure, hanging on him like sludge.
After telling his tale, Liron sat up, a rock lifted from his chest. Angin rubbed the back of his head. His hair had lost its beauty in the battle, a mess bending in all directions. "The Sinners will reach us. You've slowed them down, but Solia knows not for long. Listen, Liron... we're in deep shit. I…"
"Where's Emma?" Liron asked. His head had cleared, and he processed all that he had seen.
Angin's expression told him all he needed to know. Liron grabbed his master by his collar. "Where is she?! Where did the assassin drag her to?!"
Liron shook Angin. The Alchemist planted his hands on Liron's shoulders, calming him. "The bureau! She brought her to the bureau. I'm sorry, Liron. She's stronger than I thought. She said she would await you there. If anyone but you comes, Emma will die."
The smell of death engulfed Liron. He noticed it for the first time. Corpses in the hundreds. All because of him. And now, it would have been in vain.
"She's dead…" Liron whispered, letting go of Angin. "Emma's dead. I… it's over. It was all for nothing. Wh… what are we supposed to do now?"
"Nothing is lost, Liron! We can still save your sister, but… it looks bad. Really bad. We won't get out of here if the Sinners overrun us. The assassin pushed my shit in, but I'm still good to go. Ragner and Jean are busy keeping Kasper and Anna off our asses. Zonis won't be able to keep the Fallen Choir at bay on his own. He will need my help. Liron… you are too weak to pull something like you did again… you…"
"You want me to go after Emma alone?" Liron asked. "Are you… are you fucking mad?! She… I don't have any chance against her."
"Liron…"
"She will cut me into pieces! There's nothing I can do," Liron said, looking down at his hands. He clenched them into fists. They were dusty and covered in soot. "All of this… for nothing. Fuck, it was all pointless. The entire city died, and… it was for nothing. I can't even save one life after throwin' thousands to wolves.
"I'm a murderer! I'm the lowest of the low! Lance should have killed me! Ekon would have been a better place without me. I'm such a fucking cunt. I really thought we could save her. That after all the shit we survived, I was worth a damn… but," Liron said, tearing up, "I'm what they call me. Kupferrang died for nothing. Emma is lost."
Angin's eyes grew wide at Liron's outburst. Like a deer confronted with a predator, the Alchemist tensed up, his soul demanding him to flee. But Angin found courage. The courage to stay.
"Bullshit," Angin said. "Listen, Liron. I know what you're feeling right now. You're in the right to feel this. Our chances… your chances are small. Barely existent, but they are still there. You…"
A crash on the roof caught their attention. Gabriella had pushed the Wrathling away from the wolves and Zonis. She rode her Conduit, leaping off from it. She slammed into the berserker, ramming two kitchen knives into his eyes. The warrior shrieked, trying to seize Gabriella. But the mad girl was fast and nimble as the wind. She pressed her feet into the Wrathling's chest, jumping off, but she held onto the handles of her knives still anchored into the warrior's eye sockets. She twisted around, performing a perfect handstand on the berserker, before swinging down onto his back.
Gabriella pulled her knives free, aiming for the Wrathling's ears next. While blinded, the warrior predicted her next attack, holding his hands up in defense. The knives shattered as they clashed into the palm of the Wrathling. But Gabriella was the one to predict further ahead, grinning. Her Conduit took advantage of the berserker's open stance, biting into his ankle. Gabriella let go of her opponent, and her shadow wolf hurled him into the air. Flying away in a high arch, the Wrathling was gone, only the faint echo of his screams remaining.
Angin blasted with his rod into the air, garnering Gabriella's attention. He waved her to them, and the mad girl dashed over the roofs, hurrying to their position.
Angin turned back to Liron, squeezing his shoulders. "Your chances are shit, Liron, but they are not zero. Do you hear me? They are not zero. Yes, thousands have died. Kupferrang is a tragedy like I've not seen in recent times. That's why you owe it to all the dead to not stop. Only if you give up were their deaths for nothing. There's always a chance if you try.
"And there are things going for you. You won't be alone. Gabriella will come with you. And think about Emma. You told her how to open her Gate like you two did. She's your sister. If she only has half your guts and wit, she will have done it. And don't you dare believe that I'm the only one that took a beating. The assassin is a hardass and dangerous, but I got her good. She's weakened. Quite a lot."
Strands of hair fell into Angin's face. His bloodshot eyes were manic, and he spoke too fast, his lips struggling to keep up. "I believe in you, Liron. My opinion isn't worth much, but I've seen what you can pull off. For fuck's sake, you've been a bloody Apprentice for not even two weeks, and yet you fight like an Archmage. I know what I tell you to do is cruel. You will… likely die. As will we all. But… but I would bet on you. I would bet everything I have that you can save your sister. Fuck it, I would bet my good looks on it."
Liron's mouth hung open. It had to be a joke, but Angin was honest. He did believe in him.
"Yeah, I would, Liron. Without hesitation. I will help Zonis hold back the Sinners, but should the need come, give me a sign. Cast an explosion, shot smoke into the sky. I don't know. Something that I can't ignore. Do this, and I will come to your side. But remember, Liron. No heroes. Don't throw away your life. The Resistance and Ekon still need you. There will be a tomorrow."
Liron nodded, his lip trembling. He slapped himself on the mouth, forcing down his fear. It didn't work. But he would stand.
Angin helped Liron up, and Gabriella landed next to him, using her Conduit to dampen her fall. "Alchemist, you have called me."
"That I did. Listen, the assassin got Emma and…"
"Understood," Gabriella said. She held her hands in front of her stomach, striking a pose worthy to be painted.
Liron and Angin exchanged a look. "Well…" the Alchemist said. "Good… They are at the bureau. Don't risk anything and…"
"Yes, yes," she said, grabbing Liron by his shirt, pulling him close. She summoned her Conduit underneath them, both riding the back as the wolf climbed out of the shadows.
Angin pointed at his head. "Remember, Liron. This is your best weapon. Use it."
Liron saluted, and the wolf bolted forward. He held onto Gabriella's back. Angin's healing hand had brought him back, but he had yet to fully recover. He hoped the ride would provide him with the opportunity to do so, but they reached their destination in a blink. The Conduit dashed forward like a river, nature's vigor incarnate.
Gabriella dismissed her Conduit, and they stood in front of the bureau. The white colossus never looked more dreadful. Despite its size, it had a modest gate. Large enough for Machinas responsible for transporting goods and people. No decoration. No attempt at beauty. A soulless facade for the institution it represented.
The gate was slashed open, melting ice glittering along the shredded marble. An arrow was carved next to it, pointing up. Gabriella giggled, patting Liron on the head. "My, my, Liron. You are my most beloved and closest friend."
Liron had no strength left for a strange exchange with the mad girl. But his aching heart felt lighter knowing her to be on his side. Insanity or not, she knew how to fight. And she had the confidence he lacked.
"Sure, you're mine, too," Liron responded.
Gabriella gave him a half hug, gifting him with a smile a lady would offer her dog following her commands. "What greater joy can there be? Well, before we face our next opponent, I have thought of a strategy."
"You?"
"Yes, I know. Ghastly. There is no pride in…"
"Gab, please get to the fuckin' point. Time's not on our side."
Gabriella's face cramped, but it softened as she thought about their situation. "Your explosions. Cast a few behind us once we reach the assassin. But do not focus on destruction. I want you to make them bright."
"Bright? Why…"
Gabriella pointed at her shadow, and Liron understood, smiling. "Sure. That's a fun one."
Liron found no fun in the thousands of stairs they climbed. As with its surface, the bureau was as plain on the inside. Some statues of Casar and paintings of Harras and the current Emperor. Beyond that, this place was meant for simple administration. Any true personality had been targeted and eliminated.
The assassin had left them marks to follow, reaching up the ascend of steps. Liron needed a short break halfway through. The elixir had worn off, as he burnt through all the energy it had offered. Gabriella showed sympathy, but her disdain for any weakness was a beast she had yet to tame. She showed no sign of exhaustion. None of her combatants had dealt any harm to her, no injury impeding her.
Harras knew how thin the assassin's patience was, so Liron allowed himself no greater pause, massaging his legs. Will triumphed over flesh, and he hurried after the mad girl. The marks guided them towards the last floor of the bureau, a climb that served as the opening to their fight, tiring out Liron. Even Gabriella had started to sweat.
As they exited the stairwell, thick ice strings greeted them. The assassin had used her spells to slash through the surrounding walls, gutting the area. She wanted an open arena to fight in, ice pillars having punched through marble, furniture, and all else alike. And in the midst of where it would all end hung Emma. Caught in a spiderweb, winter's cold held onto her.
As Angin had before, seeing his sister, Liron gained the courage to stay. Despite knowing they had walked into the assassin's trap. Despite knowing there would be no going back.