The air shimmered with heat, glowing embers drifting like dying stars across the darkened chamber.
Jinx knelt beside Dante, her hands trembling as she pressed them against his chest. His breathing was uneven shallow, strained—like every breath was a battle he was losing.
"Dante… hey, stay with me," she whispered, her voice cracking despite her effort to stay strong. "Your heartbeat—it's fading."
He let out a weak, broken laugh, his fingers slowly curling around her wrist as if holding on to the last thing anchoring him to life.
"You shouldn't have come here…" he rasped.
Jinx shook her head immediately, her long dark hair falling over her face as tears burned in her eyes.
"And let you die all tragic and mysterious?" she forced a shaky smirk. "Yeah, no. Not happening. Not on my watch."
His crimson eye flickered faintly, softening as he looked at her.
"You don't understand…" he murmured. "Your flame… it's rejecting me."
Jinx's expression shattered.
"No," she whispered, pressing her forehead against his. "No, that's not true. I saved you. I—"
"You didn't save me," he interrupted weakly, his grip tightening just a little. "You made me want to live."
Her breath hitched.
For a moment, the world went quiet except for the sound of his uneven breathing.
"What if I lose you?" she asked, barely audible.
Dante gave a faint, crooked smile.
"Then you burn down the world like you promised."
Jinx let out a broken laugh, tears slipping freely now.
"Don't tempt me…"
Before she could say anything else, a sudden voice echoed from the cave entrance.
"Wow. Romantic. Very 'we're-about-to-die' core."
Jinx's head snapped up.
"Pixie?!"
Pixie stumbled in, clearly exhausted, her usual energy dimmed but not gone. She leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, holding up a worn, ancient scroll.
"I leave you guys alone for five minutes," she said between breaths, "and suddenly we're in a tragic love story?"
Jinx rushed to her side.
"What are you doing here?! How did you even—"
"I have connections," Pixie cut in with a weak grin, then waved the scroll. "More importantly… I have a solution."
Dante's gaze darkened immediately.
"That's forbidden magic," he said lowly. "Where did you get that?"
Pixie shrugged, trying to act casual—but the slight tremble in her hands gave her away.
"Let's just say… I made a deal."
Jinx froze.
"…What kind of deal?"
Pixie hesitated for half a second—just enough to make Jinx's stomach drop.
"My soul," she said flatly.
Silence.
Jinx's eyes widened in horror.
"WHAT?!"
Pixie burst out laughing weakly, holding her stomach.
"I'm kidding! Relax!" she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "Just my blood… and, like… a tiny bit of my human energy."
"That's not funny!" Jinx snapped, her voice shaking. "You don't joke about stuff like that!"
Pixie softened, her expression gentler now.
"I know," she said quietly. "But you'd do the same for me. So don't look at me like I'm crazy."
Jinx opened her mouth to argue… but nothing came out.
Because Pixie was right.
Slowly, Jinx took the scroll from her, her fingers tightening around it.
"What do I have to do?"
Pixie pointed toward Dante.
"You're going inside his soul."
Dante's eyes narrowed.
"Absolutely not."
Jinx ignored him.
"Explain."
Pixie nodded.
"His body is rejecting your flame… but his soul isn't. If you reach the core of his spirit, you can stabilize it. Reset the balance."
Jinx glanced at Dante, determination replacing the fear in her eyes.
"Then that's what I'll do."
Dante tried to sit up, wincing in pain.
"No. It's too dangerous. If something goes wrong—"
Jinx grabbed his hand firmly.
"Something is already wrong," she said. "And I'm not losing you because I was too scared to try."
Their eyes locked.
For a moment, he looked like he wanted to argue.
Then slowly… he exhaled.
"…You're impossible."
She smirked faintly.
"You love it."
Pixie clapped her hands once.
"Okay! Lovebirds later, ritual now before he actually dies."
"Pixie!" Jinx snapped.
"What? I'm being realistic!"
Jinx sighed, then steadied herself, sitting beside Dante as she unrolled the scroll. The symbols glowed faintly as she began to chant.
The air shifted.
Heat coiled around them.
Light flickered
—and suddenly everything went dark.
Jinx opened her eyes slowly.
She was standing in the middle of the school courtyard.
Except… it wasn't right.
Everything was burning.
Flames devoured the buildings, the sky cracked and red, the air thick with smoke and echoes of distant screams.
"…Dante?" she called out.
No response.
She walked forward carefully, her footsteps crunching against ash.
"Dante!"
A soft sound reached her.
Crying.
She turned.
There, sitting on the ground near the broken fountain, was a small boy—silver hair, head buried in his arms.
Jinx's chest tightened.
"…Dante?"
The boy looked up.
His eyes —one crimson, one soft brown were filled with pain.
"Everyone left me…" he whispered.
Jinx's heart broke instantly.
She walked toward him slowly, kneeling in front of him.
"Hey…" she said gently.
He flinched.
"You're going to leave too," he muttered. "Everyone does."
Jinx shook her head, reaching out carefully.
"No," she said softly. "Not me."
"Why?" he asked, his voice small, fragile.
Jinx smiled faintly, placing a hand on his cheek.
"Because even your flames can't scare me."
The boy's eyes widened.
Slowly… hesitantly… he leaned into her touch.
Jinx pulled him into a hug, holding him tightly as the flames around them roared louder.
"I'm here," she whispered. "I'm not going anywhere."
For a moment, everything stood still.
Then–
light exploded around them.
Dante gasped sharply, his body jolting upright as air rushed back into his lungs.
Jinx collapsed forward into him, barely conscious.
"Jinx!" he breathed, catching her before she hit the ground.
Her eyes fluttered weakly.
"…Told you," she murmured. "Not letting you die."
Dante stared at her, something soft and unguarded breaking through his usual cold expression.
"…Stupid girl," he whispered.
But his grip on her tightened.
Like he never intended to let go again.