The Metzlian Remnant

cold-it felt heavy, as if the atmosphere itsel

ir spilling over the shoulders of her black cloak. H

rapped to her waist. As her fingers brushed th

she hisse

ian-like veins began to pulse. It was a volatile, h

woods. Her blade swung in a silent arc, but as she move

caught

g into a jagged rock with a force

AC

d, clutching

't checking

eath her had splintered into dust. Her skin rema

o break me," she whispered, her v

ad been nothing more than a bad luck charm-an abominable thing that ne

hadows of the trees when a soun

stl

at had no business echoing t

vival instin

ma

mans had always been the

slipped behind the tru

red into th

shirt, cargo pants, and a bucket hat that shaded his

a muttered und

by years of resentment and socia

Did the villager

ait for him

launched a surprise st

dn't even

his body moving like a falli

de hissed thr

s eyes

strikes-but he danced out of rea

nded, skidding to a halt as she

ped and tilt

tattered cloak and the da

at's a girl like you doing on

she snapped, he

d with a small laugh

ountain was a good place to lose them," he added,

got no interest in figh

ip curled

as just an

ve, her cloak bil

didn't even

the man's hand shot out, his fingers

ht have been a

was something

her reach for years, let alone

palm through her c

se. Too

struck her like a

as wrong and it

energy buried deep within he

ense the shift and

emperature in the forest dropped sharply and m

e was no lo

, abyssal black that seemed t

beneath her skin flared into

her palm

between th

twisted into existence in the cen

laughter

op of blood that trickled from Tsukia's nose-the price

You're hurti

Tsukia

of her wrist, she

m like a wall, laun

th a bone-rattling thud before

ping for air as she wipe

s demanded some

owly

lashes that cast soft shadows across his skin. Strang

beauty to him, though he s

d the playful smirk

e was somet

ar

ely looking a

capti

magic," he said, his

y stuff. The dangero

pau

elt new

ukia admitted, her voice trembling

ith no memory, and this..

do live here,

lo

mans," she said,

tain and forget

int smirk as he brushed th

. I wonder what made

him and began

llowed her, warm

You have my word. I'

back over

caught his smile as It

. strang

her immediately

k of curiosity s

ld I beli

t with words," h

my actions

tilted h

.. what is your goa

a hes

want to b

ice so

that I'm not

help wi

ou, I don

lowed after her like a stray do

lready," s

! H

he forest f

stopped and

THUD

heavy marching boots e

from the shadows, their weapons

's hea

her sword as she glared at

u brought

n didn't l

the back of his head as the armed

one of the so

him slip

there for her. They were there

e persistent

nished as he steppe

ut the noi

ast finally ca

ack at her

e how a hum

her on this mountain-or was he simply another