Episode---- 22
The iron rod felt too heavy, its rust biting into Lina's raw palms. Her breaths came sharp, painful, misting in the cold air.
Across the flooded marble, the tall man's blade clashed against Ayan's once more. Sparks sprayed like brief stars, fading before they hit the ground.
Ayan moved slower now. She saw it — the strain in his shoulders, the stiffness where fresh blood darkened his coat.
And the attackers circling her saw it too.
---
One man lunged.
Lina swung the rod, the blow clumsy, but enough to force him back. Rain blurred her vision; she wiped it away with a trembling sleeve, heart pounding so hard she tasted iron.
Another attacker came from the side. She turned just in time, felt steel bite into her arm — shallow, but hot pain flared, tearing a gasp from her lips.
Her grip nearly slipped.
Don't drop it. Don't stop.
---
She caught Ayan's gaze — wild, afraid for her. His mouth opened to shout —
"Behind you!"
Too late.
The tall man feinted, blade rising toward Ayan's throat.
Lina screamed.
Ayan ducked, twisting — but the man's sword caught his shoulder, tearing a strip of cloth and skin.
He staggered, breath choking in his chest. Rain plastered black hair to his forehead; blood seeped through his shirt, spreading like ink in water.
---
For a heartbeat, Lina froze, terror turning her legs to stone.
Then something hot and furious rose inside her — stronger than fear.
She gripped the iron rod with both hands, turned toward the man closest to her, and swung.
The rod cracked against his ribs. He cursed, doubling over.
The second attacker lunged; she pivoted, driven not by skill but raw need. Metal scraped across his arm, drawing blood.
---
Pain seared Lina's shoulder, fresh and sharp. One man's blade had found her again — deeper this time. Warm blood ran down her sleeve, mixing with cold rain.
She stumbled, knees hitting wet stone. The iron rod clanged from her grasp, sliding out of reach.
Get up. Please, get up.
---
A sudden roar cut through the hall.
Ayan, eyes dark and burning, surged forward. His blade swept wide, forcing the attackers to scatter back.
"Don't touch her!"
His voice — ragged, raw, alive with a fury she'd never heard before.
He planted himself between Lina and the danger, chest rising and falling in labored breaths, sword trembling in his hand.
"Stay back!" he barked, voice breaking.
---
The tall man sneered. "You're bleeding out, Ayan. Drop the blade."
Ayan's knuckles whitened around the hilt. "You first," he rasped.
Their gazes locked — a silent calculation of pain, rage, and what they were willing to lose.
Then the tall man smirked. "Fine."
---
He lunged.
Ayan parried — but too late to block completely. Steel grazed his side, tearing a cry from his throat.
He staggered, blood soaking through his coat, yet somehow stayed on his feet.
---
From the floor, Lina forced herself to move. Fingers scraped wet marble, reaching for the iron rod.
Pain stabbed through her arm, but she ignored it, closing cold, shaking fingers around the rusted metal.
She pushed up, knees trembling, breath ragged.
He taught me to stand. Now I have to.
---
The tall man raised his blade again, preparing to strike Ayan down.
Lina's chest clenched — terror so sharp it felt like drowning.
But before the blade could fall, she staggered forward, lifting the rod with both hands, and swung.
The rod caught the man across the ribs, jarring through Lina's bones.
He grunted, stumbling a step to the side — not defeated, but thrown off balance.
---
Ayan didn't waste the opening.
His blade flashed up — swift, brutal.
Steel tore across the tall man's chest.
The attacker's eyes widened in shock, blood blooming dark across black cloth. His sword dropped from limp fingers, clattering to the floor.
He crumpled, rain soaking his still form.
---
For a moment, silence drowned the hall — broken only by thunder outside and Lina's ragged breathing.
Ayan turned to her, face pale, eyes wide with something raw and unguarded.
"Lina…"
She swayed on unsteady legs, the rod slipping from her grip. "I'm sorry," she whispered, tears mixing with rain and blood. "I couldn't let him—"
His sword fell from his hand, clattering forgotten to the stone.
And then his arms were around her, pulling her into him so fiercely it hurt.
"I thought—" his voice cracked against her hair, breath shaking. "I thought I'd lose you."
"And I thought I'd lose you," she breathed back, voice breaking.
They held each other, bruised, bloodied, hearts pounding together as the storm raged on.
---
In that ruined hall, Lina felt something shift inside him — a crack in iron walls, enough for warmth to spill through.
And she knew, battered as they were, this fight wasn't over.
But neither were they.
---See you in next episode....