In a singular flash, the air hung heavy with smoke, and the acrid scent of burnt feathers.
Miras staggered, one hand clutching his charred wings, his face twisting in pain.
Wings of a Nightingale were not just tools, but a core part of the Bloodline, and now they were no more than burned flesh.
"It hurts… it… hurts," Miras rasped, jaw tight with grit. Tears rolling down his face, wanting to scream, but nothing came out. The searing pain left no room for hope.
Mattias hesitated to walk next to him.
Miras' back was scorched. Only remnants of the ruined feathers remained, his teeth gritting.
"Why," Mattias muttered, trying to mask his worry. "Why did you push me away from the attack?"
Miras groaned. His eyes burned with tears, both at himself and at the one that attacked him.
"Because I didn't realise where we were earlier," Miras whispered, his voice pained.
Before Mattias could respond, the ground trembled.
The storm faded, but a faint silhouette in the distance gestured with his hand, as if pushing a door. "Gate," it said. A path appeared, and the figure walked through it. The gate vanished just as it appeared.
Mattias, worried and confused, asked Miras, "… Your wings… they are…"
Miras didn't answer.
His breath hitched. He lowered his head, hair falling over his eyes, and his shoulders trembling with every shaky inhale.
Finally, he managed to force out a bitter laugh.
"Gone," he said in despair. "They're… gone."
Mattias opened his mouth, then closed it. His chest tightened. Even he could tell this wasn't just about the injury. This was Miras.
"Miras… can you…"
"No." He pressed a hand on the ground to get up, but there were shaking as he slowly sat up.
"You don't understand," Miras whispered, voice thin. "I am not like you. I can't just get back up like nothing happened… I…"
He stopped. The sentence weighed more than he told.
Mattias took a careful step closer, his legs shaking as he blamed himself for not being fast enough. "I know but"
Miras looked at the ground, clutching his jaw so tightly it trembled.
"But what," he spat. "I should be able to heal like everyone else."
He grit his teeth again, as another pulse of pain tore through him, making him fall to his arms.
Mattias stepped forward instinctively, trying to catch him. "Hey, take it easy."
"Don't touch me!" Miras snapped, more broken than angry, as he pushed himself up.
Mattias just stood there, as he didn't know what to do.
The wind blew, as the two sat in silence.
Then Miras coughed blood, as the hit did more damage than he wanted to show.
He fell to the ground, going unconscious. Mattias looked even more worried, running to his unconscious body quickly.
"Hey, wake up," he said, voice shaking. "You were going to kill me, remember… wake up."
Miras didn't move.
Mattias exhaled shakily, putting his ear to his heart, listening for a heartbeat.
That made Miras finally twitch his eyes in pain.
"You're still alive…" Mattias said, exhaling in relief. "We need to get you to help."
Miras didn't respond, but Mattias wasn't waiting for one.
"I'll take you to help," he said. "There were civilisations, right?" Mattias pressed. "They probably have a doctor, right?" He said, tears bubbling in his eyes.
Standing up, Mattias looked around for anything, any sign, just something.
His eyes landed on a mountain. "There should be a better view."
Looking at the unconscious Miras, he couldn't leave him here, then come back for him.
Setting his mind, he put Miras on his back, and took a step towards the mountain.