"Hey! Let her go!"
The words tore out of Liam before he could stop himself. His voice was hoarse, weak against the rain, but it made the three thugs freeze.
They turned slowly.
The one with the knife grinned, scarred lips curling back. "Oh? A little mouse wandered in." His blade twirled lazily in his hand. "Don't you know what happens to mice in Clovis?"
Liam swallowed hard, his heart hammering against his ribs.
The girl, blue hair matted across her tear-streaked face, looked up, her eyes wide with a terror that would forever haunt Liam's last moments.
And although desperate. She mouthed a single word. Run.
But Liam didn't. He couldn't. Not now that he was already in deep. His body was shaking, but his feet stayed planted. "Let her go," he said again.
The thug with the knife chuckled, pointing his blade at Liam like a schoolyard dare. "Make us." he grinned.
The one pinning the girl smirked, cracked his knuckles, and stalked forward. "This'll be fun." he muttered, approaching Liam with his fist ready to strike.
Liam saw the man coming and charged in as well. He swung first out of instinct, a clumsy fist connecting with the thug's jaw. And for one shining instant, hope sparked.
But the man didn't falter. Instead he laughed, and pushed his own fist forward.
BAM!
A sledgehammer of a fist drove into Liam's gut. Air exploded from his lungs. His knees buckled.
Crack.
Another blow slammed into his chest, snapping him backward into the wall. He hit the wall hard, and collapsed to the ground. His bones screamed in agony.
"Pathetic," the thug spat, grabbing Liam by the throat, and lifting him off the ground.
"Put him down," another thug said. "I want a turn."
Liam was thrown to the ground. He hit the concrete with a crunch, his head cracking against the ground.
Before he could move, a boot smashed into his ribs.
CRACK!
He heard something snap. White-hot pain ripped through him. He gasped, blood spraying from his mouth.
The second thug stomped on his hand, grinding until Liam screamed.
"Listen to him squeal," the thug laughed. "Like a rat."
The knife-wielder knelt beside Liam, grinning. "Wanna play hero, huh?" He pressed the blade to Liam's cheek. "Heroes don't last long in this world."
Then…
SLASH.
The knife slashed across Liam's face… shallow, but painful. Liam cried out, thrashing weakly, only to take another kick to the ribs that left him gagging on his own blood.
Somewhere above the chaos, the girl screamed again, struggling against the other thug's grip. "Stop! Please, stop!"
Liam's head lolled to the side. Her voice blurred in his ears and something desperate inside him sparked. He forced himself up, legs trembling, and swung wildly at the knife-wielder.
BAM!
The punch landed on the man's jaw. A tooth flew, and he staggered back in shock.
And for a heartbeat, it felt like victory.
But the thug recovered quickly, gritting in anger. "Bastard! Let me show you real strength." he yelled, running towards Liam with his knife outstretched.
Liam tried to dodge, but the thug's boot drove into his knee with a sickening crack. His leg erupted in pain as he collapsed with a howl.
The thug took that opportunity to strike, going in for a stab. And before Liam could react…
Shhhk!
The knife was plunged into his gut.
Liam felt a searing pain rip through his abdomen, he stumbled back, clutching the wound, his knees giving out.
His vision blurred, and he collapsed on the wet ground, air struggling to fill his lungs. Blood poured down his shirt, mixing with the rain until he couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.
The thugs laughed out.
"Told you, little mouse," the knife-wielder hissed in his ear, yanking the blade free. "This world devours heroes like you."
The girl's scream cut through the storm. She was completely terrified now, all hope lost. All she could do was surrender herself.
But the thugs didn't seem to be interested in her anymore, so instead…
Shhkk.
The knife-wielder stabbed her. The blade slid into her stomach with a sickening sound. She buckled, eyes wide in shock, then slumped against the thug holding her.
"Stupid bitch," the man muttered, tossing her aside like trash. She hit the ground hard, blood pooling fast beneath her.
The three thugs laughed as they backed away, vanishing into the rain, leaving two broken bodies in the alley.
Liam laid beside the girl, his blood mingled with hers, rivers crossing in the gutter. His vision blurred… dark, then light, then dark again. His lungs heaved, each breath shorter than the last. He was slowly dying.
The girl laid just a few feet away from him, blood pouring out of her stomach.
Liam turned his head, and saw her staring back at him. Her chest rose and fell weakly. For a second, he thought she was gone.
But then… something impossible happened.
Her bleeding slowed. The hole in her stomach began to close unnaturally.
Liam blinked through his fuzzy vision, confused. The girl's wounds healed… skin knitting itself back together before his eyes.
She rose, her wounds now completely healed. Her eyes were glowing with an otherworldly blue light. She stepped forward and knelt beside Liam's body, staring at him with compassion.
Liam just lay there, limp, and probably hallucinating. His fading consciousness flickered, then caught a glimpse of her. She was no longer the frail, terror-stricken victim.
Her torn clothes had vanished, replaced by what looked like flowing starlight. And there was a blue diamond-shaped crystal embedded on her forehead.
Liam was in awe. And even in his dying state, he had to admit… she was intoxicatingly beautiful. And definitely not human.
She reached out, her glowing hand resting gently on his chest. And almost immediately… a blue light bloomed from Liam's chest, and he felt a profound shift in his being.
It was as if a new chamber had been opened in his soul, linking with something powerful.
The girl's sapphire eyes met his. There was gratitude in them, a silent acknowledgment of his futile, noble sacrifice.
"Don't die, Liam Queen," her voice whispered… not just in his ears, but inside his mind.
"You are chosen."
The light emanating from their contact intensified, consuming them both. Liam felt a blissful sensation of warmth before losing consciousness.