#jacehunter

The shelves rattled. A picture fell from the wall. Swiftly, Irya had pinned him by the neck to the wall of his home, the somewhat-taller lass covered in soot and blood. The woman’s eyes were filled with a fury that would give Halone pride to see it.

It was after a long, long second he realized why she was so panicked. Limply, Kyuu’sae was being held up on her back - the lad pale and in the same state as her. Another second and he realized why: His aether had been outright drained - and his levels of aether too low. Not to the point of death, but, damnably close. He was breathing, but his eyes remained shut.

Scrambling to come up with an answer, he told her to take him downstairs. The armored miqo’te relented, finally releasing Jace as she did so.

He was a little bewildered, seeing how rapidly the usually placid member of Anemos had so quickly done that with hardly any hesitation - and, now, as he followed her down the steps, could be heard uttering —

"Ye’ll be alright… It’s alright, r-right, Kyuu’sae? You’ll be okay, right? P-please be okay, oh, gods…"

A frown fell over his face as he saw her gently settle the young, white-haired Keeper on the couch, and gently brush his hair from his dreaming face.

—-

Unfortunately, there was naught she nor Jace could do. Despite her efforts to transfer aether to him, whatever had caused this (something Jace had to outright fish out of her - though, the hand-shaped scar on his body made it obvious. Kyuu’sae had taken the blow for her, in the case of an aether-hungry voidsent - a story she presented with bitter venom and uncharacteristic venom) was making it impossible for him to regain his aether.

Kyuu’sae would never wake up.

His blissfully dreaming state was quite a contrast to Jace’s sorrow, and Irya’s rage. She screamed and cursed at him - so strange, for a lass so often soft-spoken and always smiling. Jace was supposed to be an expert on aether, she mentally screamed to herself - having left with Kyuu’sae again on her back. Going to him first should have saved him from her stupidity!

She bit down hard upon her lip, drawing blood as she slowly made her way to The Whirling Compass.

Arriving in her room, there was little she could do to keep herself from tearing at her very mind and soul after she had gently settled him down into her bed. All she wished for was her death - or, at the very least, for her to have been the one attacked - not him. After all, it was her it was going for. She cursed the Twelve, cursed the Void, cursed herself.

She crumpled down next to him. Maybe he’d recover. Maybe Jace was lying. Just maybe.

"… You’ll… ye’ll wake up, r-right, Kyuu’sae?! T-tell me everything’s alright?!"

—-

Bells became days. Days became moons. Moons became half a summer.

Most everyone who knew the lad in Anemos did come to visit - and try to lend support to the once high-standing secretary that nary move an ilm other than for her needs, and the rare job.

She thought bitterly on it - how pitifully her student - the two of which had something greater between them - had fallen. He was pale, wasting away from his body’s lack of use. Some potions they had constantly kept him from outright death from starvation, but naught would wake him.

Sure, there was pity. But soon everyone abandoned him, and saw how hopeless the endeavor was. He would never respond to their tales. Never smile as he used to.

And, soon, she grasped the hopelessness her friends so had.

"Ah’m… sorry, Kyuu’sae."

Her words were hushed and quiet as she kissed his rather cold forehead, a pillow held in her hands.

The very one she would snuff his life out with.

Mercy was all she could pray to call it.