{9 seconds till execution}
The world stilled—
And then—
---
|You have taken control|
|Resistance detected|
|Mana will be consumed per second|
---
"…I have to hold on," Elias muttered under his breath.
"…before this crazy fuck gets us both killed."
The panic vanished.
Replaced by forced control.
---
{8 seconds till execution}
|Mana: 35 → 30|
|Consumption: 5/sec|
A pressure surged through him.
Not external.
Internal.
"…Already—?"
His grip tightened.
The body was rejecting him.
---
{7 seconds till execution}
|Mana: 30 → 23|
|Consumption: 7/sec|
"…It's increasing."
His breathing sharpened.
"…Fine."
---
{6 seconds till execution}
|Mana: 23 → 14|
|Consumption: 9/sec|
No hesitation.
A vial appeared in his hand.
He tore it open—
Drank.
|You have consumed a lesser mana potion|
|Mana: 14 → 34|
"…Just a few seconds."
---
{5 seconds till execution}
|Mana: 34 → 22|
|Consumption: 12/sec|
His vision flickered.
"…Too fast."
---
{4 seconds till execution}
|Mana: 22 → 7|
|Consumption: 15/sec|
"…Damn it—"
Second vial.
Now.
He forced it down—
|You have consumed a lesser mana potion|
|Mana: 7 → 27|
"…Hold. Just hold."
---
{3 seconds till execution}
|Mana: 27 → 7|
|Consumption: 20/sec|
His body staggered.
His limbs felt heavier.
"…No… not yet…"
"…Not now—"
---
{2 seconds till execution}
|Mana: 7 → 0|
|Consumption: 25/sec|
|Insufficient mana|
|Unable to maintain control|
"…No—!"
"…I need—"
"…a little more—"
Darkness consumed him.
---
On the platform—
Seraphina watched.
The presence from before—gone.
The coldness—gone.
What remained was empty.
Her gaze lingered on him.
On that unfamiliar face.
Not Cain.
Not his voice.
Not his presence.
And yet—
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"…It's you."
A whisper.
Barely there.
Not certainty.
Not proof.
Just a choice.
To believe.
It was him.
---
{1 second till execution}
Something returned.
Cain.
His breath hitched.
His vision swam.
"…What—"
His body felt distant.
Slow.
Like it no longer belonged to him.
Then—
He saw her.
---
Seraphina.
Their eyes met.
No smirk.
No confidence.
Just a quiet stillness.
Acceptance.
Her lips moved.
Softly.
Gently.
"Sorry."
He didn't understand why.
---
{0 seconds till execution}
The blade fell.
A sharp sound.
Clean.
Unforgiving.
Her body stilled.
Something separated.
Fell.
---
Cain watched.
He didn't move.
He couldn't.
His eyes stayed locked on her.
Unblinking.
His heartbeat slowed.
Each pulse duller than the last.
His knees gave out.
He dropped.
Hard.
No scream.
No rage.
Nothing.
---
The crowd erupted.
Voices clashed.
Some cheering.
Some mocking.
A stone struck the body.
Then another.
Then more.
He watched.
Tears slipped down his face.
Quiet.
Unstoppable.
---
If he still had his power—
If the Knight of Light still existed—
This entire capital would have burned.
But it didn't.
Because he was weak.
Because he was late.
Because he couldn't save her.
---
More stones.
More laughter.
More footsteps fading.
Time passed.
He didn't notice.
The crowd thinned.
Then scattered.
Then—gone.
---
He remained.
Kneeling.
Unmoving.
The tears stopped.
At some point.
He didn't feel them anymore.
But the ringing stayed.
A constant hum in his ears.
His body felt cold.
Empty.
And still—
He didn't move.
He just stayed there.