Chapter 41

Iopen my eyes.

There’s water all around me, floating through me.

There’s still a hole in my chest, but it’s slowly mending.

All around, I’m surrounded by water.

Miles and miles of water. And I’m floating in the middle of it.

There’s no one around. Only me and some fish swimming around my body—probably hoping to get a bite. Too bad they’ll likely get indigestion. Hell, I’m hoping they’ll get indigestion. I hope everyone fucking dies. Starting with that fucking Azerius and his soldiers, and then Minnie’s traitor of a brother. He deserves a slow, painful death for betraying her like that.

But as that thought arises, I frown.

I look right and left.

Where the hell am I?

The other question being, am I still on Earth?

The sky is a beautiful navy blue and filled with stars, a contrast to the wretchedness I feel inside. In the distance, I can make out the sound of seagulls and the horn blasts of a ship.

I don’t know how I ended up here, in the middle of a goddamn sea, but she saved me. Somehow, Minnie saved me.

But that means she’s still there, with them; captured.

Soon, she’s going to be executed.

The hell she is!

If I have to destroy the entirety of Aperion, I’ll do it—especially since I now know I possess the weapon to do so.

A sense of urgency blooms inside of me, and my skin starts healing with increased rapidity.

I must find a way to get back to her. Fast.

I bring my hand to my face, wiping the saltiness of the water from my eyes. But that’s when I note the strangest thing of all.

The rune is gone.

The dark spots are gone.

What…?

I don’t get to dwell on my new condition or to make a plan to get to Minnie because I hear a loud, piercing call.

“Intruder!” Followed by, “Capture!”

Well, shit.

TO BE CONTINUED