Godless Blood: Last Apostle

"SILVER!"Mira's voice rang out in panic as she saw the boy crumple to the ground from the corner of her eye. Her heart lurched in her chest, but despite the overwhelming worry threatening to consume her, she couldn't tear her gaze away from the Village Elder… The aura he radiated was nothing short of otherworldly—an almost mythical presence.

"Mira! Get the child out of here!" The Village Elder's commanding voice snapped her out of her daze. Gritting her teeth, she quickly secured her knife to her belt and bolted toward the fallen boy, ignoring the heavy, suffocating pressure of magic that emanated from her protector.

Suddenly, one of the knights disappeared. Mira barely had time to blink before the knight reappeared in front of her, their sword raised high in an attack. Instinctively, she drew her daggers, ready to defend herself. But before she could react, a surge of energy blasted the knight away, sending him crashing back into the ground.

Mira blinked in confusion, her eyes widening as she saw the Village Elder's hand still extended, his gaze locked onto the knights with a fierce, unyielding determination.

The other knights began to dismount in unison, raising their swords toward the Elder. He took a slow step back, his golden eyes glimmering as he studied them, his posture calculating. Mira saw the momentary distraction as an opportunity. She rapidly sheathed her daggers and dashed toward Silver, scooping up his small, limp body into her arms.

Without a second thought, she ran her focus solely on escaping, not daring to glance back at the chaos unfolding behind her.

The clash of steel and earth echoed through the air, but Mira's legs kept moving, her heart racing.

Behind her, the Order's leader raised a hand, his voice cold and commanding. "…Get the apostolistic blade."

Two knights immediately sprang into action, sprinting toward Mira with alarming speed. But as they neared, the ground beneath them suddenly trembled. Before they could take another step, massive pillars of earth that reached towards the sky shot up, blocking their path entirely.

The Village Elder exhaled slowly, his breath heavy, as he focused his power onto the earth itself.

"…Your enemy is me," he declared, his voice carrying an unsettling calm.

The leader of the knights, his face set with grim determination, raised his sword with both hands. He called upon his holy power, summoning a ray of blinding light that shot into the sky, tearing through the clouds above. The light expanded, reaching its peak before exploding into a dazzling burst. Then, it began to fall.

The sky seemed to crack open as the light rained down upon the village with terrifying speed. It tore through everything in its path—huts and homes were reduced to ash, their walls incinerating like paper in the flames. The villagers screamed, falling one by one, their lives snuffed out in an instant. Children's cries filled the air, but were quickly drowned out by the roar of destruction.

The Village Elder's hand trembled in the air, blood streaming from his eyes, yet he held his ground. With a guttural cry, he thrust his hand toward the sky, his body shaking under the weight of the effort.

A massive, cloudy sphere erupted from his outstretched fingers, soaring upwards before arching downward, its energy wrapping around the entire outpost. The transparent sphere expanded quickly, forming a protective barrier just in time.

The blinding rays of light slammed against the barrier, but the sphere held strong, shielding the village from the burning destruction above.

The storm of light continued to hammer the Elder's barrier with relentless fury, the earth beneath the villagers trembling with each new impact. Mira gritted her teeth as she ran, her heart racing as she held Silver tightly against her chest.

The weight of his unconscious body was a burden she could hardly bear, but she wouldn't stop. Not now. Not when the village was in danger.

Behind her, the ground trembled again, this time from the force of the Elder's magic as he maintained the protective sphere. The knights had been temporarily halted, but Mira knew this wouldn't last forever. She had to get Silver to safety.

Her legs burned with each step, her breath coming in ragged gasps, but she didn't dare slow down. She could hear the crackling of flames in the distance, the roar of the Order's light still filling the air. The village was burning. The people were dying.

And the Elder… The Elder was buying them time, but he couldn't hold this barrier forever. He could hear explosions behind her, knowing that the Elder was fighting for their sake.

She didn't know how much farther she could run when, ahead, she saw the familiar rocky opening that expanded into the village.

The cave.

It was a secret escape path, just in case monsters attacked the outpost.

She and the panicked villagers ran towards the cave as the flames rained down onto the barrier above them, shaking the earth with every blow. Mira could see cracks on the surface of the protecting false sky the Elder summoned.

She ran. Her boots caught in the sand, trapping her. In a fit of desperation, she forced herself forwards, as she forced her feet out of the boots, as she pushed on. For silver. For the boy she swore to protect since finding him on the Clift. For the Elder, who's risking everything to give them time.

Mira's legs burned, but still, she ran. She was a named wielder. She had mana flowing through her veins. She could do it. She had to. The sand beneath her feet was like fire, stinging her every step, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. Not now, not when Silver's life was in her hands.

The cave entrance loomed ahead, a narrow passage through the jagged rocks that promised a temporary escape. She could see it now, the faint glimmer of hope through the haze of smoke and fire. The crackling of flames, the desperate cries of the villagers, the roar of the Order's destruction—it all blurred into a nightmare as she pushed forward.

Silver's weight seemed to grow with every step, his limp body a burden that threatened to drag her down, but she gritted her teeth and powered on. She could hear the distant thud of the Elder's barrier holding firm, but the cracks were growing. She could feel it, the impending collapse.

She neared the cave's opening, and just as she was about to dive into its safety, a shout rang out behind her.

"DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!"

A chorus of armored footsteps followed, pounding against the earth like a war drum. Mira's heart skipped, and she spun around, only to see the knights pushing through the chaos, their weapons raised, and their expressions void of mercy. The leader's eyes were fixed on her, gleaming with cold, crazy intent .

She gasped as she saw the Leader. How was he here..? What about the Elder..? Her legs felt weak. But she couldn't stop now.

She steeled herself, as she clenched her teeth. She couldn't let them catch her. Not with Silver still unconscious.

She dashed into the cave, pushing other villagers behind her as the knights advanced, cutting through innocent people, and creating a path to Mira. Screams and crying could be heard behind her, but she closed her eyes. This was the right decision. It's all to save Silver.

Mira's breath was ragged, her chest rising and falling in frantic rhythm as she continued to run through the cave's narrow passages, Silver's limp form heavy in her arms. His weight was starting to feel unbearable, and the pressure from the knights behind her was growing ever more imminent.

But then, just as they reached a bend in the cave, Mira felt a slight shift. The weight in her arms shifted, and she heard a faint groan. Silver's body twitched as his eyes fluttered open, hazy and disoriented.

"Mira…" His voice was weak, barely a whisper.

Mira's heart clenched, but she couldn't afford to slow down. She kept moving, her pace unrelenting.

"Silver, stay with me," she said, her voice hushed but firm, trying to calm him as she ran. "We're almost there. You're okay. Just… stay with me."

Silver's hand clutched weakly at her cloak, his face pale and confused. His voice trembled. "Wh-What happened…? Where are we…? Mira, why are you—?"

"No time to explain, Silver," she said urgently, her grip tightening on him. She could feel his confusion, the panic beginning to rise in his chest, but there was no room for explanations now. The knights were close, their footsteps echoing with deadly intent.

They rounded the last corner. Ahead, the faint glow of daylight streamed into the dark cave, casting long shadows on the walls. The exit. It was just ahead.

"Mira," Silver gasped again, his voice hoarse. He was still barely conscious, but the fear in his eyes was palpable now. "We can't—"

"Mira!" The voice of the knights rang out in the distance, followed by the sharp sound of metal scraping against stone. They were closing in. There was no time left.

Mira reached the exit in a frantic blur, the light from the outside blinding as she stepped into the clearing. The cool desert wind rushed in, but Mira didn't stop. She didn't slow down. She reached the lip of the cave's opening, just as the ground began to tremble underfoot.

She took a deep breath. Her hands shook, and a lump rose in her throat, but there was no other choice.

Silver had to be safe.

With a swift motion, she pushed him out into the open air, feeling his weight leave her arms as she tossed him to the edge of the cliff. He landed awkwardly, rolling away from the ledge, but he was free.

Mira's heart twisted, but she couldn't let herself hesitate. She looked back toward the dark passage behind her, the sound of the knights drawing near, their voices raised in pursuit.

"Mira…!" Silver's voice rang out from the distance, filled with panic. He scrambled to his feet, trying to reach her. "No! Don't leave me!"

Mira's eyes locked on him, and in that instant, her heart shattered. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but words failed her. There was no time.

The ground beneath her began to shake violently, the rumble growing louder as the pressure of her choices closed in on her. She could hear the footsteps, the shouting, the creak of armor. The knights were almost here.

She turned to face the cave entrance one last time, her fists clenching as a wave of raw energy surged through her. Her necklace started to float, the seashell around her neck glowing with an eerie light. The energy swirled within her, coiling like a serpent around her heart as she used the last of her strength.

With a final cry, Mira slammed her hands into the ground, and the cave trembled in response. Massive rocks shot up from the earth, crashing down with a deafening roar, sealing off the path. The mouth of the cave closed in on itself with a thunderous crash.

Mira collapsed to her knees, exhaustion flooding through her. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she turned back toward Silver. Her eyes met his one last time.

"Mira, no!" Silver screamed, his voice raw with desperation. He reached toward the rocks, but it was too late.

Tears streamed down Mira's face, but she couldn't answer him. She couldn't do anything now.

"I'm sorry, Silver," she whispered to the wind, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry…"

And just like that, the earth consumed the path between them. The dust settled, leaving behind a deathly silence.

Silver stood frozen, his eyes wide with shock, his body shaking as he stared at the collapsed entrance, unable to comprehend what had just happened. His breath caught in his throat, his legs faltering as he collapsed to the ground. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the sealed tomb.

His heart twisted painfully, and a raw, guttural cry tore from his chest.

"Mira!"Just then, in the corner of his eyes, he saw it.

The darksteel blade Silver had gifted her. She threw it before the rocks collapsed…

But none of it mattered anymore. The battle for the village was over. And Mira, the one person who had stood by him, was gone.