Parallel Lines

Violent

How could she live without him?

With trembling hands, she reached for the knife strapped to her belt. The blade was cold and sharp, a cruel tool for a desperate act.

She clasped Viktor's lifeless hand in hers, pressing it against her chest as though seeking comfort from the man who could no longer give it.

"Please, my love," Y/N begged, her voice barely audible over the hum of the magic swirling around her. "Don't leave me alone."

Her grip tightened on the knife, her hands shaking as she brought it to her chest. Her breath hitched, her body trembling as blood began to seep from the shallow cut she pressed against her heart.

"Please... Viktor..." She whispered, her voice breaking as blood dripped from her lips.

But no matter how much power she unleashed, no matter how much she begged or bled, the body in her arms remained still. It was cold and silent after her body fell onto Viktors, her arms wrapped around his as blood was smeared against her face.

_____________________________________________________

Jayce sighed, head in his hand as thunder rumbled, the storm outside echoing his inner turmoil. The liquid surrounding Viktor and Y/N pulsed faintly, glowing in time with their synchronized breaths.

After being separated for so long, the arcane had tethered them together in a way no one could sever, a bond beyond comprehension. Ironic, isn't it?

Footsteps echoed sharply against the polished floor, breaking the heavy silence. Mel entered the room with her characteristic grace, her sharp eyes immediately assessing the scene before her.

She took in Jayce's weary posture, his fingers pressed to his temple, and the strange, glowing cocoon that encapsulated the two figures.

She moved closer, her gaze shifting to the substance enveloping Viktor and Y/N. It shimmered and shifted, like liquid starlight caught in motion. "How are they?"

Jayce didn't lift his head. "Same as before. Breathing." His voice was thick with exhaustion. "Pulse is consistent. The only real difference that happened was..."

"What?" Mel pressed, stepping closer, her brow furrowed as she examined the cocoon. Viktor and Y/N lay side by side within it, their hands intertwined, their expressions eerily peaceful.

"Y/N..." Jayce began, hesitating as though the words themselves were a burden. "She somehow accessed magic. She's a mage. And I think her last spell bound her and Viktor together. The arcane... It's not letting them separate. Every time I've tried to move them apart, it reacts violently. Beyond that..." He sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging further. "Your guess is as good as mine."

Mel raised a hand cautiously, her fingers hovering near the glowing surface of the cocoon. Before she could touch it, the arcane energy flared, a tendril reaching out toward her hand. She recoiled, startled, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and alarm.

"What's it doing to them?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

Jayce leaned back in his chair, his fingers threading through his hair in frustration. "The Hexcore has been evolving. Shifting through runic patterns faster than I can keep up. All I know for sure is that it's keeping them alive..." He shook his head, trailing off.

Mel frowned, picking up a clipboard from the nearby desk, her eyes scanning the hastily scribbled notes. Jayce's voice broke the silence again, softer this time.

"It's the sort of puzzle Viktor would love if he wasn't..." His voice caught, and he looked away, his hands clenched into fists. "If it were me and Y/N in there, he'd do everything in his power to save us. He wouldn't stop until we were safe. It should be me in there, not them."