Footsteps littered the ground, strange and unyielding, glowing faintly like embers scattered in the dimness. Y/N didn't know why she could see them, but there they were. They burned so brightly that she couldn't help but follow, her heart pulling her forward with wonder.
"Why? Why did you do it?" Her breath caught as she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
Viktor turned to her, his expression softening as confusion flickered in his amber eyes. His hand slipped from hers, the absence of his touch chilling her more than she expected.
"Why would you do this for me?" She pressed, her voice wavering. "I don't... You have your partner. You have a whole life ahead of you. And I..."
She trailed off, her gaze dropping to the ground as though ashamed of her own words. "I don't deserve this, do I?" Her voice cracked, barely above a whisper, as if Viktor held the answers she feared to seek within herself.
He didn't speak immediately. Instead, he reached out gently, his fingers brushing strands of white hair away from her face with the tenderness of someone who had chosen to believe in her despite everything. "You deserve so much more, Y/N," He said, his voice firm yet kind, as if daring her to argue.
"It's silly, isn't it? Feeling like this after all we've been through. I guess... I'm just sad for no reason." She chuckled softly, though it lacked humor, her eyes glistening. "Do you truly feel that way?"
"Of course."
She sighed, a small, rueful smile tugging at her lips. Her hand lifted to rest lightly on his. "I'm happy to be here with you, my love. That's enough."
Viktor's lips curved into a faint smile, and with a silent understanding, they began walking again, hand-in-hand. The world around them shifted with each step, an intangible weight settling over Y/N's chest.
The streets reeked of despair, there was a heaviness in the air that seeped into her very being. She glanced around, taking in the ruined alleys and hollow faces of the people who lingered in the shadows.
Purple bruises marred their skin, and their sunken eyes glowed faintly against the gloom. These people were hiding from the light, from her, from Viktor.
Something gnawed at the edges of her mind, the unease growing sharper with every passing second. Then, a voice shattered the quiet. "Y/N... Viktor..."
They froze, exchanging a glance. The same unspoken question lingered between them: What was that?
Before they could act, a flicker of light passed by, a prismatic trail dancing briefly before disappearing into the void.
"C-C-C-careful not to scrape up the gear," Another voice rasped from behind them, jagged and uneven. "Won't sell as well..."
They turned sharply to see a group emerge from the shadows, emaciated figures with trembling hands and vacant stares. Shimmer addicts, drawn to the promise of survival but caught in its cruel snare.
One of them stepped closer, his movements jerky, his expression desperate. "Nothing personal, friend. We just got needs we can't ignore."
Y/N's heart clenched as she knelt, locking eyes with the man. Something about him tugged at the back of her mind. "Do I... Know you?" she murmured, her voice barely audible. She scrutinized his face, her head tilting slightly. "You owed a debt to Vander, don't you?"
The man's trembling grew worse, and he stammered, "Y-Y/N! I-I didn't know, you—"
Before he could finish, she smiled, an almost tragic expression. She didn't know why she did it, but something told her it might offer him comfort. Rising to her feet, she turned to Viktor. "I know this man." She glanced at the group, her voice catching. "I feel like I know most of them."
The addicts shrank away, retreating into the shadows like frightened animals, their glowing bruises pulsating faintly. Y/N's chest ached as she took in their pain, their fear, their suffering.
"So much senseless pain," Viktor muttered, his voice a solemn echo of his thoughts.
Y/N flinched as a faint pulse of magic radiated from Viktor. His outstretched hand hovered over the man, a light emanating from his palm. The man's trembling ceased, his form steadied as vitality seemed to flood back into him. His sunken eyes brightened, the shimmer's corruption fading from his body.
It was breathtaking, but it came with a cost. Y/N fell to her knees, her head spinning, a groan escaping her lips as Viktor turned to her in alarm. Her eyes bled into a murky black before turning to her usual colors.
"Y/N!" he murmured, helping her to her feet.
"I'm fine," She said, leaning against him for support, though her legs threatened to give out beneath her. A faint smile graced her lips, tinged with irony. "Oh, how the tables have turned, huh?"
Viktor's expression softened, though his eyes were distant, his thoughts heavy as he gazed at the man he had healed. "You need not suffer anymore," He said quietly, his voice carrying a conviction that bordered on divine.
Y/N blinked, her vision blurring as her hands twitched at her sides. "No more runes," She murmured. The scars she had borne in Zaun for so long were gone.
Leaning into Viktor, she exhaled deeply, her smile faint but genuine. "Why do we have the right to play god, Viktor?"
(Shorter chapter sorry! I'm working on another one for We Were Infinite so if you're a fan of that be on the lookout 👀)

YOU ARE READING
Parallel Lines
FanfictionParallel lines are the lines that do not intersect or meet each other at any point in a plane. We can also say Parallel lines meet at infinity. How long has it been?