The moment they disappeared from sight, Yuna's ears drooped completely.
Her crimson eyes, which had been blazing with fury and confusion just moments before, now glistened with something far more painful.
She didn't resist anymore, her body going almost limp as Yu Xiang dragged her forward.
He'd stopped. He'd chosen the academy over her.
Behind them, still standing in the corridor surrounded by whispering students, Aelric remained frozen.
His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, his blonde eyes staring at the empty corner where they'd disappeared.
His hand moved to his chest, gripping the fabric of his shirt as a sudden, sharp pain lanced through him.
"What the hell...?" he muttered, his voice barely audible.
His knees buckled slightly, and he staggered, catching himself against the wall.
The pain wasn't physical—or at least, it shouldn't have been.
It felt like something invisible had wrapped around his leg, holding him in place, crushing him from the inside out.
