The fire had burned down to embers by the time the first sound reached them.
A branch snapping.
Soft, deliberate. Too heavy for an animal. Too controlled for accident.
Riku's head snapped up. Lyria was already on her feet, dagger in hand, crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dark.
"…They found me." Her voice was little more than a whisper.
Riku rose slowly, brushing ash from his coat. "They?"
Before she could answer, the shadows stirred. From between the skeletal trees, something emerged.
Tall. Too tall for a man. Its frame was wrapped in blackened armor that seemed to pulse as if alive. Two curved horns jutted from its helmet, and a single crimson eye burned in the center of its visor. In its clawed hand was a spear, jagged and slick with dried blood.
The air itself seemed to recoil around it.
Lyria's breath caught. "…A Pursuer."
The figure stepped forward, its voice a guttural growl that rattled the earth.
"Half-blood. The chains are gone. The seal is broken. Your blood calls to us."
Riku muttered under his breath. "…Fantastic. I was just starting to enjoy the campfire vibes."
The Pursuer's eye shifted to him, glowing brighter. "And you… reek of forbidden power. Keeper of the Lost Word."
Riku tensed. It knows.
The creature raised its spear, black flames spiraling along its shaft. "By order of the Abyssal Court, you both will be taken. Alive or broken."
Lyria's hand trembled around her dagger. "Run," she whispered. "You don't understand. A Pursuer doesn't stop. You can't fight it."
Riku tilted his head, a grin tugging at his lips despite the dread curling in his stomach. "Can't fight it, huh? You really don't know me yet."
He lifted his hand. Words flared into the air, glowing with a cold, silver light.
[Concept of Pursuer: Obsession]
The letters pulsed. Riku's eyes narrowed. "…Let's see what happens if we change that."
The Pursuer let out a guttural roar, lunging forward. Its spear plunged toward Riku's chest—
—only to halt mid-thrust, quivering inches from his skin.
The words shimmered again.
[Rewrite: Obsession = Confusion]
The crimson eye flickered. The demon staggered back, spear wavering. Its growl broke into a distorted snarl, its movements jerky, uncertain.
Lyria's eyes widened in shock. "…You… changed its nature."
Riku smirked. "Something like that. Though I don't know how long it'll hold."
The Pursuer roared again, striking the ground in blind fury. The earth split, sending shockwaves through the forest. Trees toppled. The fire was extinguished.
Riku staggered, grit his teeth. Damn, this thing's will is strong. It's already pushing back against the rewrite.
The letters before his eyes flickered dangerously. The Codex trembled inside his chest like a living thing, hungry, eager.
Lyria stepped in front of him suddenly, dagger raised. "You shouldn't waste yourself on me. It's me it wants."
Riku barked a laugh. "And what, you expect me to just hand you over?"
Her eyes widened.
He smirked, raising his hand again. "Sorry, not happening. I told you—two outcasts are better than one. And I don't rewrite my promises."
The words flared brighter than ever.
[Concept of Spear: Piercing]
[Rewrite: Piercing = Shatter]
The Pursuer lunged, thrusting its spear. But the moment the weapon struck, it fractured into shards, exploding into fragments of screaming black fire.
The demon staggered back, roaring in fury.
Riku clenched his fist. "Lyria—your turn."
She hesitated, then her crimson eyes burned with a light that was no longer only fear. She leapt forward, dagger flashing, and with a cry that echoed years of pain and rage, drove the blade into the Pursuer's exposed chest.
The demon shrieked, black fire spilling from the wound. It staggered, collapsing into the ash, dissolving into smoke that vanished into the night sky.
Silence fell once more.
Riku exhaled, collapsing back onto the log, sweat dripping from his brow. "…Well. That was fun."
Lyria stood frozen, staring at her hands as the black smoke faded from her blade. Her voice trembled. "I… killed it."
"Correction," Riku said, smirking faintly, "we killed it."
She turned to him, her expression torn between awe and disbelief. "…Why are you helping me? You know what I am. You know what follows me. Anyone else would've abandoned me already."
Riku leaned back, staring at the faint glow of embers. "Maybe I'm not anyone else."
Her lips parted, but no words came.
For the first time in her life, someone hadn't seen her as cursed prey, or a burden, or a monster.
For the first time, someone had stood with her.
And for the first time, Lyria allowed herself to believe—just a little—that maybe she wasn't alone anymore.