The rain had picked up now. I still heard screams, though — distant, fading. But I also heard the hard drumming of the rain against stone, against flesh, against everything.
Perhaps the rain was mocking me? Sympathizing with me?
Whatever it was, I hated it. Today. I hated today.
Unsure of what was happening around me, I clutched the body tightly in my hands. The charred flesh was still warm. Still warm, and she was already gone. Lira was gone… the realization was setting in, piece by piece, like shards of glass sliding into my chest. And all that she had left me was memories and gratitude.
What pained me most was the reason why all of this had to happen. She'd mentioned that if someone were to know about the method we used to increase our spirit essence, we could both be killed.
'Is that it then?! Did someone find out? Who?'
