The hex gnaws its teeth on Inna's blade. 

    I quickly get off of Abyss and run towards Inna, pulling two of my curved daggers from its sheet. Before I can reach her, I faceplant and get dragged on the soil. I turn my head as I get pulled--a hex has dug its claws into my leather boot.

     “INDI!” Inna calls out.

    There can only be a few minutes that Inna can delay the hex using her sword, and she is using all of her strength to fight it off. More hexes screech at a distance.

    This cannot be. We haven't cut any bloodstrings.

    I kick the hex with my other leg and pull myself upwards, throwing my dagger straight to its eye and once the hex has loosened its grip on me--I stagger for my sister. She is still on the ground, grunting as the hex tries to sink its teeth into her flesh.

     I lock the hex by its neck with my arm, pulling it from Inna. "NOW, Inna!'

    She quickly recovers and runs her sword through its shoulder. I clench my teeth and hiss. A quick slash hits my left arm--sending a sharp pain. The hex does not take the stab lightly and screeches hard. Its broken scream pierces my head. It reaches for Inna, who is now twisting  her sword tightly inside its shoulders. Before it can dig its claws into Inna's arms, I slash the fiend by the throat.

    We both catch our breath, Inna's eyes go wide as she sees the cut on my shoulder. "Heavens! Did I hit you?"

    Before I can tell her not to worry about my wound, I see the blood dripping from her left hand. "Your hand!--"

    A rumble disturbs the land, the sound of branches, strong wind and screeching hexes become closer and closer. That is when I see the beacon. A strong surging waves of flaming light that shoots up to the night sky. I squint, it is so blindingly bright and beautiful. Almost ethereal.

    That beacon marks the location.

    Below that light is where we find Enne Scythe.

    We're close. We're almost there.

    Hexes will surround us soon and go for the kill. Inna and I can only take so much. 

    I can control it. I think.

    My throat gets dry at the thought of what I am about to do. I am frantic. "Step away." 

    Inna clutches her sword tight now that she's pulled it off of the hex. She meets my eyes and shakes her head. But I have already begun. "No. No--" 

    Before I lose my senses, I call out. "Now!"

    She leaps away from me as a burning fury hits me--traveling from my veins to the mark embedded on my nape.

    No, not just the Elysian rune.

    Something else far more different--dangerous. And I can only activate it for so long before I lose control.

    Glowing shards of cool light surround me--I feel every part of my being ignite. I feel the heat travel into my veins and into my blade, it's edges glowing mystically as the shooting burn inside me grows stronger. 

    By my blade and the power surging within my every being

    I puncture the land beneath me. 

   The grounds shakes, and I grip my blade tightly with both my hands, gritting my teeth through the pain of which using my Lighte brings me. Blue electric waves of light speeds above the ground, coming out from the blade embedded into the soil. Coming out of me. 

    That's when I know that every hex within a distance of my reach has fallen to the ground.

    I once said that Lighte bearers are one of the most wanted in the isles. Just like Cadence Alewar, who's been on the run since his prison break. Lighte bearers who have been accused of using the dark arts since the olden days. Lighte bearers who have decreased in numbers despite the powerful abilities they behold. 

    The world wants them dead. 

    And I am one of them.

My vision sways, my head is in a haze. I am still kneeling on the ground but I've long let go of my blade. Cold hands press each side of my cheek. 

    "Hey," I hear Inna's frantic voice. "Hey, I've got you. I've got you." Her voice is trembling. "Breathe, Indi. Breathe."

     I cough all the air I've been holding and use my hands to balance me. My chest is heavy and my mind is spiraling. "I'm sorry." I repeat. "I'm sorry, I had to--we were outnumbered." I feel my Lighte tone down as I breathe and grasp my focus. Until it ultimately turns off, like how I've always done. "Inna, the beacon is out--"

    "You scared the wits out of me!" Inna pulls me up, I grab my blade and put it back its sheath. I try to stand firmly on both feet. 

    Blood trickles from my face, must be from Inna's wound as she held me. She grabs both of my shoulders hard. "And what are you talking about? What beacon?"

    "We have to go, quickly." I utter. "We might run out of time."

    I drag my every being and pull myself up to Abyss. "The hexes are only subdued, they're not dead. The beacon--" I gather my words. “This is why the madam chose us for the job. She needs a Lighte bearer.”

    I explain as quick as I can. “Only the light bearer can see the beacon which will lead to the girl.”

    Inna hadn't had time to process what half of the scroll indicates, leaving the half of it for me to handle. She had been worried about this bounty, whether we made the right decision to go or not. But now is not the time to dwell on the matter. If I don't go now, I might not reach our bounty on time.

    Thankfully, she understands and nods. “There’s still time. I'll kill them while they’re subdued—go get the girl.”

    As I go, she says. “If you die, I’ll kill you twice.” then, "Go get our bounty.”

     The beacon has faded into tiny speckles of light. But it is enough for me to see as I jump off of Abyss and run towards the shore. I stop from my tracks, panting.

    Dread fills me in as  I find the glint in the middle of the waves before it disappears completely.

    I scan by the shore and see nothing but soft waves. Dawn is creeking in front of me. That's when I see a silhouette of an unmoving body right where the beacon was. 

   By the gods. The girl is in the water.