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Chapter 12: “The Blood He Couldn’t Bear”

Rikuya and Serika

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The ambush came at dawn.

Fog rolled over the valley like a whisper of death. The enemy had waited all night in the cliffs—silent, patient, cruel.

Rikuya’s company was halfway through the pass when arrows rained like fireflies from the mist.

> “Shields up! Hold formation!” he roared.

But the cliffs weren’t the danger.

The danger came from below.

> Explosives. Buried in the snow.

The ground ruptured with thunder. Screams rose. Men scattered. And in the chaos, Serika’s horse went down.

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Rikuya saw her fall.

Not like a soldier.

Like a weight that shouldn’t have fallen.

She landed hard—her head slammed against stone, her halberd flung into the snow. Blood bloomed from her shoulder like crushed ink.

> “Serika!”

For the first time in years, he shouted a name.

Not orders.

Not commands.

A name.

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He fought like something feral—slicing through rebels as if they were nothing but shadows.

He reached her through blood and fire, dropping to his knees beside her body.

> “Serika! Serika, look at me—”

Her eyes fluttered.

“...Still alive… don’t… get dramatic,” she whispered.

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He cradled her, one hand pressing against the wound.

But it wouldn’t stop bleeding.

He looked up at Kael.

> “Get the healer. Now.”

Kael had never seen Rikuya’s hands shake before.

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They carried her back to camp, Rikuya never letting go of her hand.

Even when she drifted unconscious, even when her breathing grew ragged—he stayed beside her cot, silent as stone.

That night, as snow fell softly outside, he finally spoke.

Not to anyone.

To her.

> “You weren’t supposed to matter.”

> “You were supposed to be just another soldier. Another shadow in the ranks.”

> “But now—”

He lowered his head.

> “Now if you die… I don’t know what I’ll become.”

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She lived.

But only barely.

When her eyes opened again the next morning, Rikuya was still there.

Still sitting.

Still holding her hand.

And when she whispered his name, too weak to speak more—he only nodded.

> “You don’t get to leave me too.”

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