Kai's Memories

Moon's voiceless screams, a warning echoing sharp the night. Something's wrong. She's on her feet, scooping him up and running in two heartbeats. Alistair is already gone.

She's fast in her own way, in the way of weaving between the gaps taller people always leave and striking before they can think to turn, but in the length of their strides he has her beat. She barely bursts into the clearing, barely has time to process the blinding wall of magic or the skeletal form hovering above it, before his incoherent shout rips through the trees and freezes her in place.

Just in time to see the lich reach out, his bony hand grasping, pulling, Dezzy stiffen and draw away as her back hits the wall. Just in time to see the magic rip out of her and her form slump to the ground.

Her scream dies in her throat. In that moment the barrier fades, and Alistair charges forward, cleaving a blow that would have split Nazriil in two. The lich shatters into dust, the prism holding her lifeforce disappearing with him.

Alistair is screaming to the wind; the lich's false image appears again before him. She doesn't care. She makes it to Dezzy far too late. The warmth of her spirit has faded, leaving her body cold, her eyes wide and black and soulless.

Dead. She vaguely hears it from the thrum of voices behind her, that he's merely taken her, that her soul is safe. But that's all she can find in the empty stare and the hand that no longer squeezes back. Gone.

Though she feels herself trembling, she can't bring herself to move, to do anything but sit there and shiver in the freezing slick grass. Until Alistair lifts the lifeless vessel, leaving her staring at crushed grass and dirt like she's still there.

"We need to move." His voice is cold, but he reaches down and takes her hand. He has to pull her to her feet and even then she nearly just sinks down again. But somehow she takes a step. Somehow she keeps walking.

His hand feels as cold as the world has become. But he doesn't let go.