Defeat

He's alive.

Ducan stopped and stood beside a pillar, holding a tiny brown pouch bag of something unknown. I quickly shook myself out of Blossom's grasp, ignoring whatever she's saying, rising from the ground, fighting the pain, and stumbling to reach Ducan. 

I need to look at him up close and touch him to see if he's real.

There's nothing about him, and what he wore that day of his mission had changed. However, his ruby eyes that are as bright as the gemstone on my ring are now a dull color. It's as if he's dead or dying. He is also paler than before, like a corpse, and the expression he held with him- it's as if he's not himself. 

"Ducan, is that really you?"

I choked and limped as I walked and grabbed onto his shoulders when I reached him. He did not flinch when I touched him, nor did he look at my face. He stares only at the ground with an emotionless face.