Breath of Hope

Temoshí stood frozen, his gaze locked onto Chiaki's lifeless body. The memories flooded his mind, relentless and unyielding, a constant reminder of the bond they'd shared and the failure that now consumed him. The pain of losing her, the one person he cared for with every ounce of his being, shattered his will to move forward. His motivation, his purpose, all of it crumbled in the wake of her death.

As the weight of grief pulled him deeper into despair, the man standing beside Ophelia raised his pistol, a cold, calculated look in his eyes. He enchanted the bullet, hardening it, then took aim directly at Temoshí's head. Without hesitation, the trigger was pulled, and the gunshot rang through the air, the bullet speeding toward its target.

"Move, you idiot!" Shanya screamed, her voice filled with panic and desperation. In a flash, she charged forward, her claws glowing with enchanted steel, and with a swift swipe, she redirected the bullet, sending it ricocheting off the wall instead of striking Temoshí.

Shanya spun around to face her friend, her hands gripping his shoulders, shaking him violently in a desperate attempt to rouse him from his catatonic state. "Hey, you damn idiot! Can you hear me?! Come on, snap outta it!" She shook him harder, her frustration growing, before slapping his face. But even then, Temoshí didn't move, his body frozen in grief, a handprint from her slap lingering on his left cheek.

The reality hit her like a punch to the gut—there was no bringing him back. Her heart sank as she glanced over at her enemies, the three figures now standing in opposition to her. "Damn it," she muttered, her mind racing. Despite knowing she was vastly outnumbered, she wouldn't back down. There was no surrender in her, even though she could feel the weight of their power bearing down on her.

Ophelia's eyes locked onto Shanya, her grip tightening on her spears as she stretched them forward, charging with deadly intent. In a blur of motion, she moved to strike both Shanya and the motionless Temoshí. But before the battle could unfold fully, the man at Ophelia's side turned toward Chiaki's body, lying lifeless in the water.

"I'll take care of the woman," he said with a cold, determined tone, stepping forward with purpose as Shanya struggled to hold her ground against Ophelia's relentless assault. She fought with everything she had, her broadsword clashing against the spear's sharp tip, her gauntlet blocking blows, but she knew deep down she stood little chance against the combined might of these powerful foes.

As the man reached to take Chiaki's body, he froze mid-motion, his eyes widening in surprise as he spotted a needle embedded in her neck. Before he could react, another whistle sliced through the air, and a second needle shot forward, striking him in the shoulder with brutal precision.

His entire body locked up, as if caught in the grip of a sudden blizzard, his muscles betraying him. "What the—" He tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond, leaving him standing motionless like a lifeless statue. "Trice! I-I can't move! Hurry up and grab the girl!" But his words were hollow, as Trice had already been knocked out, a needle stuck in his neck rendering him unconscious.

In stunned silence, he cursed under his breath. "He's out. Didn't even feel him go down. Who's doing this? It's like I'm trapped under some invisible force..." His eyes darted over to the distant battle, seeing Ophelia still locked in combat. "Ophelia! Hey! A little help here!" His voice trembled with pain as his vision began to blur, the world around him fading as the grip of paralysis tightened.

Ophelia, hearing his call, hesitated mid-swing, pausing her assault as Shanya, having just blocked another attack, glanced over in the same direction.

Moments later, a shadowy figure dashed in from the distance, cutting through the chaos like a bolt of lightning. "You two! Get out of there, fast! My needles don't last long!" Shanya blinked in surprise, her mouth slightly agape as she saw Stitch appear at the perfect moment to turn the tide.

Without hesitation, Shanya bolted for Chiaki, taking advantage of the man's paralysis. As she scooped Chiaki's body into her arms, she locked eyes with the immobilized man, her expression a mixture of defiance and urgency.

"You... again. You and that cursed doll!" The man growled, his fury burning like an inferno as he glared at Stitch, the only thing keeping him from moving.

Stitch, calm and collected, stood her ground with a confident demanor, knowing full well that her intervention was no coincidence. She let the man absorb every detail of her presence before she spoke.

"I've injected her with a needle—one of a very special kind," Stitch explained, her voice firm and steady. She seemed to know the gravity of the situation, and her words reflected that. "This isn't just any toxin or tranquilizer. What I've used is a synthetic vaccine I developed specifically for situations like this. It's a sort of 'life suspension' serum, designed to temporarily shut down a person's body functions without causing immediate harm."

She paused, making sure the man was following her explanation, his gaze locked on her with a mixture of disbelief and fury.

"This vaccine works by blocking the neural pathways that register pain and vital sensations. When it enters the bloodstream, it essentially deceives the brain into thinking the body is in a dormant state. The organs stop functioning at full capacity—heartbeat slows, breathing becomes shallow, everything that signals death is halted." She lifted her hand, as if tracing the effects in the air, her fingers moving in precise gestures. "The body goes into a sort of false stasis, a suspended animation where it's still alive, but unaware of its condition."

She looked at Chiaki's still form, her expression softening for a moment. "The key here is that Chiaki doesn't feel death. Her body is essentially numb to it. That means she doesn't experience the trauma of her own injuries, and we have some time to act before the body begins to deteriorate further."

Her eyes returned to the man, her voice now laced with urgency. "This effect doesn't last forever. It's temporary—maybe a few minutes, maybe longer, depending on the severity of the injury. But it gives us a window, just enough time to intervene and save her before her body realizes it's dying. I'm not saying it's guaranteed, but if we act quickly, she can be brought back."

Stitch's words hung in the air, the weight of them undeniable. "So, as long as we work fast, Chiaki still has a chance."

Seeing all three of their enemies immobilized, Shanya quickly slung Chiaki's limp body over her shoulder, while Stitch rushed to grab Temoshí's hand. "Snap out of it! Chiaki's alive! If you don't move right now, she might not make it!"

But Temoshí remained motionless, his mind still reeling from the shock. "She's…" he whispered, his voice barely audible, his thoughts lost in the horror of what he had witnessed.

Shanya's voice cut through his daze. "Come on!" she urged, her tone frantic. Stitch, shaking him with urgency, checked her wristwatch. "We don't have much time! The needle's effects won't last long—20 seconds at most!"

With those words, the reality hit him like a punch to the gut. He shook off his paralysis, finally coming back to his senses as Stitch helped him to his feet. Shanya was already sprinting ahead, determined to get them moving.

"There's someone I know who can save her before the vaccine wears off," Stitch called over her shoulder, her voice sharp with purpose. "But you need to follow me now!"

The royal guards' bodies began to stir, a sign that the effects of the poison from the needles were wearing off. Realizing they were running out of time, Temoshí and the others immediately took off, sprinting as fast as they could, desperate to put as much distance between themselves and their enemies before they could recover. Meanwhile, Phalris' body, battered and drained, remained motionless, unable to move due to the shattered remnants of her artifact.

"His name is Dr. Hugo Blackwood," Stitch explained, her pace quickening as she led the way, with Shanya and Temoshí following closely behind. "He's located near the edge of the Cascade Cradle's barrier, out in the forest, in a mansion. He's a Vesperian and has the ability to save lives."

The needles in the bodies of their enemies were quickly losing their potency, and it wouldn't be long before they regained control. Desmond, now fully aware of the situation, regained his movement and swiftly stood up. "I'll go after them! You two keep Phalris alive!" he ordered, rushing forward while leaving Ophelia, still immobilized, behind. "Don't let them get away," she commanded coldly, watching as Desmond dashed off at an impossible speed.

To be continued...