Blood Ties and Broken Vows
Episode -------32
Rain lashed the shattered warehouse windows, wind screaming through broken beams. Outside, more shadows gathered — a tide of masked men closing in, drawn by gunfire and vengeance.
Inside, the air tasted of blood, gunpowder, and fear.
Raian wiped fresh blood from his lips, breath ragged, pistol heavy in his hand. His storm-grey gaze swept the hall — four bodies already lay still, but more enemies stepped through the ruin's threshold, boots splashing through water streaked red.
Aria gripped the fallen gun, her heartbeat a wild drum against bruised ribs. Her hands shook, but her resolve didn't. Not this time.
---
Beside them, Ayan forced himself to stand, weight shifting off his wounded leg. Lina pressed a shaking hand to his thigh, but his gaze stayed on the intruders.
"They keep coming," Ayan rasped, sweat beading on his brow.
"They know this is the last place we'd run," Raian murmured, voice low, haunted. "And the only place I'd fight to the death."
Aria turned, fear and something deeper swirling in her chest. "What is this place to you?"
Raian's gaze flickered — for the first time, truly unguarded.
"My father built it," he whispered. "Before he died… before I killed him."
---
The words fell like a stone into silence.
Aria's breath caught. Even the rain seemed to pause, hanging in the stillness between confession and consequence.
"You… killed your father?" she whispered, voice cracking.
Raian's jaw tightened, but he didn't look away. "I thought it would end the cycle. That by taking his life, I could choose something different."
"And did it?" Aria asked, tears blurring her sight.
His silence answered louder than words.
---
A crash tore through the moment — two masked men rushed the doorway. One raised a pistol, the barrel gleaming wetly.
Aria didn't think.
She fired.
The shot roared through the hall — the man jerked, blood misting in the air before he dropped. The other attacker froze for half a breath, just long enough for Raian to slam a knife into his chest.
Aria stared at the smoking gun in her hand, breath ragged.
She'd killed. For real this time.
"Aria," Raian rasped, pulling her back, voice gentle despite the storm outside. "Look at me."
Her gaze lifted, eyes wide, guilt warring with relief. "I didn't want to—"
"I know," he murmured. "And you shouldn't have had to. But you saved me."
---
Across the hall, Ayan and Lina backed into a crumbling archway. Three attackers circled them, blades catching dim light.
"We can't hold them much longer," Lina whispered, voice raw.
Ayan tightened his grip on the sword, leg trembling under him. "Then we make them bleed for every step."
Fear burned in Lina's chest — but beside it, something fiercer. "Together," she whispered.
Ayan's gaze softened, even here. "Together," he echoed.
---
One attacker lunged. Lina swung her iron rod — bone cracked under steel. Another closed in, blade sweeping for Ayan's side.
Pain screamed through Ayan's wounded leg, but he twisted, sword flashing. Steel bit flesh; the man staggered, clutching his shoulder.
For a moment, the attackers hesitated — but more shadows crowded the doorway.
"Too many," Lina gasped.
"We fall back!" Ayan shouted.
They retreated, backs brushing cold stone, ready to make their last stand.
---
Raian glanced across the hall — at Ayan and Lina, battered but unbroken. At Aria, blood spattered across trembling hands.
"This ends tonight," he rasped, voice rough with pain and memory.
"How?" Aria whispered, hope flickering in her eyes.
Raian's gaze hardened. "By becoming what they fear."
Aria swallowed hard. "And if that means losing yourself again?"
Raian's breath caught, the question cutting deeper than any blade. "Then remember me as I am now," he whispered.
---
Another crash — the heavy doors splintered under boot and iron.
Through rain and ruin stepped a figure taller than the others — face hidden by a black scarf, but the voice that followed froze Raian's blood.
"Hello, little brother," the man drawled, voice velvet over steel.
Raian's grip tightened until his knuckles blanched. "Zayid."
Aria felt the name strike through him like a blade. "Your brother?" she whispered, horror blooming.
"Half-brother," Raian spat, voice raw. "My father's favorite bastard."
Zayid's laugh echoed across stone. "Father always said you'd destroy everything he built. Looks like you finally did."
---
Ayan's gaze cut across the hall. "Raian!" he called, breath ragged. "Who is he?"
"The real viper," Raian rasped. "The one who taught me what mercy costs."
---
Zayid stepped forward, rainwater dripping from his coat. "You always played at honor, Raian. But the empire isn't kept by love. It's kept by fear."
His gaze shifted — cold, amused — landing on Aria. "And who's this? Another doctor to stitch up your shame?"
Raian moved, placing himself between Zayid and Aria. "Touch her," he warned, voice low as thunder, "and I'll carve the smile off your face."
---
Zayid's grin widened, sharp and cruel. "Brother, you always were sentimental. And sentiment is weakness."
He raised a hand — a silent signal.
The masked men surged forward.
---
Chaos exploded.
Steel clashed; gunfire lit the ruin in savage bursts.
Raian moved, pain twisting every step, but the past burned hotter than agony. His blade met Zayid's, steel ringing through broken stone.
"You were never meant to lead," Zayid sneered, blade sweeping low.
"And you were never meant to be free," Raian spat back, parrying, though strength fled with every heartbeat.
---
Across the hall, Aria pressed herself to the cold stone, heart screaming in her chest.
She saw Zayid's men move for Raian's back — and she moved.
Gun clutched in shaking hands, she stepped from the shadows. "Raian!" she shouted.
He twisted, catching the blade meant for him — steel scraping bone.
Aria fired.
The shot cracked through rain and ruin. The attacker fell — lifeless.
---
Raian staggered, fresh blood seeping through torn cloth. "Aria," he rasped, voice breaking.
"I told you," she whispered, tears falling hot and unstoppable, "I won't let them take you."
---
Zayid's gaze snapped to her, eyes dark with murder. "Stupid girl," he snarled.
Raian lunged, pain blinding him, blade slashing Zayid's arm. Blood bloomed — not fatal, but enough to draw a curse.
"You've grown teeth," Zayid hissed, fury twisting his features.
Raian's voice dropped, raw and hoarse. "No. I found someone worth bleeding for."
---
A gunshot rang from across the hall — Ayan, half-kneeling, blood dripping from his leg, had fired.
One attacker spun, shot through the chest, crashing to stone.
Lina swung her iron rod again, breath ragged, tears lost in rain.
---
Raian and Zayid circled each other, breath loud in the ruin's broken heart.
Zayid lunged; Raian twisted, but his wounded side failed him. Steel bit flesh.
Pain blinded him — and in that heartbeat, Zayid's blade swept for his throat.
"Raian!" Aria screamed, voice tearing raw.
---
Raian dropped to one knee, vision swimming.
Zayid raised his sword, eyes dark with triumph.
And Aria moved — running, reckless, heart louder than fear.
---
Teaser for Episode 33:
The blade falls — a heartbeat, a breath, a choice. Will Aria's love save Raian… or will blood claim him at last? And what secret binds Zayid's hate to Raian's guilt?