Alicia!!!

Her body jerked like a horse snapping reins. Her spirit slammed into Lian for the helm. Ling would wrench Alicia from death’s maw.

As her link clicked, Ling heard Lian’s roar.

"Damn it! Why stop me!"

Compassion pricked like a thorn, but sight cut sharper. Aer was about to meet that flying knife. Of course Lian would save Aer—but how’s that my problem?

I’m not Lian. Aer means nothing to me. The one I’ll save is Alicia. Whatever you are to me, whatever we are—Alicia is the sun of my sky.

Mana surged like a storm tide, battering Lian’s spirit cliff. I’d force her to yield control, even if we shattered after. Even if she came to hate me.

But if Ling saves Alicia, does Lian stop saving Aer? The truth was iron. Lian had waited centuries for Aer. She couldn’t unclench now.

"Aer!"

Lian’s soul roared, a volcano breaking its cone. In that blaze, she matched Ling, soul against soul.

Ling felt her struggle, so she poured on pressure. The short blade had already flown; it hovered ten centimeters from Alicia’s temple. This was near time-freeze, winter glass on water—yet time hadn’t truly halted. That death-knife only advanced, never retreated.

"Let go of me!"

Ling hurled the words, and feral mana pounced like wolves. Dense power, almost solid, slammed into Lian. Cracks veined her spirit form, jagged as lightning. Still, she wouldn’t unclasp her hand.

"Let go! You’ll die!"

Ling stared at Lian’s wounds. Unease gnawed; pain echoed. She could hurt Lian, but she couldn’t kill her. Not that she couldn’t—she would never.

Lian held the pain like frost in her lungs. She pried open trembling lids and looked at Ling.

"Please… let me save Aer… please…"

A powerhouse’s pride fell like armor dropped in dust. She had never begged an enemy. All this pleading was for Aer alone.

Was it an illusion? Ling saw wet glitter at Lian’s lashes—tears, clear as spring water. No doubt: she wasn’t crying from pain.

Ling’s attack dulled, a tide pulling back. Hesitation pooled. Her bond with Alicia wasn’t the same as Lian’s with Aer. Should she willfully break true lovers to snatch Alicia back? Was it worth it?

Lian felt the lessening like warmth through snow. Hope pricked.

Yet hope walks with disappointment. Ling’s thinking took only a heartbeat. Alicia—she must be saved.

Worth had no say here. A life isn’t a coin to be priced. If she tagged Alicia’s life as low right now, her own heart would be the true tragedy.

"I must save Alicia!"

As the words rang, something cracked, a brittle sound from Lian’s side.

Lian stared at Ling, eyes wide, disbelief swimming in her pupils.

"Why…"

Ling tightened her grip on control while she answered.

"No reason. I save her because I love Alicia."

…

Silence fell, heavy as snow. Love stood on both sides, both reaching out. That’s why they clashed.

But knowing that didn’t make yielding easy.

"Is my Aer not important?!" Lian’s roar lashed like thunder. "Why—why must Aer be sacrificed to save your Alicia?!"

Ling looked at her, lost, hands empty as mist. A stray old habit flared—fight, and the winner is right. One shout from Lian burned that idea to ash. She tried for calm.

"Uh… Lian…"

"Why…"

"No, Lian…"

"Why…"

"Please, just hear me—"

"Why!"

Lian screamed. Tears spilled like rain. Emerald pupils blurred; her reddened rims stung.

"Why! Why! Why!"

Ling saw her break into sobs and froze, helpless. How was she supposed to handle this? Keep bickering like some petty troll?

"No—listen to me first!"

She stared, exasperated, at her own crying face, and felt a strange guilt, like bullying herself.

Crack!

The world snapped; glass-shatter rippled around them.

Ling’s guard rose. Lian’s sobbing stilled; her gaze pinned the golden pattern on her arm like a hawk on prey.

"Is that you, Aer?"

Ling heard her whisper and turned to the suddenly quiet girl.

"Lian, what did you just say?"

Lian ignored her. She kept watching the gold sigil, nodding now and then, like listening to a seashell that spoke.

"Hey, what are you—"

Lian stood before Ling finished. Her small head bumped Ling’s chin; pain shot, and Ling tumbled, rolling. Lian ignored the throbbing and reached for the golden lines.

"Like this?"

One hand touched Ling’s spirit, the other pressed the gold on her arm. A beam of gold flared between them, bright as noon.

The sudden light spun her head. When clarity returned, an identical figure stood there. Ling didn’t gape like some anime fool—she knew, bone-deep, this was Lian. Lian with a body, Lian in the flesh. Yet the abrupt shift still stunned her.

"Why are you spacing out?! Save her!"

Lian’s bark snapped Ling awake. She bolted toward Alicia. She took one step, and dizziness washed her from crown to heel. Her stride faltered. Things that had hung near-frozen began to drift, slow as thawing ice—no, her extreme state was gone.

What the hell?!

No time to think. She sprinted for Alicia. The blade hung three centimeters from her head…