Yet he did not go flying. He took another step towards the door, and air flashed. The [Knight] smiled, and then—

He began to charge. He ran across the ground, a roar building in his throat. The magic forced the dust, dirt, Cara, even the lids of the coffins near the door back. Stone crashed to the floor, and Cara slammed into one of the coffins as a force pushed her back. She saw the [Knight] sprinting forwards. The magic pushed at him, tried to pick him up and throw him.

But he had no weight. He breathed, but he had no lungs. All he was was…will. So he refused to stop.

The light built brighter, until it seared the entire tomb for miles. So bright it was almost blinding to Cara, but it was not physical light. And she saw that one ghostly glow moving forwards.

Too much power, though. He was wrong. This was no faded magic. Cara cried out. She saw the [Knight]

raising his blade and felt the crescendo change. A screaming pitch filled the air. Like thunderous strings of some wild instrument of titans.

Death. Cara felt it. And she saw the terrible light of comprehension in Dalius’ eyes. His head turned back just once. She realized what he was going to do and screamed.

“Ser Dalius! Dalius—don’t—”

He smiled at her. The [Knight] turned ahead and his entire body—

Splintered. Coming apart. Dissolving in front of the magic. Then reforming. His sword rose. It had struck no foe yet, but the gates were in front of him. The shrieking spell, exposed, trying to protect itself. Ser Dalius roared as he leapt into the air, and his sword struck magic.

“Noelictus forgive me!”

He struck the gates as the light flared forwards. She saw Dalius glance back. There was one moment, just one, where their eyes met.

For a moment, the tomb was illuminated. The light flashed down the length of the tomb. She saw him there, in color, in the vividness of his life. He looked at her, in that millisecond, and she saw his triumphant smile. The pain, desperation on his face, gone. He nodded to her.

Cara thought she heard him sigh.

“Goodb—”

Cara heard an explosion, deafening, and the light expanded outwards in a moment. She dove and something picked her up and slammed her down. Dalius vanished.

And then there was nothing.

——

The shaking stopped. The young woman lay, covered in dust and bits of rubble. Whether hours had passed, or a moment, she didn’t know. She raised her head, coughing.

And saw the light.

It shone through the broken doors. The last spell had blown the doors apart—or perhaps the ghost’s strike. Dirt, clumps of grass were piled up with the broken stone high, high. But at the top of the doorway there was—

Light. A distant sky. Shining light, glowing and beautiful.

Cara’s breath caught.