The Weight of Loss

Jace's body collapsed to the ground, his breathing ragged. The metallic sheen that had covered his hands faded, leaving behind the trembling, exhausted boy beneath. The last strike, the surge of power he’d summoned, had driven the Mudspire away. But victory had come at a cost.

"Ronan!"

Selena's voice broke the silence. She dropped to her knees, her hands trembling as she hovered over the warrior's still body. The axe that once roared with power now lay lifeless beside him. His broad chest, once an unyielding wall of strength, barely moved.

Nick stumbled forward, his face pale. "I-I can heal him. I can fix this!" He clutched his staff tightly, golden light already swirling around his fingertips. But even as the magic poured forth, the truth lingered , Ronan's wounds were far beyond what any healer could mend.

"Stop," Felix murmured, his usual smirk gone. His eyes were fixed on Ronan, as if willing him to rise. "You... You can't waste it. Not like this."

But Nick refused to listen. "He's not gone! He can't be!"

The barrier Ronan had summoned had long since dissipated, but the memory of his final act remained. A last stand not for glory, but to protect the ones who couldn't protect themselves.

"Jace…" A strained voice interrupted the stillness.

Ronan’s eyes flickered open, a faint spark of life remaining. His face twisted in pain, yet the ghost of a smile touched his lips. Jace, barely conscious, crawled closer, clutching Ronan’s scarred hand.

"You... did well, rookie," Ronan rasped. "For a newbie… not bad at all."

Tears welled in Jace's eyes. "No… you can't… we were supposed to hunt goblins... That's not how it ends"

The warrior coughed weakly, but his expression didn’t waver. "You will. You’re stronger than you know. And Nick… take care of them."

Nick bit his lip, nodding as tears traced down his face. "I swear."

With one last exhale, Ronan's body stilled.

A heavy silence settled upon the battlefield. The distant howls of the retreating Mudspire echoed through the shattered woods, but no one moved. The weight of loss bore down on them.

Jace clenched his fists, his steel-coated hands trembling. He had fought, endured, and survived  but it wasn’t enough. The power that surged within him still lingered, but the emptiness in his chest overwhelmed it.

"We should…" Selena's voice broke the silence, though it wavered. "We should bury him. He deserves that much."

Nick nodded slowly, his eyes hollow. "We'll make sure he rests. And then…" He clenched his fists. "We'll finish the job. For Ronan."

Jace said nothing. He simply knelt beside the fallen warrior, his resolve tightening. He may have survived, but survival alone wasn’t enough. The power of steel within him , that rare, foreign element , was more than just a gift. It was a responsibility.

And he would not waste it.

To be continued...

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