Reincarnated as an Apocalyptic Catalyst-Chapter 39: Through the Spire, Into the Shadows

I woke up to a stabbing pain behind my eyes and the sensation that someone had shoved cotton into my mouth. The sunlight streaming through the window was blinding, and I groaned, throwing an arm over my face in an attempt to block it out. Despite the placement of the window, even the lingering rays that found their way into the room were overwhelming and might as well have been a spotlight.

"Ugh, what hit me?" Mara's groggy voice came from beside me.

I turned my head slowly–testing the waters, feeling my brains slosh around in my head with even the slightest movement—and saw her sitting up in bed, still nude, a red mark on her breast where I may have clenched too tightly, her hair a tangled mess and eyes squinting against the light. She clutched her head with both hands, immediately regretting her choice to sit up.

"Probably the six glasses of wine you insisted on," I muttered, my voice rasping from sleep and dehydration. "And whatever cask of ale I decided to drown myself in."

Mara groaned, collapsing back onto the pillow. "Why didn't you stop me?"

I snorted, which immediately felt like a mistake as the ache in my head throbbed in response. "You were having too much fun. I didn't have the heart to ruin it."

She peeked at me through her fingers, her lips twitching into a faint smile. "You're a terrible influence, you know that?"

"Me?" I raised an eyebrow, or at least I think I did; I couldn't even feel my face. "I seem to recall insisting they keep the drinks coming. 'This is the best wine I've ever had,' you said. 'We can't waste a single drop.'" I tried to mimic her voice, though all I managed was to make my voice crack as I tried to reach a high enough pitch.

Mara let out a weak laugh, which turned into a wince. "Okay, maybe I got a little carried away. But you didn't stop me!"

"Nope," I admitted, smirking despite the hammer pounding away at my brain. "Watching you try to argue with the innkeeper about which vintage was better was the highlight of my night."

"Oh gods," she groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Please tell me I didn't embarrass myself."

"Only a little." I chuckled, only long enough to realize I shouldn't do that. "You're lucky the innkeeper had a good sense of humor. Otherwise, I think she might have thrown us out."

Mara peeked through her fingers again, her face still flushed, this time from embarrassment rather than wine. "Next time, you're cutting me off. No matter how much I beg."

"We'll see," I said, finally managing to push myself up into a sitting position. The room swayed for a moment, but I steadied myself, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "Now, let's get some water before we both shrivel up like prunes."

Mara grumbled something unintelligible but swung her legs over the side of the bed and struggled to get to her feet before stumbling over to the table where a pitcher of water and two glasses sat.

My heart caught in my chest as I watched that auburn hair cascade down her bare back. My gaze wandered to her sides, the faint curvature of her breasts peeking out just barely and they shifted with her every clumsy step. Further down, my eyes fell upon the base of her back, dotted with two adorable dimples before bubbling out into that perfect ass. The memory of last night was still fresh in my mind, and if I hadn't been so worked up, I would have thought to have flipped her over and felt it pressed against my thighs. Despite the pounding in my head–or heads at this point–I felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the alcohol of the previous night.

She poured two glasses, handing one to me before sitting cross-legged on the bed with hers. "So," she said after a long sip, "what's the plan for today?"

I took a drink, savoring the cool relief on my parched throat. "First, we get dressed," I smirked before feasting on her with my eyes once more, eliciting a light blush. She covered her chest with her free hand as her own grin spread across her face.

"Fine, you can look," she removed her hand before downing the rest of the glass. "I should have just brought the pitcher over here with us. My mouth is–"

"Perfect," I interrupted before downing my own.

She rolled her eyes, but I could tell she appreciated my comment. "Then can we eat something greasy enough to soak up what's left of the wine?" She asked, as much with her stomach as with her words.

"Oh, without question," I confirmed, "And after that..." my tone darkened as I forced the next sentence out, "I guess we need to get you to the Academy."

Mara nodded, her expression grim, her smile turned down as she sulked at my words. "And you? What are you going to do? This isn't some day class, where I can leave every night, or even a week. I'm going to be stuck in there for months." My eyes widened as her volume increased, as though she was arguing with me, or I suppose with herself.

"I'll figure something out," I said vaguely, leaning back against the headboard. "Probably find some work—or trouble—while keeping my head down. The last thing I need is to draw attention to myself right now."

She frowned, her brow furrowing. "You'll stay in touch, right?"

"More than that, we can set up a meeting spot and I promise I will be there every night at sunset until you walk through those doors," I said, giving her a confident and reassuring smile. "I'll be around, even if I'm not right by your side. We'll make this work, Mara."

Her shoulders relaxed slightly, though the tension didn't fully leave her face. "Promise?"

"Promise," I said, reaching out to take her hand. Her fingers were warm against mine, and for a moment, the headache and the hangover faded into the background.

We sat there in silence for a while, but despite the pounding in my skull, I felt... content. For the first time in what felt like forever, things didn't seem quite so bleak.

"Alright," Mara said finally, breaking the silence. "Let's get ready. If I show up late on my first day, I'll never live it down."

"Agreed," I said, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and standing—slowly. "Let's get that food"

Mara coughed to get my attention, "Lucian... Clothes first, okay honey?" and we both laughed through the pain and rose to get dressed.

The inn's common room was as lively as ever when Mara and I sat at a small table near the corner, hunched over plates piled high with eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, and thick slices of buttered honey bread. I felt like every new meal I had since arriving in this strange place was better than the last, and even if it was just the hangover speaking, this one easily rivaled or even surpassed the steak and ale–so probably the hangover speaking–, and I wasted no time digging in, the grease and salt doing wonders to combat the lingering effects of the hangover.

Mara ate with more restraint, though her bites were no less eager. Between sips of water, she glanced at her satchel, now bulging with her supplies and carefully folded clothes for her time at the Academy. "I can't believe it's finally happening," she said, her voice tinged with both excitement and anxiety.

I swallowed a mouthful of food and smirked. "You're going to blow them all away, you know. They won't know what hit them when you walk in there. Especially with all the practical experience we had along the way."

She gave me a lopsided smile, though her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her napkin. "You're right, I doubt any of them have–" she looked around, contemplating her next words, "had quite the same combat experiences we have." She let go a small giggle, the violence we inflicted on those terrible paladins didn't seem to phase her.

We finished our meal quickly, and before long, we were back out in the city, surrounded by the energy of the capital. The streets were alit with activity no different than the previous night. I doubted they were the same, but it seemed like 24/7 there were merchants hard at work. Travelers poured into the city from all corners of the world.

Mara's eyes sparkled as she took it all in, her head swiveling to take in the sights. "This place is incredible," she said, her voice filled with wonder.

"It's something," I agreed, keeping my hood low and my cloak wrapped tightly around me. The shadow lynx hide did nothing to conceal me, rather acting as a beacon that declared me a potentially dangerous individual, but as long as I maintained the role of Mara's personal guard, I wasn't too afraid. Maybe a little afraid, enough to take us down some side roads, away from all of the commotion. Mara didn't need to be halted this soon after the massacre.

Here, the city's charm revealed itself in a quieter, more intimate way, with flower boxes perched on windowsills, laundry lines strung between buildings, and the faint aroma of freshly baked bread wafting from a nearby bakery.

Mara clutched her satchel tightly, her steps slowing as we passed a group of children playing with a wooden hoop. They laughed and chased after it, and it was a nice change of pace. I never was too big on city life, but this part reminded me more of my home back on Earth.

"It's hard to believe we're still in the same world sometimes," Mara murmured, her voice soft.

I nodded, understanding exactly what she meant. The capital felt like a different universe compared to the wilds or the small town we'd traveled through, let alone the horrors of battle.

As we neared the spire, the towering structure came into view, its gleaming surface reflecting the midday sun. It was incredible, like nothing I had ever seen. The spire seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky, its peak disappearing into the clouds. I had to wonder if magic was involved because something that narrow and towering, in this age of architecture shouldn't have been possible.

We stopped in the shadows of a narrow alley, the bustle of the nearby square muted by the walls around us. Mara shifted her weight, her gaze fixed on the spire as if she could already feel its pull.

"This is it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, my throat tightening. "Yeah. This is it."

She turned to me, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "You're sure you can't come with me? At least to the door?"

I shook my head, I had made this decision when I decided to take down the paladins. "I can't risk it. Not yet. The Academy will be swarming with officials, professors, and gods know who else. If even one of them recognizes me..." I paused for a moment, seeing her downtrodden face, "But you will be fine. None of the paladins that survived had seen you, and it doesn't sound like the town gave up much, or even knew anything to give up. It will be okay Mara." I patted her shoulder before gliding my hand through her beautiful hair.

Her shoulders slumped, but she nodded, leaning her neck into my hand as I played with her hair. "I hate this," she admitted, her voice carrying a light tremble. "I hate leaving you behind."

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I reached pulled back my hand and took hers in mine. "You're not leaving me behind, Mara. This is just a temporary goodbye. I'll be here, in the city, staying out of trouble and keeping an eye out. You focus on your studies, and we'll see each other soon."

She sniffled, her grip on my hands tightening. "You'd better keep that promise, Lucian. I mean it."

"I will," I said, my voice steady despite the lump in my throat. "And you'd better promise me you'll knock their socks off in there."

A watery laugh escaped her as she nodded. "Deal."

We stood there for a moment, knowing that once we moved, that would be that. Finally, Mara stepped back, adjusting her satchel, checking the staff tied to her back, and squaring her shoulders. She turned to face the spire, her determination shining through the tears in her eyes.

"I guess this is it," she said, glancing back at me one last time.

I nodded, forcing a small smile. "Go show them what you're made of, Mara."

She hesitated for a heartbeat, then rushed forward, throwing her arms around me in a tight hug. I held her close, memorizing the feel of her warmth, the scent of her hair, and the rhythm of her breaths.

When she finally pulled away, her eyes met mine, and I knew we were feeling the same thing. "See you soon," she whispered.

"See you soon," I echoed, my voice rough and broken.

Mara turned and walked toward the spire. I half expected her to start skipping like the day we first met, but I could tell she had too much weight on her, emotionally. As she reached the base of the structure, the grand door shimmered with a faint, magical light. She paused, looking back over her shoulder to find me in the shadows.

I raised a hand in a silent farewell, and she smiled–a small, bittersweet curve of her lips—before stepping through the portal.

The light flared, and then she was gone.

I stood there for a long moment, staring at the empty space where she'd been. The bustling city seemed distant, the noise muted as her absence settled over me. Then the tears came, they flowed a steady rate down my cheeks. I had found something worth keeping, and even if I was to bring down this world, I would keep her safe, no matter the cost.

With a deep breath, I turned and melted into the shadows of the alley, heading toward the seedy underbelly of the city. A part of me would always stay with Mara, but for now, I had to focus on surviving. The shadows welcomed me, and I embraced them in return.

Somewhere in the city, a new life awaited me. Somewhere beyond that portal, a new life awaited her. All I could do now was hope that one day, those lives would meet again.

End of Volume 1.