"Xaden!" she cried, running towards him, catching him before he hit the ground.

"I am well," she murmured, though her voice was faint.

"Nay, thou art not," Violet held him tightly, feeling the weight of what she had just done settling upon them both.

The battle had ended, yet the scars it had left behind would not easily fade.

Fifth Part: The Price of Honor

The snow fell slowly, covering the scars of the battlefield as if trying to erase what had happened there. But for Violet, nothing could erase what she had seen. Xaden stood by her side, his body tense and his breath heavy. He hadn't spoken a word since he used the shard of onyx to destroy the colossal venom. Yet, the silence between them spoke louder than any scream.

"You cannot continue this," Violet's voice shattered the icy air, laden with a mix of fury and concern.

Xaden turned his head towards her, his gaze dark and impenetrable.

"Does thou think he desired it?," her voice was low, yet sharp enough to make her take a step back, "Thou believest I do not comprehend the weight of it, but we had no other recourse."