The moon hung high over the temple, casting pale light over the sprawling stone structure. Silent, unfeeling, the temple stood like a monument to the gods, its towering spires reaching toward a sky that never felt like home. Iris stood at the edge of the stone balcony, her silver hair flowing in the cool night breeze, shimmering under the dim light. She gazed out at the world beyond, feeling its pull — a world she could never fully belong to, and yet, one she desperately longed to escape.
Her heart, though hidden behind the mask of a priestess, felt the weight of something greater than her duty — something she couldn't escape, no matter how far she ran.
Her silver hair, untamed and trailing down her back, glimmered like moonlight woven into threads of power. Her pale skin, almost ethereal under the moon's touch, only highlighted the deep violet hue of her eyes. Those eyes—haunting, mysterious—told a story of pain, of struggle, and of something she barely understood. But when the power within her stirred, those violet eyes shifted to crimson, a blaze of ancient energy ready to consume her.
Behind her, she heard the soft sound of fabric rustling. Iris didn't need to turn to know who it was. Kira. The shapeshifter who had been by her side through it all. Her presence was a constant, even when Iris didn't see her.
"You're thinking about leaving again, aren't you?" Kira's voice was low, steady, with an undercurrent of something unspoken — not fear, but something else. Something stronger.
Iris didn't reply immediately. Her eyes stayed focused on the horizon, the darkness beyond the temple walls drawing her in. But there was a flicker of something in Kira's words, a recognition that she wasn't the only one in turmoil.
Kira didn't wait for a response. She stepped forward, her presence filling the space beside Iris. Her dark gray hair hung loosely around her shoulders, shifting slightly in the breeze. Kira's blue eyes met Iris's, steady and unyielding. Where Iris's silver strands shimmered in the moonlight, Kira's hair was dark as midnight, a sharp contrast that somehow suited her. Her body, slender yet strong, moved with a quiet power — not the soft grace of a healer, but the lithe, dangerous elegance of a hunter.
"I don't need you to say it," Kira continued, her voice softer now, but still resolute. "I know what you're planning. But you don't have to face it alone."
Iris turned to her, her gaze locking with Kira's. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to soften, to let the tension between them unravel. Kira stood too close, her warmth radiating, and Iris felt the urge to step back, to distance herself from the raw, unspoken connection between them.
"You think I can just... leave?" Iris's voice was low, almost a whisper. "What if they find us? What if—"
"They will find us," Kira interrupted, her tone matter-of-fact, though there was a hint of something fiercer behind her words. "But we'll be ready."
Iris's breath caught at the confidence in Kira's eyes. There was no fear there, no hesitation. Kira had seen it all — the cruelty of the empire, the oppression of their kind. Yet she didn't flinch. She was as determined as Iris.
Kira reached out, brushing a stray strand of silver hair away from Iris's face. The simple touch sent a tremor through Iris's chest, her heart betraying her for a split second. She wanted to pull away, to remain distant, but something within her pulled her back, urging her to stay in this moment with Kira.
"You're not the only one who's been trapped here," Kira said softly, her voice steady but full of a deeper meaning. "I'm not running from anything. I'm running with you. For us."
Iris stared at Kira, searching her face for something — for signs of doubt, maybe. But Kira's eyes were full of certainty, fierce loyalty, and something Iris couldn't quite name. Kira wasn't just some ally in a fight. She was... different. She was more.
"I don't want to be their tool anymore," Iris whispered, her voice heavy with the weight of her own internal conflict. "I can't keep pretending I belong here."
Kira's eyes softened just a fraction, and she took another step closer, her hand brushing lightly against Iris's arm. The heat of that touch burned through the fabric of her robes, a reminder of the dangerous bond between them — a bond Iris had never truly allowed herself to acknowledge until now.
"You don't have to pretend anymore," Kira said, her voice quiet but full of conviction. "You're not alone in this, Iris."
The words hung in the air, suspended between them. Iris's pulse quickened as she looked into Kira's eyes, and for a moment, everything else faded away. There was no temple, no empire, no future plans to consider. Just the presence of Kira — close, steadfast, and unwilling to let her face this alone.
Iris inhaled sharply, feeling a warmth flood her chest. She had never felt this kind of... connection before. It was more than the bond of necessity, more than just two people seeking freedom together. It was something deeper, something dangerous. But it wasn't something Iris could fight.
"You really want to do this?" Iris's voice was softer now, almost uncertain.
"I'm already doing it," Kira replied, her smile faint but steady. "We'll leave tonight. No more waiting."
Iris felt her breath catch in her throat as Kira's gaze flickered down to her lips for a brief moment, before she turned and began walking toward the door, her steps sure and unhurried. But Iris couldn't look away from Kira's retreating figure. A part of her — the part that had been buried for so long — wanted to chase after her, to close the gap between them. But Iris held back. This wasn't the time for such things.
Not yet.
Not yet...