[KQ] since the day you departed

KIADA

do not misunderstand me when i call myself a shell

i mean a used up bullet casing

They are incredibly outnumbered, and as the rocks come flying in from the outside of the ring, she can hear Jigano’s instructions while he cleans himself of the tar. And she hisses under her breath in her frustration, teeth grit. She knows they can’t keep up this way, small arrows plinking against whatever beast sits above. But there, as the soul drops once more, it catches her eye and she focuses on it intently. “Jigano, wait.” She says, rushed, eyes following to the stone-statue of Ru’in, eyes fluttering open while she starts to feel an incredible amount of rage.

The voice of the creature above speaks to her but her eyes are only on the statue of Ru’in, a blind rage creeping up as she grits her teeth. “Fine!” She cries out to the monster above, hands shaking as they tighten around the crossbow. She can’t keep this up, she can’t keep letting the monster use Ru’in like he’s some kind of puppet when he had been her world. “You want Ascended upgrades? Let us leave here unharmed and we will bring you upgrades for the soul.” She tries to blink away her tears, eyes remaining on Ru’in’s statuesque body, but her voice is surprisingly firm. “Do we have a deal?”

---

Kiada brings up the bargain again, asking to leave and get Ascended upgrades, to return to bargain for Ru’in’s soul.

as in, the aftermath of something lethal

as in, an echo of inflicted evil