“Kiada!” It was a familiar voice that echoed out to her, hollow sounding among the sensation of pain that radiated all her senses. The blood continued to pour, feeling as though she were unable to move with the bladed wings that wrapped her body in sharp metal. As Erebos moved closer, Khairi’s head swiveled ever so slightly toward the shadow prince, trying his best to inform Kiada that it was her friend coming to help her. But alas, nothing passed through the bond through the exhaustion and sickness that came over the pale bird as they passed through the Rift.
Her head tilted though, slightly, gritting and grinding her teeth against the pain. He came closer, though she didn’t move, thankful to have someone she knew here and not a predator that might find her disposition to their liking. He asked if she wanted it off, and she exhaled a sharp breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding in. “No.” She began, trying to take short breaths as she attempted to prevent her stomach from getting impaled. “I can get it.” She finally answered, allowing him time to step back if he chose before she willed the armor to return to its original state.
It took a bit of work before the blades began to shift, contorting and removing themselves from in her spine, back into a delicate trinket that adorned the top of her bleeding topline. Then, she finally winced enough through the pain to stand at her full posture, able to look him in the eye now, despite the dried tears that lined the ivory markings of her eyes. Her legs wobbled slightly with the relief and pain that the armor had caused her, though she held her gaze strong as she looked at Erebos from under the rose gold face plate. She looked like a mess, blood along her spine, a glowing teal X marking on her right shoulder that seeped a glowing teal liquid, dried tears along her face; yet despite it all, she still tried to look strong.
A small half smile ghosted the corners of her lips, wanting to joke of the predicament that he had found herself in, but it fell before her lips could speak it. Instead, she looked away from him, unsure of what to say. “I’m glad you made it.” She acknowledged with a slight dip of her head, thankful that he hadn’t ended up just like Ru’in and Romina. Though with the anger that coursed through her veins, the flicker of flame warped its way from her spine, taking shapes in small snakes that writhed along her body. But this time, the heat radiated off the spine, the flames licking out ever so slight. “How… Are you?” She questioned, uncertain if it was the correct thing to say. She wanted to apologize for not knowing about his father, but given the circumstances, would it really matter?