Adam's steps faltered. His grip on Alice's shoulder tightened, then went slack. A violent cough wracked his body, and blood sprayed from his mouth, dark and thick, splattering against the cracked ground.
"Ghha!"
His knees buckled. Alice caught him before he could fall, her arms wrapping around his chest, lowering him to the ground. Her dark violet eyes were wide, her voice sharp with panic.
"Adam! Adam, stay with me!"
Adam's vision swam. His body was screaming, the damage from the Crown's overuse, the wounds from the Void Manifest, the exhaustion that had been building for what felt like an eternity. He tried to speak, but another cough wracked his frame, blood trickling from his lips.
"I'm... fine..." His voice was barely a whisper. "Just... need a minute..."
Alice's cat ears flattened. Her tail lashed. Her voice was sharp, furious.
"You are NOT fine! You're bleeding everywhere! Your body is breaking down! Stop being such a self-sacrificing idiot!"
