Hana felt the weight of Daniel’s words pressing down on her, each syllable a reminder of the fragile line she was walking. The café around them faded into a blur, the murmurs of other patrons becoming a distant hum as the reality of the moment sank in.
“*Involved?*” she echoed, her voice trembling. “What do you mean?”
Daniel leaned closer, his expression serious, eyes piercing. “I’ve noticed your behavior lately. The way you’ve been preoccupied. You’re not just stressed about the case; there’s something else—something you’re hiding. If you’re working against us, Hana, I need to know.”
Panic surged within her, clawing at her insides. She fought to keep her composure, but the truth loomed over her like a storm cloud. “I’m not working against anyone,” she insisted, forcing her voice to steady. “I’m trying to solve this case just like you are.”
Daniel didn’t budge, his gaze unwavering. “I want to believe you. But something isn’t right. And I have to protect the team.”
Hana’s heart raced as the implications of his words washed over her. *Protect the team?* He had no idea how closely he was skirting the edge of danger. She felt trapped in a web of her own making, and with each moment, the walls seemed to close in around her.
“Daniel, I swear, I’m on your side. I just—”
Suddenly, her phone buzzed on the table, cutting her off. She glanced down, her breath hitching as she saw a notification from the Soul Ledger app she had installed on her phone out of curiosity. It had pinged, alerting her to a new rule. She quickly scanned the message, her pulse quickening with dread.
**"A name written can only be undone under specific conditions. Time is limited. Act wisely."**
The warning echoed in her mind as she looked back at Daniel, who was watching her with a mixture of concern and suspicion. She had only a few hours left, and here he was, digging deeper, getting closer to the truth. She needed to act fast.
“Daniel,” she began, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I need to tell you something—something important.”
He leaned in, his brow furrowing. “What is it?”
Before she could continue, a commotion erupted outside the café. The door burst open, and a few agents rushed in, their faces pale and frantic. Hana’s heart sank.
“Daniel!” one of them shouted, breathless and panicked. “We’ve got a situation. There’s been a hit—several of our agents have gone down!”
Daniel shot up, his eyes widening with alarm. “What are you talking about?”
“There’s been a coordinated attack,” the agent continued. “We think it’s connected to the case! We need to get out of here—now!”
Hana felt the world tilt on its axis. The weight of the Soul Ledger, the looming deadline—it all collided in that moment, the chaos around her amplifying her inner turmoil. Daniel turned to her, urgency flashing in his eyes.
“Hana, we have to go. Now!”
As they rushed outside, the panic in the air was palpable. Sirens blared in the distance, and the scent of smoke lingered, tinging the air with dread. Hana’s heart raced as they maneuvered through the throngs of people, her mind racing.
*This is it. This is how it ends.*
“Daniel, wait!” she called, grabbing his arm as they ducked into an alley. “You need to listen to me—”
But before she could finish, the sound of gunfire rang out, sharp and close. Hana’s breath caught in her throat as she instinctively pulled Daniel closer.
“Stay down!” he shouted, shoving her behind a dumpster as the bullets ricocheted off the wall beside them.
“Who’s shooting?” Hana cried, her voice barely audible over the chaos.
“Not sure, but we need to find cover!” Daniel’s eyes darted around, assessing the situation. “We can’t stay here.”
Just then, another agent sprinted around the corner, panic etched on his face. “We need to regroup! They’re targeting us!”
Hana’s heart raced. This was it—the moment where everything spiraled out of control. She glanced at Daniel, his face a mask of concentration, and she felt the weight of her decision bearing down on her like a tidal wave.
“Daniel, I—”
But before she could finish, another gunshot rang out, striking the ground mere inches from where they crouched. Hana felt a jolt of fear shoot through her. “We can’t just stay here!” she yelled, her voice shaking.
“Follow me!” Daniel shouted, pulling her along as they dashed toward the nearest building. They ducked inside, the door slamming shut behind them. Inside, the dimly lit hallway was quiet, but the tension hung thick in the air.
“Where do we go?” Hana panted, her chest heaving.
“Upstairs,” Daniel said decisively. “We’ll find a way to get out from there.”
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
They rushed up the stairs, each step echoing in the silence. Hana’s mind raced, her pulse pounding in her ears. She could still feel the Ledger’s presence, a dark cloud hovering over her choices. And now, with Daniel in danger, the reality of her actions loomed larger than ever.
As they reached the top floor, Daniel pushed open a door, revealing a small office. He quickly shut it behind them, leaning against it as he caught his breath. “We’ll hold up here until we can figure out our next move.”
Hana nodded, but her mind was elsewhere, the clock ticking down in her head. She couldn’t let him die—she couldn’t. But how could she undo what she had done? The rules were so strict, and time was running out.
“Daniel,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I need you to listen to me. I’ve been keeping something from you.”
His brow furrowed in confusion. “What are you talking about? Now’s not the time—”
“No, it is!” she insisted, stepping closer. “I wrote your name in the Soul Ledger. I was scared, and I thought I could control it, but I—”
Daniel’s eyes widened, shock and disbelief mixing in his expression. “You what?”
“I thought I could stop this, protect you, but now it’s too late!” Tears stung her eyes as the reality of her choices crashed down around her. “You’re in danger, and I don’t know how to fix it!”
“Why would you do something like that?” Daniel’s voice was low, simmering with anger. “You put my life on the line for what? Your fear?”
“I was afraid you were hiding something from me!” Hana cried, desperation lacing her words. “I thought it was the only way to protect myself! To protect us!”
“Protect us?” he echoed, incredulous. “You’re not protecting anyone! You’ve put everything at risk!”
“I know!” Hana shouted, feeling the walls closing in. “But we can figure this out. We have to! You can’t die, Daniel. I can’t let that happen!”
Just then, the door rattled as heavy footsteps approached. Daniel’s expression shifted from anger to determination. “We need to move—now.”
Before she could protest, he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward a window. “We’ll jump down to the alley behind the building. It’s our best shot.”
“But what about—”
“There’s no time!” he snapped, urgency filling his voice. “We have to go!”
Hana nodded, swallowing her fear as they climbed through the window. The ground below felt like a world away, but she trusted him. They landed in a crouch, the sound of chaos still echoing in the distance.
“Stay close,” Daniel instructed, leading her into the shadows as they navigated the alleyway. But as they moved further away from the building, the distant sounds of sirens and gunfire still echoed in their ears.
“Where do we go now?” Hana asked, glancing around nervously.
Daniel paused, scanning their surroundings. “We need to find somewhere to hide, to regroup and assess the situation. But first, we need to get as far away from here as possible.”
Hana nodded, her heart racing. *If only I could undo this,* she thought, feeling the weight of her actions suffocating her. They turned a corner and came face to face with a street that seemed eerily quiet compared to the chaos behind them.
“Do you have any plan?” Hana asked, her voice trembling slightly.
“I do,” Daniel said, determination etched on his face. “We’re going to go to a safe house. It’s a contact I trust—one who can help us.”
As they made their way down the street, Hana felt a glimmer of hope, but it was quickly overshadowed by the dread that lingered in the back of her mind. The clock was ticking, and she had no idea how much time they truly had left.
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from behind them, followed by frantic shouts. Hana and Daniel froze, fear coursing through them.
“Go!” Daniel urged, and they sprinted down the street, hearts pounding in their chests.
But before they could get far, Hana heard footsteps closing in behind them. Her breath hitched as she turned, spotting a figure emerging from the shadows—one she recognized all too well.
“Stop!” the voice commanded, and Hana’s heart sank as she realized it was Agent Park, a gun drawn and aimed directly at
them.
“Daniel, we have to—” Hana started, but Daniel was already moving, pushing her behind him.
“Park, don’t do this!” Daniel shouted, hands raised. “We’re not the enemy!”
Agent Park’s gaze was steely, his expression hard. “You don’t understand. You’re both a threat to this operation. You need to come with me now.”
“I won’t let you take him!” Hana cried, adrenaline coursing through her veins. “He’s innocent!”
“You’re both compromised!” Park insisted, his grip tightening on the gun. “Step away from each other. Now!”
Hana felt the ground slip from under her as the reality of the situation hit her. *This is it.* She could feel the clock ticking down, each second closer to Daniel’s demise.
“Don’t move!” Park shouted again, but Hana’s mind raced with desperation.
“Daniel, listen to me!” she shouted, her voice breaking. “I can’t let him take you! I can’t let you die!”
“What do you mean?” Daniel asked, confusion flooding his eyes.
But before she could explain, a shot rang out, echoing through the air. Hana’s heart dropped as she watched Daniel jerk violently, his body collapsing to the ground.
“NO!” she screamed, rushing forward. “DANIEL!”
She knelt beside him, her hands shaking as she pressed against the wound. Blood seeped through her fingers, warm and terrifying. “Stay with me, please!” she begged, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Daniel’s eyes fluttered open, pain etched across his face. “Hana...”
“I’m here! Just hold on!” she cried, her voice trembling. “You’re going to be okay. We’ll get you help!”
But Daniel’s breath was coming in ragged gasps, his strength fading. “You... need to get out of here...”
“No! I can’t leave you!” she shouted, panic rising in her throat.
“You have to,” he insisted, his voice barely a whisper. “You have to protect yourself... from me.”
Hana shook her head, desperation consuming her. “No! I can’t lose you!”
“Please…” he gasped, his eyes pleading. “Find a way to stop this... whatever it is...”
The world around her blurred as reality crumbled. The Soul Ledger, the choices she had made—they all culminated in this moment of unbearable loss.
“Daniel, don’t!” she cried, shaking him gently. “Stay with me! Please!”
His eyes began to dim, the light fading as his breaths grew shallow. “Hana...”
“*Daniel, don’t you dare leave me!*” she screamed, but it was too late. His eyes closed, and the weight of finality crashed down around her. She felt her heart shatter, a deafening silence enveloping her as she cradled his lifeless body in her arms.
Agent Park stood frozen, his gun lowering in shock. “What have you done?”
Hana looked up, her vision blurred by tears. “It’s not... it’s not my fault...”
But as the reality set in, she realized the truth. She had made a choice, one that led to this moment. The consequences were more than she could bear.
“*I will make this right,*” she vowed, her voice trembling with rage and heartbreak. She would not let Daniel’s death be in vain. She would find a way to stop the chaos she had unleashed, no matter the cost.
In that moment, Hana knew she had to take control of her fate. The Soul Ledger would not be her downfall—it would be her weapon against the darkness. And she would find a way to bring justice to those who deserved it, starting with the truth behind Daniel’s death.
The finality of her choice surged through her, igniting a fire she hadn’t felt before. She would not let fear dictate her life any longer. As she rose from the ground, she felt a resolve hardening within her. The battle was far from over, and she would not back down. Not now. Not ever.