Kai's crimson blade flashed as he faced the three weakening generals. Though the poison had slowed their movements, their coordination remained lethal. The rust-scaled general's axes gleamed with dried blood, while the spear-wielder's weapon left deep gouges in the earth as he circled.
"You'll die here weak human!" The sword-wielder's lightning blade crackled and spat, casting eerie shadows across his red-grey scales, he slowly walked forward, ready to strike.
Kai needed to weaken them again with a magic attack. He was thankful they couldn't use magic, or else he would've been done for. But what in the world could he do!?
Hold on. Kai thought, narrowing his eyes. If they can enchant their swords with lightning magic, maybe I can do the same.
It sounded dumb and it would definitely slow him down. But he had to try. Kai channeled cosmic energy into his sword. The red blade began to pulse with an inner purple light, stars seeming to dance along the blade.
Kai grimaced. Yes!! It works!
The lizardman general's eyes widened.
His muscles screamed in protest as he raised the weapon. He knew he couldn't match the lizardmen's natural advantages - their powerful legs could launch them faster than any human could move, their tails provided perfect balance, and their scales deflected attacks that would slice through human flesh.
But he had what no other had. He wanted to make a day in the future where his peers and friends wouldn't have to worry about being eaten and killed or enslaved. Something everyone worried about in his village, before the inevitable happened.
The spear-wielder struck first before he could get the energy fully imbued, his weapon a blur as it thrust toward Kai's throat. But Kai had been anticipating this. He twisted aside, letting the spear pass close enough that he felt the wind of its passage. The rust-scaled general seized what he thought was an opening, axes sweeping in from both sides.
In desperation, Kai gathered his dwindling cosmic power. "Constellation!" he gasped. The sword glowed brighter. Points of light flickered into existence around him, but instead of forming their usual web, he concentrated them into a tight spiral. As the generals' weapons fell, the energy beams connected, creating a rotating shield of pure force.
The axes rebounded with bone-jarring force, nearly tearing them from the general's grip. The spear glanced off at an angle, its tip leaving a shallow gash across Kai's shoulder where the Nyctophyte wasn't developed. Even more so despite the shield. Blood trickled down his arm, but he barely felt it through the adrenaline.
Maintaining the constellation shield was draining what little energy he had left, but it gave him the opening he needed. The sword-wielder lunged forward, his lightning blade shattering through Kai's weakening barrier. But the delay had cost him - his movements were jerky, uncoordinated as radiation sickness took its toll, but Kai liked to just call it poison.
Their blades met in a shower of sparks and stellar energy. Kai's arms trembled with each impact, his vision beginning to blur. The lizardman pressed forward, scales blackening under repeated exposure to cosmic radiation. His strikes grew wild, desperate - until one overextended thrust left him open.
Kai's crimson blade sliced through the general's sword arm at the elbow. The limb fell with a wet thud, lightning blade discharging its energy harmlessly into the ground. The general's scream of agony cut short as Kai's return stroke opened his throat. Blood sprayed in an arc, scales and flesh parting under the star-infused edge.
The spear-wielder attacked next, weapon blurring with insane speed despite his weakened state. Kai parried desperately, each impact sending shockwaves up his arms. A thrust slipped past his guard, piercing his side. Hot pain flared as the spearhead tore free, bringing a spray of blood with it.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Kai formed another Constellation shield, smaller this time - just enough to deflect the spear's next thrust. He was learning to use his energy more efficiently. The weapon skittered off the barrier, throwing the general off-balance. Kai's blade found the gap beneath his arm, sliding between scales to pierce his heart. The general's eyes widened in shock as he toppled, his own blood pooling beneath him.
Only the rust-scaled general remained, axes held ready despite his trembling limbs. His scales had begun to slough off in places, the cosmic magic's poison eating away at his flesh. Still, his eyes held no fear - only grim determination. He charged forward with unexpected speed, tails providing perfect balance as he spun and struck.
Kai could barely lift his sword to block. The impact drove him to one knee, blood flowing freely from his side wound. The general pressed his advantage, axes falling in a deadly pattern. One struck Kai's shoulder, biting deep despite his cloak's protection. The other he managed to deflect with his blade, but the effort sent him sprawling.
Rolling desperately, Kai avoided a killing blow that would have split his skull. He came up gasping, vision blurry. The general's next attack caught only air as Kai ducked and thrust upward. His crimson blade punched through the lizardman's jaw and into his brain. The general went rigid, then collapsed in a lifeless heap.
Kai stood panting among the fallen generals, his sword arm shaking uncontrollably. Blood dripped steadily from his wounds, forming small puddles at his feet. The bodies of the generals lay scattered around him, their scales dulled by death and radiation burns. The ground was torn and scorched from their battle, marked by sprays of blood both human and reptilian.
He'd won. However his energy was nearly depleted, black spots dancing at the edges of his vision. In the distance, the Margax leader watched with cold calculation, no doubt noting every weakness revealed by the fight, with that entertained expression. Behind him, the sounds of battle continued in the village as the Kowxlincui defenders fought against overwhelming odds.
The daze he was in from the victory put him in deep thought.
He tightened his grip on his sword as he stabbed it into the ground and kneeled, ignoring the pain that flared through his wounded shoulder. He wondered if he had anything left to give. Anything to save this village in time. Despite his hate towards all the other species, he was developing a soft spot for this village. The time he spent there made him realize the similarities to his village! Most were just trying to live a good life. And the violence wasn't just towards humans it seemed. All these other species were fighting each other! Kai was almost certain if the Kowlincui lost to the Margax, they would be enslaved, no different from any human that was enslaved by monsters. If he wanted to make people's lives a little more enjoyable, to be remembered for something - a thing he struggled with - he would need to start one small step at a time. Because after all, he didn't know how big this world was. The map in his village was only a small portion of his surroundings. God only knows, he could be on a small island, and there could be a much bigger continent with some other major problem happening, much bigger than his.
He shook his head. What am I doing!? I need to focus!
The Margax leader, now much closer, watched with cold calculation and amusement. He was no doubt noting every weakness revealed by the fight. Behind him, the sounds of battle continued in the village as the Kowxlincui defenders fought against the odds. This was bad