"It seems your luck has finally run out, old dog," Jai said, his voice laced with arrogance. "You should have stayed in the hole I left you in."
Farouk smirked, his eyes hardening like tempered steel. "It seems you've grown confident just because you've sprouted some wings." He gestured at Jai's demonic wings with disdain. He didn't know exactly what was up with Jai, and how he had suddenly become cursed… But he wasn't about to show weakness just because a fledgling grew some wings.
"I tore some little birdie's wings off not long ago. I wouldn't mind doing the same to both of you."
Farouk's gaze shifted momentarily to the corpses of his fallen men, then to the three young women behind him. His expression darkened, and his grip on his sword tightened. He knew he couldn't fight at full strength while protecting them. If he wanted any chance of survival, he would have to unleash everything he had.
As if reading his thoughts, Sulten Viran sneered. "Even now, you're strategizing, wondering how to fight us while shielding those girls behind you. Noble, perhaps, but ultimately foolish." Viran's dark wings shimmered with ancient runes, their glow casting ominous shadows. He gestured toward the girls. "I don't know who they are or why they're with you, but it doesn't matter. They're coming with us."
In an instant, Viran surged forward, a blur of speed and malice.
"Move!" Thia shouted, her voice urgent. The two younger girls reacted just in time, leaping out of harm's way. Vera, however, froze in terror, rooted to the spot as Viran closed in.
"Vera!" Thia screamed, but before Viran could strike, General Farouk was there. The old warrior moved with startling speed, interposing himself between Viran and the girl. His blade clashed against Viran's with a resounding clang, sparks flying from the collision.
"You girls need to leave," Farouk said, his voice steady and commanding. "This is no place for kids."
"But—" Thena began, her protest cut short by the sharpness in Farouk's tone.
"There is no point in dying like a rebel in a foreign land"
"Leave!" he barked. "Or I'll kill you myself!" Farouk said, his spirit going haywire.
Thia, Thena, and Vera hesitated, fear and defiance warring in their expressions. But the deadly intent in Farouk's eyes left no room for argument. Reluctantly, they turned and fled, their footsteps fading into the distance.
Viran moved to pursue, but Farouk stepped in his path once more.
"Let them go, Viran. They won't get far," Jai said, his tone dismissive.
"Oh, but they will," Farouk retorted, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"You really think you can hold off both of us?" Jai asked, his wings unfurling wide, casting a shadow over the battlefield. "Even now, you're delusional."
"It's you who is delusional," Farouk shot back. "You think just because you now wield a curse, you can defeat me in battle?"
Jai chuckled, a deep, guttural sound that echoed through the air. "Oh, but this is no mere curse." His voice grew darker, more menacing, as his body began to transform.
Muscles bulged disturbingly as his figure expanded, his frame growing larger and more monstrous. Four additional arms erupted from his torso, two gripping his twin sabers while the remaining four materialized cursed-energy blades that pulsed with malevolent power. His skin turned pale, almost corpse-like, and his eyes glowed with an unholy light.
"This is not a curse," Jai growled, his voice now a demonic roar. "This is power!"
With an ear-shattering cry, Jai charged at Farouk, his six blades slashing through the air with terrifying speed and precision. The ground beneath him cracked and splintered under the force of his movements.
Farouk's spirit aura ignited in response, a radiant energy swirling around him like a protective storm. His sword glowed with an intense light, its edge filled with pure spirit energy. Meeting Jai's charge head-on, Farouk parried the first two blades, sidestepped the third, and countered with a devastating slash that sent a shockwave rippling through the battlefield.
The clash of their weapons was loud, each strike shaking the very air around them. Jai's cursed blades tore through the ground and nearby structures with reckless abandon, while Farouk's precise, calculated movements kept him one step ahead of the monstrous king. Sparks and shards of energy lit up the battlefield as their swords clashed again and again, each exchange more ferocious than the last.
"Impressive, old dog," Jai said, his grin widening as he pressed his assault. "But let's see how long you can keep up!"
Farouk didn't respond, his focus unyielding. With a sudden burst of spirit energy, he unleashed a series of rapid strikes, each one aimed at Jai's vital points. Jai blocked most of them, but one slash found its mark, cutting deep into his side.
The king roared in pain and fury, his six blades spinning in a deadly whirlwind as he retaliated. Farouk leapt back, narrowly avoiding the onslaught, but the sheer force of the attack sent him skidding across the ground.
"You're strong," Jai admitted, his voice a mix of admiration and malice. "But strength alone won't save you."
Above them, Viran hovered, his expression unreadable. The sheer destruction being unleashed by the two combatants was staggering, and it was clear that the area would not survive much longer.
"This is getting out of hand," Viran muttered. With a wave of his hand, the runes on his wings glowed brighter, forming a protective barrier around the immediate area. "I'll have to limit the damage before these two destroy the entire city."
As Viran worked to contain the chaos, Jai and Farouk clashed again, their battle reaching new heights of intensity. Each strike shook the ground, each movement a blur of speed and power. The air was thick with energy, and the fate of the battlefield hung precariously in the balance.