Seeing that Hwin was weak from the pain, Dash more firmly threatened to kill Ninea if Hwin were to be killed. He pressed the dagger closer to the little girl's skin, making a small cut so that everyone could see the blood dripping from afar.
Aura didn't know what to do in that moment. She was the youngest who lived in Hadon's house and always saw decisions being made by her brother Adonis, Sahara and Yorin. Feeling the pressure of the moment and fearing that Ninea's death could be in her hands, she hesitated and moved away from Hwin, giving the mercenary an opportunity to stand up.
Hwin then dragged himself to Dash, who with a whistle called Hwin's horse and helped him mount. Then, Dash mounted another horse, still holding Ninea. Suddenly, Draka ran out of the house screaming and begging them not to take Ninea.
She saw in the girl's eyes that she was very scared and restless. Draka, realizing the mercenaries were leaving, asked Dash to take her as a hostage as well. Aura didn't understand what was happening, but Draka said she couldn't leave Ninea alone again and so she would have to go with her.
Aura, still afraid to make any decision, just looked at Eron, who had remained quiet the whole time. Draka let herself be tied up by Dash along with Ninea. With Hwin, almost unconscious on another horse, they left. Yorin, whispering some words, caught Aura's attention, who quickly approached to hear what he was saying.
"Don't let them go, or it will be the end of our peace," Yorin whispered before passing out completely. However, Aura couldn't use her weapon against them, because Ninea and now Draka were hostages. She knew she couldn't use any power that could also affect the girls.
After Dash and Hwin left with Draka and Ninea, Eron helped Aura bring all the injured inside to be treated. "Do you think they'll be handed over to Felix Saladon?" Aura asked Eron, her voice full of concern.
"I don't know. Hwin is a strange man. Being a mercenary, I believe he'll hand them over to whoever pays more," replied Eron, his face reflecting the same concern Aura felt.
Feeling guilty for not being able to prevent the kidnapping, Aura asked Eron to care for the wounded while she followed from a distance Hwin and Dash to see where they were taking the girls. However, Eron, realizing the task would be too dangerous and complicated for her, considering her Seed of the Kings traits, insisted he himself should go instead. "I can pass unnoticed in the crowd," said Eron with determination.
Eron then took the fastest horse from Hadon's house and quickly left to follow Hwin and Dash, leaving Aura to care for the wounded in what remained of Hadon's house.
Aura took a deep breath, feeling the weight of responsibility on her shoulders. She knew she needed to keep calm and do her best to care for her friends. As Eron drifted away, she returned inside, where Yorin, Sahara and Markel were. Sahara was still conscious, although her breathing was difficult due to her injuries. Aura approached her first, applying healing potions and bandages.
"We'll be alright," Aura murmured to Sahara, trying to convince herself as much as her friend. Yorin was pale and sweating, but was out of immediate danger. Markel seemed in better condition, but his eyes were closed, reflecting the inner battle between pain and consciousness.
While caring for the wounded, Aura couldn't stop thinking about the two girls. They were in the hands of a cruel mercenary, and their only hope rested in Eron, who was now on a risky mission to follow them. She needed to keep everyone alive and stable until they could think of a rescue plan.
"Be strong, Eron," Aura whispered to herself, trying to find comfort in the uncertainty of the moment. Draka and Ninea's fate was in his hands, and all she could do was wait and fight for their safe reunion.
While all this was happening at Hadon's house, Kal was heading there as fast as possible. In his search for Nin, Kal imagined he could ask for help from friends at Hadon's house, so with only Pudin on his shoulder, he followed running at full speed. "You're going too fast, slow down!" Pudin shouted to Kal.
"Ah sorry Pudin. I conjured a low-grade physical enhancement magic to run faster, we need to get there as soon as possible!" said Kal, continuing to run with growing urgency.
"You're good with magic?" asked Pudin. Kal however only smiled as he ran. "Not very much, I only know low-grade magic, honestly I'm a pretty common warrior!" said Kal. This time Pudin smiled. "Common? You? A disciple of the great Pudin could never be common!" she concluded as they ran.
As he approached Hadon's house, Kal smelled a strong scent of blood coming from that direction. He tried to be even faster, but noticed something coming towards him. He dodged and saw a dagger hit the tree next to him. Kal looked and recognized the dagger. "Sorrow!" said Kal. Sorrow then emerged from the shadows with a mischievous smile on his face.
"Missed me?" said Sorrow with a malicious provocation.
Kal got into a fighting stance. "Bad timing for him to show up!" thought Kal. Sorrow went to the tree and grabbed his dagger back.
"Sorry for the wait to show up, I've been a bit busy this whole time. By the way, what happened to your arm?" asked Sorrow, amused.
Kal, imagining this blood smell could be the result of something Sorrow did to someone at Hadon's house, said: "I'm not exchanging words with you anymore, murderer. Let's settle this once and for all!"
Sorrow, noticing the urgency in Kal's eyes, smiled even more. "Feeling this blood smell? I think someone died!" he provoked, trying to destabilize Kal.
Kal, consumed by intense rage, immediately charged at Sorrow, even without Aura's prosthesis. He knew he had to finish Sorrow quickly to return and check what was happening at Hadon's house.
Kal attacked Sorrow ferociously, trying to land hits with all his strength. Sorrow, agile and experienced, dodged with ease, keeping a mischievous smile on his face. "You seem weaker than the last time I faced you. What happened?" Sorrow taunted, mocking Kal.
Kal did not respond, his focus was completely on his attacks. He kept pressing Sorrow, unsuccessfully. However, in a moment of pure strategy, Pudin leaped at Sorrow, slashing him with her sharp claws. Reflexively, Sorrow put his arm in front, feeling the cut. "What was that?" he asked, confused. "Are you using magic or some new ability, Kal?" Sorrow inquired, intrigued.
Kal realized Sorrow couldn't see Pudin, who was a spirit. He smiled, understanding he could use this advantage to his favor. Sorrow didn't know the spiritual cat was there, attacking him. Kal decided to keep up the ruse, making it seem he really did have a hidden ability Sorrow was unaware of.
"Scared, Sorrow?" said Kal, trying to destabilize the assassin. Sorrow narrowed his eyes, his expression of doubt intensifying. Kal prepared himself again to attack, advancing on Sorrow. The assassin skillfully dodged Kal's punches, but Pudin took opportunities to scratch Sorrow with her invisible claws.
Sorrow felt the cuts but couldn't understand where they came from. Kal and Pudin's strategy was working, and Sorrow began to show signs of irritation and fatigue. "This is not possible... What are you doing, Kal?" Sorrow growled, frustrated.
Kal didn't respond, maintaining focus and taking advantage of every moment of Sorrow's distraction to allow Pudin to attack. The battle intensified, and Kal knew he needed to keep pressing to win.
Kal and Pudin continued their strategy, attacking Sorrow with precision and cunning. Pudin finally landed a critical hit on Sorrow's neck with her claws, making him fall bleeding. The blood flowed rapidly, and Pudin, realizing he would die soon, returned to Kal's side.
Pudin expected Kal to lower his guard with Sorrow apparently defeated, but he remained in a fighting stance. "Don't let your guard down, Pudin. He won't be defeated so easily!" warned Kal, his eyes fixed on Sorrow's fallen body.
A few seconds later, in a grotesque and twisted way, Sorrow began to rise. "Yes... Yes... So this is it, Kal, you are a cheater!" said Sorrow, rising with a sinister smile. His eyes turned to Pudin. "And you, little spirit, did you really think I wouldn't notice you?" he added.
Pudin, realizing Sorrow could now see her, quickly returned to Kal's shoulder. "He can see me!" she said, frightened.
Kal realized the situation was more complicated than he imagined. "Pudin, we need to be fast and efficient," he murmured. "We can't afford to underestimate this monster."
Sorrow, still with a sadistic smile on his face, advanced toward Kal and Pudin. "You really think you can defeat me? I am death incarnate!" he shouted.
Kal took a deep breath, focusing. "Pudin, we need a plan. I'll distract him while you try to find a weakness."
Pudin nodded her small trembling body full of fear but determined to help Kal. She jumped from his shoulder and hid in the shadows, watching every move Sorrow made.
Kal charged quickly, attacking Sorrow with a series of fast blows. Sorrow defended easily but Kal kept pressing, forcing the assassin back. Pudin, hidden, studied Sorrow attentively looking for an opportunity to strike.
Suddenly, Pudin saw something. "Kal, his eyes! They are the key!" she shouted.
Hearing Pudin's advice, Kal adjusted his strategy. He attacked with even more intensity, forcing Sorrow to defend himself frantically. In a quick move, Kal aimed for Sorrow's eyes, briefly distracting him. Pudin took the opportunity and leaped, attacking Sorrow's eyes with her sharp claws.
However, Sorrow dodged the blow. "My eyes? They're normal eyes, don't be rude!" said Sorrow with disdain.
Kal continued attacking Sorrow with growing fury, but Sorrow dodged easily, almost as if he was toying with him. Kal's anxiety to finish this and return to Hadon's house blinded him to a crucial fact: Sorrow had yet to launch a single attack against him.
"You're getting slow, Kal," Sorrow mocked, dodging another blow with a mocking smile. Kal did not respond, his mind focused on an aggressive onslaught, hoping one of his attacks would finally hit the assassin.
After some time, exhaustion began to weigh in. "Damn it, if when I had my full power it was difficult, now without my power it's practically impossible. This bastard is immortal," thought Kal, attacking frantically. Each movement seemed more desperate, less precise.
"You seem to be losing strength, little Kal," Sorrow provoked again, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Kal kept attacking, but his blows were increasingly disorderly, his desperation and frustration growing.
Kal was frustrated and tired. He realized he was nothing without the divine powers he had received. "Was I always this weak?" he asked himself, as memories of his greatest challenges passed through his mind. Whenever he won, it was with divine powers' help. "I was never anything without these powers! Without them, my mother Ella would have died in the village of Suri; without them, I would have been killed by Bephastor or Adamaltar. Worse, without them, Nannu would have fallen. I'm not a warrior, I'm just a vessel for something greater. Maybe I should die so the true owner of these powers can live in this body," thought Kal, finally lowering his arms.
Sorrow saw the hesitation and weakness in Kal's gaze. "Giving up so easily? Pathetic," said Sorrow, his cruel smile widening. "You really thought you could defeat me alone?"
Kal fell to his knees, the weight of his frustration and desperation crushing him. "What am I doing? Maybe... maybe he's right. Maybe I am nothing without these powers," murmured Kal, defeat evident in his voice.
Seeing Kal's state, Pudin jumped onto his shoulder and whispered: "Kal, you're stronger than you think. It's not the powers that define you, it's your heart. Get up and fight, for those you love, for those counting on you, we have to return home, we have to find Nin."
Hearing Pudin's words, Kal remembered the promise he made to Astaruin to find Nin as soon as possible. He stood up, his heart full of determination. "I have to keep trying, even if I'm not strong enough, even if I need help, I have to keep trying!" he thought. Even very frustrated, Kal continued attacking Sorrow, who dodged in an easy, mocking way, his cruel smile never wavering.
Suddenly, Pudin felt a overwhelming power coming towards them. She leaped onto Kal, pushing him away. A beam of concentrated light passed by Kal and Pudin, vaporizing everything it touched. Sorrow was completely burned by the light, however the villain disappeared smiling. "We'll meet again, Kal..." he said as he was vaporized in the beam of light.
Kal stood up, still in shock from what he had just witnessed. He saw the beam of light came from Hadon's house direction and where it passed it devastated everything, leaving a large hole in its path. Worried about his friends and not knowing what that light was, Kal hurried to follow the path created by the light, running with Pudin on his shoulder. Each step was a mixture of hope and fear, his heart's determination stronger than ever.