The four kids stood against Philo, exhausted, battered, and drained. Days had passed without proper rest, leaving them in no condition to fight anyone—yet Philo wasn't in much better shape.
He had walked alongside them, fought off more Abyssal Shades than anyone else, and bore the brunt of every battle. He should've been the most fatigued of them all, but despite that, this wasn't going to be an easy fight for them.
Sirius gripped his crystallized stick, stepping forward. Out of the group, he was the only one who appeared slightly less drained, though even he was running on sheer willpower. His legs trembled with exhaustion, threatening to give way, but he pushed forward, knowing he was their best chance at facing Philo directly. The others, at best, could offer some support in their weakened state.
Before any further strategies could form in their minds, Philo rushed toward them.
"Xander, watch my back!" Sirius shouted, sprinting to meet Philo head-on.
"Got it!" Xander replied, rushing up behind him. But by the time he closed the gap, Sirius and Philo had already crossed weapons—stick versus blade.
Philo's strikes came quick, calculated, aiming to end Sirius in one swift motion. But though Sirius struggled against Abyssal Shades, fights with other people was where he thrived. His movements were sharp, instinctive, as he blocked each of Philo's strikes with precision, almost as if he could predict their path. In turn, he found opportunities to jab at Philo with the sharp end of his stick.
But Philo, who could see glimpses of the future, was no easy opponent. He blocked each of Sirius's strikes just as precisely, his movements smooth and composed, some even bold, as if trying to bait Sirius into a trap. However, Sirius had mastered the art of one-on-one combat too well to fall for such tricks.
Another surprising factor was Sirius's ability to match Philo's strength. Though Philo was undoubtedly stronger, the difference wasn't as drastic as expected. Philo noticed this with a brief flicker of surprise but didn't have time to dwell on it.
Xander arrived by Sirius's side, adding support to the defense. With Xander covering him, Sirius grew bolder in his attacks, pushing Philo back slightly. Realizing this wasn't going to go anywhere fast, Philo disengaged and took a few steps back.
Sirius and Xander also retreated, both panting heavily, their fatigue mounting with every passing second. Though it was a brief skirmish, it had been mentally exhausting. Unlike their fights with Abyssal Shades, which relied mostly on physical strength, this battle was testing their minds. Every move required quick thinking, strategy, and the ability to outsmart their opponent—an opponent who could predict their actions before they made them. It was like playing cards against someone who already knew the hand you were holding. Sirius knew this fight couldn't drag on much longer.
He glanced over at Aurelia and motioned for her to join them.
Philo watched curiously as she approached, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
When she reached them, Sirius immediately laid out his plan. "We can't keep this up. He sees everything before it happens, and he'll eventually wear us down. That's assuming we even last that long."
"So, what's the plan?" Aurelia asked, her voice steady despite the tension.
Sirius pointed his weapon toward Philo, narrowing his eyes as if trying to decipher his opponent's next move. "We overwhelm him," he said simply.
Philo noticed the gesture and, to Sirius's surprise, smiled. It wasn't the usual menacing grin of their adversaries; it was a gentle smile, though it masked malice and hidden schemes.
That smile didn't comfort Sirius. In fact, it made him uneasy.
He shook off the feeling and focused on the battle. Xander and Aurelia needed no further instructions; they understood what to do.
"Emilia, stay back and rest," Sirius called over his shoulder. She opened her mouth to protest but then reluctantly nodded, keeping silent and following his orders.
Philo, still wearing that false smile, called out to them, "Are you all done?"
None of them responded.
He shook his head with an exaggerated sigh. "Alright then. Let's continue."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Philo dashed forward, his speed even greater than before. Sirius darted ahead to meet him, barely keeping up with the sudden increase in pace. Though his reaction time was abnormal, it wasn't enough to prevent all of Philo's strikes. He dodged the fatal blows, but not without suffering a flurry of smaller cuts.
Philo's blade moved like lightning, cutting Sirius in several places, each wound shallow but adding up quickly. Just as Sirius began to falter, Aurelia saw her chance. She swung her fiery sword at Philo's blind spot.
But Philo was already one step ahead. He disengaged from Sirius and sidestepped the sword with ease, the blade missing him by inches and slamming into the ground with a thunderous crash.
Before Aurelia could regain her stance, Philo kicked at her weapon. Though she managed to keep hold of it, the force threw her off balance. Philo seized the opportunity, thrusting his dagger toward her neck in a deadly strike.
But before it could land, a blade, similar to his, clashed against his, deflecting the blow. Before he could make another move, Sirius had jumped back into the fray, slamming Philo in the gut with his salt-crystal club.
Philo staggered back, looking as though he might fall, but twisted mid-air, landing on all fours with a fluid motion. The three kids regrouped, standing on guard once more. Philo slowly rose to his feet, holding his stomach, a thin line of blood dripping from his mouth. Despite this, he smiled again, wiping the blood away.
"So, that's your plan, huh?" Philo chuckled, stretching as if warming up for another round.
Sirius's eyes remained fixed on him, frustration mounting. "Can we stop this, uncle? The Shade will kill us all if we keep going."
Philo's expression darkened. "That's why I'm going to kill you first. Without burdens, the Shade won't be able to catch me."
"This is treason," Aurelia said, her voice edged with authority. "You know my family won't forgive this."
Philo's smile widened. "Then I guess I'm a traitor."
He rushed at them again, his ferocity greater than before. Sirius met him head-on, swinging his club, but Philo blocked it effortlessly, driving his fist into Sirius's gut. Sirius staggered, falling to the ground.
Philo moved in for the kill, but Xander intervened, throwing a jab at Philo with his dagger. The man blocked it with ease and countered with a series of cuts. Xander deflected some but took several hits to his arms, blood dripping down from the deeper gashes.
Aurelia lashed out with her sword once more, but Philo dodged, twisting away from her strike. He aimed to take her down while she was mid-swing, but Sirius, already back on his feet, dashed in to support Xander, foiling Philo's plan.
The two boys coordinated their defense, blocking most of Philo's attacks and even landing a few strikes of their own. Aurelia stayed nearby, disrupting Philo's rhythm whenever possible, though she couldn't fully engage. Her weapon was too heavy and unwieldy for close-quarters combat against someone as fast as Philo.
The fight dragged on, each side exchanging blows, none gaining the upper hand. But it was clear Philo was wearing down. He disengaged, observing them from a short distance, breathing heavily.
"You kids are good. Didn't expect that from a bunch of runts. You've earned my respect," Philo said, though none of them replied.
Then, his smile grew wider, more dangerous. He grabbed a handful of his hair, pulling it back as he muttered, "Guess I'll have to get serious."
The kids tensed, their grips tightening on their weapons as sweat beaded on their foreheads. A suffocating pressure filled the air.
"There's a reason they call me a prodigy," Philo said, his smile sharp as a blade. Then, he blurred, moving faster than they could track.
Before they could react, their eyes widened in horror as Aurelia crumpled to the ground, Philo standing behind her. His dagger dripped with her blood, his gentle smile hiding the malice beneath.
At that moment, the guttural roar of the abomination chasing them echoed through the air.