After a few moments had passed and he was all alone, Kayden picked up the Odachi blade that Tharros had felt for him, through his pain and hurt he couldn't hide his excitement, Tharros had given him his very own weapon, a blade forged for a peak martial master.
He slowly unsheathed the blade in the darkness, the steel itself was hazy blue and beautiful, and it reflected the light of the Moon rising up ahead, he completely removed it from his scabbard, holding it with his hands he slowly took his stance.
He breathed in and out calmly, turning his focus to just the blade, he forgot every other thing around him, the men that camped earlier and sang songs, or the thickness of the fog as the night grew darker, he completely focused on one swing.
Calmly and steadily, made a single cut, a single slash that drained him of his mental strength, he could breathe for a brief moment not because he was too tired but because there was no air to breathe, Kayden himself hadn't realized what he had done with total concentration and intent, he had cut air itself.
He sat on the ground suddenly drained and exhausted, he instinctively knew he wouldn't be able to swing his sword like that again, not for a long time at least, he fell with his back to the ground and gazed up at the sky.
It was indeed beautiful, the stars painted across the sky in whirls and patterns that never seemed to repeat themselves each night, he looked at his hands and the new blisters he had gotten.
They hurt but if anything he felt proud of them, he had made progress and wouldn't stop, not when things were getting interesting, he clenched his fists in determination.
"Aahh shit" he cringed from the pain, he turned towards the camp the men had set, and he watched them for a few more moments before his belly gave him an added motivation to join them to eat.
"Isn't that the captain's weapon?" Thane asked him as he walked up to him, Kayden nodded.
"He lent it to me for a few practice swings" Kayden lied, he knew he couldn't just say something as ridiculous as a peak partial master gave out his weapon to a second rate martial artist, the only thing a second-rate could do in terms on soul essence manipulation was body strengthening, with a good understanding of its applications added with elemental magic.
Kayden wanted to reach out to the captain and thank him for his gift but figured there would be a better time to do this, the fog kept getting thicker and thicker, making it difficult to see a few meters ahead of you.
"Need something to eat and drink?" Thane asked his friend
"Hot wine and meat, that's all I need," Kayden said with a smile, he looked around and saw that the men seemed to be drinking from uncovered jars of sake and wine.
"Why do you always like your wine hot?" Thane asked confused, wine was best served cold, everyone knew about that, he boiled the wine for a bit longer before pouring it out for him then gave him some meat.
"Because it feels like I'm drinking tea, I like the idea of drinking tea but I hate tea, besides hot wine doesn't get me drunk" he replied with a grin.
"What about you? Aren't you drinking?" Kayden asked Thane, he shook his head slightly, "I don't drink on missions, no matter the cause of celebration" he replied, Kayden simply nodded his head, wishing he had the same level of discipline as his friend.
He took his food and began munching on it, he hadn't realized just how hungry and tired he was until he finished eating, Thane had watched him eat without saying a single word, he had always done that, and Kayden wasn't bothered by it.
"What about the captain?" Kayden asked
"He's on night watch so no drinking for him either," Thane said with a smile, Kayden nodded and stood up feeling full, he hadn't felt this satisfied in a long time.
"I'll be going to rest now," he said as he held the hilt of the Odachi blade in his hand, it assured him as he walked into a tent, found a spot to sleep and completely fell asleep.
***
"Wake up Kayden, hurry and wake up now you fool" Thane shook his Kayden forcefully, Kayden who was always a deep sleeper hated it when he woke so abruptly, he sat up annoyed and pushed Thane away.
"What!" He said, his voice almost loud enough to be heard outside
"Aaahhh, they'll hear us you fool," Thane said, his voice a mix of fear and despair, Kayden immediately got to his senses seeing his friend like that.
"What happened" he said in a low tone as he reached for his weapon, he strapped it on and knelt to face Thane.
"The Fluxxara, they've possessed almost everyone in the group, everyone except you, me, and the Captain," he said, his voice shaking with every word he spoke.
Kayden couldn't fully understand what was going on, "How did they get possessed, and why are we the only ones that didn't" he asked surprised.
"Because didn't drink the wine, remember the fog? It might have been an attack from the creature to poison out for or something, I don't know" Thane said as he held both sides of his head.
Fear gripped Kayden's heart, he knew for a fact that they would die if they so much as got scratched with that black blub of blood, "Why aren't they attacking us now, where are they?" He asked, the idea had just hit him.
"The captain, he's holding them all on his own, he said to come to get you and escape to the water clan" Thane answered, his eyes unable to meet his, without thinking about it Kayden rsn out of the tent.
"No Kayden, not that way" Thane screamed, Kayden searched about looking for the Captain, searching for Tharros, the man whom he had respect for, Kayden froze in his steps, he watched in horror as Tharros got attacked, and slashed and cut down by his men.
Thane came outside and saw the horrid sight, right before the both of them Tharros slashed about like a man, his left eye had been plucked out and his left arm cut off but he had a mad gleam in his eyes, he showed no hesitation as he slashed down the men that were once his.
"Come at me, you bastards"
"Slash like you mean it fools"
"You're not at your mother's teat, cut harder" he laughed like a maniac, he turned and slashed and cut down as many as possible, but with every man he cut down, they healed themselves and attacked again.
"No..." Kayden's voice was lost in his throat, he couldn't say anything, nor could he do anything but watch, at that moment the eyes of Tharros met with Kayden's, he smiled even wider and shouted.
"Son of House Arcanus, lost heir and child of Marcus, the Spawns of Chaos had been unleased unto the realm" his voice echoed as the clouds gathered around them, the sky rumbled fiercely as it gathered over them.
"Run away and survive, live and avenge" Tharros screamed as he was cut down, the things that were once his men climbed on top of him as they stabbed at his back with spikes of blood, Tharros relentlessly on one knee screamed with all his strength, used all of his soul essence and said a final sentence.
"Before Death, life reigns supreme" he shouted, the clouds gathered above shot down not one but four immense bolts of lightning, it burned everything in sight, melting every solid object, killing everything that was.