The clearing was still smoldering from Klaithar's last attack, ash and embers drifting lazily through the air like fireflies. Klaithar stood, his sword dragging in the dirt as he struggled to keep his balance. His once-imposing armor now looked more like a collection of shattered metal scraps barely clinging to his body. But his single glowing red eye hadn't dimmed, and the fury that pulsed through him was palpable.
Ubuntu, hands still resting casually in his pockets, gave a long, exaggerated yawn. "Honestly, you're still on your feet? I've gotta admit, that's impressive. Points for stamina, but… we've both seen how this is gonna end."
Klaithar's grip tightened around his sword. "The Sovereign… will not fall. His power… is eternal…"
"Yeah, yeah," Ubuntu said with a wave of his hand. "Same speech, different boss fight." He took a step forward, kicking a piece of debris aside. "But, real talk: do you guys have, like, rehearsals for these monologues? Is there a Sovereign Orientation? 'Here's your evil armor, here's your overly dramatic speech, here's where you practice talking to yourself while I make fun of you.'"
Klaithar didn't respond. He raised his sword again, the red lines along the blade flickering as he struggled to summon what little strength he had left. "This is not over…"
Ubuntu sighed, glancing skyward as if asking for patience. "Okay, fine. You want to do this the hard way? We'll do it the hard way."
Without another word, Klaithar charged, his sword raised high, the blade crackling with unstable energy. He swung down with all his might, aiming to cleave Ubuntu in two.
But Ubuntu didn't even flinch. He sidestepped the attack effortlessly, his movements fluid and almost lazy, like he was dodging a slow-moving leaf rather than a sword capable of leveling a forest.
Klaithar stumbled forward, the momentum of his missed strike throwing him off balance. Before he could recover, Ubuntu's fist slammed into his chest with the force of a sledgehammer. "Abyssal Smite!"
The impact sent Klaithar flying backward. He crashed into the ground with a thud, creating a crater in the dirt as his sword clattered to the side, the red glow finally flickering out.
For a long moment, everything was still. Klaithar lay motionless at the bottom of the crater, his armor cracked and shattered beyond repair. His single red eye dimmed, flickering like a dying ember before fading to black.
Ubuntu stood over him, arms crossed, waiting. He'd learned by now that these guys had a habit of pulling last-minute comebacks, so he wasn't about to drop his guard just yet.
But this time, there was no comeback. No final surge of power. Klaithar didn't move.
"Huh." Ubuntu scratched his head. "I guess that's it, then."
The clearing fell silent, the crackling of burnt wood the only sound that remained. Ubuntu let out a slow breath, the adrenaline from the fight already fading. He walked over to Klaithar's fallen sword, nudging it with his foot.
"No loot?" he muttered. "You'd think a guy this dramatic would at least drop something cool."
The sword didn't so much as flicker. It was just a hunk of dead metal now, devoid of the fiery energy that had once coursed through it.
"Figures," Ubuntu sighed. He kicked the sword away and turned his back on the fallen executioner, heading for the edge of the clearing.
As he walked, the weight of the fight—and of the day in general—began to settle in. It had been a long day of smashing bad guys, dodging monologues, and defying whatever grand design the Sovereign had in mind. But for all the power he had gained, for all the enemies he had crushed, there was still something nagging at him. Something missing.
What's the point of all this?
The question came unbidden, and for the first time in a while, it stuck with him. He had been punching his way through this world since the moment he'd arrived, tearing down every obstacle in his path. But why? Sure, he was strong now, maybe stronger than he'd ever been. But what did that matter?
He stopped at the edge of the clearing, glancing back at Klaithar's lifeless body. The guy had been powerful—maybe even the strongest opponent Ubuntu had faced so far. But in the end, it hadn't been enough. It was never enough.
"Is this it?" Ubuntu muttered to himself. "Just fight after fight, until… what?"
The thought was uncomfortable, and he didn't like it. He wasn't here for existential crises. He was here to break things, to win, to show this world that he wasn't the weak, broken kid he'd been before.
But as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows through the trees, the nagging feeling wouldn't go away. There had to be more to this. There had to be something else.
Before he could dwell on it further, the faint sound of footsteps reached his ears. He turned, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the treeline.
A figure stepped out from the shadows, tall and hooded, much like Klaithar had been. But this one moved with a different kind of grace, a cold, calculated precision that set Ubuntu on edge. The figure stopped a few paces away, their face hidden beneath the shadow of their hood.
"I see you've dealt with Klaithar," the figure said, their voice low and smooth, almost musical.
Ubuntu raised an eyebrow. "And you are…?"
The figure chuckled softly. "Names are irrelevant to those about to die."
"Oh, come on. Another one of you guys?" Ubuntu groaned, rubbing his temples. "Let me guess, you're here to avenge Klaithar, or maybe you've got some unfinished business with the Sovereign, right? Do you guys have a union or something?"
The hooded figure didn't respond. Instead, they drew a long, slender blade from their cloak, the weapon gleaming in the fading light.
"Okay, seriously," Ubuntu said, exasperated. "I just finished off one of your buddies. Can I at least get a break? Maybe a snack? I've been running on fumes here."
The figure took another step forward, their grip tightening on the hilt of their blade. "You misunderstand, outsider. I am not here for you."
Ubuntu blinked, taken aback for a moment. "Wait, what?"
"I am here for the girl."
The words hung in the air, cold and sharp. Ubuntu's mind snapped to the girl he had left behind in the forest earlier. The one he'd "rescued" before deciding lunch was more important.
"You've gotta be kidding me," he muttered.
The figure's eyes gleamed beneath their hood. "She is the key. The Sovereign has decreed it. And you… are irrelevant."
Ubuntu's fists clenched, his earlier exhaustion forgotten in an instant. "Oh, I'm irrelevant, am I? Great. Perfect. Well, guess what—if you're looking for her, you're gonna have to go through me first."
The figure's blade glinted as they shifted into a fighting stance. "That can be arranged."
Ubuntu sighed, cracking his knuckles as he squared up. "Fine. Let's get this over with."
But as the two prepared to clash, a thought crossed Ubuntu's mind. Something that had been nagging at him since he'd started this whole ridiculous journey.
"Hey," he said, raising a hand to pause the impending fight. The figure hesitated, confused.
"I just gotta ask," Ubuntu continued, his tone casual. "What's the deal with all the monologues? You guys do know no one's paying attention, right? They're probably skipping ahead to the fight as we speak."
The figure didn't respond, clearly not amused.
Ubuntu sighed. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
And with that, he charged forward, his fists glowing with dark energy.