The assassin's mocking words hung in the air like a death sentence. Kai's heart raced, every muscle in his body tensing as the figure stepped closer, the gleam of the blade catching what little light remained in the shattered landscape.
Kai scrambled to his feet, standing protectively in front of Lysandra's unconscious form. His mind raced, trying to assess the situation. He had barely enough energy left after the battle with the vortex to stand, let alone fight this new enemy. The dark-haired figure before him radiated lethal intent, and there was something unsettling about the way they moved as if the shadows themselves were bending to their will.
"Stay away from her," Kai growled, his voice strained but resolute. He raised his hand, summoning the last dregs of his shadow power, the familiar black tendrils flickering to life around his fingers.
The assassin tilted their head slightly, a cruel smile playing at the edges of their lips. "Do you really think you're in any position to make demands, Kai?" They spoke his name as if savoring it, twisting it into something vile.
Kai's jaw tightened. He didn't know how the assassin knew his name, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was keeping Lysandra safe and somehow finding a way to survive this encounter.
The assassin moved with unnatural grace, each step deliberate, as if they had all the time in the world. Kai could feel the oppressive weight of their presence bearing down on him. His shadow powers flickered weakly, his body aching from the toll of the earlier battle.
"Who are you?" Kai demanded, his eyes narrowing. "Why are you after us?"
The assassin chuckled darkly, twirling the shadow-forged blade in their hand. "Who I am is of no consequence to you. But since you're so curious, let's just say I'm here to finish what the manarite failed to accomplish."
Kai's heart skipped a beat. The manarite. The very creature that had torn his life apart, the beast that had murdered his family and destroyed his village. Rage surged through him, momentarily overpowering the exhaustion. His fists clenched as the memory of that night flashed before his eyes the screams, the blood, the overwhelming sense of helplessness.
"You're working for them," Kai spat, his voice shaking with fury. "For the manarites."
The assassin's smirk widened. "I have my own interests. But let's just say our goals align for now."
Without warning, the assassin lunged, the shadow blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. Kai barely managed to sidestep the attack, feeling the cold edge of the blade brush against his skin as he twisted away. His mind raced, searching for any opening, any strategy that could give him an edge. But the assassin was fast—too fast. Each movement was fluid, calculated, as if they were toying with him.
Kai called upon his shadow abilities again, but his reserves were dangerously low. He managed to summon a thin barrier of darkness just in time to block the assassin's next strike, but the force of the blow sent him staggering back. His legs wobbled beneath him, barely able to hold his weight.
"You're weaker than I thought," the assassin sneered, flicking their blade to the side as if wiping away invisible dust. "Pathetic, really. I expected more from someone with heretic powers."
Kai's vision blurred for a moment, the exhaustion pulling at him like a heavy weight. He couldn't keep this up much longer. His mind screamed at him to think, to find a way out, but all he could focus on was the assassin's cold, merciless eyes.
The next attack came faster than he could react.
The assassin's blade pierced through his shadow barrier with ease, slashing across his chest. Kai gasped in pain, stumbling backward as blood seeped through his torn shirt. The wound wasn't deep, but the sharp sting brought with it a terrifying realization he was completely outmatched.
Kai dropped to one knee, clutching his chest as he struggled to catch his breath. The assassin loomed over him, their shadowy blade raised for the final blow.
"Don't worry," the assassin whispered, their voice cold and venomous. "This will all be over soon."
Kai's thoughts spiraled into panic. He couldn't die here not like this. Not when he had come so far. Not when Lysandra still needed him.
In the split second before the assassin's blade descended, Kai's gaze flickered to Lysandra's still form behind him. Her body was bathed in the remnants of the storm's energy, the scar on her chest still glowing faintly.
And then it hit him.
The shard of light.
Kai's heart pounded as the pieces fell into place. The shard of light was the key it had been the source of the vortex, the power that had nearly torn Lysandra apart. But if it was strong enough to do that, maybe… just maybe…
Without thinking, Kai surged to his feet, spinning around to face Lysandra. The assassin's blade sliced through the air where he had been moments before, missing by inches. Kai didn't stop to look back.
He dove toward Lysandra, his hand reaching for the glowing shard on her chest. The assassin's furious shout echoed in his ears, but Kai didn't hesitate. His fingers closed around the shard, and the moment he touched it, a jolt of raw energy coursed through his body.
The world exploded in light and darkness.
Kai screamed as the power of the shard surged through him, tearing at his very soul. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he thought he was going to be ripped apart just like Lysandra had been. But something kept him grounded something deep inside him that resonated with the chaos.
The shadows within him stirred, hungry for more.
The assassin's voice cut through the chaos, filled with rage. "What are you doing?!"
Kai didn't answer. He couldn't. The power of the shard was too overwhelming, too all-consuming. But amidst the storm of light and darkness, he could feel it the connection between him and Lysandra, the bond they shared.
And with that connection came strength.
Kai's eyes snapped open, glowing with an eerie light as the shard fused with his shadow powers. His body felt lighter, his senses sharper. The exhaustion that had weighed him down moments ago melted away, replaced by a surge of raw, untamed power.
The assassin's eyes widened in shock as Kai turned to face them, the shadows swirling around him like living creatures.
"You wanted a fight?" Kai growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Then let's see if you can handle this."
Before the assassin could react, Kai unleashed the full force of his new power. The shadows erupted from his body, coiling through the air like serpents as they converged on the assassin. The figure barely had time to raise their blade before the darkness engulfed them, crushing down with a force that shattered the ground beneath them.
The assassin let out a strangled cry as the shadows tightened, their body convulsing under the pressure. Kai stepped forward, his eyes blazing with fury.
"You came after the wrong people," he said coldly, the shadows pulsing with his anger. "Now you'll pay the price."
But just as he prepared to strike the final blow, something shifted. The assassin's body flickered, their form dissolving into the shadows.
Kai's eyes widened in surprise, but it was too late. The assassin vanished into the darkness, slipping away like a ghost before he could stop them.
For a moment, everything was still.
Kai stood there, panting, his body trembling from the intensity of the battle. His mind raced, trying to comprehend what had just happened. The assassin had escaped slipped through his fingers like smoke.
And then a cold chill ran down his spine.
From the shadows, a voice echoed, soft and mocking.
"This isn't over, Kai."