Kaelor felt the force of the talisman around his neck. It felt chilling like a chain from his past. He had claimed it, but the Collector's words settled in his mind. His grip tightened on his staff, and he paced back toward Lyle, who waited for him in the dark corner, observing Kaelor's face as if he were searching for cracks.
"What was it like?"
"Like swimming through pitch-black sludge," he replied. "And I don't expect it to get easier from here."
They moved silently through the alleyways, keeping to the walls. The city's neon glow shone across the sky, casting strange colors across his face, yet the shard's noises were more persistent than ever, ringing louder with each step, as if it sensed danger… or perhaps opportunity.
"We need to get back to the safehouse," Lyle muttered. "You may have gotten that, but his lair has eyes everywhere. We're being watched."
Kaelor only nodded, feeling a familiar coldness in his veins. He was not new to being followed, but tonight felt different. It had a sense of foreboding.
Just as they slipped into an abandoned building, a low glimmer caught his eye. A dagger, shining silver in the dim light, sailed past him, lodging itself in the wooden frame of the door. His instincts kicked in, and he twisted to face the direction it had come from.
Three figures emerged from the darkness, each clothed in midnight black, their faces were concealed behind masks. Their stance was familiar— poised, lethal, silent. He could feel the shard pulsing in response, feeding off the danger.
"Who are they?" Lyle whispered, drawing his own weapon.
"Mercenaries," he replied with a smirk. "Hired killers. And they've come for us."
Without another word, he raised his staff, summoning a wave of dark energy that surged toward the assassins. The first mercenary dodged effortlessly, his movements were so smooth it was as if he was made of liquid. The second charged forward with his blade flashing as he lunged at Kaelor.
He sidestepped, letting the shard's energy fuel him. He lashed out with a blast of magic, but the mercenary blocked it with a talisman of his own— a powerful relic that deflected the spell with ease.
Meanwhile, Lyle was locked in combat with the third assassin, their blades clashed with a brutal hit. Kaelor's attention flicked to him, calculating, before he was forced back into his own battle. The first mercenary had closed the distance, and he barely raised his staff in time to barricade the incoming blow.
With an unbeatable speed, he shoved the mercenary back, grinning as he watched his opponent stumble. But the mercenary recovered quickly, spinning to unleash a flurry of strikes that drove him back.
The talisman… the shard's voice hissed in his mind. Use it.
He hesitated, feeling the cursed artifact around his neck move. He had only just claimed it.
Did he dare to test its power now?
"Fine," he muttered, syphoning energy into it. Instantly, he felt an outpouring of black magic teleport through him, sharper and colder than anything he had felt before. His vision blurred for a moment, and when it cleared, he found himself moving faster, his reflexes heightened to an almost inhuman level.
He dodged the mercenary's attacks with ease, every motion was swift and precise. The talisman thrummed with dark energy, almost as if it were alive, guiding his movements. He countered with a brutal strike, catching his opponent off guard and sending him sprawling to the ground.
Before he could deliver a killer blow, the second mercenary lunged at him, his blade aimed directly at his chest. He twisted, avoiding the attack by inches. He grabbed the mercenary's arm, directing dark energy through his grip, and watched with satisfaction as the assassin's skin began to blacken and burn under his touch.
The mercenary screamed, wrenching his arm free and stumbling back. But before he could press his advantage, he sensed movement behind him— a warning from the shard. He spun just in time to see the third mercenary charging toward him, his blade gleamed with a strange, sickening light.
He barely managed to block the attack, as his muscles strained while the assassin pressed forward. He could feel the talisman's power waning, and the shard's sounds were growing more insistent, urging him to unleash its full potential. But he hesitated, knowing the risks. If he lost control now, he could easily destroy everything around him… including himself.
"Enough of this," he muttered, releasing its power. He summoned a wall of black energy, forcing the assassins back and giving himself a moment to breathe.
Lyle, having dispatched his opponent, moved to stand beside him, panting heavily.
"We can't keep this up," he said, "We need to get out of here."
Kaelor nodded, but as he turned to leave, a fourth figure stepped into view. A tall, imposing figure clad in armor that shone with an unnatural light. His face was covered by a helmet, but Kaelor could feel the effect of his gaze.
"So, you're the one they call Kaelor," the figure said, "The mage who wields the shard."
Kaelor recognized the authority in the man's tone. This was no ordinary mercenary.
"And who are you supposed to be?"
"I am called Gustos," he replied, drawing a massive sword that thundered with energy. "And I am here to collect the shard."
Kaelor smirked, feeling the familiar thrill of a challenge.
"You're welcome to try."
Gustos leaned forward with his sword cutting through the air with deadly precision. Kaelor raised his staff, blocking the attack with a pop of magic, but the force of the blow sent him stumbling back. He could feel the shard's power flaring, urging him to fight, to destroy.
He unleashed another blast of its energy, but Gustos deflected it effortlessly, his sword absorbed the magic like a sponge. His eyes widened, realizing that Gustos's weapon was no ordinary blade. It was a relic, one designed to counter dark magic.
Gustos moved further to him, his attacks appeared relentless and precise. Kaelor barely managed to keep up, his movements grew slower as the talisman's power waned. He could feel himself weakening, and the shard's noises grew louder and more desperate.
In a last-ditch effort, he focused every ounce of his remaining power into a single, devastating attack. Dark energy erupted from his staff, engulfing Gustos in a stream of shadow. But when the smoke cleared, Gustos stood unharmed, his armor glinted in the dim light.
"Is that the best you can do?" Gustos taunted with contempt.
Kaelor gritted his teeth, feeling the force of defeat weighing down on him. But before he could react, Lyle stepped forward wearing a grim expression.
"Get out of here, Kaelor," he said.
"What? Are you insane?"
"Go," Lyle insisted. "I'll hold him off."
Kaelor hesitated, but the look in Lyle's eyes left no room for argument. He turned and ran, his heart pounding as he fled through the maze of alleyways. The sound of clashing steel resounded behind him, but he forced himself not to look back.
As he ran, the shard grew louder, filling his mind with eerie promises. You are not weak, it hissed. You have the power to destroy them all. All you have to do is let go.
He gritted his teeth, struggling to silence the voice. But deep down, he knew that he couldn't keep running forever. The talisman's power had saved him tonight, but it wouldn't be enough to face the challenges ahead. If he wanted to survive, he would need to find a way to unlock the shard's true potential.
And he would need to do it soon before the forces hunting him closed in for good.