Tai paced the training ground like a caged predator, frustration etched into every line of his body. "When are we going to fight, Master?"
Shi folded his arms, his expression calm but firm. "I don't know."
Tai's fists clenched, his voice rising. "What do you mean, you don't know?"
Sai, leaning against a nearby tree, interjected, "He means if we attack now, we'll lose. Isn't that right, Master?"
Shi nodded grimly. "Exactly. If we strike too early, we'll be crushed. But if we wait too long, there will be nothing left to protect."
Tai spun to face him, his eyes blazing. "I can't just sit here while my father destroys everything!" Without waiting for a response, Tai bolted out of the training area, his movements fueled by fury and desperation.
"Tai!" Shi's voice was sharp, but the younger warrior was already gone.
Sai cursed under his breath. "Master, where do you think he's going?"
Shi's jaw tightened, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "That fool... He's going to fight his father."
Sai's face paled. "He's going to die!"
Shi's tone turned cold. "We need to stop him before he does something reckless."
Tai sprinted through the forest, his surroundings a blur. His thoughts burned with a single purpose: confronting the monster who had torn his world apart. Bursting into a clearing, he found Zarathiss waiting, his towering form casting a shadow that seemed to swallow the sunlight.
"My son," Zarathiss's voice was deep, laced with a chilling amusement. "Are you here to join me... or to die?"
Tai's body tensed, his fists glowing with latent energy. "I'm here to kill you."
Zarathiss chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "So, you've come to die like your mother."
The words were a match to Tai's simmering rage. He roared, his form shifting as scales erupted across his body. In an instant, he was in his snake form, a coiled figure of raw power. Lunging at Zarathiss, he struck with blistering speed, but the elder serpent dodged each attack effortlessly.
"You've grown stronger," Zarathiss said, sidestepping another strike. "But you're still weak."
Before Tai could react, Zarathiss lashed out, his massive tail crashing into him like a battering ram. The impact sent Tai hurtling into a nearby boulder, the stone cracking under the force. As he struggled to rise, Zarathiss loomed over him, fangs elongating as his jaw unhinged.
"You were always destined to kneel before me," Zarathiss hissed, his fangs gleaming as he prepared to strike.
A blur of movement interrupted him. Shi appeared in an instant, his foot connecting with Zarathiss's face in a bone-crunching kick. Zarathiss staggered back, momentarily stunned.
"You won't touch him," Shi declared, his stance unwavering.
Zarathiss regained his balance, his eyes narrowing. "Ah, the meddling master. I should've known you'd follow."
Shi didn't respond, his focus entirely on Zarathiss. Behind him, Tai struggled to his feet, his anger undiminished but his body clearly weakened.
"Stay back, Tai," Shi ordered. "This isn't a fight you can win."
"No," Tai growled, his eyes blazing with defiance. "I'm not running."
Zarathiss laughed, the sound echoing like thunder. "How touching. Let's see how long your bravado lasts."
The battle erupted with renewed ferocity. Zarathiss attacked with a feral intensity, his strikes powerful enough to shatter the ground beneath them. Shi met each blow with precision, his movements a seamless blend of offense and defense. Tai, refusing to stand idle, joined the fray, his strikes fueled by raw emotion.
Despite their combined efforts, Zarathiss's overwhelming strength was evident. His tail whipped out, catching Tai off guard and sending him sprawling. Shi moved to block Zarathiss's follow-up attack, his blade flashing as it clashed against the Serpent King's claws.
"You're outmatched," Zarathiss taunted, his grin feral. "Give up now, and I might spare the boy."
Shi's gaze hardened. "We'll see about that."
Drawing upon his inner reserves, Shi unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one aimed with lethal precision. Zarathiss countered with equal ferocity, their battle a storm of energy and raw power. Tai watched from the ground, his resolve solidifying as he saw the lengths Shi was willing to go to protect him.
Summoning his remaining strength, Tai launched himself back into the fight, his form a blur as he struck at Zarathiss's blind spots. Together, master and student pressed the attack, their movements perfectly synchronized.
But Zarathiss was far from defeated. With a deafening roar, he unleashed a shockwave of energy, forcing Shi and Tai back. "You're resilient, I'll give you that," he said, his voice filled with dark amusement. "But this ends now."