The valley was cloaked in thick mist, where shadows twisted like phantoms in the cold air. On a crumbling stone pillar that jutted from the earth like an ancient fang, Kazuya stood across from Mirath, the dark mage whose aura radiated malice. Below, the sounds of battle echoed—Lyriana's arrows and Kaelith's war cries rang out as they fought the hordes of skeletal warriors summoned by Mirath.
Yet up here, it was different. Quiet. Tense.
Mirath sneered, dark mist coiling around their black robes, their staff glowing faintly with eerie energy. "You're persistent, I'll give you that, boy. But persistence won't save you when Zaryth's will crushes this world."
Kazuya remained calm, his sharp gaze fixed on his foe. "Enough talk. You've hurt too many people. This ends now."
The mist swirled harder as Mirath's sinister laugh echoed across the valley. "Ends? No, this is only the beginning of your suffering."
Mirath slammed their staff into the stone, and from the cracks, tendrils of black energy erupted, writhing like serpents and lashing out at Kazuya.
"Dash."
With a burst of incredible speed, Kazuya vanished, reappearing behind Mirath. His sword gleamed in the pale light as it swung down with a force that shattered the air itself.
Mirath spun just in time, raising a shield of crackling darkness. Kazuya's blade struck the barrier, and the impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, cracking the stone beneath their feet.
"You're fast," Mirath hissed, straining against the force of the attack. "But speed alone—"
Kazuya cut them off, pressing harder. The shield splintered with a deafening crack, and Mirath was thrown backward, their boots scraping across the brittle platform.
"You were saying?" Kazuya challenged, standing tall, his sword poised for another strike.
Mirath's glare darkened, and their voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "You'll regret that."
The staff rose high, and the mist around them thickened into a vortex, pulling inward like a living storm. The ground beneath Kazuya's feet trembled as Mirath chanted incomprehensible words, their eyes glowing an unnatural violet.
"Enough tricks!" Kazuya roared. He lunged forward, his speed tearing through the vortex, but the storm's force pushed against him, slowing his advance.
"Dash, Flight."
Combining both abilities, Kazuya shot forward like a lightning bolt, closing the distance in an instant. His sword struck toward Mirath's chest.
But Mirath grinned. At the last moment, the dark mage twisted aside, redirecting the vortex's power. A colossal shockwave erupted outward, slamming into Kazuya and sending him hurtling off the edge of the pillar.
Kazuya fell, the mist swallowing him as the wind screamed past his ears.
---
The Descent
Kazuya's mind raced. The world spun as he plummeted, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus.
"Flight."
His body steadied midair, and the force of his fall dissipated. Hovering in the mist, Kazuya looked up toward the broken pillar. Mirath stood at its edge, staff raised high, dark energy crackling around them.
"You should be dead!" Mirath shouted, their voice warped with frustration.
Kazuya said nothing, his face calm but his fury palpable. He soared upward, moving faster than the eye could follow, and within moments, he reappeared at the top of the pillar.
Mirath staggered back, shocked.
Kazuya landed softly, sword still in hand. "Surprised? You shouldn't be."
Mirath bared their teeth. "I will rip you apart!"
With a roar, the dark mage unleashed their most powerful attack yet. Spears of black energy erupted from the mist, raining down like a storm. The pillar groaned and shattered under the barrage.
Kazuya dashed between the falling spears, his movements precise and controlled. Each time his feet touched the crumbling stone, he shifted—moving faster, dodging everything Mirath threw at him.
Finally, he was in front of Mirath again. This time, there was no room for escape.
Mirath's eyes widened. "Wait—!"
Kazuya's blade struck with immense force, slicing clean through Mirath's staff. The weapon shattered in a flash of violet light, the pieces scattering into the void.
Mirath fell to their knees, clutching their chest as dark energy began to leak from their body. "No… this can't be…"
Kazuya lowered his sword, his voice firm. "You've lost. Surrender now, or I'll end this."
Mirath looked up at him, their expression a mixture of rage and desperation. "You fool. Do you think killing me will stop Zaryth?"
Their body began to dissolve into dark mist, the remains of their energy scattering like ashes in the wind.
"You're too late… Zaryth will rise… and you will fall…"
With those final words, Mirath's form vanished, leaving nothing but silence.
---
Aftermath
The mist slowly began to clear, revealing the battlefield below. Lyriana and Kaelith were finishing off the last of the skeletal warriors. When they looked up and saw Kazuya standing alone on the shattered pillar, they hurried toward him.
Lyriana's voice carried through the thinning mist. "Kazuya! Are you all right?"
Kazuya looked down at his companions as he descended, his expression serious. "Mirath is gone. But they're right—this isn't over."
Kaelith scowled, wiping blood from his blade. "Of course it isn't. These dark mages always have a backup plan."
Lyriana sighed, her expression troubled. "And Zaryth knows about us now."
Kazuya nodded, his gaze turning toward the horizon. Beyond the valley, the jagged silhouette of the Sanctum of Echoes loomed, shrouded in shadow.
"We have to keep moving," Kazuya said quietly. "We're running out of time."
The three of them stood together, the broken battlefield stretching around them. The mist was gone, but an ominous stillness remained, as if the valley itself was waiting—watching.
Kazuya tightened his grip on his sword. He knew this fight was far from over, and greater dangers lay ahead.
No matter what comes... I'll keep going.