Chapter 12: Breaking the Chains
The ruins trembled as energy clashed in the distance. Kaylen stood at the edge of the battlefield, the Ember Core blazing in his hand like a second heart. The weight of its power coursed through him, urging him forward. Solas and Eryn's desperate fight unfolded ahead, their movements sharp but strained against the Hunters' relentless precision.
Kaylen tightened his grip on the Core. "They're fighting for me," he muttered, anger sparking alongside the Core's heat. "I'm not leaving them."
With a deep breath, he stepped into the chaos, his mind racing. The Ember Core pulsed, a rhythmic beat that matched his heart. He focused on its warmth, letting it guide him as he approached the battlefield.
---
Solas ducked beneath a fiery slash, the Hunter's blade carving a molten line through the stone. They retaliated with a precise strike from an artifact concealed in their sleeve—a burst of energy that sent the Hunter staggering back. But Solas was slowing, their breaths coming in short gasps.
"You're persistent," Solas muttered, retreating a step. "I'll give you that."
The Hunter didn't reply, their glowing blade snapping back into position. They lunged again, forcing Solas to dodge. But before they could close the gap, a blast of fire erupted between them, forcing the Hunter to leap back.
Solas turned, their eyes narrowing as Kaylen stepped into view, the Ember Core blazing in his hand. "What are you doing?" Solas snapped. "You're supposed to be gone!"
Kaylen ignored them, his focus locked on the Hunter. "You're not doing this alone."
The Hunter straightened, their blade glowing brighter. They tilted their head slightly, as if sizing Kaylen up, before rushing forward.
Kaylen raised his hand, a surge of energy bursting from the Core. A wall of flame erupted in front of him, forcing the Hunter to halt. The strain hit Kaylen immediately—his head throbbed, and his vision blurred—but he held steady, the fire burning bright.
"You stubborn fool," Solas muttered, moving to his side. "Fine. If you're here, make yourself useful."
The Hunter slashed through the flames, their blade cutting a path toward Kaylen. He sidestepped, barely avoiding the strike, and countered with a burst of fire aimed at their feet. The Hunter leapt back, their movements fluid despite the uneven terrain.
Kaylen's chest heaved, the strain of using the Core building with each attack. "This thing really knows how to make you pay," he muttered.
---
On the other side of the battlefield, Eryn ducked beneath a crackling arc of electricity, the second Hunter closing in fast. Their opponent moved like a storm, each strike precise and devastating. Eryn deflected another attack with a small energy shield, but the force of the blow sent them skidding back.
"You're annoying," the Hunter growled, their voice distorted by their helmet. "And slow."
Eryn smirked, rolling to their feet. "Slow? You're barely keeping up."
The Hunter snarled, launching another barrage of attacks. Eryn dodged and countered, drawing the fight closer to the edge of the ruins. They glanced toward Solas and Kaylen, their expression tightening as they saw Kaylen in the thick of the fight.
"You better not die, kid," Eryn muttered under their breath, luring their opponent farther away.
---
Back at the main battle, Kaylen was struggling. Every burst of fire drained him further, and the Hunter's relentless attacks left no room for error. Solas joined the fray, using their own relics to create openings, but the Hunter was relentless, their glowing blade a constant threat.
"Focus, Kaylen!" Solas barked, deflecting a strike aimed at Kaylen's side. "You can't just throw power around. You need to control it!"
"I'm trying!" Kaylen shouted, dodging another attack. He raised his hand, summoning another burst of fire, but it fizzled out before reaching its target.
The Hunter capitalized on his hesitation, closing the gap in an instant. Their blade arced toward Kaylen, and he barely managed to block it with a hastily conjured flame shield. The impact sent him sprawling, the Core's glow flickering as he hit the ground.
"Enough of this," the Hunter growled, raising their blade for a final strike.
Kaylen's mind raced, panic clawing at him. He reached for the Core's power, but it felt distant, like grasping at smoke. Memories of his training with Eryn and Solas flashed through his mind—their warnings, their guidance. He couldn't overpower the Core. He had to work with it.
Closing his eyes, he steadied his breathing. The Core pulsed faintly, its warmth spreading through him. He focused, not on the fear or the pain, but on the energy itself—the connection he had forged with the artifact.
When he opened his eyes, the world seemed sharper. The Core blazed to life, its light casting long shadows over the ruins. The Hunter hesitated, their blade faltering for a fraction of a second.
Kaylen surged to his feet, the fire in his hand roaring to life. He didn't strike blindly this time—he guided the flames, shaping them into a focused burst aimed directly at the Hunter's blade. The impact sent the weapon flying, its glow fading as it hit the ground.
The Hunter staggered, their balance broken. Kaylen pressed the advantage, conjuring a fiery arc that forced them back. Solas stepped in, their own relics flaring as they delivered a precise strike to the Hunter's chest, sending them crashing into a pile of rubble.
Kaylen collapsed to one knee, the Core's energy receding. His head throbbed, and his vision swam, but he managed a weak smile. "We… did it."
Solas helped him to his feet, their expression unreadable. "It's not over yet. The other one—"
A deafening crack of electricity cut them off, and they turned to see Eryn and the second Hunter locked in a brutal exchange. Eryn was holding their own, but barely. Their opponent's attacks were relentless, each strike carving deep into the ruins.
Kaylen clenched his fists, the Core's faint warmth reigniting. He was exhausted, but he couldn't stop now. Not while Eryn was still fighting.
"We finish this," he said, his voice steady despite the tremor in his limbs. "Together."
Solas nodded, their relics flaring to life once more. "Then let's end it."