The scent of stolen bread and dried meat filled the air as the children gathered around their hearty meal from the stolen food, laughing between bites. Merri grinned, chewing happily, while Finn exaggerated a story about skyship battles, waving his arms wildly.
Kai, his wounds freshly bandaged with stolen supplies from the city, listened contentedly to his friends.
Rhea and Joran pulled Kai aside as Finn continued with his story.
"Everything okay?" Kai asked.
"We managed to steal a barrel from the Merchant's guild. It has their logo and seal, so if we get you onto a merchant's cart, you should be transported out of here without issue." Rhea said, her voice softer than usual.
"Why do you sound hesitant?" Kai asked.
"Well... Are you sure you don't want to stay with us here? You'd be a great addition to the family."
"I already have a family to get back to. They probably don't want me, but they need me."
"If you ever change your mind. We'll be here."
"Yeah, you're already my sworn battle brother, Kai! I'd love to fight you in the Arena of Kings someday! No shadow stuff, though. After seeing what that thing can do, let's keep that out of the fight."
"Sure, Joran, and I'll remember that, Rhea. I will always remember you all who never once judged me."
Kai sat back amongst them, letting himself enjoy the moment, just for a little while. It felt… normal. Almost.
Then came the heavy footfalls.
A hush fell over the group as a shadow loomed at the alley's entrance. A city guard stood there, his uniform slightly disheveled, his face twisted in a sneer of disgust.
"Well, well," he drawled, stepping forward. "Look at you lot. Thieves, rats… and you." His eyes locked onto Kai.
Kai's pulse quickened.
The guard whistled sharply, and two more figures emerged from behind him. Another guard, heavier built, with a jagged scar across his nose. And worse... an inquisitor.
Recognition flashed in the inquisitor's eyes the moment they landed on Kai.
"There you are," the inquisitor murmured, voice calm, but the way his fingers twitched at his side betrayed his excitement. "The abomination."
'Abomination is a little harsh...'
The children stiffened. Some shuffled backward, but they had nowhere to go.
The scarred guard grabbed Merri before she could react, hoisting her off the ground with one arm. She screamed, kicking uselessly at his armour.
"Let her go," Kai said, voice low.
The inquisitor's smile was thin, cruel. "You want to protect them? Then surrender."
Merri whimpered.
Kai made his choice.
He raised his hands, palms open. "Fine."
The inquisitor smirked. "Wise choice."
Kai took slow steps forward. The inquisitor reached for shackles at his belt.
'Closer.'
The air turned cold. Kai's hands cooled.
'Not yet.'
A couple more steps. He could almost smell the sweat of the vile man.
Kai lunged.
Before the inquisitor could react, Kai's fingers locked onto his wrist.
"Frozen Touch."
Agony exploded through Kai's body as the System's warning flared.
[Warning: With no life essence remaining, you will use your own reserves of life essence.]
'And? They're not going to hurt my friends.'
Frost surged from his hand, racing up the inquisitor's arm. Flesh blackened, ice spread like veins of death, and within seconds, the man's entire limb was frozen solid up to his shoulder.
The inquisitor shrieked, stumbling backward, cradling his ruined arm. As the guard shakily pulled out a sword, he bumped the arm of the inquisitor, knocking it off his body.
It shattered on the ground.
Then chaos erupted.
Shade burst from the shadows. The sword-wielding guard barely had time to react before Shade's clawed hand plunged into his throat, twisting.
Blood sprayed like a beautiful fountain.
The second guard took out an axe and swung it towards Shade, but it spun, turning into a whirling mass of darkness. The force of its attack sent deep gashes across the man's chest, cutting through armour, flesh, and bone. He collapsed in a broken heap.
'Where would I be without you, Shade?'
The inquisitor, despite his injury, still had strength left. With his remaining hand, he forced out a spell. A lance of golden energy slammed into Kai's side, searing pain through his ribs.
He barely stayed on his feet. The pain and diminishing life essence caused his vision to blur.
'I have to get another spell off...'
[Warning: Life essence critically low.]
'That doesn't matter.'
The inquisitor readied another spell.
Kai winced. He had not the energy to avoid it, nor the time.
But a rock smashed into the inquisitor's head, forcing him to lose balance.
Joran, hiding behind a pillar, held several more rocks in his hands.
"Take that!"
The inquisitor snarled, aiming his next spell at Joran instead, but it was too late.
Gritting his teeth, Kai lifted his good arm. Fire erupted from his palm, roaring to life.
"Flame Wall."
Flames surged, engulfing the inquisitor in a blinding inferno. Kai maintained the flames as he felt the veins in his body rupture beneath his skin. The screams lasted only a few seconds before silence fell.
The smell of seared meat, burnt cloth, and singed hairs assaulted Kai's senses.
The battle was over.
Kai stumbled, breath ragged, covered in blood. The children were staring at him. At the bodies.
Merri was sobbing, but she ran to him, clutching his shirt. "You saved me."
Rhea looked shaken, but she nodded. "We owe you."
Kai swallowed hard. He looked at them with their dirty faces and scared eyes.
"You don't... I'll protect you," he said.
He meant it.
Rhea moved the children away from the corpses while Kai moved them with the help of Shade.
Once out of sight from all of the children, Kai grew hesitant.
'I know what I need to do, but the overload of information will probably hurt.'
He knelt beside the three corpses.
His hand trembled as he pressed it to the nearest body. The life essence within Kai felt faint, like a grain of sand in a bottle of water.
A faded green wisp of fog rose from the Inquisitor's corpse. It called to him.
Kai inhaled deeply and pressed his hand on the corpse's chest.
The soul sank into him.
Memories. Voices.
He saw the inquisitor's final thoughts. Not fear. Not regret. Just purpose.
As the last wisp of soul slipped into Kai's body, a wave of nausea crashed over him. His breath hitched.
Then the world shifted.
It wasn't the alley anymore. It wasn't even Ylthara.
Kai found himself standing in a grand hall, lined with towering marble pillars etched with golden filigree. The air smelled of incense and candle smoke. Ahead of him, five figures stood in a half-circle.
He wasn't himself.
He was seeing through the inquisitor's eyes.
---
A deep voice rumbled through the chamber.
"The abomination must not be allowed to escape."
The speaker was a priest, adorned in lavish garbs, his robe embroidered with symbols of light and divine judgment. His presence commanded absolute authority.
Kai could feel the inquisitor's thoughts—devotion, duty, a chilling certainty that what they were doing was right.
One of the other inquisitors stepped forward, a woman with sharp eyes and a grim expression. "I struck the variant with divine magic, but he resisted. He won't go down easily."
The priest barely acknowledged her. "You are inquisitors. You will subdue him." His voice was like iron. "Stall him, restrain him, and do whatever is necessary. But do not fail."
A shiver crawled down Kai's spine.
The priest turned to the last figure in the room. A presence so heavy, even through the inquisitor's memories, Kai felt the weight of their gaze.
The hunter.
They were clad in black and silver, a hood casting their face in shadow. No armour clanked as they shifted.
Only silence.
A predator, waiting.
The priest inclined his head. "Prepare whatever you need. The church will aid you. You will find him. You will end him."
The hunter said nothing.
Kai felt the inquisitor's reverence, his unwavering belief that with the hunter involved, their victory was assured.
---
The world snapped back.
Kai gasped, falling onto his hands and knees in the alley, cold sweat dripping from his brow. His chest heaved, his pulse thundered in his ears.
He was still himself. Still in Ylthara. But the knowledge remained.
A hunter was coming for him.
And he wasn't ready.
In fact, he was moments away from passing out due to the pain.
He reached for the next body.
He couldn't afford to hesitate.
Two more souls were added to his collection.
[Life Essence Stored: 612/1,000]