Kieran stood, blood dripping from his lip, his eyes narrowed in disbelief as he wiped the remnants of Kazimir's illusion from his vision. He gritted his teeth, feeling the lingering effects of the attack, but he wasn't done yet.
"What trick did you pull, Wild Card?" Kieran growled, wiping his lip. "How did you freeze me like that?"
Kazimir, breathing heavily but standing tall, smiled, a smile filled with grim satisfaction.
"It wasn't a trick," he said coolly, tossing a card into the air. "It was just an illusion. But the card—" Kazimir's hand swiftly moved through the air, tracing a set of complex, almost hypnotic gestures, "—did the rest." The card glowed faintly as it vanished into thin air, its effects lingering in Kieran's mind.
Kieran's expression shifted, his eyebrows furrowing. The realization hit him. The attack had been a combination of techniques he had never seen before.
But Kieran wasn't done yet. He clenched his fists, his body radiating raw power. His aura surged, a violent shift of energy as he locked eyes with Kazimir, fury now fueling every muscle in his body.
"You think you're the only one who can change the rules of this game?" Kieran sneered. His eyes burned with intensity.
In a flash, Kieran's power spiked, his body pulsating with the weight of something unfamiliar.
Suddenly, the air around him thickened, the atmosphere cracking with sheer force. "I'm a Wild Card too," Kieran said, his voice colder than ice. "Just under the Fatebound Order. And I've learned a new trick."
With that declaration, the impossible happened. The air shimmered, a distortion forming around Kieran as his body began to split into multiple silhouettes, each mirroring his movements.
"Absolute Copy," Kieran announced, his voice echoing from the shadows. "Anything I see, I can copy. Every ability, every technique, every movement. And it doesn't stop there."
Kazimir's eyes widened for the briefest moment, his stance adjusting, as he felt the very essence of his abilities being mirrored. Kieran grinned as his form multiplied and started to move at an incredible speed, seamlessly adapting to Kazimir's style.
The battle had shifted.
Kazimir had always been the one in control, the one with the strategies and plans. But now, Kieran was a perfect reflection of him, a mirror with no flaws.
"I knew there was something always off about him.." Kazimir muttered as he darted forward, his cards flying in every direction. But Kieran was already there, his movements sharper and faster, mirroring Kazimir's attacks to the letter.
Each slash, each card throw, each step Kazimir took, Kieran copied in real time, moving with a precision that surpassed his own. It was chaos. It was brilliance.
Kazimir gritted his teeth. The fight was slipping from his grasp.
But he wasn't about to go down without a fight. He pulled back, using his cards to create a powerful shield, just as Kieran's copied shield shattered it with ease.
Jude, standing off to the side, watched in horror as Kieran's new technique devastated Kazimir. He could barely process what was happening.
Kazimir staggered back, blood trickling from his mouth. His face twisted in shock as he tried to form another plan. But it was too late.
With a final, devastating strike, Kieran knocked Kazimir to the ground, panting heavily. His eyes were filled with a cold, triumphant fury. Kazimir's cards lay scattered around him, his aura flickering weakly as the life drained from his body.
Kazimir let out a strained breath, staring up at Kieran with disbelief. "This… isn't over…"
But Kieran didn't give him the chance to finish his sentence. With a brutal finality, he stomped down, his energy surging, and Kazimir's body collapsed into the ground.
Jude froze in shock, his heart pounding as he saw his ally defeated. Kazimir, their leader, their strategist, was gone?
The Fatebound Knights arrived moments later, their boots heavy against the ground as they stepped into the scene. Captain Soren would be in front of them, his expression cold and calculating.
Jude clenched his fists, but it was too late.
"You've done it now, Kid," Soren said, his voice devoid of sympathy. "By defying fate and destroying the system, you've caused the unraveling of the world's natural order. Your sentence is absolute death."
Kieran cracked his knuckles and turned towards Jude. His eyes gleamed with sadistic delight. "And you're next."
Kieran advanced, his intent clear, to finish what had been started. But before he could strike, a blur of movement intervened.
Zephyr.
With an explosion of force, Zephyr's foot collided with Kieran's face, sending him hurtling backward. The Fatebound Executionist staggered back, momentarily stunned by the power of the kick.
"Not today," Zephyr said, his voice calm but resolute. "You'll have to get through me first."
Kieran wiped the blood from his lip and slowly stood, his expression darkening. "So you're the next one to fall, huh?"
Zephyr's eyes locked onto Kieran's. "You've done enough. Kazimir & Wild Boy, they've fought and you've beaten them. But this ends now."
The two locked eyes as the tension built. This battle was far from over.
Jude, still in shock, stumbled to his feet. "Zephyr…"
As Zephyr placed Elara carefully in Jude's arms, he could feel the tension in the air, the weight of everything they had just fought through. The battle had taken its toll on all of them, but it wasn't over yet. Zephyr locked eyes with Jude, his voice unwavering as he spoke.
"Jude, take Elara and get as far away as you can. Find some help. I'll stay and buy you time."
Jude looked down at Elara, his heart sinking as he felt the coldness of the moment settle in. But as his gaze lowered, he noticed something that made his chest tighten even further. Elara's arm was missing, the wound a gruesome, bloody stump where her arm used to be.
Jude's breath hitched. The sight was a shock to his system, and his heart ached at the realization of just how far they'd come, and how much they had all sacrificed. He felt a tear escape the corner of his eye, the sting of it almost as painful as the loss itself.
"Elara...!" he whispered, his voice cracking. He quickly wiped away the tear, trying to push the emotions down, but it was hard. Harder than anything he had faced. He wanted to hold her, to keep her safe, but the reality was sinking in that they had to keep moving.
He looked back at Zephyr, who was already preparing to face the oncoming storm. "I won't forget this," Jude muttered, his words filled with a silent promise.
With that, Jude turned and began running, Elara cradled gently in his arms. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the now-quiet battlefield, but his mind was reeling with a thousand thoughts, and the image of Elara's missing arm haunted him.
Now, it was Zephyr's turn to take the spotlight. He turned his gaze to Kazimir, who lay defeated and battered, his breathing shallow but actually alive.
"You're the last one standing, huh?" Kieran's voice was low and mocking. "You all put up a good fight. Too bad it's all coming to an end."
Zephyr took a deep breath, narrowing his eyes. "Let's finish this."
Before he could make his first move, Soren stepped forward, his cold gaze fixed on Zephyr. With a swift movement, Soren unsheathed his sword, its edge gleaming ominously under the dim light of the building. He stepped beside Kieran, ready to engage.
"Not so fast, Wild Card," Soren's voice was sharp, cutting through the air. "You're going to have to fight both of us."
Zephyr's expression darkened, but he nodded. "I figured as much."
With a sudden movement, Zephyr dashed forward, his body a blur of speed as he collided with Soren. The wind whipped around him, the air charged with the force of his attack. But Soren wasn't unprepared. He met Zephyr's speed with the precision of his blade, deflecting Zephyr's strike with ease.
"Is that all you've got?" Soren sneered, pushing Zephyr back with a powerful swing of his sword.
Zephyr stumbled but regained his footing in an instant. His eyes narrowed, and he summoned more wind, this time creating a shield of swirling air to block Soren's next strike. He didn't have time to waste. Kieran was circling, waiting for an opening.
Kieran's laugh rang out, mocking. "You're quicker than I thought. But how long can you keep this up, Zephyr?"
Kieran stepped forward, his own powers crackling with intensity. He clashed with Zephyr, their movements a blur of speed and energy. Zephyr twisted through the air, narrowly dodging Kieran's strikes, but the Fatebound Executionist was relentless. His attacks were brutal and precise, pushing Zephyr back step by step.
Soren wasn't far behind, keeping pace with Kieran, slashing at Zephyr's defenses. Zephyr's winds clashed against Soren's sword, the force of the two powers shaking the ground beneath them. Zephyr's heart raced, his mind sharp and focused.
"You think you can win this fight?" Kieran sneered, his eyes glowing with malicious energy. "You don't even know what I'm truly capable of."
Before Zephyr could react, Kieran unleashed a devastating wave of energy, sending a shockwave through the air. The blast hit Zephyr square in the chest, sending him flying backward, crashing into a nearby wall. Pain shot through Zephyr's body, but he pushed himself to his feet, refusing to fall.
"I'm not done yet," Zephyr growled, his eyes burning with determination.
He launched himself back into the fight, faster this time, the winds swirling around him as he attacked. But Kieran was ready, his own power surging to meet Zephyr's.
"You can't keep this up," Kieran warned, his voice dark and foreboding. "I'll crush you, just like I did the others."
Zephyr ignored him, focusing on the fight. He twisted the winds around him, forming a vortex of air that pushed Soren and Kieran back. He spun, using his wind abilities to increase his speed and agility, dodging Kieran's attacks and striking back with precise, powerful strikes of his own.
But as the battle raged on, it became clear that Kieran and Soren weren't going to stop. They were relentless, their combined efforts closing in on Zephyr. Zephyr's movements began to slow, his strength waning.
"You're running out of time, Wild Card," Kieran said, his voice low and dangerous. "This is the end."
Zephyr's breath was ragged, but he refused to give up. "Not yet."
The wind around him grew violent, swirling in a chaotic storm as he prepared one final attack. His body trembled, but he didn't back down. He was going to push through, no matter what.
With a roar, Zephyr unleashed his full power, sending a massive gust of wind toward Kieran and Soren. The force of the attack sent them both reeling, but they quickly regained their footing.
Kieran sneered, raising his hand to unleash his own devastating attack. But before he could strike, Zephyr lunged forward, the winds propelling him faster than ever before. His fist connected with Kieran's chest, sending the Fatebound Executionist stumbling back.
Soren lunged at Zephyr, but in a blur of wind, Zephyr vanished, reappearing behind him. With one swift strike, Zephyr sent Soren crashing to the ground, his sword skidding across the battlefield.
For a moment, it seemed as though they might have been defeated, but Kieran's smirk returned, and Soren's gaze sharpened.
The two stood tall again, reinforced by several Fatebound Knights who lined up behind them, watching in anticipation. However, Soren raised his hand, signaling the others to stand down, their presence only adding to the tension.
"You think you've won?" Kieran's voice was calm, but it carried an undercurrent of menace. His muscles rippled as he cracked his neck. "You're a fool if you think this is the end."
Zephyr narrowed his eyes, his stance shifting to prepare for another fight. He wasn't going to back down, not when the stakes were so high. But something about Kieran's words made him hesitate.
"You can't win, Wild Card," Kieran continued, his tone growing darker. "You know, there's something I've been keeping under wraps but I've already told your friends." He glanced toward Soren before focusing on Zephyr again. "I'm a Wild Card too."
Zephyr's eyes widened in shock, his breath catching in his throat. "What? You're... a Wild Card?!"
Kieran's grin widened, almost in amusement. "Surprised? You shouldn't be. We all have our secrets. I just happen to be one of the Fatebound Order's greatest assets. A Wild Card under their command. You never stood a chance, Kid."
Zephyr's mind raced as the weight of Kieran's words sank in. He's a Wild Card too? The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. His enemy, the one who had caused so much destruction and chaos, was no different than him. Both of them were breaking free from the constraints of fate but while he fought for freedom, Kieran fought to impose control.
Before Zephyr could respond, Kieran's power began to surge once again. His muscles bulged, his body expanding in size, as if the very essence of his being was amplified by the energy coursing through him. The air around him crackled with power, and the ground beneath them trembled.
"It's time for you to witness true power," Kieran declared as he unleashed his technique. "Absolute Copy."
Zephyr's eyes widened as Kieran's body became a blur. With a sickening twist, Kieran's form began to distort, his body mimicking Zephyr's wind abilities with unnatural precision. Kieran's movements were flawless, Zephyr's own wind techniques, copied and enhanced to a terrifying degree.
Soren grinned, his eyes gleaming with renewed confidence. "You've been a thorn in our side long enough. It's time to end this."
Together, Kieran and Soren launched a devastating, synchronized assault. Zephyr found himself caught off-guard, his own moves being countered by the very wind techniques he had used just moments before. Kieran's body expanded further, his power pushing past Zephyr's defenses, overwhelming him in a flurry of strikes and wind blasts.
Soren, with his sword raised, moved in for a final blow, but before he could land it, Zephyr pushed himself into a desperate offensive. He lashed out, using every bit of wind energy he had left to block and dodge, but his body was worn down. With a powerful, final strike from Kieran, Zephyr was sent crashing to the ground, his body battered, but not yet broken.
Kieran and Soren stood over Zephyr, victorious for now. But as Zephyr lay there, gasping for breath, a familiar sound echoed through the air, Kazimir's deep laugh, low and dangerous. The two turned their heads in unison, their expressions shifting from victory to confusion.
Kazimir stood, bruised and battered, but his grin was wide and unsettling. He took a step forward, slowly making his way toward Zephyr.
"Zephyr," Kazimir's voice was a mocking whisper, "How the hell are you still standing after all that?"
Zephyr's eyes narrowed, and he grunted, trying to push himself up. "You... You should be finished. How are you even alive? You Look Bad."
Kazimir chuckled, wiping blood from his lip. "Ah, you forget who you're talking to. I don't go down so easily. Especially not when I have a few tricks of my own."
As Kazimir moved closer to Zephyr, his steps echoed with an eerie confidence. Kieran and Soren looked at each other, unease creeping into their expressions. Kieran couldn't quite understand how Kazimir had recovered so quickly.
Before they could react, the sound of teleportation filled the air. Both Kieran and Soren tried to move, but it was too late. With a flash of light, both Wild Cards were gone.
The two stood still, confused, as Kieran and Soren were left in a moment of stunned silence. Their surroundings seemed to pulse with energy, but no matter how hard they looked, the two Wild Cards were gone.
"What... what just happened?" Soren growled, his eyes darting around the now-empty space. He could feel his rage building, but he knew it wouldn't help him now. "They're gone. Where did they go?"
Kieran clenched his fists, his rage bubbling up as his eyes burned with fury. "Damn it. I won't let them escape. I'll make them pay for this. All of them."