Jude's breath came in ragged gasps as his feet pounded against the cold, metal floor beneath him. The building's ominous hum reverberated through the halls, making every step feel as though the walls themselves were closing in on him.
His heart raced in his chest as the only thought that mattered right now was escaping. He had to get out, get as far away as he could.
His mind barely registered the flashes of light from battles still raging behind him; his focus was solely on the exit, the fleeting sense of freedom that lay beyond these walls.
I can't let them down, he thought, gritting his teeth. Elara's depending on me.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the large metallic door loomed ahead, the final barrier between him and safety. Jude's pulse quickened. He reached out, his hand trembling as it brushed against the cold surface of the door.
Just as his fingers made contact, the air around him seemed to twist, the sound of rushing wind filling his ears. Jude turned quickly, eyes wide, his heart stopping as the familiar forms of Kazimir and Zephyr appeared before him. Kazimir stumbled slightly, his expression strained, as if the effort of teleporting had taken its toll on him.
"Looks like you were in quite the rush," Kazimir said with a wry grin, although his face betrayed the slight wince of pain. "Teleporting takes a lot out of me... Stomach cramps that would make even the toughest of men cry."
Jude blinked in disbelief. "Kazimir, Zephyr, how are you, "
Kazimir raised a hand to stop him, his smile growing more playful, despite the obvious fatigue. "Long story short, I've got a trick or two up my sleeve. I was able to teleport us here, but... well, it comes with a price. Not every day I get to feel like I'm about to double over in pain."
Zephyr, though less visibly affected, gave Jude a nod. "Kazimir's right. We managed to escape... barely. But the fact remains, we're still in danger. We need to move fast." His voice was calm, but the urgency was clear.
Elara's arm was subsequently wrapped tightly in bandages, but the sight of her missing limb made Jude's stomach twist. He quickly stepped forward, his eyes filled with concern.
"Kazimir, how is she?" Jude asked, his voice thick with emotion.
Kazimir adjusted his grip on Elara, his brow furrowing slightly. "She's in stable condition for now. I've wrapped up her arm as best as I could. But we don't have much time. We need to find a safe place, somewhere we can regroup and recover."
Jude's heart sank, but he didn't question Kazimir's care. Instead, he took a deep breath and looked at Elara, his gaze softening with a rare vulnerability. He gently placed a hand on her uninjured shoulder, careful not to hurt her.
"I'm so sorry, Elara. I should have protected you better," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kazimir, who had been silently observing, shook his head. "You can't protect everyone all the time, Jude. The important thing is you're both still alive. You're not alone in this." His tone was far from his usual playful self—it was grounded, serious, as if this fight had changed something in him.
Jude nodded, his expression hardening. "Yeah, I know. But Kieran... he's a Wild Card too, isn't he?"
Kazimir's eyes narrowed. He didn't immediately answer, his mind clearly replaying the earlier moments of their battle. "Yes," he finally confirmed. "Kieran is a Wild Card, just like us. The only difference is, he's chosen to serve the Fatebound Order. He believes in the system, in the idea that fate is something that must be controlled... not broken."
Jude clenched his fists at his sides. "But why? Why would he do that? Why be part of the Fatebound Order when he could be free?"
Zephyr, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. "The reasons don't always make sense, Jude. Some people are afraid of freedom because it comes with responsibility. Kieran believes in a different kind of order, one where everyone is assigned their role. To him, the Fatebound Order's control is the only way to make sense of the chaos."
Kazimir's eyes hardened. "That's the difference between him and us. We were born to be free, to break our Fate Brands, to make our own destinies. But Kieran... he was always a believer in the system, in control."
Jude looked down at Elara, his mind reeling. "I don't get it. He's powerful... But if he's a Wild Card too, why doesn't he want to break free from the system like we did? Why fight against us?"
Kazimir shook his head again. "Kieran doesn't see it as fighting against us. He sees it as fighting for the order, for the stability that comes with fate. He's willing to do anything, even kill, to maintain that stability."
There was a long pause as they all took in the weight of Kieran's intentions.
Zephyr's voice broke the silence, his words tinged with anger. "Then we'll make sure we stop him. He's not going to destroy everything we've fought for. No matter what, we'll keep fighting. For freedom. For Elara."
Kazimir gave him a grim smile, nodding. "Exactly. We'll keep fighting. But we'll need to rest, regroup. No more running around without a plan."
Jude glanced up, his determination returning. "Then we'll find a place. We'll take the fight to them, together."
Kazimir's eyes softened, a hint of respect in his gaze. "Well said. But first... let's get Elara somewhere safe."
The cool night air wrapped around them as they made their way deeper into the wilderness, away from the looming danger of the Fatebound Order's building.
They moved cautiously, taking every step with purpose as they headed towards a small, secluded cabin in the woods, a place Kazimir knew well, a temporary refuge when things got too heated.
It was a far cry from the cold, metallic halls of the Fatebound Order, but it was exactly what they needed right now: a quiet place to regroup and think.
Inside, the atmosphere was peaceful, the only sounds being the soft crackling of the fire that Kazimir had started in the small hearth. Elara lay peacefully on one of the worn-out couches, wrapped in blankets to stave off the chill.
Her breathing was slow and even, her body still recovering from the shock of losing her arm. Despite the pain she had endured, she looked serene, almost as if she had found some temporary reprieve from the chaos of their world.
Jude stood by the window, gazing out into the darkness. His mind raced with thoughts of what they had been through, of the battles that lay ahead. There were so many unknowns, and despite their victory, they were far from safe.
He could feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. His thoughts kept returning to Kieran, what had happened to him, what was driving him to fight so relentlessly for the Fatebound Order?
Kazimir and Zephyr were sitting at a table in the corner of the room, both of them deep in thought. Kazimir had his usual playful air about him, but there was an undeniable tension in his posture. Zephyr, on the other hand, was the one who seemed more focused, more intense as he pondered their next move.
"Alright, we need a plan," Zephyr said, breaking the silence as he turned his gaze toward Kazimir and Jude. "We can't keep running. Kieran will come after us, and we need to be ready for when he does."
Kazimir leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the wooden surface thoughtfully. "Yeah, you're right. But Kieran's not just any normal fighter. He's got the power of the Fatebound Order behind him, and now we know he's a Wild Card too. The guy can copy abilities, and that's dangerous. We'll have to fight smart."
Jude turned around, his brow furrowed. "If Kieran's a Wild Card, does that mean he... has the same potential we do? Could he grow stronger?"
Kazimir nodded slowly. "It's possible. But he's chosen a different path than us. He's serving the Fatebound Order's agenda, and he believes in controlling fate. That makes him a different kind of threat. He's not just after power, he's after control."
Zephyr crossed his arms, his gaze sharpening. "So we need to stop him before he gains too much power. If we give him enough time, he might become even harder to beat. We have to put him down before he can fully grow into his Wild Card abilities."
Kazimir leaned forward, his voice lowering. "We can't fight him the same way we've been fighting before. We're going to have to exploit his weaknesses. That means... getting inside his head. We need to make him question everything, make him second-guess his belief in the system."
Jude's mind raced, his thoughts suddenly clear. "What if we turn his greatest strength against him? If he can copy abilities, then... we could use that to our advantage."
Zephyr's eyes widened slightly. "You're saying we trick him into copying abilities that don't help him?"
Kazimir smirked. "Exactly. If we show him fake moves, fake techniques that seem powerful but are ultimately useless, we could exhaust him. He'd waste his time trying to copy abilities that don't do anything. And that gives us the upper hand."
Jude nodded, a small glimmer of hope returning to his eyes. "That could work. But what about the Fatebound Knights? They're not going to sit idly by while we try to fight Kieran. We need a way to deal with them, too."
Kazimir paused, tapping his fingers against his temple. "Leave the Fatebound Knights to me. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. We just need to make sure we're hitting Kieran at the right moment."
Zephyr, who had been quiet for a while, finally spoke up. "We need to be faster than ever. We can't afford to be caught off guard. We have to strike when Kieran's weakest—when he's unsure of himself. That's when we hit him hardest."
Jude glanced over at Elara, who was still resting peacefully, unaware of the discussions happening around her. His heart ached for her, for everything she had endured. He knew they couldn't afford to waste any time. The longer they stayed here, the closer Kieran and the Fatebound Order would get.
"We can't let Kieran win. We have to stop him," Jude said, his voice filled with determination. "But we do it on our terms, and with everything we've got."
Kazimir gave him a reassuring smile. "That's the spirit, kid. We'll get through this. Together."
Zephyr nodded in agreement. "We move at dawn. Prepare yourselves. This isn't just another fight—this is the one that will decide everything."
The three of them fell into a quiet, contemplative silence. Outside, the wind howled through the trees, but within the cabin, a sense of unity settled between them. The road ahead would be dangerous, but they had a plan. And as long as they were together, they believed they could face whatever challenges awaited them.
Kazimir stood up from his seat, cracking his neck with a sigh. "Well, if we're doing this, I guess I better get some rest. We're going to need all the energy we can get."
Jude gave him a small grin, his confidence slowly returning. "Yeah. Let's rest up. Tomorrow, we fight for everything."