The gunshot rang through the dimly lit room, echoing off the walls like a death knell. Kaelen barely had time to process the recoil before the figure twisted unnaturally in mid-air, dodging the bullet by a hair's breadth.
His instincts screamed not human.
The intruder landed with inhuman grace, crouched low, their silhouette barely distinguishable against the darkness. Kaelen's heart pounded. His grip on the revolver tightened as he leveled it again, but before he could fire, the figure moved.
A blur of motion. A glint of steel.
Kaelen barely dodged in time, throwing himself sideways. The blade carved through the air where he had stood just moments before, slicing effortlessly through the old wooden desk. Papers and books scattered, but Kaelen had no time to react.
The intruder lunged again, faster this time. Too fast.
His body moved on instinct. He ducked, rolling across the floor, barely avoiding the next strike. The revolver clattered from his grip, skidding across the wooden planks. His mind raced.
I can't keep up…!
Then, the crimson glow returned.
A surge of heat exploded in his chest, spreading outward. The air around him seemed to warp, the shadows curling unnaturally as power pulsed through his veins. His vision sharpened, the world slowing just enough for him to see the next attack before it came.
He dodged not by chance, but by knowing.
His opponent hesitated for a fraction of a second, sensing the shift. That was all the opening Kaelen needed.
Move.
He lunged forward, his body reacting as if guided by unseen forces. His hand shot out, grabbing the intruder's wrist before the blade could strike again. A sudden pulse of energy coursed from his fingertips into the attacker's arm
CRIMSON POWER: SOUL PULSE.
The effect was instant. The shadowed figure jerked violently, as if struck by an unseen force. Their body convulsed, their grip on the dagger weakening just enough for Kaelen to wrench it free and slam his fist into their chest.
The intruder staggered back, letting out a choked gasp. The hood that had concealed their face slipped back, revealing a woman young, sharp-eyed, and unmistakably dangerous.
Kaelen didn't hesitate. He pressed the stolen dagger to her throat, his breath ragged.
"Who the hell are you?" he demanded, voice laced with an unfamiliar authority.
The woman's lips curled into a smirk, despite the blade at her neck. "So you really have awakened…" she murmured, eyes glinting with something akin to amusement.
Kaelen's grip tightened. "I won't ask again."
The woman exhaled, her gaze flickering toward the revolver lying a few feet away. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said. "But one thing is certain, Kaelen Vorthron"
She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"You were never supposed to live."
A cold shiver ran down his spine.
Before he could react, the woman's entire body dissolved into shadows, slipping from his grip like smoke.
Kaelen spun around, searching for movement, but she was gone.
Only silence remained.
His pulse hammered in his ears as he took a shaky breath, the dagger still clutched tightly in his hand. His mind reeled from the encounter, but one thing was now painfully clear.
This world the Cursed Realm was already moving against him.
And he had no idea why.
To Be Continued…