Chapter 5: Between the Beat and the Blade
Ren's breath hitched.
The red eyes in the pit stalked closer, emerging from the shadows. A low growl rumbled through the enclosed space, making the dirt walls tremble.
It was big.
Twice the size of a normal wolf, its dark fur bristling as it moved. Fangs gleamed under the faint light from above.
And it wasn't alone.
Ren could hear another one behind Elias, still above ground.
We're surrounded.
His body was still weak from his last activation. He had barely recovered—hell, he was still sitting on the ground.
This was bad. Really bad.
Elias let out an irritated sigh.
"Tch. Should've figured they'd set bait in the trap."
Ren swallowed hard. "Do you always sound this calm when we're about to die?"
Elias cracked his neck. "Only when it's not me who's about to die."
Ren glared. Not funny.
The beast in the pit crouched, muscles tightening.
It was about to pounce.
Then—
Elias moved.
He leaped into the pit without hesitation.
His cloak barely fluttered before his blade was out.
One fluid motion—like he had done this a thousand times before.
The moment his boots hit the dirt, the wolf lunged—fast.
Too fast for a normal human.
But Elias?
He didn't just dodge.
He sidestepped at the last second, his entire body twisting smoothly, like he knew exactly where the attack would land before it even started.
The beast's claws slashed at air.
And in that instant—
Elias's blade flashed.
A clean, precise arc.
The wolf staggered mid-lunge, a thin crimson line appearing along its throat.
Its body hit the ground—
And it never got up again.
Ren stared.
That was…
That was fast.
Way too fast.
Elias barely looked winded. He exhaled sharply, flicking the blood off his blade with a practiced motion.
Then his gaze flickered upward.
"Next one's mine too," he muttered.
Ren blinked, confused—until he heard the sound.
A second growl.
From the top of the pit.
The second wolf was still above them—and it was already mid-air.
It had jumped.
It was coming straight for Elias's back—before he could react.
Ren's body moved before his mind did.
His hands trembled as he yanked out his phone, shoving his earbuds in.
His thumb slammed onto the screen.
Play.
A sharp rush of heat flooded his veins.
His breath steadied.
His exhaustion vanished.
The world slowed.
For a moment—just a fleeting instant—everything clicked into place.
The beast was falling.
Elias hadn't turned yet.
I had to move.
I had to stop it.
So I did I moved.
I barely felt the ground as I sprinted forward.
The music pounded in my ears, fueling my steps.
I reached the falling beast before it landed.
Its eyes widened, as if realizing too late—I was already there.
I twisted my body, shifting my weight, my fist slamming into its ribs mid-air.
The impact sent a shockwave up my arm—but the beast went flying.
It crashed into the dirt, rolling once—twice—before it stopped moving entirely.
For a moment, all I could hear was my own ragged breathing.
Elias turned his head slightly.
"…Huh."
That was it.
No shock. No wide-eyed disbelief. Just a mildly impressed 'huh.'
I barely had time to process it before the song ended.
And then—
The pain hit.
Ren's legs buckled instantly.
His entire body collapsed, like the energy had been ripped from his veins.
A violent shockwave of exhaustion crashed into him, like he had just run for miles without stopping.
His vision blurred. His lungs burned.
His heartbeat—wild and erratic.
His fingers clawed at the dirt, struggling to keep himself upright. Every inch of his body screamed in protest.
Elias stood over him, watching with an unreadable expression.
Then he crouched down, resting his elbow on his knee.
"…That some kind of magic?"
Ren barely managed to lift his head. His hands were still shaking.
He forced out, "No. I… I don't think so."
Elias raised an eyebrow. "Then what was that?"
Ren exhaled shakily.
"…Music."
A beat of silence.
Elias stared at him. Then, finally, he let out a quiet chuckle.
"Well," he muttered, standing up. "That's new."