Avian
Church forces spread across the clearing.
Seraphina from the left, blessed sword already burning. Harren from the right, massive and inevitable. Ten knights forming periter. Two battle mages hanging back, barriers shimring between raised staffs.
Axom was already moving. Shadows crashed into the knights. Holy light t darkness. Steel on steel. Soone screaming.
He'd keep them busy.
Avian stood back-to-back with Thane. Fargrim settled in his hand. Both wounded. Both exhausted. Both breathing.
"Plan?" Thane asked.
Avian watched Seraphina approach. That single-minded focus. That holy light pulsing with each step. "Pull the psycho off . I'll take the big guy."
"Your funeral."
They split.
Thane hit Seraphina in a burst of shadow. Their weapons cracked together.
Harren charged at Avian.
The big man's fist ca fast.
Avian twisted aside. The punch whistled past his ear—wind hot on his face. Harren's follow-up ca imdiately. Left hook at his broken ribs.
Fargrim blocked. Impact rattled his teeth. He skidded back three feet.
They separated. Circled.
Harren moved like soone who'd spent decades not dying. Seventh tier aura wrapped around him golden and dense. Perfect stance. No wasted movent.
Avian feinted left. Harren tracked it, shifted to counter—then threw a right hook so telegraphed Avian saw the shoulder dip, the hip rotation, the weight transfer before the fist even moved.
Avian ducked under it easily.
Ca up slashing. Fargrim aid at exposed ribs.
Harren could have dodged. Instead he shifted just enough that the blade caught him shallow.
Blood welled.
Fargrim humd.
The drain hit cold. Life force flowing into Avian. His broken ribs stopped screaming. The gash in his shoulder started closing.
Harren reset his stance. Expression unchanged.
Except his eyes lingered on the wound. On the way Avian's breathing had smoothed. On the way he stood straighter now.
A slight nod. Almost imperceptible.
They clashed again. Jab, cross, hook. Powerful strikes that cracked air.
Except the timing was off. Each punch just slow enough to read.
Harren threw a haymaker with enough power to collapse Avian's chest. Avian started dodging—
The punch pulled back at the last second.
What the fuck?
Avian pressed harder. Testing. Slashed at Harren's forearm—the man could have blocked clean. Let the blade nick him instead. Another cut across his shoulder. Again, defense a fraction too slow.
Each hit fed Blooddrinker. Each drain healed wounds.
Ribs stopped grinding with each breath. Shoulder rolled without that sharp catch.
Avian dropped his guard deliberately. Left his right side exposed—the kind of opening that got you killed. Harren's eyes flicked to it. Weight shifted. Then he threw high instead. Slow. Easy to block.
"Yer faster than I expected," Harren said. Northern accent thick. Casual.
"You're slower than you should be."
Sothing flickered in Harren's eyes. Recognition.
They clashed again. Fargrim t gauntlet in sparks. Avian slashed across Harren's thigh. Shallow. Just enough.
Why does this feel like he wants to win?
Harren
I hate this bloody plan.
Harren threw another punch—pulled it just enough. Watched that demon blade co around.
Let it catch his forearm.
The lad's figuring it out. Smart bastard.
Caldris's words from three days ago: "Don't capture him. Don't kill him. Let him escape."
"The girl needs her fire. Needs him alive to keep burning. She's once-in-a-generation. We can't let that rage cool."
Avian ca in fast. Harren created an opening on his left side. Deliberate.
The lad took it. Fargrim carved across his ribs.
Aye, boy. Take yer healing.
Peripheral vision caught Seraphina fighting. Brutal. Efficient. Holy light blazing.
Three weeks he'd watched her train. Watched her die and co back. Three tis.
Fifth to seventh tier in three weeks.
Fifteen years old. Should be worried about dresses. Not murder.
Started as orders. Beca sothing else.
Grown to pity her. Almost saw her like a daughter. The way she pushed through pain. The way her hands shook when no one was looking.
She deserves better than being Caldris's weapon.
But orders were orders.
Avian's blade ca around again. Harren pulled his counter. Let obsidian catch his side.
Lad's eighth tier. I'm seventh. In a real fight he'd win.
But that's not what Caldris wants.
Avian
Trading blows. Testing one more ti. Feinted right, committed left.
Harren threw another sluggish punch.
Avian stopped. Straightened. Lowered Fargrim.
"You're not even trying."
Harren
Fuck.
"Aye." Quiet. "Ye caught , lad."
Couldn't explain. Not without revealing everything.
Stood there. Fists lowered. Eyes down for just a mont before eting Avian's again.
Avian
Avian opened his mouth—
Explosion.
Massive. Ground-shaking.
Head snapped right.
Forest section—GONE. Trees shattered. Earth cratered. Holy light blazing.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Thane ca flying backward through the destruction. Hit ground. Rolled. Ca up defensive, sword raised.
Cut on his leg. Slash on his forearm. But breathing steady. Shadows coiled dense.
Seraphina stood in the crater. Blessed sword blazing. Steam rising from scorched earth where her power had detonated.
She'd forced him back with pure aggression. No technique. Just overwhelming offense backed by holy power and rage.
Sa tier as Thane. But fighting her was like fighting a natural disaster.
Avian assessed. Thane's leg bleeding. Arm cut. But his stance was solid. Shadows still controlled.
Seraphina already turning back toward them. Light blazing brighter.
Avian glanced at Harren. The big man standing there. Not pressing. Not finishing.
Better matchups.
Grabbed Thane. Shoved him toward Harren. "Switch!"
Thane wiped blood from his arm. Faced the massive knight.
Harren settled into stance. Professional. Seventh tier aura flared.
No banter. Just silent acknowledgnt.
Thane's shadows coiled tighter.
Harren
Watched them switch. Smart lads.
Looked at the shadow user. Wounded but dangerous.
Caldris never said anything about this boy. No orders.
Just the Veritas heir. Keep him alive.
This shadow lad? Not part of the plan.
Avian
Seraphina turned. Eyes locked on Avian.
Nothing else in them. Not recognition. Not calculation. Just that single burning need.
Holy light flared so bright it hurt to look at directly.
"You." Her voice dripped venom. "Finally got your lackey out of the way."
Avian tilted his head. "I don't know if Thane would appreciate you calling him my lackey. But if that's how you see it, I'll make fun of him later."
She moved.
Fast. Impossibly fast for seventh tier. Holy power detonating behind her in a shockwave that cracked earth. One instant she was ten feet away. The next she was behind him, blessed sword already descending toward his spine.
Avian leaned.
Just enough. The blade whistled past his shoulder—close enough to feel displacent.
His boot ca up. Caught her in the stomach while she was committed.
Impact. She flew backward. Crashed into a tree trunk with enough force that the entire tree groaned. Tilted. Toppled with a thunderous crash that shook the ground.
Avian was already moving. Surged forward while she was still off-balance, Fargrim raised overhead in both hands.
Brought it down with everything he had.
Seraphina rolled left at the last second. Fargrim missed her by inches—punched into earth instead with the sound of thunder.
The ground exploded.
A trench carved itself forward from the impact point, tearing through soil and roots like soone had dragged a plow through the forest floor. Trees in the path shuddered as their bases were ripped apart. Three of them toppled one after another, falling like dominoes with earth-shaking crashes.
Seraphina scrambled to her feet, eyes wide with sothing that might have been fear.
Avian didn't give her ti to recover. Pressed forward. Thrust aid straight at her heart.
She twisted desperately. Barely made it. Fargrim punched through the tree beside her, crimson blade sinking deep into ancient wood.
Avian yanked sideways without pausing. Pulled Fargrim through the trunk horizontally in one smooth motion.
SCREECH of demonic steel through wood.
The tree groaned. Started falling.
Seraphina ca in low while he was committed. Desperate sweep aid at his legs—trying to take him off his feet.
Avian's boot ca down on her shin mid-swing.
CRACK.
Bone breaking. She scread.
His other foot ca up. Caught her under the chin. Launched her upward.
She flew. Ten feet into the air.
Avian jumped. t her at the apex.
She twisted mid-air. Desperate. Blessed sword slashing at his stomach.
Avian jerked back. The blade passed inches from his gut—close enough to cut through his shirt. Blood welled from a shallow line across his abdon.
Too close.
Fargrim's poml drove into her stomach before she could recover.
She folded. All the air driven from her lungs.
They fell.
She hit first. Cratered the ground. Dust exploded outward.
Avian landed beside her in a crouch as the dust cleared.
Blood covered her face. Nose broken. Lip split. She wiped it away with her forearm, saring red across her cheek.
Breathing hard. Ragged. But she pushed herself up on shaking arms. Got one knee under her. Then the other.
Raised her sword with trembling hands.
Ca at him again.
Slash aid at his neck.
Avian blocked it effortlessly. The impact barely jarred his arm.
Stepped back. Created distance.
"You gave trouble when I was half-dead from the Hunter Kings." His voice was flat. Empty. "Now I'm healed. And you're broken. Do the math."
"Shut up." Tears mixing with blood on her face.
"I'm giving you a chance. Another one." His voice stayed flat. "I've lost count how many that makes."
She charged.
Avian caught her wrist mid-swing.
Squeezed.
Bones crunched. Grinding together. Breaking.
She scread. Blessed sword fell from nerveless fingers.
Avian threw her by the broken wrist. She hit ground. Rolled. Ca to a stop face-down.
He walked over to her sword. Picked it up.
Studied it for a mont. Holy light still flickering along the blade. Blessed steel. Church-forged. ant to kill demons.
ant to kill him.
She looked up. Saw what he was holding.
"No—"
Avian gripped it with both hands.
Snapped it in half over his knee.
The blessed steel shattered like glass. Holy light died. Fragnts scattered across dirt.
Seraphina barely pushed herself up. Cradled her shattered wrist against her chest. Face twisted in pain.
Avian dropped the broken hilt. Walked toward her.
"Really didn't want to add another body to my kill count."
Fargrim pointed at her heart.
"But you just wouldn't leave it alone."
She stared at the demon blade. At her death.
Sothing broke inside her. Not fear. Rage. Pure. All-consuming.
Pushed herself up with her good hand. Swayed on her feet. But stood.
"Leave it alone?!"
Tears and blood and fury.
"You RUINED my life!"
Voice raw. Cracking.
"You destroyed EVERYTHING! Ripped my family apart!"
Her useless hand hung at her side. Her sword shattered. Her body beaten.
But the fire in her eyes burned brighter.
"The only thing I can think about is killing you!"
Breath coming in sobs.
"I will NEVER stop until I have your lifeless head in my hands!"
Avian
Her eyes weren't tracking him properly. Swaying on her feet. Broken wrist cradled against her chest. Blood running down her face.
No weapon. No chance. Just rage keeping her upright.
mory. Underground. Four fighters.
Amara. Roland. The girl screaming.
The boy. Sandy hair. Knocked unconscious. Still breathing.
Dimitri.
Lowered Fargrim slightly.
"Wait."
She froze.
"Wasn't there one more person?"
Casual.
"In that tomb. Kid with sandy hair. I didn't kill him. Knocked him out. Left him breathing."
Stepped forward.
"Shouldn't you be taking care of the family you have left instead of throwing yourself at until I'm forced to put you down?"
Seraphina
Dimitri.
DIMITRI.
Her good hand dropped to her side. Face went white. Eyes widening like she'd been struck.
Three weeks. Three weeks of training. Dying. Obsessing.
Her mouth opened. Closed. Breath coming faster. Pupils dilating.
She'd forgotten him. Her friend. Who survived. Who needed her.
Her crushed wrist throbbed. Reminded her of everything she'd thrown away.
What kind of person—
Her jaw clenched. Fists clenched—even the broken one despite the agony. Eyes refocused—that sa single-minded hatred returning like shutters slamming closed.
Won't work.
If she stops now, Amara and Roland died for nothing.
"You can't distract !"
Her good hand ca up. Empty. Trembling. But raised like she still had a weapon.
"I will kill you!"
Avian
Sighed.
Not going to stop. Can't be reasoned with.
Only one option.
"Well. I tried to give you a chance."
Stepped forward. Fargrim raised.
Voice flat. Cold.
"But I'm done letting you live. You're going to die today."
Her breath caught. But her fists clenched tighter—even the broken one.
"Then co kill ."
Thane
Impact.
Harren's fist connected with holy fire wrapped around his knuckles.
The world inverted. Trees rushed past in a blur—
CRACK. The first tree exploded into splinters.
CRACK. The second tree shattered on impact.
CRACK. Third tree brought him to a stop.
Thane dropped. Hit the ground hard.
He lay there for a mont. Everything hurt—ribs, back, tasted copper on his tongue. Nothing broken though. That was sothing.
He pushed himself up. Sat. Shadows still coiled around him, responsive despite the beating.
Sothing warm ran down his face.
Touched his forehead. Fingers ca away red. Cut deep enough to bleed freely—blood streaming down into his eye, dripping off his chin.
He looked up. Harren was already walking toward him. Steady. Professional. No rush.
Thane wiped blood from his eye.
"Shit. This is gonna be more of a workout than I thought."
Reviews
All reviews (0)