Kael gazed at the bloodied snow, his breath misting in the cold air. It wasn't just the color that freaked him out; it was the way it spread – deliberate, like it had a mind of its own.
He took a step back, every part of him warned danger. His hand tightened and with a thought Aether'valis appeared in his hand.
The blade was just as beautiful and terrifying as he rembered. Its black edge glowed faintly, like it was eating the light of the red sky above. Crimson veins ran along the blade, pulsing like a heartbeat. It humd softly, vibrating with Kael's unease.
He took another step back, his senses on high alert. The cold air tasted of copper now, heavy and tallic. The whispers that had died down a mont ago ca back, louder and clearer, like the ruins themselves were speaking directly into his mind.
And then the silence was broken.
---
A guttural scream ripped through the air, sharp and high pitched like tal on bone. Kael spun towards the sound, his blade up. A shadow darted between the pillars, too fast to follow.
He narrowed his eyes, coiled his muscles and widened his stance.
In the twenty thousand tis Kael had clashed with the being in the breech, he recovered the mories of a total of three sword techniques out of what he believed were thousands.
'545,' he thought, a familiar sword stance coming back to him. His body reacted automatically, Aether'valis tilting as he transferred his weight to his back foot.
The technique, honed from countless battles, was as natural as breathing.
The shadow moved again, closer this ti. Kael caught a glimpse—a twisted creature, its body distorted beyond recognition. Its limbs were long, clawed fingers scraping against the stone as it moved. Its face—or what was left of it—was a mouth, full of jagged, uneven teeth.
A Ravager.
But it wasn't alone.
Kael's eyes flicked to the edges of the courtyard where more shapes erged from the darkness. They moved with feral grace, circling him like wolves closing in on wounded prey. Their bodies were skeletal, but their movents were fluid and unnerving.
"Of course," he muttered to himself, his hand tightening on Aether'valis. His heart raced but his mind was clear. Panic had no place here—not if he wanted to live.
---
The first Ravager charged, its claws glinting in the red light. Kael moved without thinking, his body reacting before his mind could catch up.
"545," he whispered, stepping forward as the blade sliced through the air.
Aether'valis cut through the creature's body, eting no resistance. The Ravager's body split apart, black goo splattering the ground as its pieces disintegrated to ash.
> ◇ Ravager (Rank D) Eliminated. 80 VRP Gained.
Kael turned, already expecting the next attack. Another Ravager launched itself at him from the left, its mouth inches from his face.
"531," he thought, spinning as his blade ca around in a tight, high arc. The Ravager's head detached from its body, its montum carrying it forward before it collapsed into a pile of dissolving at.
> ◇ Ravager (Rank D) Eliminated. 80 VRP Gained
The whispers grew louder, angry now, as if the ruins were furious with Kael for not backing down. More Ravagers poured into the courtyard, their twisted bodies moving with unnatural speed.
Kael adjusted his stance, his breathing calm despite the mayhem around him. The techniques ca back to him, each one cented into his muscle mory.
---
The third Ravager charged low, its claws for his legs. Kael sidestepped, the movent smooth as he invoked 530, a downward strike that cleaved the creature's spine.
> ◇ Ravager (Rank D) Eliminated. 80 VRP Gained
He barely had ti to recover before another ca at him from the side, its claws scraping across his shoulder.
He stumbled but the Blight within him surged, numbing the pain. Kael gritted his teeth, his mind on autopilot as a BlightShield was crafted. A faint, dark aura surrounded him, crackling with wild energy.
The next Ravager that charged was thrown back as the shield pulsed out, its body writhing in tornt before disintegrating to ash.
But the shield ca at a cost. The Blight in him protested his control, threatening to devour him if he used it too much. He could feel its hunger, a dark presence scratching at his mind.
"Not yet," he muttered, pushing the Blight back. His focus returned to the fight as more Ravagers closed in.
---
The courtyard beca a mix of blood and ash. Kael moved precise, his blade an extension of himself. Each technique flowed into the next, the cadence of battle propelling him forward.
But for every Ravager he killed, two more appeared in its place.
The whispers grew louder, more urgent, until they were a constant noise. Kael stumbled, his hands clutched to his head as the voices threatened consumption.
*You don't belong here.*
*He's watching.*
*You'll die like the rest.*
Kael forced himself to focus, his hand tightening on Aether'valis.
"Shut up," he growled, striking at the air as another Ravager charged. The blade bit deep, cutting the creature's head off in a burst of black goo.
But the mont of victory was brief. The ground shook and a low, rumbling growl echoed across the courtyard. Kael's blood ran cold as he turned towards the sound.
---
At the edge of the ruins a massive shape erged from the darkness. A Ravager, but not like any he had seen in this life. Its body was a terrible combination of flesh and bone, nearly ten feet tall.
Its arms ended in jagged, claw-like appendages and its face was a twisted mask of horns and teeth.
The creature moved forward, its red eyes fixed on Kael. The smaller Ravagers stopped their advance, retreating into the shadows as if bowing to the larger monstrosity.
Kael's breath froze.
This wasn't just a Ravager—it was a Blightborne.
Corrupted so much by Blight they beca mutated versions of what was already a monstrosity.
The creature bellowed.
Kael braced himself, the weight of the battle settling. He knew he couldn't face this thing head-on, not in his current state.
But retreat wasn't possible.
The Blightborne charged, its massive claws tearing through the ground as it closed the distance.
Kael raised Aether'valis, the blade's edge gleaming with dark energy. His mind worked, searching for a plan, a weakness—anything that could give him an advantage.
The creature swung its bladed arm, and Kael barely managed to dodge, the force of the attack sending him sprawling.
He rolled to his feet, blood dripping from a shallow cut on his arm. The Blightborne roared again, its massive fra looking over him.
Kael tightened his grip on his sword, his mind steady despite the fear clawing at his heart. He had faced gods before, walked through the darkness of the Null itself.
He would not die here.
But as he prepared to strike, sothing caught his eye.
A figure stood at the edge of the courtyard, shrouded in shadow. It was tall and thin, its presence suffocating. The whispers in Kael's mind grew louder, more insistent, as the figure stepped forward.
And then Kael saw it: blood dripping from its hands, pooling at its feet.
There was blood on the snow again.
And this ti it made the Blightborne freeze as it bled.
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