My face hardened as I descended from the sky. Beneath me, thousands of sharp mana projectiles shot upward, filling the air with deadly light. Their sheer number lit up the battlefield below. This was going to be a hard one… and I knew it. Well, here I come.
Closing my eyes, I calmed my entire body. Then, as the projectiles closed in, I snapped. My hands shot forward, deflecting, blocking, dodging, meeting every strike head-on. Finally, the storm ceased. I was free… for now.
Next problem: landing.
I glanced at the ground rushing closer. The clash with the projectiles had slowed me down, but now nothing remained to break my fall. My body panicked, heat rising through me. My mind knew I would survive, but my body clearly disagreed.
Then I felt it, mana.
Turning my head, I saw Rhyver, his aura swirling as it gathered around his arm, shaping into a spear. That attack again. He was exploiting the one place I couldn't dodge: the air.
Stretching his arm back, Rhyver's eyes gleamed with playful malice. The spear sparked violently, fully charged, ready to tear me apart. How lovely.
"You made it, huh? Here's your reward for surviving!"
With a massive grin, he took his stance, muscles flexing in preparation.
"Spear of the Wolf!"
With immense power, he unleashed the attack. The spear ripped through the air faster than thought, and before I knew it, it was already in front of me. Instinctively, my arms rose to shield me.
"I hate gifts…"
The spear slammed into my guard. I managed to block it, but holding it back… that was another story. Sparks flared as the spear resisted, before finally erupting in a violent explosion. My body burned, skin searing under the heat. The blast hurled me backward, tearing through the air.
As I burst free of the dust cloud, the cold air washed over my scorched skin, a cruel relief against the burning agony.
Though, slowly, my wounds began to regenerate. I watched in awe as my exposed muscles knit together at an incredible rate. The pain vanished completely, and before I knew it, I was fully healed.
This power was beyond anything I could have imagined… yet something inside me warned that there was far more to it. I knew I would regret it eventually, but right now, there was nothing I could do. I couldn't run.
I turned my body to land on the ground, my feet sliding slightly before I came to a stop. Straightening up, a familiar voice rang out from afar.
"Hm… well done, slave. I must admit, you endured far better than I anticipated… how… exciting."
Rhyver emerged from the dust clouds, stepping into view. His predator eyes scanned every inch of my body. I could see the intrigue and thrill in his gaze at my survival, unlike most, who would have been angry, or frightened that their attack had failed. My eyes fixed on Rhyver, my posture resolute. He, however, was the opposite.
"Keep your kindness, Rhyver. I don't give a damn about what you say," I replied coldly, calm but firm.
"The only thing you should focus on, instead of barking, is your own life."
My fists clenched, my body ready for combat. I needed to end this battle quickly, before it escalated beyond control.
Rhyver's usual smirk appeared as he rolled his eyes, arms crossed. He scoffed.
"So serious… hah! All that brutal training of yours? It's made you tough, angry, and… honestly, kinda fun to watch when you lash out."
He tilted his head slightly, as if pondering something.
"…I thought you'd be pure rage, a wildfire barely contained. But here you are, holding back… and it's maddeningly… confusing. Delightful, really."
Uncrossing his hands, he ran a finger across the wounds on his body, from the deep cut on his chest, the one James nearly gave his life for, to the fresh ones he'd just received. I stared, confused. Why was he doing that?
"Stop with the bullshit, Rhyver!" I snapped. I didn't have time for his games. I had to return to them. Darkvill would arrive sooner or later, and that… would be the end of me.
"Just shut up and fight! Isn't that what you wanted after all?!"
Blood rushed through me as my anger intensified, feeding my power with impatience and fury.
Rhyver only stared, silent, then began to giggle, a long, deliberate laugh that echoed across the battlefield. Too deliberate. Too purposeful.
"I hope you feel the weight of this, Kajin!" he shouted. Agony and excitement radiated from him, and realization struck me. He wasn't acting without purpose, he was buying time for the army to arrive.
"Finally! Step up and fight me now! Give it everything, no mercy, no hesitation… because if you hold back, oh… you will once again be locked in that prison, rotting away until your last days. How deliciously thrilling!"
His words struck me to the core. The thought of returning to the life I had just left suffocated me. All the suffering I had endured surged through me at once. My heartbeat raced, my blood surged. My body panicked… on its own.
"Ohh…?" Rhyver's voice made the hairs on my body stand. I froze at his face.
"Pain, fear, failure… it drips off you, and I can savor it all. Relax… death will claim you before anyone else arrives to ruin my fun."
His red eyes pierced me; I could see my reflection in his sharp teeth. His aura was a menacing void, filled with the blood of countless victims. My jaw dropped slightly as I sank into my thoughts. Was it even possible to win? I didn't care about winning against Rhyver… As long as I didn't escape with the others, that would be my true defeat.
I had to let everything go, pain, suffering, trauma. I looked at my hands, scarred and battered. I closed my eyes, and everything went black. I drifted into the void, endlessly falling. Nothing.
"What does it mean to be free…? To be truly free? Is it to live in a constant void? Or something else?"
I reached my hands upward, unsure why.
"For me… to be free is to be happy…"
Suddenly, something clicked inside me. I didn't know what it was, but it felt… strangely good.
The void receded, replaced by white flames that enveloped my entire body. They flowed smoothly, wrapping every inch of me, radiating a brilliant aura. My eyes remained red, but I didn't need to understand why. I turned toward Rhyver. His expression was a mix of curiosity and frustration, he clearly didn't understand what was happening either.
"Embracing freedom, huh?" he muttered, just loud enough for me to hear.
I faced him fully, calm yet burning with a newfound confidence and unshakable resolve.
"How… quaint. Strange, but… who cares? All I crave is a fight worthy of me… human or demon, makes no difference. I'll tear you to pieces and then decide how you die."
Rhyver's expression hardened, claws digging into the ground. I studied his stance, his movements. This wouldn't be easy, but…
I began to walk toward him, energy flaring around me.
"I will crush you, Rhyver. And when I do, I will escape this hell with my companions. Nothing will stop me, no king, no kingdom, no you!"
Rhyver gritted his teeth, aura sparking with rage. I had seen through his attempts to manipulate my emotions. I would not bend. I was the new, bright light of this continent.