The six Beta Darkside Spirits closed in on Alfie, their movements growing more frantic by the second.
One charged straight at him while another rushed in from his blind spot. Before he could recover, a third swung its fist toward his head.
Alfie ducked, narrowly avoiding the blow, but another attack slammed into his ribs.
BAM.
His feet left the ground as he flew backward from inside the workshop, crashing onto the rocky ground near the road to the cliff. Pain spread through his body, and he struggled to catch his breath.
Clutching his sword, he drove the blade into the ground. The weapon scraped against the earth as his body slid. He tightened his grip, stopping himself just before he could fall.
I took one down so easily. Why is this getting harder?
He looked up at the approaching creatures, then noticed something strange.
The six Darkside Spirits weren't attacking him together. Each seemed determined to reach him first, shoving and striking the others whenever they got in the way.
One even swung at another Spirit that had moved ahead of it.
Alfie's eyes narrowed.
They're fighting over who gets to devour me first?
He slowly pulled his sword from the ground.
These things aren't working together. They're trying to kill each other for the chance to get to me.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Then maybe I can use that."
Forcing himself to his feet, Alfie ran toward the open ground beside the cliff.
The Darkside Spirits immediately gave chase.
Their shrieks grew louder as they fought among themselves to get ahead. One shoved another aside, while a third leaped over both, reaching for Alfie's back with its claws.
He waited until the last possible moment.
Then he dropped low and rolled across the ground.
The first Spirit couldn't stop in time and collided with the second. The third stumbled over them, sending all three crashing into a heap.
The remaining Spirits tried to avoid the collision, but their reckless movements only made matters worse.
Alfie scrambled away before they could recover.
He watched the creatures struggle to their feet, his chest heaving.
That worked, but I won't get another chance if I make a mistake.
His gaze fell on the sword in his hands.
I can't use Renshi. That power came from my hatred, and now that I've calmed down, it's gone.
He tightened his grip.
But I'm still standing. I'm still fighting these things.
Staring at his small hands wrapped around the oversized handle, he muttered, "I'm only ten years old..."
His gaze shifted from the sword to the creatures before him.
"Is this really the strength of a ten-year-old?"
His breathing gradually steadied.
No. There's something different about me. I just don't understand what it is yet.
A low growl interrupted his thoughts.
The six Beta Darkside Spirits had recovered. Dark energy gathered around their arms, and black Renshi stretched from their elbows to their wrists, hardening into jagged blades that looked like extensions of their limbs.
Alfie's expression turned serious.
The creatures had stopped fighting among themselves.
Now, all six were focused on him.
One let out a guttural screech, and the others followed.
Then they charged.
Alfie planted his feet and gripped his sword with both hands.
"All right..."
He swallowed nervously.
"Let's see what this power can do."
The first Spirit rushed straight at him, its black blade raised.
Alfie waited until it entered striking distance before stepping backward and swinging his sword.
The blades collided.
CLANG.
The impact jolted his arms, forcing him another step back. His opponent was stronger than he'd expected, and he struggled to keep his weapon from being knocked aside.
The Spirit attacked again.
This time, Alfie twisted his body, allowing the blade to pass close to his shoulder. He brought his sword around in a desperate counterattack.
The massive blade struck the creature's torso.
For an instant, he felt resistance.
Then the sword cut straight through.
The Darkside Spirit stumbled forward before its body split in two. Both halves collapsed, dissolving into dark mist.
Alfie stared at the remains.
I actually did it...
The other five hesitated.
He glanced down at his sword, then back at them.
"I don't know the first thing about swordsmanship," he muttered, "but at least I'm not completely helpless."
He adjusted his stance, trying to steady his trembling arms.
I can't keep chasing them. I need to make them come to me.
The five Spirits spread out.
Alfie watched carefully, searching for signs of another reckless charge.
Instead, black Renshi gathered around the creatures.
One leaped onto a nearby rock and raised its arm as black lightning crackled between its jagged fingers. Another slammed its weapon into the ground, sending sharp fragments of rock bursting from the earth beneath Alfie's feet.
The remaining three rushed toward him, their blades cutting through the air.
They're attacking from different directions.
Alfie threw himself sideways.
A bolt of black lightning struck where he had been standing, scattering dirt and stone. He landed awkwardly, barely managing to roll away from the approaching blades.
A sharp rock grazed his leg.
He gritted his teeth.
I can't dodge all of these forever.
Another bolt flashed overhead.
Alfie ducked behind a large boulder just as the lightning struck it. The impact shattered part of the rock, forcing him out of cover.
He stumbled into the open.
The Spirits immediately closed in.
Alfie tightened his grip on the sword, his mind racing for a way out.
Think. If I keep reacting to every attack, they'll eventually catch me.
He glanced at the creatures, then at the ground beneath his feet.
Taking a slow breath, he closed his eyes.
At first, he could hear nothing but his own breathing and the pounding of his heart.
Then the sounds around him began to emerge.
Claws scraping against stone.
Footsteps crunching the ground to his left.
Black lightning crackling overhead.
A blade whistling through the air.
One by one, the sounds became clearer.
Alfie's expression changed.
I can hear them.
He shifted his weight.
I know where they are.
A blade swept toward his head.
Alfie leaned backward, feeling the wind from the strike brush past his face. Before the attacker could recover, he stepped aside and let another Spirit rush past him.
A third lunged from behind.
Alfie dropped to one knee, and the creature's attack missed by inches, striking the ground instead.
He pushed himself forward, narrowly avoiding the next blow.
His movements weren't graceful, and he couldn't evade every attack perfectly. Each dodge demanded more effort than the last, and his injured body was beginning to slow him down.
But for the first time, he wasn't simply reacting out of fear.
He was beginning to anticipate their movements.
Their footsteps... their breathing... the way the air changes just before they attack.
He could feel the difference.
I can follow them without looking.
A sudden explosion of black lightning struck the ground nearby, sending dust and loose dirt into the air. A thick cloud swallowed the battlefield, leaving Alfie barely able to see his own hands.
The Darkside Spirits shrieked as they moved through the dust, their footsteps becoming harder to distinguish.
Alfie stood still.
He listened.
One set of footsteps approached from the right.
Another came from behind.
A third moved directly toward him.
There.
He turned toward the nearest sound and tightened both hands around his sword.
The approaching Spirit charged through the dust, its blade raised.
Alfie swung with all his strength.
WHOOSH.
His sword tore through the air with tremendous force, creating a gust that scattered the dust around him and revealed the battlefield.
But he barely had time to register what he'd done.
The Spirit in front of him had already been cut in half.
And the force of his swing had carried the blade beyond it.
The other four Darkside Spirits stood directly in the path of the sweeping strike.
All four had been cut through their torsos.
For a moment, none of them moved.
Then their upper bodies slid away from their lower halves and fell to the ground.
Silence settled over the cliff road.
Alfie remained standing, his sword extended in front of him.
His arms trembled as he stared at the fallen creatures, struggling to understand what had just happened.
"I..."
His voice trailed off.
Slowly, he lowered his sword.
"I actually won?"
His knees gave way.
Alfie collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily as the pain finally caught up with him. His arms felt ready to give out completely, and every breath sent a dull ache through his ribs.
He looked at the massive sword lying across his lap.
A weak smile appeared on his face.
"Good job, Mr. Sword..."
He let out a tired chuckle.
"Turns out I can fight without Renshi after all."
His smile faded as he examined his trembling hands.
Still, this would be a lot easier if I could use Renshi.
He remained seated for a while, allowing his breathing to settle before forcing himself to stand.
He couldn't afford to stay outside. The energy released during the battle might attract more Darkside Spirits, and he was in no condition to face another group.
Dragging his sword behind him, Alfie returned to his father's workshop through the enormous hole the creatures had torn in the wall.
Inside, he searched through the equipment and found several knives, a bow, a bundle of arrows, and a compact shield. After checking each item, he strapped them onto his body as best he could.
"That should do."
He adjusted the straps, wincing as they pressed against his sore body.
Then he paused, glancing at his hands.
I've been thinking a lot lately. The way I analyze things... the way I react to danger...
He frowned.
"I'm only ten, but sometimes I feel like I'm thinking the way an adult would."
He fell silent for a moment.
"Maybe this is what surviving does to you."
No one was there to answer.
Alfie picked up his sword and walked outside again.
The sun had begun to descend, casting long shadows across the rocky ground. Wind swept past him as he approached the cliff, carrying the faint scent of dust and the remains of the battle.
He stopped near the edge of the cliff and looked down at the sword in his hand.
Then he turned toward the distant road leading back to town.
Mama... Eli... Marcus...
He remembered their faces before they left.
A familiar ache returned to his chest, heavier than before.
Should I cross this cliff and continue forward... or should I go back and find them?
He lowered his head.
Part of him wanted to run back to his family, apologize, and pretend none of this had happened.
But another part reminded him of the danger he carried within himself, and why he'd been left behind in the first place.
Alfie tightened his grip on the sword.