The barrier lifted as the power finished transferring. I could feel a strange force surging through my veins, and a whisper echoed in my mind: "You have become a Fear."
An ability appeared before my eyes—Death's Blade. I tapped it, and shadows burst from my hand, forming a blade made of pure darkness. When I swung it, a streak of purple energy tore through the air.
This… this is the power to kill that man, I thought.
I will destroy anyone who stands in my way.
That vow carved itself deep into me, and it felt like a new person was born inside my skin.
Next day
I had slept inside one of the trash bins. Crawling out, I stretched as the sunlight hit my face.
"Nice day," I whispered to myself.
I walked toward the convenience store at the end of the alleyway—but suddenly, an ice crystal shot toward me. I dodged it easily, surprising even myself with how fast I moved.
I turned toward the direction the attack came from. A man with white hair stood there, staring at me with cold, sharp eyes.
"So, there you are," the white-haired man said.
*****
The man stood proudly on his feet. He raised his hand, and a barrage of icicles burst from his fingertips. People around them screamed in fear and scattered.
Kael summoned his blade and parried the attack.
"Come on, can I at least have breakfast? I'm starving."
The man formed an ice whip and swung it at Kael.
Kael dodged easily—his agility surprising even himself—and another skill appeared in his vision: Decay. He activated it. The ground trembled as purple beams shot upward. The man blocked the attack with a thick wall of ice.
"I am Thalen Droskar," he said coldly. "Who are you?"
"Kael Draven."
Kael dashed toward Thalen and delivered a heavy punch that knocked him backward. Thalen sneered as he summoned two long, razor-sharp spears, their tips glowing with killing intent. He swung them wildly, shattering store windows around them.
In an instant, Thalen appeared right in front of Kael, ready to drive a spear into the Fear of Darkness. But the spear pierced nothing but air. His eyes widened.
"I escaped death by mastering Shadow Warp at the last second, buddy," Kael said.
Then his expression darkened."So… do you know a Fear who wields a katana?"
"So you want to know who he is," Thalen muttered.
He chanted something under his breath, and the temperature around them dropped sharply. His power awakened. Thalen shot forward with terrifying speed, slamming Kael into the ground, then leaping up and hurling him into a nearby car.
"He is the Fear of Thunder—Krova Rolus."
Thalen then stabbed Kael through the stomach with his spear. Blood spilled from Kael's mouth—but fueled by hatred, the wound closed rapidly on its own. Kael launched forward and used his shadow blade to slice off Thalen's arms.
Thalen collapsed, screaming, as Kael walked toward him to finish the job. But suddenly two massive ice hands erupted from the ground, grabbing Kael and smashing him back down.
"I will be back, Kael Draven," Thalen hissed as he vanished into a swirl of frost.