The ground trembled beneath Nkosana's feet as Enkai hovered forward, the cursed winds from the Veil whipping through the trees like claws. Birds scattered, and even the shadows of the forest seemed to recoil in fear.
Enkai raised his weapon—*Boneblade*, a massive sword forged from the rib of a fallen god. It shimmered with ancient runes, each one pulsing with the weight of judgment.
"You stand at the fault line of two worlds," Enkai said. "I am the blade that seals what should never be opened."
Nkosana narrowed his eyes. The mark on his neck blazed brighter, and his shadow began to coil around him like armor. "Then I guess we're both cursed to carry something we didn't ask for."
With a roar, Enkai struck—his blade cleaving the air with a boom that shattered nearby trees. But Nkosana was faster. His shadow leapt up like a shield, blocking the blow, and launched him into the air. He moved like a blur, landing behind Enkai and driving his fist into the hunter's back.
Enkai staggered but spun with unnatural speed, slicing a line across Nkosana's chest. The wound sizzled—it was no ordinary cut.
"You cannot kill me," Enkai said coldly. "I am bound to the Veil. I am its guardian."
"Good," Nkosana snarled, wiping blood from his mouth. "Then I'll break the Veil with you."
Suddenly, black wings burst from Nkosana's back—formed of pure shadow. His eyes turned entirely dark, and the air around him warped.
Lwandle gasped. "That's… not human anymore."
With a battle cry that echoed through both realms, Nkosana dove toward Enkai, their weapons—bone and shadow—clashing with the fury of colliding worlds.
The hunter had met his match.
—