The assassins struck with precision, blades gleaming with poison. Kael's pulse thundered in his ears as he raised his sword, Essence swirling faintly around him.
"Don't hesitate," Rennar barked. "Channel your will through the Mark!"
Kael forced himself to move. His sword glowed faintly with Essence, and he parried the first strike. But there were too many. Each clash drove him back, his breath ragged.
Liora stood behind him, clutching a dagger she barely knew how to hold. "Kael! Don't give up!"
Her voice gave him strength, but his body faltered. A blade grazed his shoulder, searing pain flaring hot. He stumbled, blood trickling.
One assassin raised his weapon for the killing blow—only to be stopped by Rennar, who moved like lightning, scattering the enemies with a single Essence-infused strike.
But Rennar wasn't fast enough to block them all. A hidden blade pierced his side. Blood blossomed across his robe.
"Master!" Kael cried, catching him before he fell.
Rennar grimaced, his voice sharp yet fading. "Power without discipline is nothing. Remember this pain, Kael… it will shape you."
The assassins retreated into the shadows, their mission incomplete. But the damage was done—Kael had survived his first battle, yet his master lay gravely wounded.
Tears burned Kael's eyes as he clenched his fists. "I wasn't strong enough… not yet."
Above them, the Mark of Origin pulsed with ominous light. Somewhere in the distance, factions whispered: The Marked One has awakened.
—To be continued—