The forest was quiet. Too quiet.
Wind slipped through the trees in low whispers, carrying with it the smell of damp earth and rain that had not yet fallen. Dain stood with his blade raised, his boots firm in the soil, facing the man who had once been an ally—now a shadow wrapped in zealotry and malice.
Lucian.
The inquisitor's robes stirred in the faint breeze, black and gold threads shifting like the wings of a carrion bird. His sword gleamed in the half-light, its edge breathing with faint pulses of dark enchantment. When he tilted his head, that cruel smirk carved deeper into his scarred face.
"I wonder," Lucian said, his tone smooth, mocking, "do you still have the strength to protect?"
Dain gave him no answer. Words were wasted on this man. His grip tightened, his heart hammering like war drums, and he lunged.
Steel carved the air.
The impact came fast—Lucian's blade flashing to intercept, sparks flying as metal screamed against metal. Ren flinched from the sidelines, his small fists clenching as he watched the father he thought invincible clash with a nightmare in human form.
Lucian's lips twitched in amusement. Then he whispered a spell, and dark fire swallowed his sword in one swift breath of flame.
"Let's make this interesting."
The forest roared with unnatural heat as he slashed, flames streaking through the clearing. Dain pivoted sharply, parrying with raw strength that forced Lucian a full step back. The shockwave rattled branches overhead, scattering birds into the sky.
Ren's breath caught. He had never seen his father fight like this—feral, unrelenting, each swing like a hammer meant to break stone.
Lucian only laughed. He raised his free hand, palm outstretched.
"Burn."
Fire erupted. Dain barely twisted away, his cloak catching fire at the hem. Without hesitation, he tore it free, flinging it aside before the flames could consume him. His sword lowered into a guard, eyes locked on Lucian.
"Enough of your tricks," he growled.
Lucian answered with a rush of steel. His strikes blurred together, unnaturally fast, each one aimed to kill. Dain ducked, parried, spun, and slammed the flat of his blade into Lucian's ribs with bone-jarring force.
A sharp thwack.
Lucian staggered, teeth bared, but his grip shot out like a snake, seizing Dain's wrist and twisting. Bone cracked under the pressure. Dain hissed through clenched teeth but refused to drop his weapon. Instead, he smashed his forehead into Lucian's jaw.
Thunk!
The inquisitor stumbled, spitting blood onto the forest floor, yet his grin lingered. "…Still fighting like a beast."
Ren trembled, his wooden stick useless in his grip. His eyes darted between them, his lungs struggling to keep pace with his racing heart.
And then Lucian vanished.
A blur of speed—one heartbeat he was in front of Dain, the next he was behind him. Dain twisted, too slow to avoid the blade that nicked his cheek, a thin line of blood sliding warm down his skin.
"You're slowing down," Lucian whispered behind him.
Dain's answer was a brutal elbow to the gut, forcing the inquisitor to stumble with a cough. But already, Lucian's hands were weaving a spell, his voice low and venomous.
Dain surged forward, refusing to give him space. Their blades clashed again and again, until both men locked weapons, faces inches apart, their breath ragged.
"Give up," Lucian taunted, eyes burning with cruel delight.
Dain twisted his sword violently, breaking the lock, and drove his fist into Lucian's jaw. Thwack! The zealot reeled, but recovered with a vicious thrust that narrowly missed.
"Dad…?" Ren's small, shaking voice broke through the chaos.
Lucian heard it. His head snapped toward the boy. A flick of his wrist, and a dagger flew.
"No!"
Dain moved faster than thought. He shoved Ren aside, the blade slashing his arm instead. Blood spattered the dirt, warm and red. Ren stared at it, horrified.
Lucian's grin widened. He lifted his sword high.
"Now you fall."
Dain, staggering but unbowed, raised his blade. His stance wavered with pain, but his eyes burned with fury. Lucian struck down—and Dain met it. Steel roared. Dain's counter ripped across Lucian's chest, tearing deep.
Lucian gasped, stumbling, blood staining his robes. Yet even wounded, he smirked, wiping his chin. "…Persistent, as always."
Dain said nothing. His chest heaved, his grip tightening through the pain.
Lucian's hand rose, gathering black energy, his sword trembling with unnatural power. "Then let's end this."
The world blurred. Lucian's speed doubled, his blade colliding with Dain's in an explosion of sparks. Dain strained, boots sliding in the dirt. Ren's breath hitched.
A feint. A twist.
Slash.
Blood spilled from Dain's side. His knees faltered, his sword nearly dropping. Lucian's tendrils of dark magic coiled around his limbs, pinning him in place.
Ren cried out.
Dain struggled against the bindings, but Lucian was already upon him, sword raised, eyes gleaming with cruel triumph.
"Goodbye, hero."
The blade descended—
"STOP IT!!"
Ren's scream tore through the clearing as he rushed forward, swinging his stick with all his might. For a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold its breath.
Lucian sneered. With a casual swipe of magic, he struck the boy aside. Ren hit the ground with a sickening thud, his small body tumbling.
Dain's roar shattered the night.
"REN!!"
Strength flooded him. He broke free for an instant, rage tearing at his restraints. But too late. Lucian's sword drove straight through his chest.
Shnk!
Blood poured from his lips as his weapon slipped from his grip.
Ren froze. His father stood impaled, the blade protruding from his back, crimson dripping steadily into the dirt.
Lucian leaned close, twisting the sword with deliberate cruelty. "Die knowing you failed."
Dain's knees buckled. He fell forward, turning his face toward Ren. His voice was a broken whisper. "R-Ren… run…"
Ren screamed, rushing forward. But Lucian stepped between them, raising his blade again.
"I can't have loose ends."
The sword descended.
Ren closed his eyes.
Silence.
When he opened them again, his father's body was shielding him, the blade buried through Dain's chest a second time. Blood spilled freely, warm and terrible.
Dain smiled faintly through the pain, his voice barely audible. "…Be strong…"
Then Lucian shoved him aside. The hero fell with a final thud, unmoving.
Ren's world shattered.
His small hands shook violently as he stared at the lifeless body of his father. His breath came in shallow gasps, and then not at all. He was frozen.
Lucian studied him, tilting his head. The boy did not cry, did not plead. He simply stared, empty-eyed.
"You'll see your father soon."
The blade pierced Ren's chest.
Shnk.
His small frame jerked once, then collapsed into his father's arms. The forest fell into silence as blood pooled beneath them.
Lucian exhaled, rolling his shoulders. His expression was unreadable. With a single click of his tongue, he turned and walked away, leaving the corpses where they lay.
Behind him, the forest wept.
A drop of rain landed on Ren's lifeless hand. Another followed. The sky darkened.
And in the distance, half-hidden in shadow, a figure watched. Their face obscured, their voice little more than a breath.
"…This wasn't supposed to happen."
The storm broke.
[TO BE CONTINUED…]