The rooftop was nearly destroyed, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface as rubble floated into the storm of energy. Kai and Lira stood side by side, their bodies battered, yet their resolve sharper than ever. Across from them, Raven's form flickered within his aura of darkness, his chest heaving as black smoke leaked from the wound Lira had carved into him.
"Pathetic," Raven snarled, his voice trembling despite the venom. "Two children… thinking their feelings can break the void itself."
Kai wiped blood from his jaw, his crimson aura pulsing stronger with every heartbeat. He took a step forward, the ground beneath his foot fracturing from the heat. "This isn't just feeling. It's everything we are."
Lira's grip tightened on her blade. Her silver eyes locked on Raven like steel. "And it's more than enough to destroy you."
Raven's lips curled into a cruel grin. He raised his arms, and the shadows thickened until the air itself seemed to collapse under the weight. The moon vanished behind a curtain of black. The rooftop became a world of suffocating darkness.
Kai clenched his fists, heat radiating until his knuckles glowed white-hot. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, hearing only the sound of Lira's breath beside him.
That single reminder steadied him.
"Together, Lira," he whispered.
She nodded once, her voice like a blade cutting through the suffocating night. "Always."
The world erupted.
Raven hurled a storm of shadow spears, hundreds of them, raining down like a deadly monsoon. Kai moved first, his body igniting with crimson flames as he shattered the incoming barrage with explosive punches. Lira darted forward, her blade flashing arcs of silver light, deflecting the shadows Kai could not destroy.
The rooftop shook violently under the assault, but their movements were seamless—an unspoken rhythm forged in fire and trust.
Kai roared, breaking through the last wave. He surged forward like a burning meteor, his fist colliding with Raven's chest. The impact sent a shockwave that blew apart the surrounding shadows. Raven staggered back, coughing black smoke, his eyes widening.
But Lira was already behind him. Her blade pierced the air, striking for the wound she had opened earlier. Raven twisted at the last moment, but the edge still tore across his side, forcing him to his knees.
For the first time, Raven's aura faltered. The suffocating darkness thinned, and faint moonlight pierced through the rooftop once again.
"You…" Raven gasped, his voice breaking. "How…?"
Kai stood over him, his aura blazing, his eyes unwavering. "Because we're not alone. That's something you'll never understand."
Lira raised her blade, pointing it at Raven's throat. Her voice was steady, cold. "It ends here."
The night grew silent, the storm of shadows trembling around them. For the first time, the predator looked cornered.
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