The world was shadows.
Kofi staggered to his feet, chest burning where the crow man's blow had landed. Every breath felt like fire in his lungs, and his holy energy sparked uselessly around his hands, more flicker than flame. The ruined outpost groaned around them, beams cracking under the weight of unnatural darkness.
The crow man stood at the center, wings spread wide. The black feathers whispered as they moved, brushing against the ground, dragging oily streaks across the earth. His crimson eyes glowed in the gloom, sharp and hungry.
Darius, bleeding heavily from his side, planted himself between Kofi and the monster. His sword trembled in his grip but didn't lower. "Stay behind me, boy. You're in no condition—"
"I can still fight!" Kofi rasped, forcing himself to raise his sword. His body screamed in protest, but he couldn't—wouldn't—collapse.
The crow man tilted his head, amused. "How endearing."
With a flick of his wings, the shadows writhed. They twisted into forms—feathered monstrosities with talons for hands and faces half-melted into beaks. They shrieked, the sound splitting the air, before lunging at the three.
Darius swung his blade in a desperate arc, cleaving one of the beasts in half. But like smoke, it reformed behind him, claws raking down his back. He roared in pain but stood tall, slashing again and again, each strike slower than the last.
Lyra's voice rang out as her staff glowed, beams of holy light bursting into the shadows. For a moment, the creatures scattered, hissing as the purity burned them. Sweat poured down her brow, her body trembling with effort. "I can't… hold them all!"
Kofi gritted his teeth and charged, his sword sparking with weak holy light. He cut through one of the shadow beasts, forcing it to scatter. For the first time, he thought he'd won—until it reformed in front of him, talons swiping across his cheek. Blood dripped warm down his face.
The crow man's chuckle echoed across the battlefield. "Swing harder. Burn brighter. It makes no difference."
With another lazy motion, he raised his hand. The shadows surged upward, swallowing the sky, then crashed down like a tidal wave.
Kofi braced himself, holy energy flaring desperately around him, but it wasn't enough. The weight slammed him to the ground, pinning him beneath its crushing force. He gasped, struggling to breathe, his sword slipping from his grasp.
"No!" Lyra screamed. Her barrier flared, light pushing back the dark just enough for her to stumble toward him. She pressed her hand to his chest, holy energy flowing into him, steadying his heartbeat.
The crow man's eyes narrowed slightly. "A healer's devotion. How quaint."
In an instant, he appeared before her. One clawed hand shot forward, slamming into her barrier. The holy light cracked like glass. Lyra cried out, forcing more energy into the shield, her face pale, her body shaking violently.
"Run," she whispered to Kofi. "You have to—"
"Not without you!" he shouted back, forcing his battered body upright. He grabbed his sword with bloodied hands, thrusting it toward the crow man with every ounce of strength he had left.
For a fleeting moment, the blade blazed brighter than ever before, pure light shining through the dark.
The crow man caught it between his claws.
The glow sputtered and died.
Kofi's knees buckled. His chest heaved, despair clawing at him. Nothing worked. No strike, no prayer, no light could even scratch this enemy.
The crow man leaned close, crimson eyes boring into his soul. "This is all? The hero of prophecy? A trembling child with sparks in his hands?"
"I… won't…" Kofi gasped, his voice breaking. "I won't give up!"
For the first time, the crow man paused. His head tilted, studying him with predator's curiosity. "Hm. A stubborn insect."
He released the blade and stepped back. With a snap of his wings, the shadow creatures dissolved into mist, vanishing as though they had never been. The oppressive darkness receded, leaving only ruin and silence.
Kofi blinked in confusion. His sword wobbled in his grip. "W-what…?"
The crow man straightened, his expression unreadable. "You amuse me. Struggle harder, hero. Burn brighter. Perhaps… you will be worth killing, one day."
His wings spread wide, blotting out the stars. Feathers scattered like ash as he rose into the air, his crimson gaze fixed on Kofi until the last moment.
"I will return," his voice echoed across the ruins, both promise and threat. "Pray that you are ready when I do."
With a beat of his wings, he vanished into the night sky, leaving only silence and the stench of burnt feathers.
Kofi dropped to his knees, sword clattering from his hands. His body trembled, blood dripping from countless cuts, every muscle screaming. Darius fell to one knee beside him, panting heavily, his armor slick with red. Lyra collapsed against the remains of the wall, pale and shaking, her staff dim.
None of them spoke for a long time. The silence was deafening, broken only by Kofi's ragged breaths.
At last, Kofi whispered, his voice raw: "We couldn't even touch him."
Lyra's eyes closed, her face drawn. "He… let us live."
The truth hit Kofi harder than any blow. The crow man hadn't been defeated. He hadn't even been tested.
He had simply chosen to leave.
And he would be back.