We stormed outside, weapons ready, as the remaining raiders closed in, their swords drawn and glinting in the pale moonlight. One of them, a tall raider with a deep scar running down his face, screamed loudly, “Reinforcements! Get back here now!”

Kaldor moved forward immediately, his bulky form charging in to tank the damage as planned. “I’ve got this,” he growled, hammer in hand, ready to deflect the coming attacks. His hammer clanged against the swords of the raiders, the force of his swings sending sparks flying.

“Elyndor, you're up!” I called out, signaling for him to follow Kaldor.

“On it!” Elyndor nodded, slipping in behind Kaldor’s massive frame. “Whirlwind spin”, His blade flashed in the moonlight as he struck the raiders swiftly, cutting them down before they could react.

“Two down,” Elyndor muttered under his breath, smirking as he wiped blood off his cheek. “Let’s keep going.”

It seems like Elyndor uses the Winddance sword style but unlike my dad, he looks like a person would choose to use 1 technique instead of all 5

Mira and Sylas stayed in the middle of the group, casting support spells to strengthen us. Mira focused on healing and boosting our energy, while Sylas prepared her damaging magic. Meanwhile, I kept watch from the back, eyes darting around to protect Lily and Lara, who were hiding behind a nearby tree.

“Are you sure we’ll be safe?” Lara whispered, trembling as she clutched Lily’s hand.

I looked over my shoulder, offering a reassuring nod. “We’ll keep you safe. Stay low, and don’t move unless I say.”

“Duke, stay focused,” Kael reminded me, appearing from the shadows as he slipped behind another raider, killing him silently with a quick thrust of his dagger.

“I know,” I muttered.

Kael’s swift strikes took the raiders by surprise, and each time one of them tried to move towards the hut, Kael would appear behind them, taking them down with deadly precision.

“Nice work, Kael,” I called out, keeping an eye on the battlefield. "Stay in the shadows."

After a few tense minutes of fighting, most of the initial raiders were dead. But as the last of the fallen hit the ground, we heard more footsteps approaching—about 20 more raiders were charging back, weapons at the ready.

“There’s more!” Elyndor shouted, grimacing as he took a deep breath. “We’re not done yet.”

Kaldor grunted in response, lifting his hammer once more. “Bring them on!” he bellowed, slamming his hammer into the ground, causing a shockwave that staggered the front line of raiders.

Sylas raised her hand, lightning crackling at her fingertips. “I’m taking them out,” she said, voice filled with determination.

"With the fury of the skies, I call upon the storm’s lance! Lightning Bolt!"

She unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning that crackled through the raiders, dropping several to the ground in a single strike. Wipe out a mass number of Raiders

“That was amazing!” Mira gasped, quickly casting a healing spell over Kaldor and Elyndor to keep them strong. “Sylas, keep going!”

Sylas smiled but nodded. “No fire magic, right? We don’t want to draw more attention from other outposts. Moreover, if I miss, it gonna create mass deforestation”

“Exactly,” I confirmed. “Stick to lightning and earth for now.”

“Understood,” She said while looking at her left side, she shaped the earth into a large fist that punched the target with great force.

"Mighty earth, take form and crush my foes! Earth Fist!"

Another magic that takes down numerous enemies

But before we could celebrate our advantage, an arrow whistled through the air, striking Elyndor in the leg. He cried out, stumbling backward as he clutched the wound. “Damn it!” he muttered, trying to steady himself.

Two raiders strike at Elyndor that moment but I kicked one in the face, knocking him down.

The other changed the target to me. He slashed but I jumped up and released 'Ora Ora' right at his face.

I have been trying not to kill anyone, instead knocking them down and letting the rest finish them off.

“Archers!” I yelled. My eyes scanned the treetops.

“Kael!” I called urgently. “Take care of the archers before they pin us down!”

Kael nodded without a word, his figure vanishing into the trees. He moved like a shadow, silent and deadly. Within moments, the archers who had been hidden in the branches were taken down, one by one. Kael dropped down from the trees, wiping his dagger and slicing the 5 archers

“All clear,” he said, his voice calm as always.

But Elyndor was down, and the team was starting to show signs of exhaustion. Blood stained the ground beneath us, and I could feel my muscles beginning to ache. Mira, sensing the growing desperation, quickly cast a healing spell over the group.

"Light of renewal, come forth and mend what is broken. Mending Light!"

A soft, warm light enveloped us, and I felt the pain in my limbs ease slightly, though the fatigue remained.

Just as I turned to check on the others, I caught sight of something that made my blood run cold—a raider, creeping toward Lily and Lara, his sword raised high, ready to strike.

“No!” I didn’t think, I just moved. I dashed forward, placing myself between the girls and the raider, his sword and my daggers clashing with a deafening ring. Sparks flew as I deflected his strike, my heart pounding in my chest. I swung back, aiming for his side, but he was quick—too quick. He dodged my blows effortlessly, countering with a powerful gust of wind that sent me flying backward.

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My back hit the ground hard, the breath was knocked out of me. I scrambled to my feet just in time to see the raider leap toward me, his blade descending fast. I barely managed to roll out of the way, my body moving on instinct. As I regained my footing, I realized who I was up against.

His movements were fluid, his strikes precise. He was using Celestial Swordplay—the same style I’d seen Dad use. But something was different. He wasn’t as powerful as Dad or Arthur. His strikes, while deadly, lacked the overwhelming strength that Arthur had when he fought me. Still, he was dangerous.

The raider sneered, his sword gleaming in the moonlight. “The name’s Lywet. Leader of this outpost. You’re pretty good, kid. How about you join me? We can introduce you to our grand leader. Show him your power and potential, you will become the strongest. We could even take control of this entire region.”

I swallowed, trying to think fast. Maybe I could play along, buy some time for us. “Join you?” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “What’s in it for me? And who is your leader?”

Lywet chuckled, lowering his blade slightly. “Power. Money. Whatever you want, you’ll have it. And for the second question, how about you find it yourself”

His arrogance was my opening. Without warning, I lunged forward, aiming for his chest. But Lywet was ready.

Lywet’s blade swung toward me in a vicious horizontal arc, aimed to sever me in two. I ducked low, the blade whistling over my head, and immediately rolled to the side as he followed up with a downward strike. The ground where I’d been just moments ago cracked under the force of his blow, a cloud of dust and debris billowing upward.

I didn’t get far. Lywet’s free hand shot out, grabbing my ankle and yanking me back toward him. I kicked wildly, managing to loosen his grip, but he was relentless. Before I could fully regain my balance, he surged forward, his knee driving into my chest and sending me sprawling to the ground.

My back hit the dirt hard, and before I could scramble away, he was on me. His knee pressed into my chest, pinning me in place, while his sword hovered inches above my throat. The weight of him crushed the air from my lungs, and I struggled to break free, my daggers just out of reach.

“Is this it?” Lywet sneered, leaning in closer. “You were so promising. What a shame.”

I gritted my teeth, refusing to give up. With a desperate burst of energy, I grabbed a fistful of dirt and flung it into his face. He recoiled, snarling as he tried to clear his vision. That was my chance.

I twisted my body and bucked upward with all the strength I had left, throwing him off balance. His weight shifted just enough for me to slip free, rolling to the side and snatching up one of my daggers in the process. Lywet roared in frustration, blindly swinging his blade as he staggered back.

I sprang to my feet, breathing hard but steady. The adrenaline coursing through me dulled the pain in my chest as I reassessed the situation. Lywet wiped the dirt from his eyes, his glare murderous, but now there was a slight hesitation in his movements. He hadn’t expected me to fight back like this.

“You little brat,” he hissed, raising his sword again. “I’ll make you pay for that.”

His arrogance was the only thing keeping me alive at this point. As he charged again, I tightened my grip on my daggers, ready to meet him head-on.

Lywet lunged, and I barely managed to sidestep in time, his blade slicing the air where my neck had been. I retaliated with a series of quick slashes, trying to exploit his overconfidence, but he met each attack with infuriating ease. His blade wove through the air like a serpent, countering every strike I threw at him. I feinted toward his right, hoping to catch him off guard, but he didn’t take the bait.

“Not bad, kid,” he said, his grin widening. “But predictable.”

A powerful sweep of his blade unleashed a surge of fiery energy that roared toward me. The raw heat seared the air around it, and I dove to the side, rolling to avoid the blast. The ground where I’d just been standing erupted in flames, the force of the strike sending dirt and debris flying. My ears rang from the impact as I scrambled to my feet, my heart racing.

Lywet didn’t let up. He closed the distance between us in an instant, his sword descending like lightning. I barely raised my daggers in time to block, the force of his strike jarring my arms and making my knees buckle. Sparks flew again as we locked weapons, his strength threatening to overwhelm me.

“Just give up,” Lywet hissed, his face inches from mine. “You’re outmatched.”

“Not… yet,” I ground out through clenched teeth, forcing his blade back just enough to disengage. I jumped backward, putting some distance between us, but Lywet was relentless. He rushed me, his sword dancing in lethal arcs. My arms burned as I parried and dodged, each move more desperate than the last. My stamina was flagging, and he knew it.

“Is this all you’ve got?” Lywet mocked, driving me closer to the edge of exhaustion. “I expected more from someone with so much potential.”

I gritted my teeth, refusing to let his taunts distract me. But the truth was, he was right—I was being pushed to my limits. My mind raced as I analyzed his movements, looking for any opening I could exploit.

Then I saw it. He was fast and skilled, but his arrogance was making him predictable. His attacks, though fierce, followed a rhythm. He was expecting me to stay on the defensive, to keep retreating. I couldn’t afford to let him dictate the fight any longer.

As he swung again, I ducked low and lunged forward, aiming for his legs. My daggers grazed his thigh, drawing blood and forcing him to stagger back with a curse.

“Finally showing some spine!” he roared, but his grin was gone now, replaced with a snarl. He was angry, and that made him reckless.

He charged at me, his blade raised high. I anticipated his move, sidestepping at the last second and slashing at his side. The cut wasn’t deep, but it was enough to make him hiss in pain and falter. I pressed the advantage, launching a flurry of strikes. Each one pushed him further back, and for the first time, I saw uncertainty flicker in his eyes.

“Impressive,” he admitted through gritted teeth. “But you’re still just a kid.”

He retaliated with a sweeping arc of fire, forcing me to leap away. The blast singed the edges of my clothes, the heat scorching my skin. My breath came in ragged gasps as I tried to steady myself. My vision blurred for a moment, but I shook it off, refusing to give in.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lily and Lara, their faces pale with fear. The sight of them grounded me, fueling a surge of determination. I couldn’t let them down.

As Lywet prepared another strike, Lily’s trembling voice cut through the chaos. “No! Leave him alone!”

I barely had time to process what was happening before a rock sailed through the air, striking Lywet square in the head. He staggered, clutching his temple and glaring at Lily with fury.

“You little—” he began, but I didn’t let him finish.

I surged forward, using his distraction to my advantage. My blade sliced through his fingers, and his sword clattered to the ground. He howled in pain, and I followed up with a hard punch to his face, sending him sprawling.

I stood over him, my chest heaving, my daggers trembling in my grip. The memory of the raider I’d killed back at the village came rushing back, the weight of that act pressing down on me. My hands froze, unable to deliver the final blow.

Lywet groaned, his bloodied face twisted in pain, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t take another life, not like this. My hesitation was interrupted by Lily’s voice, soft and urgent.

“Duke… are you okay?”

I glanced back at her, her wide eyes filled with concern. My resolve wavered, but I nodded. “I’m fine. It’s over.”

The raider’s body slumped as he lost consciousness, and I let out a shaky breath, my legs nearly giving out beneath me.

“Kael,” I called, my voice hoarse. “Take care of him.”

Kael didn’t hesitate. In one swift motion, he ended Lywet’s life.

Panting heavily, I staggered backward, my mind spinning. “Why… why can’t I do it?” I whispered, my chest tightening with guilt. “Why is it so easy for them?”

Before I could sink any further into my thoughts, Sylas pulled me out of my daze. “Duke!” she shouted, urgency in her voice. “Duke, are you alright, your face looked traumatizing”

I nodded, shaking off my hesitation

“ Sorry, it was just the past haunting me. I will go back to the building and grab what is useful”

I rushed back into the small building where we had first found our weapons. I grabbed everything of value—maps, coin pouches, anything that might help us. The sounds of battle faded as I returned to the others.

The camp was silent now, the last of the raiders dead on the ground. Mira let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling as she lowered her staff.

“We did it,” she whispered, more to herself than to any of us. Then the whisper turned into loud cheers “ Guys, we actually did. Kaldor is just like an unbreakable diamond, Elyndor is so fast that I couldn’t react, Kael is like a shadow, shifting the battlefield, and Sylas is one of the best mages to have existed"

Everyone else was just standing there smiling with happiness as for the first time we worked as a team.

But as we gathered around the maps, a new problem arose—where do we go next?

Lily and Lara peered over the maps, their faces lighting up with recognition. “Wait,” Lily said, pointing at a spot on the map. “This is near our city. If we head east, we can make it there in about a week.”

Relief washed over me. Finally, a direction. “Then that’s our plan,” I said firmly. “We rest tonight, and at first light, we are going to head east."