A vicious grin played across Jason's face as he held the metal cube up, visibly gathering mana into it. Markings on the cube began to glow. Whatever it was, it was activating. The girl staggered back, unable to form coherent sentences. "What? How? This... shouldn't. Why do you...?" Kael was still hesitant to act, Jason had almost killed him last time, and he did not need a repeat performance. His hand holding the improvised weapon went numb from how forcefully he clutched it. Jasons eyes suddenly lit up in glee, and fog began to billow out of the cube he was still holding up high. Half of Jason's arm was already hidden behind the magical mist permeating the area when Kael saw a finger, pale and boney, stretch out of the fog. After the first, more fingers followed until a full hand was visible. Without him noticing, Kael's back had become damp from cold sweat that only underlined the terror that was building up in his soul. "No..." He whispered, wishing that what he was fearing would not happen. A second hand joined the first. Then they moved further apart, stretching left and right as if grabbing the sides of a window. "Please, say it isn't, please." His hope got crushed when long, streaky, black hair appeared out of the center of the fog. A pale, sunken face followed the thing, the Thrizon, as it pulled itself out of the fog.

Terror gripped Kael's heart. Memories flashed through his mind like pictures in a slideshow. Andrea, injured and about to be killed. Martin, on his last leg, as he held the monster back. A claw-like hand, moving far too fast for him to react to sinking into his chest, tearing him apart. He had no idea how much time had passed when a shout dispelled the hold the terror had over him. "It was you?! FUCK!" The Thrizon was almost out, pulling his last foot out of the fog when the girl, Sarah, pulled a few more steps back out of view. The insane look on Jason's face was suddenly replaced with one of concern when an arm's length of white ice shot towards him and his pet monster. Jason was still holding what Kael presumed was the monster's cage with his left hand while his right extended forward, palm open. Hope welled up in his chest, only to be dashed once again when the high-velocity projectile smashed into a shimmering half dome, protecting Jason. In response, the Thrizon shot off towards where Sarah presumably was. The magic fog slowly saturating the area began hindering Kael's view of the encounter. Still, he could hear impacts and shouts from where the girl was fighting the monster. Jason's face, distorted by intense concentration, was gesturing with his free hand and shooting his own projectiles towards the fight. It was that concentration that gave Kael the confidence to act.

Jason had already tried to kill him once personally, and, if he was the one controlling the Thrizon, a second time by proxy. Regardless, he was attacking someone with the intent to kill that alone was reason enough. Willing his magic to move, Kael did as he had been instructed, and let it flood his body, hopefully insulating him from the effects of the fog. Then he took off in a full sprint towards his target. Fifty meters was a short distance to run, especially for someone as trained as Kael, but it was more than enough time for Jason to notice and fling one of his energy bolts at him. Kael, pushing all of his energy into his legs, his body flew forwards. Three seconds later, he was halfway to his goal, Jason non the wiser. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed something, someone, quickly followed by another figure, coming into view close to his target. The fight between the Thrizon and Sarah was still ongoing, noted a detached part of Kael's mind. Icicles flew towards the monster, making it dodge and buying the girl more time. Tick, two more seconds until he reached his target. The thrizon, after his timely dodge, shot forward with unnatural speed. Magic churned, and just before it reached Sarah, a thick wall of ice condensed out of the air, stopping its charge cold. Tick, just one more second, and he would be there, hopefully ending this fight in one go. Kael felt himself grin. Jason was still focused on his monster and Sarah, unaware of his approach. Kael clenched his fist even harder around his weapon. He lifted it sideways with both hands, ready to smash it into Jason's side and, hopefully, incapacitate him. Then Sarah noticed him and everything fell apart.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

After shielding herself from the Thrizon with an ice wall, she turned towards Jason and, consequently, towards Kael. Her eyes opened wide, and the spell she had been preparing shot wide. Kael had just about reached Jason, starting his swing and packing all of his momentum and strength into the attack. Jason, in the last possible moment, dove sideways and out of Kael's range, making his swing go wide. Kael knew he fucked up. The swing was so full of momentum that he could not stop it anymore, and without anything to stop it, like Jason's body, it spun out of control while taking him with it. His feet faltered, and his body turned, leaving him flying sideways towards the ground. Time slowed to a crawl, and it felt like he could feel his bones breaking. Pain flashed through his shoulder as he impacted the ground, making his vision go black for a second. Everything was hurting. Then, somehow, his instincts screamed at him to move, and he did. Rolling sideways, he felt two impacts right next to him where he had been just a few instants before. Screaming, he ripped his eyes open. Jason stood not three meters away with his left pointing at him, gathering mana for a follow-up attack. Ignoring the pain was not as hard as he would have expected. He rolled once again, fighting against himself as he put his weight on his injured shoulder before pushing himself up with his left. Back up on his feet, his eyes scanned the ground for his club. With his right arm hanging down limply, he grabbed it with his left.

"Down!" Kael reacted. That was what saved his life. He felt air move violently above him following the swing of the Thrizon that had just tried to take his head. Acting on pure instinct, Kael's mana stirred. His body was moving, and the weapon in his left slammed into the monster's leg, producing a wet crunching sound as it broke the thing's bone. Endorphins pumping in his brain, Kael could not help himself. A burst of croaking laughter escaped him, and he lifted his weapon for another strike.