Kamari stood frozen in place. His heart hammered in his chest as he struggled to accept that Zaire—the Angel of Death—was really here, standing before him. The taste of dirt and blood, the scent of burning smoke—and the corpses, the countless corpses—returned to him.

Suddenly, the goblin horde resumed their advance. Their snarls grew louder as they rampaged toward him—their claws sharp and their teeth bared.

In an instant, Leon was at Kamari's side. His wind blades sliced through the approaching goblins, and they fell, one after the other. He quickly grabbed Kamari by the arm, and with a burst of wind, he launched both himself and Kamari into the trees, landing on a thick branch.

He shook Kamari’s shoulders.

"Snap out of it!"

Kamari’s eyes remained distant—his body still rigid. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pull himself from his thoughts. The blood. The smoke. The dying screams. It was all too real.

Leon’s expression darkened. He then did the only thing he could think of—he slapped Kamari across the face, forcing him back to reality.

Kamari blinked through a gasp. He looked at Leon, startled and disoriented.

"You can’t zone out on me right now, not with him here. I know who he is. And I know what he did. But if you let him get into your head like this, we’re finished."

Kamari swallowed hard—his chest still tight—as Leon continued.

"He may be the Angel of Death, but you’re Kamari, and you’re not going to go down without a fight. Got it?"

Kamari's breathing steadied. Leon’s words had reached him, and they were exactly what he needed to hear.

"Got it."

But, before they could say another word, a dark, crackling ball of Nether Energy shot toward them. Leon pushed Kamari, and the force knocked them both from the tree branch just in time. The shadow ball collided with the branch, blasting it into splinters. The explosion sent shards of wood raining down around them as they landed back on the forest floor.

Kamari took a deep breath as his shaky hands ignited with yellow flames.

"I can do this."

Leon pressed a hand to his comm crystal.

"Eli, we’ve got a situation. The Angel of Death just made an appearance."

There was a brief pause before Eli’s voice came through.

"The Angel of Death? Well, that explains the endless goblins."

"Exactly. We’re going to have to neutralize him if we want any chance of stopping the horde."

"Easy for you to say. The guy’s immortal, remember?"

"I’m aware. That changes nothing."

"Alright, hang tight. I'll race the old man to the village and be back as soon as possible. Don't get yourselves killed before I get back."

Meanwhile, Kamari tightened his fists, and the golden flames flickered brighter around him as he focused on honing his concentration. He locked eyes with Leon.

"We're not dying here. Not today."

A gust of wind swirled around Leon's feet as he gave a nod.

"That’s the spirit!"

----------------------------------------

Eli raced through the dense forest with the old man securely cradled in his arms. There was only one thing on his mind—to get back to the fight. The path blurred beneath his feet as blue lightning crackled around him, but even then, he couldn’t run at full speed—not without risking the old man's life. The village was only a few hundred kilometers away, which would normally be but a mere heartbeat’s journey for him alone. But with his precious cargo in tow, each second seemed to crawl by.

Meanwhile, back in the forest, the situation had grown increasingly desperate. Goblins continued to flood the area in unrelenting waves. The caravan had been completely overrun, reduced to rubble—and the hallions, despite their fierce resistance, had succumbed to the overwhelming horde. The ground was littered with goblin corpses, while the gap between the two warriors and the ungodly beasts shrank by the second.

Kamari's flames flickered as he took any available fleeting moment to catch his breath. Leon was also panting, and his movements were now a lot slower than before. They had been fighting for what felt like hours, and the exhaustion was starting to take its toll.

Suddenly, a dark presence loomed once again. Before Kamari could react, Zaire emerged from the shadows like a wraith. His black wings spread wide as he reached out, grabbing Kamari by the throat.

“Kamari!” Leon shouted.

Before he could intervene, Zaire effortlessly flung Kamari through the air with great force.

Kamari’s body hurtled through the forest, smashing through thick tree trunks like they were twigs. The impacts were brutal and bone-shattering. Finally, he rolled to a halt at the base of another tree, groaning in pain, disoriented and winded.

“No!”

Leon's voice was hoarse. He wanted to go after him, but there was no time. The goblins had swarmed him, their red eyes glowing with bloodlust as they closed in. He had no choice but to take to the air—a gust of wind propelling him upward.

But even then, the goblins refused to relent.

They tossed each other at him like cannonballs—their claws swiping at him as they flew past. He unleashed a barrage of wind scythes, slashing at them as they came, but the sheer number was staggering. His eyes darted toward where Kamari had landed as he thought to himself.

"We need you, Eli."

----------------------------------------

Eli arrived at Zernel in a flash of crackling lightning. He quickly helped the old man down to his feet and then took off again. Everything happened so fast that the old man hadn't been able to express his gratitude since Eli was already halfway back to the forest.

As soon as he reached the battlefield, his hands crackled with energy as he let loose a massive burst of lightning—branches of blue electricity shot out in every direction, arcing through the air. The horde screeched in agony as the lightning tore through them, reducing hundreds of them to ash in an instant. Eli's immense power was a game-changer, and for the first time in what felt like hours, they had a momentary advantage.

Leon quickly flew down toward Eli, landing beside him.

"Kamari’s in serious trouble."

He directed Eli's gaze toward the direction where Kamari had been flung, the shattered trees marking his path.

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Eli's brows rose as he returned his gaze to Leon.

"What’s the plan?"

"Keep the horde occupied and subdued while I find Kamari and get him out of there. Try to buy us as much time as you can."

"Don't worry, I've got this. Be careful out there."

Leon nodded, and, as he prepared to take off, he repeated Kamari’s earlier words with a smile.

"No one’s dying today."

With that, he took off, the wind swirling around him as he soared in the direction of the shattered trees.

Eli stood alone as the goblins—now even more enraged—closed in on him. He remained calm, his body crackling with energy as he let out an exaggerated sigh of annoyance.

"You guys really don’t quit, do you?"

His eyes sparked with electricity, and a small smile played at his lips as he extended his arms, flexing his fingers.

"But here’s the thing—you’re not the only ones who are endless."

He shifted into a low stance, lightning dancing between his fingers.

"I'm just getting started."

With a roar, he unleashed bolts of lightning in every direction, tearing through the goblins with ease. The ground trembled under the sheer power of the attack.

----------------------------------------

Kamari's body ached to the bone, and his vision blurred as he wiped blood from his mouth. He barely had a second to catch his breath before Zaire was on him again, slamming him up against the rough bark of a massive tree.

"You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this moment, Young Phoenix— Too long,"

His black eyes bore into Kamari’s as he slowly pressed his claws into Kamari’s chest. Kamari screamed, his body writhing in agony as Zaire's claws pierced deeper into a black spot of shadow that swirled on his chest.

"I’ll be taking the Core now."

Kamari’s vision darkened, and his screams filled the air as the shadows seemed to pull his life away. He could feel the power inside him—the Phoenix Core—being ripped from him, inch by inch.

Just as despair was about to take hold, a sharp whistle of wind sliced through the air. Before Zaire could react, his head was split in two, with the top half sliding off and dropping to the ground. This caused his grip on Kamari to loosen, and with a controlled gust of wind, Leon sent Zaire flying to the side.

Immediately, swarms of shadows swirled around Zaire's decapitated body as it twitched in place.

Leon acted quickly, flying in close to catch Kamari just before he collapsed. Kamari's body was limp, his breath shallow, and his brown skin almost completely drained of color. He was on the verge of losing consciousness.

"Kamari! Can you hear me?"

Kamari’s eyes fluttered, but he could barely stay conscious. His breathing was labored, and his chest still bled from Zaire’s vicious attack.

Leon helped Kamari up, wrapping Kamari's arm around his shoulder. He propelled them both into the trees, the wind carrying them high into the forest canopy.

Back on the ground, shadows swirled around Zaire’s severed head, slowly knitting his face back together. He stood with a frustrated roar, his black wings spreading wide, and in an instant, he launched himself from the ground.

Leon continued carrying Kamari away, fighting the urge to look back.

"Stay with me, Kamari. I'll get you out—"

He was interrupted by the sound of Zaire's wings flapping like a death knell, slicing through the forest canopy. He tightened his grip on Kamari, his mind racing to come up with a plan. However, it was too late—Zaire was already upon them.

Zaire unleashed a barrage of shadow balls.

Leon's instincts kicked in immediately. He hardened his body with a thick silver coat of Enre, using it to shield Kamari from the brunt of the attack. However, even with his reinforced form, the force of the impact was too great. It sent them both crashing violently into the forest floor.

Leon's vision blurred, but he willed himself to stand. Blood dripped from his mouth, and his body trembled on the brink of collapse—yet he remained steadfast, positioning himself between Kamari and the approaching demon.

"Step aside," Zaire said.

Leon wiped the blood from his mouth.

"If you want Kamari, you'll have to go through me first."

Zaire paused, his wings folding behind him as he regarded Leon. For a brief moment, his demonic features softened, his dark, shadowy expression taking on something almost human. His eyes, still cold but strangely sympathetic, met Leon's with unexpected gentleness.

"I don't want to have to kill you."

Leon held his ground but was caught off guard by the glimpse of what seemed like empathy from the Angel of Death—one of the two great sources of evil and destruction in the Realm. It didn’t make sense.

"I won’t let you touch him."

Zaire sighed deeply.

"So be it."

Suddenly, a sharp, searing pain spread through Leon's body. It had happened too quickly—Zaire's hand had pierced deep within his torso. He blinked in disbelief before collapsing to the ground.

"Leon!" Kamari shouted.

Kamari crawled his way toward Leon—every movement was a struggle. His body was battered and broken, and blood smeared the dirt as he dragged himself closer, his fingers tearing at the ground. But just as he neared Leon, Zaire’s boot slammed into his side, flipping him onto his back.

Zaire didn’t hesitate. His claws drove deep into Kamari’s chest, resuming the agonizing extraction of the Phoenix Core. Kamari’s scream tore through the air, raw and desperate, but this time, Zaire’s voice broke through the pain—low, steady, and almost... apologetic.

"I had no choice; he forced my hand."

That strange display of empathy struck a deep nerve in Kamari.

"No choice?"

Kamari’s mind reeled.

"No choice?!"

Then, everything went quiet.

The world blurred and faded. Kamari’s screams were distant now, lost in the void, and even the searing pain of Zaire’s claws became a dull ache. His mind went blank, narrowing to a single point—Zaire’s face. And with the last remnants of his strength, he reached up, his trembling fingers clawing at Zaire’s cheek.

His voice was barely more than a whisper as he forced out a single word through gritted teeth.

"Burn."

Suddenly, a massive burst of flames exploded from his chest, propelling the demon back through the air. The fire multiplied, engulfing Kamari in a towering column of flames that shot upward, tearing through the forest canopy.

The heat was intense, but Kamari felt nothing. His fatigue and pain were now gone, replaced by a power that coursed through his veins like molten lava. The flames around him grew brighter and hotter, their fiery tendrils reaching higher as if they would burn the very sky itself.

Kamari rose to his feet. His eyes glowed with a fierce, golden light.

Zaire recovered from the sudden blast and stared at Kamari.

Kamari was no longer afraid. He walked over to Leon and hovered his fiery hand over Leon's wound. Then, with an instinct he couldn't explain, he unleashed a burst of flames. Within seconds, Leon's torn flesh was knitted back together as though it had never existed. However, despite the healing, Leon remained unconscious.

Seeing Leon in that state sent him into a rage. His body had become pure fire—no flesh, no bone. He was a living inferno, the embodiment of the Phoenix’s wrath.

Across from him, Zaire’s dark aura intensified. The shadows around him began to twist and slither, bleeding into his body like streams of black liquid. His power grew with every shadow he absorbed.

For a moment, the two stood in silence, locked in a tense stare. The air between them buzzed with the promise of action—of violence. Then, without warning, they moved.

In an instant, the forest around them was flattened. The towering trees that had once stood tall were ripped from their roots as if they were nothing more than twigs. The sheer force of their clash sent shockwaves across the ground. The wind howled as the battlefield was reduced to dust and splinters.

"I don't have time to waste, Young Phoenix. Give me the Core. The fate of the Realm depends on it."

Kamari narrowed his burning eyes. The Angel of Death, the very being responsible for so much chaos and destruction, claiming to care about the fate of the Realm? It was almost laughable.

"You’ll never get your hands on the Phoenix Core. Not as long as I breathe."

With a roar, Kamari unleashed a beam of concentrated multicolored flames. The attack was so dense and focused that it was no longer fire but rather pure Phoenix Energy. The beam tore through the forest like a blazing comet, slamming into Zaire with a force like no other. The ground shook as the immense energy surged forward, propelling Zaire backward through the trees, each one exploding into splinters upon impact.

Zaire groaned. His arms were raised in defense as the beam pushed him farther and farther back. His dark aura shielded him, but it was clear he was struggling under the weight of Kamari’s attack, with each step back leaving deep craters in the ground.

Kamari soared into the sky and, with one last burst of energy, intensified the force of the beam. The resulting explosion was so massive that it destroyed all the trees in the vicinity. The fiery shockwave leveled a large part of the forest, turning everything in its path to ash and ruin.

A minute later, the dust settled. Zaire’s body lay broken, crushed, and burned beyond recognition. Chunks of his form had been disintegrated, leaving his once-imposing figure wrecked. His shadowy aura flickered as he struggled to rebuild himself, but this time, his powers faltered. He had drained too much trying to fend off Kamari’s relentless assault, and the shadows that once healed him now slipped through his grasp like sand. His voice, strained but still cold, muttered one last curse before he descended into the shadows, disappearing into the void from which he came.

Kamari floated above the destruction, his flames still roaring. However, as soon as Zaire vanished, the energy that sustained him began to falter. A sudden, immense shock coursed through his body, leaving him weak and breathless, causing him to collapse to the scorched ground below. There, he lay exhausted and vulnerable, the adrenaline that had fueled him now replaced by an aching fatigue.

But despite everything, he managed a small, defiant smile.

He had won. Zaire was gone—for now.

He lay on the scorched ground, unable to move even a finger. The battle had pushed him to his limits. The devastation around him—the wreckage of the forest—felt distant as his consciousness faded. As he closed his eyes, the last thing that crossed his mind was the faint, comforting thought:

"I did it."

And with that, he slipped into unconsciousness.