Chapter 18: A Fight for the Relic

Kael’s heart raced as the faint hum of energy from the relic filled the clearing. It pulsed softly with a blue glow, resting atop the stone pedestal like an inviting treasure. But Kael’s instincts screamed danger. The sound of footsteps closing in from all directions told him what he already knew: they weren’t alone.

Alec’s sharp eyes darted to the treeline, and Tarin quickly drew an arrow, scanning the dense forest. Sera gripped her hammer, her face set with determination, while Mira hung back, ready to heal at a moment’s notice.

“We’re not the only ones who found it,” Kael muttered, his voice low.

The tension in the clearing was palpable. Kael’s Sharp Senses (Stream) picked up subtle movements all around them—rustling leaves, the sound of footsteps getting closer, the feeling of eyes watching from the shadows. Competitors were circling, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They all wanted the relic, and they were willing to fight for it.

“We need to grab it and get out of here,” Sera whispered, her grip tightening on her hammer. “If we wait too long, we’ll be surrounded.”

Kael nodded but hesitated. The moment someone took the relic, it would become a target. Every team in the area would converge on whoever held it. They needed a plan.

Alec, ever the strategist, stepped closer to Kael, speaking quickly. “We can’t rush it. If we grab the relic now, they’ll swarm us. We need to lure them out, make them show their hand.”

“How?” Tarin asked, his arrow nocked and ready.

Kael thought fast. They couldn’t afford to stand still for long, but Alec was right. Rushing to grab the relic without a plan would be a death sentence. His eyes darted around the clearing, taking in the positions of the trees, the terrain, and the possible hiding spots for their enemies.

“We need to force them to come to us,” Kael said, his mind racing. “Tarin, shoot an arrow near the relic. Make it look like someone’s going for it.”

Tarin didn’t need to be told twice. He drew his bowstring back and released an arrow with a swift, practiced motion. The arrow sliced through the air, embedding itself in the ground just inches from the pedestal.

The reaction was immediate.

Figures emerged from the treeline, moving fast. Two teams, six people in total, rushed toward the relic, their weapons drawn and their eyes fixed on the prize. The first team, led by a tall, heavily armored man with a sword, charged straight for the pedestal, while the second team fanned out, clearly prepared to fight anyone who got in their way.

“Now!” Kael shouted.

Sera moved first, swinging her hammer in a wide arc. The impact sent one of the armored team members sprawling, but they quickly recovered, raising their shields and pressing forward.

Kael and Alec darted in from the side, flanking the attackers as they fought to push their way toward the relic. The fight was fast and brutal—blades clashing, arrows flying, and the sound of heavy breathing filling the air. Kael’s sword moved with precision, his Sword Talent (Flicker) guiding his strikes as he parried a blow from one of the armored men and countered with a quick slash to the man’s side.

Tarin loosed another arrow, hitting one of the second team members in the leg and slowing their advance. But the fight was far from over.

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Kael glanced toward the relic—it was still on the pedestal, untouched. But the real battle hadn’t even begun. The teams weren’t just fighting for the relic—they were fighting to eliminate each other.

Alec was locked in combat with one of the other team’s leaders, a fast-moving fighter wielding dual daggers. The two of them circled each other, blades flashing in quick, deadly strikes. Alec was holding his own, but Kael could see the strain in his movements. His opponent was faster, more experienced.

Kael leaped into the fray, his sword coming down hard on the dagger-wielder’s defenses. The man grunted in surprise, stumbling back as Kael and Alec pressed the attack together. It was a risky move—dividing their attention between two teams—but they didn’t have a choice. If they didn’t eliminate one threat quickly, they would be overwhelmed.

Sera, meanwhile, was holding off two fighters on her own, her hammer swinging in heavy arcs as she blocked and countered their attacks. Her strength was impressive, but even she couldn’t keep them at bay forever.

“We need to get that relic!” Sera shouted, her voice strained as she parried a sword strike.

Kael glanced toward the relic again, his mind racing. The longer they waited, the worse it would get. More teams would arrive, and the chaos would only grow. But the second they touched the relic, they would have every remaining competitor on their heels.

One of the remaining competitors lunged toward the pedestal, clearly aiming to grab the relic and make a break for it. Kael saw the move coming and reacted instantly. He dashed forward, intercepting the attacker with a quick, powerful strike that knocked the man’s sword aside. With a swift kick, Kael sent him tumbling backward.

But before Kael could seize the opportunity, he caught sight of something in the trees—movement, fast and deliberate. His heart sank.

Dalen.

The assassin had returned.

Kael’s eyes locked onto Dalen as the assassin stepped into the clearing, his wounds from their previous encounter seemingly healed. Dalen’s cold gaze swept the battlefield, taking in the chaos around him, and Kael could see the calculating glint in his eyes.

He wasn’t here to fight—he was here to finish what he had started.

“Dalen’s back!” Kael shouted, warning the others.

Sera’s eyes widened in alarm. “Damn it, not him again.”

Dalen moved swiftly, his Stealth Talent (Veil) activating as he disappeared from sight. Kael’s Sharp Senses (Stream) flared to life, allowing him to track the faint movements in the air, the subtle shifts in the environment that betrayed Dalen’s position. But even with his heightened senses, Dalen was almost impossible to pin down.

“We can’t let him get the relic!” Alec shouted, struggling to fend off his opponent.

Kael’s mind raced. Dalen was the real threat now. If he got his hands on the relic, they wouldn’t stand a chance. They had to stop him, but Dalen’s stealth abilities made him nearly untouchable in the chaos of the fight.

Sera and Tarin were still fighting off the other teams, but it was clear they were being worn down. The other competitors weren’t letting up, and every second they spent fighting them was another second that Dalen could use to slip through and grab the relic.

Kael made a split-second decision. “We focus on Dalen. Take him out, and the others will be easier to handle.”

Alec nodded, his face set with determination. “Got it. But how do we stop him if we can’t see him?”

Kael’s eyes narrowed as he tracked Dalen’s movements. “Leave that to me.”

With a burst of speed, Kael rushed toward the pedestal, positioning himself between the relic and where he sensed Dalen was hiding. His Sharp Senses were working overtime, picking up every faint sound, every movement in the air. He could feel Dalen circling, waiting for the right moment to strike.

And then it happened.

Dalen appeared out of nowhere, his dagger flashing toward Kael’s throat. Kael barely had time to react, his sword coming up to block the strike. The force of the blow sent a shock through Kael’s arms, but he held his ground.

Dalen sneered, his cold eyes locked onto Kael’s. “You’re in my way.”

Kael gritted his teeth. “Not this time.”

The two of them clashed, their blades moving in a blur of steel. Dalen’s strikes were fast and precise, but Kael’s Sharp Senses allowed him to anticipate each one, parrying and dodging with just enough time to keep himself alive.

Behind him, Sera and the others were still fighting off the remaining competitors, but their focus was divided. Kael knew they couldn’t hold out forever.

With a surge of adrenaline, Kael pushed forward, forcing Dalen back with a series of rapid strikes. Dalen’s eyes flashed with frustration, but he didn’t retreat. Instead, he activated his Stealth Talent again, disappearing from sight.

But Kael was ready.

As Dalen vanished, Kael felt the subtle shift in the air. He swung his sword in a wide arc, predicting where Dalen would strike next.

There was a sharp clang of metal as Kael’s sword collided with Dalen’s dagger, the impact sending sparks flying. Dalen reappeared, his eyes wide with shock—Kael had anticipated his move.

For the first time, Dalen hesitated.

Kael seized the moment. With a powerful strike, he knocked Dalen’s dagger aside and followed up with a swift kick to Dalen’s chest, sending him crashing to the ground.

Dalen gasped for breath, his eyes narrowing in fury as he struggled to rise. “You… You won’t win.”

Kael’s sword hovered over Dalen’s throat, his eyes cold. “I already have.”

Before Dalen could react, Kael swung his sword’s hilt into the assassin’s head, knocking him out cold. Dalen slumped to the ground, unconscious.

The clearing fell silent.

Kael stood over Dalen’s unconscious body, his chest heaving with exhaustion. The other competitors had stopped fighting, their attention drawn to the fallen assassin. Sera, Alec, Tarin, and Mira gathered around Kael, their faces a mixture of relief and disbelief.

“We did it,” Sera said, her voice filled with awe.

Kael nodded, his grip on his sword loosening. “For now.”

He turned toward the pedestal, where the relic still sat, glowing softly.

This time, there was no hesitation.

Kael stepped forward and took the relic.

Now, they just had to make it back.

The race wasn’t over yet.