Cade maintained her sharp gaze as she and the hunters faced off. Both had gotten a taste of what the other had to offer. There was no longer any figuring out left to do. From this moment onwards, it would be true combat.

As always, the pair bolted at her at the exact same time, with seemingly no communication. Cade was no longer that impressed with their chemistry, though. When it was expected, it was nothing special.

The first attack that came was a kick. Cade ducked just enough to avoid the shin aimed at her head at the speed of an arrow. The hunter ended up behind her, and she turned her attention to the other, who came from her left with a blade pointed at her neck.

She leaned back, letting the blade pass, and did nothing else but step to the side and let her attacker's momentum carry her forward.

She then turned to the one who had tried to kick her and was coming from behind. That hunter's materialization didn't seem to be that good, since she preferred using her fists. Or maybe she was preserving her energy. It didn't really matter.

Cade grabbed the hunter's wrist before pulling and spinning her around with great effort to keep the other hunter from attacking.

She then materialized a blade and stabbed it at the hunter's back. In the process, she noticed the hunter throwing a spinning back elbow, and ducked to avoid it while carrying through on her stabbing attempt. The stab missed, however, as the hunter was able to spin themselves loose.

As Cade was then revealed to the other hunter, a kick came flying right at her.

She put her forearms up to block it and was launched back, perhaps a ten-meter distance. She shook her arms as she looked around the intersection she found herself at.

She couldn't go on fighting at such a pace for much longer. However, she was confident she could finish these hunters before she ran out of energy.

She backflipped out of the way of two blades that crossed at the previous location and materialized a few blades that she flung at her two assailants. The projectiles were easily blocked, but that didn't matter. Right as she got back to her feet, she dashed straight at the pair and materialized blades into both her hands.

She swiped her hands at her sides, aiming her blades at both of the hunters' necks. Both were blocked, and counters followed. Cade could tell the two apart now, though, so she leaned to the side she knew was weakest.

One blade she avoided, one blade she blocked.

She then closed the distance, so that she and the weaker materialized were face-to-face. Then she swiped her blade at the hunter's hands, making her push away. Her back met a brick wall.

Before Cade, could step forward, she had to turn and redirect the swing of the other hunter. Thankfully, they had gotten slower. Their stamina had depleted more than hers. Following the redirection, she kicked the hunter on her side, furthering the distance.

After that attack was over, she turned back to her target, and with full force, she slapped away her attack before grabbing the hunter's mask and slamming their head on the brick wall behind them.

She didn't have much time before the other recovered, though, so she threw the hunter on the ground as a large blade materialized in her hand, and she prepared to plunge it into the hunter's heart.

Then she heard the desperate shriek of a girl from behind. Her eyes went wider as she turned and realized the source of the shriek was the hunter who was dashing at her.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

The hunter was just a child, probably a few years younger than Cade. But that didn't matter now.

Cade's shock wore off as fast as it had come into existence as she turned to quickly finish off her target before she would do the same to the other.

She didn't get the chance to plunge her blade down, however, as the heel of her target met her chin, and she stumbled back into a chaotic state. Then an impact was delivered to the back of her head, shaking her world.

She wasn't sure who did what after that.

The next thing she felt was being pushed at the brick wall on her side, and then her head was slammed through it before she was flung forward and a shin flying at high speeds hit her face.

***

Aurelius ran through the rain as fast as he could, following the sounds of chaos, before he arrived at a building that had been run through.

He skidded to a stop, the wet street whinging under his feet. Then he entered the building, which had its interior covered in clouds of dust.

He looked to the side, where a father held her small daughter in a corner, covering her head with his arm. "What happened?" he asked.

The man shivered and gripped her daughter harder. "A woman. Two masked men. They ripped through the building."

"When?" Aurelius pressed, his imagination already creating pieces, but he was completely unsure where to place them.

"J— just minutes ago. Maybe ten. I'm not sure. There was still coming sound from outside," the man answered, his gaze pleading Aurelius to do something.

Aurelius launched out of the building and into the alley before jumping onto a roof and running for some time, almost slipping on the slippery tiles multiple times.

He looked around frantically. 'If Cade had defeated them, she would be looking for me. But why would someone go after her? Is it because of what happened in Wescaster?'

He slid to a stop and scanned the surroundings before yelling, "Cade!"

Balgair was gone. She was the only one on his side. He couldn't lose her now. He couldn't lose her ever.

"CADE!"

***

Aurelius stared up at the broken wall of his and Cade's room. His hands had gone numb from squeezing them into fists for too long.

He didn't know.

He didn't know why this was happening. He didn't know what he would do. He didn't know anything. He just did not know.

He gritted his teeth as his expression turned to a tight frown, and he jumped up to a platform that materialized on the level of the broken wall.

He strode into the room and looked around, hoping to see Cade waiting for him. Maybe tending to some small injuries. Or just sleeping it off. She was the strongest person Aurelius had ever met. Her defeat was not real.

Then his eyes met a white shape on the floor. An envelope.

Aurelius squatted down and picked the thing up before looking at its blank front side and opening it up.

His eyes dug into the words on the letter. Then his jaw muscles popped out, and his teeth ground together hard enough to create a screeching sound.

On the letter, it read, "We have your partner. We will keep her alive until sundown. If you want to see her, come to the abandoned factory on the south-west side of town. Value the life of your companion and come alone."

Aurelius looked up from the letter and glared at the setting sun in the distance as the rain began to lessen.

Then he thought, without a single bit of hesitation, 'I'm going to need some enhancers.'