As Alexander moved on, he continued to use the element of surprise and the environment to his advantage. He jumped from behind bushes, using found objects as weapons, and used complex hand-to-hand combat techniques. Bullets whistled over his head, but for now luck was on his side.
He deftly parried the third bandit's blows, then grabbed his arm and used his own movement to throw him to the ground. In one swift movement, Alexander dislocated his arm, forcing him to drop his weapon, which he immediately picked up. He aimed it at the bandit lying under his feet, but then switched the weapon to his other hand, created a blade and pierced the man’s chest. The energy came immediately.
Alexander approached the fourth bandit with a weapon in his hands. The enemy tried to shoot, but Alexander was faster. A couple of hits in the legs, and the man falls screaming, trying to shoot again, but Alexander easily dodged the bullets, then, unexpectedly for the enemy, he suddenly rushed forward and hit him on the head with the butt. The bandit fell unconscious. And then he dies, pierced by a blade.
In the end, the remaining bandits, seeing their comrades dying one after another, decided not to risk it and tried to escape. But Alexander did not let them leave so easily. He quickly caught up with them, using his weapons and melee skills to take down each of them. The young man definitely knew how to shoot, as he wounded almost everyone in the legs. His cold cruelty made the blood run cold.
Finally, having entered into the last battle with the strongest and most dangerous of the bandits, Alexander demonstrated exceptional courage and dexterity. He skillfully dodged the blows and launched precise counterattacks, eventually neutralizing him too.
Alexander, breathing heavily after an intense battle, stood among the defeated bandits. His gaze was cold and focused, like that of a predator stalking its prey. Bandits lay around him in different positions - some with a dislocated arm, some without a head, and some moaning in pain.
One of the bandits, with a strong build and a brutal face covered in scars, tried to get up. There was anger and bewilderment in his eyes at how this unexpected enemy could defeat them so easily. But Alexander walked up to him, grabbed him by the collar and unceremoniously pushed him back to the ground.
- Do not try. Your destiny is to become food for my soul. - he said coldly. The final blow and only he and Catherine remained in the clearing.
Everything around looked like a scene from an action movie. Dead guards, broken branches and signs of a brutal fight on the ground. Alexander looked around, making sure that no one else was threatening him, and approached the blind girl.
She sat cowered, her face filled with fear. She felt him approaching and tensed.
- It's me, Alexander. You're safe. - he said softly.
Alexander took a couple more steps towards the girl when a shot rang out. The whisper in my ears was relentless: “No chance.” At that moment, everything slowed down and he saw a series of visions of his death before him. He realized that each vision represented only one outcome - his death. He was killed by a sniper rifle shot from the direction of the mansion. The bullet, like an inevitable scythe of death, killed Alexander, no matter how hard he tried to dodge.
This realization caused him despair and rage. He did not want to exchange his life so cheaply. Time was slowed down. He saw the shine of metal rushing towards him. He decided to act quickly. With a wave of his hand filled with soul power, he created a blade of light that cut through the air. With a ringing sound, the bullet was cut into strips and its parts fell with a crash to the sides of Alexander
"Don't cheat fate." - Cassandra's voice sounded in his ears, which was quite unexpected, since Cassandra did not speak twice. At the same moment, unexpectedly, the blind girl shot. Alexander did not have time to understand when she had a weapon, but the bullet had already pierced his chest. His body folded and he fell onto the fallen leaves, trying to muster the remaining strength to heal the wound. But his reserves of strength were running low, and each attempt only intensified the torment. He decided not to waste precious souls and gave up.
The world around him began to dim, and he realized that this was the end. In the last moments of his life, Alexander thought about Yulia. The world plunged into darkness, and Alexander died, surrendering to the arms of infinity.
Alexander found himself in Grani, and the first sensation was crunchy ashes under his feet. He looked around and saw that he was in some dark, ominous place that seemed to be the lair of some monster from the movies. The walls were covered with depressions carved into the black stone, and the aroma of sulfur and burning hung in the air.
Alexander instinctively raised his light blade in front of him, preparing for an unexpected threat. Suddenly, his body reflexively jerked to the side, and a shadow flashed across the place where he had just been standing. It was the Veil of the Lost One, which managed to save him again. And apparently recharge.
Now Alexander could clearly see his opponent - it was like the Hellhound of myth. The creature was huge, with a powerful body covered in pitch-black fur. His eyes burned like coals, and razor-sharp fangs protruded from his mouth. Every movement of the hound was full of strength and grace, and her gaze pierced Alexander right through, promising an inevitable fight and instant death.
The fight began suddenly and rapidly. The hellhound, uttering a dull roar, rushed at Alexander, its huge claws aimed at his chest. But Alexander, thanks to his combat experience and instincts, managed to jump to the side. He felt the hound's every movement, every muscle tensed, preparing for a new attack.
Alexander, holding the light blade in his hand, tried to predict the enemy’s movements. He quickly moved around the area, trying not to let the hound take him by surprise. Every step he took was precise and calculated; he could not afford to make a mistake.
The hound attacked again, this time from the side, trying to bite Alexander on the neck. But Alexander repelled the attack with his blade, knocking the creature’s jaws aside. The hound's fur was singed by the light of the blade emanating from Alexander's hand, giving off the smell of burnt fur.
With each attack, the hound became more aggressive and unpredictable. Alexander understood that the battle could drag on, and he had no right to make a mistake. His breathing became more even and concentrated, and his gaze became sharper and more attentive.
Once again, when the hound made a dash towards him, Alexander used the moment to counterattack. He rushed into the attack, aiming his light blade straight at the hound's heart. A sharp light pierced the creature's body, and with a loud howl it fell to the ground, slowly dissolving into the air.
Alexander took a step back, catching his breath. He looked around, expecting a new attack, but there was only silence and molten ash where the Hellhound had just lay. The fight ended and Alexander felt a weak surge of strength, even less than what he received from the Dead. It was strange.
Alexander quickly examined the lair, but there was nothing there. He ran out of this place and saw a portal very close. Surprisingly, there was no one at all around the portal. But everything there was in ashes. Looks like the Hellhound did some good hunting in these parts. Alexander passed through the spatial tunnel without any problems and stepped through the curtain of light. He returned to the real world and realized that he was in a mansion, bound with chains.
Alexander lay motionless, listening carefully to the conversation of the bandits. He understood that their every word could give him important information about what was happening around him. He felt the cold metal of the chains on his wrists and ankles, restricting his movements.
- Did you hear how he talked to the hostess? As if they knew each other and he came to save her. - said one of the bandits, clearly nervous.
- Forget it. Twilight will decide everything when it arrives. We just need to keep it here. - responded another, whose face was hidden in the shadows.
Alexander understood that his position was extremely dangerous. He slowly tested the chains for strength, trying not to attract attention. His thoughts were racing, looking for a plan to get out of here.
- What if he does something again? “You saw how he was with that blade...” the first bandit continued, but he was interrupted by another, more confident.
- Shh! Are you trying to create panic? He's just a man. And we've been told to keep him here until Twilight arrives, so shut up and stand guard. - he ordered strictly.
Alexander was able to see the bandits who were standing ten meters from him. They were clearly afraid to come close and simply guarded him with weapons in their hands. Alexander understood that jumping up, cutting the chains, would be a fatal mistake. Therefore, he activated the cover of the Forgotten. It was almost impossible to catch his body with your gaze. When one of the bandits noticed that Alexander was missing, he informed the others and approached the place where Alexander was. The others also approached, looking with their eyes to see where he could have gone, although he was literally at their feet.
Alexander, using the moment of confusion, carefully and silently created a light blade. He cut the chains, then struck one after another with lightning speed, each blow decisive.
The bandits, having lost their comrades, began to panic, trying to discover the source of the attack. But Alexander was invisible to their eyes. He continued to move like a shadow, leaving only destruction in his wake. When the last of the enemies was defeated, Alexander stopped, catching his breath and looking around the room.
There was silence in the room, only the bodies of the bandits and the sound of weapons falling to the floor broke it. Alexander realized that his path was now clear, but the storage reserves were almost empty, not even counting the replenishment from the death of the bandits. Alexander felt like the Shroud of the Lost One took away just a sea of energy when he used it while moving.
Having examined the consequences of his collision with the bandits, Alexander saw traces of a brutal struggle: bodies scattered on the floor, drops of blood, fragments of weapons. While in the hall on the first floor, he felt a heaviness in his head, burdened with thoughts of revenge, that he had been killed, and now he was returning from the dead to take revenge.
His thoughts were filled with doubts and internal struggles.
- Is revenge what I really want? What if it's just a vicious cycle that never ends? - Alexander thought, going up to the second floor. - Do I now, according to my code of life, have to kill a girl who was simply defending herself? Yes, what happened to me...
He stopped in front of a slightly open door, behind which he saw a blind girl. The young man stood hesitating, listening to his thoughts.
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- My pursuit of revenge becomes a daily routine, like going to the grocery store. It became part of this new, crazy world. Maybe we should leave Dusk alone? Maybe we should start something new and leave the past behind? - Alexander thought.
Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted. He was sharply pulled to the side and Alexander managed to understand who did it. Dusk, like a ghost, appeared in front of him and hit him in the groin, then in the side, pushing Alexander towards the stairs. Alexander, having lost his balance, began to fall backward, trying to grab onto something.
Everything around him slowed down, as if in slow motion, and the moments of his possible death flashed before his eyes, like frames from a movie. This was his inglorious end from falling down the stairs. Somewhere he broke his neck, somewhere his spine, but since there was little energy, he would not have been able to recover.
In one of these visions, he clearly saw how he managed to capture Dusk at the last moment. Without wasting a second, Alexander repeated the actions from the vision: his arms grabbed the enemy with force, and together they flew down the stairs.
The fall was immediate and brutal. The pain from the blow engulfed Alexander's body, accompanied by the crunching of bones. The darkness began to consume his consciousness, but the last thing he felt was surprise and fear in the eyes of Dusk, whom he pulled with him into the abyss. Both bodies hit the floor with a loud thud, the air rushed from his lungs, and the world around Alexander became dark and silent.
An endless panorama of the Grani opened before Alexander. The plateau on which he stood seemed like an island in the abyss, towering above a world of portals and distant lands. Below, like sparkling stars in the night sky, the calls of portals beckoned. But descending from the high plateau was a difficult task. There was nothing on the plateau itself.
Carefully, step by step, Alexander began to go down, each step accompanied by thoughts about the future. Thoughts were spinning in his head about the need to again look for the path to the Labyrinth of Oblivion, and, perhaps, ask for help.
Suddenly, looking up, Alexander saw the figure of the Sister looking down on him. Her piercing gaze seemed to penetrate to the very core of his soul.
- Sorry, I have pressing matters, I’ll return to my duties later. - he said out loud, trying to hide his indecision and anxiety.
Having reached the foot, he quickened his steps, heading towards the nearest portal. As luck would have it, there was no one around. He felt that supplies were simply catastrophically low. There were only pitiful remains left there, not even enough for a blade. He turned his head, looking for opportunities, but there simply weren’t any.
- If he resurrects before me, then my chances will be even less. - he said, finally reaching the glowing opening and stepping inside.
The spatial tunnel of the portal enveloped him in light, and soon he felt a familiar white curtain in front of him. Taking another step, he crossed the border between worlds, once again finding himself in reality.
Alexander woke up and the first thing he noticed was the smell of burning. He tried to rise to his full height, but hit his head on a metal box. Looking around, he realized that he was in the oven. Directly opposite him was a small window through which he could see Dusk's face, covered in bruises and bruises. It seems he broke his nose. Then Alexander realized that he had miscalculated. Dusk did not die in the fall. He had enough time to drag Alexander into the oven. If Alexander had the strength, he could cut the iron walls, but he had almost no strength left.
Dusk said:
- I found out how to kill you. Can you imagine, the military has already found out that if they burn you, you will not rise again. I wanted you to suffer, but now I realized that all this is nonsense. We need you to be stuck in the Edge forever, deprived of the opportunity to return and taste the joy of human civilization. - With these words, he began to turn the valve, and the smell of gas entered the oven.
Alexander felt a burden of fatigue and hopelessness, realizing that he was in an extremely unfavorable situation. His strength left him, and the smell of gas became more and more intense, filling the cramped space of the furnace.
Dusk, standing at the control panel, grinned, his face distorted with anger and satisfaction from his upcoming victory.
- How nice it is to see that you are powerless. - he said, increasing the gas supply.
Alexander, trying to remain calm, began to look for a way out of the situation. His head was working on overdrive, trying to find a way to escape the inevitable.
- Dusk, do you think this is the end? - he asked, trying to divert the enemy’s attention. “Do you really think it’s that easy to destroy me?”
- You are mistaken if you think you have a chance. - Dusk answered coldly. - You will die here, and none of your tricks will help you.
Alexander realized that time was against him. It was necessary to act quickly and decisively. He concentrated his remaining strength and soul power, preparing for the last decisive action. At that moment, he felt something that gave him hope. Alexander felt an influx of air and turned to Dusk:
- Why is the wind blowing me? What kind of oven is this, with a bunch of through holes and hatches. - at this time he had already begun preparations.
Dusk, grinning, replied:
- So that you burn better!
Suddenly, a switch was flipped and a flame erupted under Alexander. The pain was unbearable, every centimeter of his skin seemed to be on fire. The aroma of burnt flesh filled his nostrils, causing nausea and disgust, but Alexander mustered all his willpower to focus on his only chance of survival. He touched the currents of air with the remaining grains of his soul power, and felt the air in his hand begin to glow, capturing the flames in a fiery whirlwind. His arm was burning and every nerve was screaming in pain, but Alexander focused on Dusk's face, grinning in the face of his suffering.
- Fuck you! - Alexander shouted, completely overcome with hatred and painful determination. He pointed his flaming hand straight at the window where Dusk stood. A fiery whirlwind with a deafening whistle broke through the narrow metal window and instantly engulfed Dusk, turning him into a living torch. The flames consumed his body, throwing him backwards, where he hit his head on a stone wall and remained motionless.
Alexander felt his own life slipping from his body. His vision became dim and his consciousness became floating. In the last moment before his eyes finally closed, he saw the flames created by his last will engulf the entire furnace, turning it into a menacing firestorm that became his funeral pyre.
He died again and found himself on a vast plain covered with a gray fog that densely shrouded the earth. The sky was covered with heavy clouds, hiding the sun and giving the entire surroundings a gloomy cast. Only the edge of the Sister's dress was visible there. Strange silhouettes could be seen in the distance, perhaps other souls lost in this in-between world.
Dusk, standing nearby, looked confused and worried. His eyes were full of distrust and fear.
- What did you do? Where I am? Bring me back! – he shouted, turning to Alexander.
- Have you never died before? Marvelous! This is the Edge, the place between life and death. You died just like me. – Alexander calmly answered, not paying attention to Dusk’s screams.
Alexander directed his gaze to a distant portal, flickering in the distance among the fog. He was the only bright spot in this dark world. The young man consistently moved towards the portal.
- Hey, where did you go? Bring me back! – Dusk continued to shout, but Alexander was already too far away to hear him. His steps carried him confidently towards the portal through which he was about to return to the real world.
Passing through the gloomy landscape of the Edge, Alexander observed the Dead, who had previously been hidden by the fog. They seemed to have found their occupations in this interworld. One of them was meditating under a twisted tree, his face calm and focused. The other, a woman in shabby clothes, whistled melancholy as she walked along an invisible path. Another one, an old man, sat on a stone and carefully examined something in his hands, perhaps a memory from a past life in the reflection of a dagger.
Alexander did not stop, persistently moving towards the portal. He entered a glowing tunnel, where his footsteps echoed quietly. Having reached the white curtain, he tried to step through it, but came across an invisible barrier.
An old voice came from behind him:
- So you’re also dead or something? Damn, you look like the Rejected One. Made the old man run.
Turning around, Alexander saw an old man with a good-natured face framed by gray hair and a beard. A smile played on his face, and playfulness shone in his eyes. He was dressed in an old-fashioned suit with a medallion on his chest.
Alexander replied:
- I am truly a Rejected One.
The old man laughed:
- So what, you lost your body? Then welcome to us, fellow unfortunates.
Alexander realized that his path to returning to the real world would not be easy. The old man, meanwhile, grabbed his back and slowly walked away from the portal. Alexander realized that his body was burned and now he would not be able to return home. He also walked out of the portal, thinking about possible solutions.
- Charon is obliged to fulfill three wishes, if successful, which means that there is still a chance. You just need to complete the task and return the body. Nothing complicated. Well, also get to know yourself. But now I have really powerful motivation, so I will do everything or die! - he thought, walking towards the Labyrinth of Oblivion.
Coming out of the portal, he saw Dusk, who met him with a look full of rage and powerlessness.
- Hey, tell me, how can I get back to the real world? - Dusk asked insistently.
Alexander looked at him with detachment.
- Here is the portal, at the other end there is an exit. - he answered calmly. -But most likely, your body was also burned, and now you are stuck here forever. And you know what, Twilight? Before this, I thought that I would take revenge on you, but now I’m not interested. Therefore, live as you want, spin as you want...
Dusk shouted in rage:
-Are you crazy? It all started because of you! It's all your fault!
- This happens in life. - Alexander noted philosophically, raising his eyes to the figure of the Sister, who was watching him from heaven. and whose eyes he could see through the fog. - Sometimes we don’t choose our path, it chooses us.
He shouted to the sky:
- Open a portal to the Labyrinth of Oblivion for me!
The Sister’s figure nodded slightly, and a spatial passage appeared in front of Alexander. He stepped into it, leaving Dusk and his screams behind. A valley of clover opened before him, and in the center stood the mirror of the Labyrinth of Oblivion. Alexander sighed and headed to the mirror, ready for new tests and mysteries that awaited him ahead.