"We fight together! If we go down, we go down together!" I growled, tightening the grip on my dagger. Everyone's lives were on the line, and I could feel the weight of the situation on my shoulders. But I couldn't let my cowardness get to me, I can't be the one bringing this team down because of how weak I am.
"Nature Infusion!"
The ground trembled softly beneath me, small rocks began to uncover from the dirt. They hovered in midair, swirling around my legs, each stone unique, sharp, and raw.
Within seconds, the rocks circled faster, climbing higher, traveling around my body like a protective barrier.
*"So it adapts to the environment… Haha! Cool!, this is incredible!"*
For a moment, a burst of confidence and energy filled me, until I saw Lythael. Her eyes were wide with fear, her bow drawn but her hands trembled slightly.
She'd always seen me as the weakest of the group, and now, in this critical moment, she still doubted. I felt the hesitation on her face, but I forced a grin onto my face, bigger and bolder than I felt inside.
"Hey! If it means you'll stop teasing me! I'm willing to take him on!" I yelled loudly.
"Alright then," she said, her voice barely audible."But don't get yourself killed."
I smiled, my heart was beating faster and faster. "I'm not planning on it."
The tension was rising indefinitely, each step Nahci took echoed death to our ears.
"Focus! He’s coming!" Nereus’s shout cut through the air, his voice was filled with panic as his hands weaved through a series of signs, manifesting a translucent water shield around Karn.
Nahci was towering over us like an unstoppable force, he twirled his twin-bladed scythe with an ease that sent chills down my spine. His grin was gone, replaced by a twisted frown with pure malice. The raw, uncontrolled power pulsed through the air around him.
"Fancy tricks won't save you now!" He screamed, sending a pulse of horror through the cave. The twin blades of his scythe shined with dark energy, the violet glow intensifying as he began to advance, each step terrifying, predatory.
Karn's voice rumbled through the cave, low and menacing. “I’ll handle this… It’s been a long time since I did this.” His eyes locked onto Nahci, the two giants facing off like beasts about to clash.
He slowly and deliberately reached up to release his chest plate. The armor crashed to the ground with a hard thud, echoing eerily in the tunnel. He displayed his broad, powerful chest, every scar a reminder of the countless fights he had survived. Then his flaming red hair spread out, wild and untamed, and he took off his helmet, flinging it away without a second thought.
“What’s he doing?” I whispered under my breath.
But Nereus, still controlling the water shield, muttered slowly, "He’s about to burn everything…"
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Once again, Karn's body lit up, but not in the same way. He was blazing with fire that was even hotter than before. The glow beneath his skin turned a deep, fierce red as his veins surged with molten fire. The intense heat caused the air around Nereus to twist and shimmer, but his water shield remained strong and just about kept the flames at bay.
"Let's finish this you darn stick!" He shouted, with each passing second his body burned even greater.
All of a sudden, his body ignited. Flames shot out of his skin, covering him in a searing firestorm; however, the flames clung to him similar to a second skin, furious and in control. The earth beneath his feet started to boil as his aura became hotter and crackled with raw, unrestrained strength.
Nahci’s eyes narrowed, his twisted grin returning. “Oh? Now you're a roasted pig ain't ya?”
And then Karn moved.
He disappeared in an instant, leaving behind nothing except a trail of flames. His movement caused the walls of the cave to tremble, and his unexpected burst of speed caused the air to explode. He stood still in one moment and suddenly he was in front of Nahci, his fiery fist already in mid-swing.
Nahci barely had time to react, he raised his scythe in an attempt to block the attack, but the impact of Karn's fist created a strong shockwave. The sheer force of the blow sent Nahci flying back, the ground cracking beneath them as flames exploded from the raw strength of his fist, engulfing everything in a fiery halo.
"You PIG!" Nahci screamed as his feet skidded across the ground, trying to stop himself from flying away.
Without hesitation, Karn didn’t give him a chance to recover. He instantly dashed on him, this time swinging his massive axe, now engulfed in flames.
"You think I am playing this TIME!?" Karn yelled with force, The heat from the strike alone was unbearable, the air sizzling and warping as the fiery blade cut through it. Karn’s attacks were relentless, each blow carrying the full weight of his fury.
"I'LL TEAR YOU UP!" Nahci, now on the defensive, twirled his scythe to parry the incoming strikes, but even he was struggling to keep up. Every time their weapons clashed, flames flew, and the cave echoed with the sound of metal on metal, fire against shadow.
*"What is this... My eyes can't keep up with their movement..."* Their clash was hard to watch, each move they took created a trail of fire and shadow, and their steps were invisible to the naked eye. In one moment they were trading blows, in the next one they were in the air, striking each other with deadly combos.
For a brief moment, it seemed like Karn had the upper hand. His flames roared brighter, his strikes swifter, each one lethal enough to incapacitate Nahci completely.
"This is the spirit of the warlord!" Karn exclaimed flames were gathering at one spot on his fist, ready to deliver a finishing blow to Nahci.
But then, Nahci smirked.
"Fun is fun pig... But it's over for you!" He hissed, his smile filled with malice. In one smooth motion, he spun his scythe in a wide arc, the twin blades glowing with deadly energy. Karn’s final attack was stopped, and with a flick of his wrist, Nahci twisted the scythe, using Karn’s momentum against him.
Karn stumbled back, his flames still burning bright but slowly disappearing. Nahci’s grin widened. “You’re strong… but brute force won't lead you anywhere pig!”
Before Karn could recover, Nahci dashed forward, his scythe charging with his dark spirit. The blades sliced through the air, aiming directly for Karn’s exposed chest.
"You'll be sleeping with the others soon!" Slashing through the air with a terrifying glow, Nahci's scythe was aimed directly at Karn's heart. Karn raised both arms into the air in a last-ditch effort to block the blow.
CLANG!
The sound of metal meeting flesh was deafening. Karn’s arms stopped the scythe—but only for a heartbeat.
And then the world froze.
Sharp blades slashed through Karn's forearms, splattering blood across the cave floor. With a horrible thump, his dismembered arms hit the ground, and the flames suddenly went out. Karn's eyes grew wide with shock as he stumbled back, his once-unwavering strength suddenly failing him. Blood poured from the stumps where his arms had been, pooling at his feet.
“NO!” I screamed, my voice breaking through the chaos. The sight of Karn, the invincible warlord, ravaged and brought to his knees, shattered something deep within me. "I'LL KILL YOU! YOU BASTARD!"