The fires of dusk reflected in Kael's eyes as he sat hunched over the stone steps outside their ruined hideout, knuckles clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms. His breaths came shallow, rage simmering beneath the surface of his skin like a barely-contained storm. The weight of failure, of helplessness, crushed down on him like the debris of the home they'd lost.
Leonardo approached quietly, his footsteps light yet grounded. The golden threads of his robe fluttered in the soft wind, and the ever-calm expression on his face remained untouched by the chaos they'd endured. He stood beside Kael for a long while, neither speaking.
Then, softly, he broke the silence.
"You're trembling."
Kael didn't look at him. His jaw tightened.
"They were laughing while they burned it all down," Kael said, voice low, raw. "I heard them. Like it was a joke. Our people... our families... like they were nothing."
Leonardo's gaze softened. "Kael, I know. I saw it too. But rushing out now—"
"They need to die," Kael snapped, eyes burning. "All of them."
Leonardo sighed and sat beside him.
"I don't disagree," he said, tone even. "But you're not ready. Not yet. You'll get yourself killed. That won't bring anyone back."
Kael's eyes watered. He wiped them angrily with the back of his hand.
"I don't care if I die."
That silenced Leonardo for a moment. He stared at Kael—not with disappointment, but sorrow.
"I thought you were different," Leonardo finally said. He stood. "But I guess you're just like the rest. Another boy thinking vengeance is strength."
Kael shot to his feet. "Don't talk to me like that! You weren't the one watching your people beg for help while they were dragged away!"
Leonardo met his glare, calm as ever.
"Fine. Go. Get yourself killed. But don't expect me to come save you. Not this time."
And then he turned away.
Kael stood frozen for a moment, jaw tight, before grabbing his worn leather gloves and storming off into the falling night.
---
Kael's fury burned hotter than his fear as he neared the Conclave military outpost at the edge of the ravaged town. Hidden behind crates and shadows, he could hear the crude laughter of drunken soldiers, see the flickering torchlight dancing on their blood-red banners. The scent of roasted meat wafted through the air, mixing with smoke and spilled ale.
But there was something worse.
Inside the larger tent near the center, sounds emerged that curdled Kael's stomach—muffled cries, hushed sobs. From behind the canvas, he caught glimpses of women—adults from nearby homes, taken from families who couldn't pay the Conclave's cruel taxes—being dragged in and out of the tent. Soldiers joked outside, passing flasks and waiting their turn.
Kael's breath caught. His fists tightened. The fury inside him exploded into motion.
He launched himself out of the darkness, fists glowing faintly with divine energy. His blessing of Aether Fist allowed him to channel kinetic energy through his punches, creating shockwaves that tore through the first group of guards.
Bones cracked. Men flew into walls. The laughter stopped.
Kael was a whirlwind—his movements a blend of rage and trained chaos. He punched the ground, releasing a shockwave that sent crates flying and splintered the wooden watchtower nearby. He weaved between spears and blades, fists slamming with enhanced force that made even armor useless.
But then—
"...What's all this noise?"
The deep, rumbling voice silenced the battlefield.
Three figures emerged from the command tent.
---
Hert led the trio—tall, broad-shouldered, a sneering confidence in his step. His armor was old Conclave steel, unpolished but heavy. His weapon was a double-ended swordstaff, blades protruding from both ends like a death wheel. His eyes were cold, calculated.
His blessing: Blessing of Ironheart — a passive ability that made his body resistant to pain and slowed internal bleeding.
"Some rat thinks he can bite back?" he said, twirling his deadly blade lazily.
To his left was Keu, a lean swordsman in blue-and-black officer robes, younger but sharp-eyed. He had short silver hair and carried a single curved sabre. His movements were minimal, precise. He bore the Blessing of Swift Wind, giving him short bursts of incredible speed.
To Hert's right stood Von—massive, shirtless, his body a mountain of muscle covered in old scars. His fists were wrapped in bloodstained cloth. He cracked his neck slowly, then his knuckles. His blessing: Enduring Body, allowing him to fight through exhaustion and ignore minor wounds far longer than normal men.
Kael stared them down, blood on his knuckles, breath ragged.
"You came to die, boy?" Hert said, voice dripping with amusement. "We'll oblige."
---
Kael struck first.
He aimed a shockwave punch directly at Von's chest—but the brute caught it mid-air, skidding back only slightly.
Von smiled. "Strong."
Kael ducked under Von's swing, twisted, and slammed a punch into Keu's ribs—only to find himself striking air. Keu reappeared behind him, blade nicking Kael's side.
Kael winced, spun, and channeled energy into an uppercut that sent Keu flying backward into a tent pole. The structure collapsed.
Hert stepped in, weapon spinning. The dual blades hissed through the air. Kael blocked one strike with his forearm—and cried out as the other blade slashed his shoulder open.
Blood spilled. His vision blurred. But he didn't stop.
Kael slammed a fist into the earth, unleashing a shockwave that knocked all three back.
For a moment, he breathed, shoulders shaking.
Too much.
He'd burned too much energy. The blessing faded.
His body screamed in protest.
Then they came.
All three at once.
Keu danced around his guard, nicking him again and again with lightning-fast cuts. Von punched through Kael's block, sending him flying into a stone wall. Hert's bladestaff slammed into Kael's back, driving him to the ground.
He rose once more—but his arm hung limp, broken.
Blood poured from his mouth.
He swung again, blindly. Missed.
A boot connected with his ribs.
A punch cracked across his jaw.
He fell.
Kael's world spun as his swollen face hit the dirt. The last thing he saw was Hert raising his weapon above him, Keu and Von flanking.
Then, nothing.
Darkness swallowed him.
---
To be continued...
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