Silence.
Heavy.
Cold.
"…Because we're not alone."
Darian's words still echoed in the room.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Even the air felt… watched.
💀
Ryn was the first to break it.
"…Okay… that's not creepy at all."
No one laughed.
—
Lyra's hand rested on her sword.
"…They're close."
—
Kael's body tensed instinctively.
"…How close?"
—
Darian didn't answer immediately.
His eyes moved slightly… calculating.
—
"…Too close to stay here."
💀
—
Silence.
Then—
"…We move," he said.
—
"…Now?" Ryn asked.
—
"…Now."
💀
—
Kael tried to stand.
His body still weak—
But he forced it.
"…I'm coming."
—
"…You're slowing us down," Darian said calmly.
—
"…Then I'll slow you down while moving," Kael replied.
💀
—
A pause.
—
Then—
"…Fine."
—
Lyra turned already.
Moving.
No hesitation.
—
Ryn stretched slightly.
"…Well… this just got interesting."
—
And just like that—
They left.
💀
—
Outside…
The wind felt different.
Heavier.
—
Kael noticed it instantly.
"…Yeah… someone's definitely watching…"
—
"…Stay focused," Darian said.
—
They moved fast.
Through narrow paths.
Between cliffs.
Then—
Into the city.
💀
—
Noise.
Voices.
Life.
—
A crowded market.
People everywhere.
Merchants shouting.
Children running.
Colors.
Movement.
Chaos.
—
Kael blinked.
"…This place is packed…"
—
"…Good," Darian replied.
"…We disappear better in noise."
💀
—
They walked.
Not together.
Spread slightly.
—
Lyra ahead.
Darian to the side.
Ryn casually moving like he belonged.
—
Kael in the middle.
Watching everything.
—
Then—
Something felt off.
💀
—
A glance.
—
A man.
Standing still.
Watching.
—
Kael frowned.
—
Another glance—
Gone.
—
"…Tch…"
—
He kept walking.
—
Then—
Lyra stopped.
Suddenly.
—
Just for a second.
—
Then kept moving.
—
But Kael saw it.
💀
—
"…She felt it too…" he muttered.
—
Darian's voice came low—
"…Don't react."
—
"…Too late," Kael whispered.
—
"…I know."
💀
—
Ryn passed by them, still smiling—
—
"…We got company," he said under his breath.
—
Kael's heart rate increased.
—
"…How many?" he asked.
—
"…Enough."
💀
—
Silence.
—
Then—
It happened.
—
A scream.
💀
—
"WATCH OUT—!"
—
(BOOM.)
—
A stall exploded.
Wood shattered.
People screamed.
—
Panic.
—
Chaos.
💀💀💀
—
"…Here we go…" Ryn muttered.
—
Figures appeared.
From everywhere.
—
Cloaked.
Fast.
Silent.
—
Attacking.
—
Not targeting civilians—
—
Targeting them.
💀
—
"…Spread out!" Darian ordered instantly.
—
Lyra moved.
(SLASH.)
—
One attacker dropped.
—
Ryn jumped back—
"…Oh come on, not again—!"
—
(CLASH.)
He blocked another.
—
Kael stood still for a second.
—
Too many movements.
Too fast.
—
"…Focus…" he whispered.
💀
—
An attacker rushed him—
—
(SLASH.)
—
Kael dodged.
Barely.
—
(PUNCH.)
He countered.
—
The man staggered.
—
"…Okay…" Kael breathed.
"…I can do this…"
💀
—
Around him—
The market collapsed into chaos.
—
People running.
Screaming.
—
Dust in the air.
—
Blades clashing.
—
And then—
—
Everything slowed.
💀
—
Not time.
—
Perception.
—
[ Synchronization… 7% ]
💀
—
Kael's eyes widened.
—
"…Again…"
—
Movements became clearer.
Sharper.
—
The attacker moved—
—
Kael saw it.
Before it happened.
💀
—
He stepped aside.
Clean.
—
(PUNCH.)
Direct hit.
—
The attacker dropped.
—
Kael froze.
—
"…I did that…"
💀
—
But then—
—
A presence.
💀
—
Heavy.
Cold.
Watching.
—
Not like the others.
—
Different.
—
Kael slowly turned.
—
Across the chaos—
—
A man stood.
Still.
Untouched.
—
Watching them.
💀💀💀
—
"…There you are…" the man said softly.
—
Darian's eyes locked onto him instantly.
—
"…Found us," he muttered.
—
Lyra stepped back slightly.
—
Ryn stopped smiling.
—
"…That's not a normal one…" he whispered.
💀
—
The man tilted his head slightly.
—
"…Interesting…"
—
His eyes moved—
From Lyra.
To Ryn.
To Darian.
—
Then—
Stopped.
On Kael.
💀
—
A small smile appeared.
—
"…And there you are."
💀💀💀
—
Kael's breath stopped.
—
"…Shit…"
—
The man took one step forward.
—
And the air…
Changed.
💀
End of Chapter 20
Who do you think that man is… and why did he focus on Kael first?
Do you think the team can handle him… or is this already too much?
Drop your thoughts below 👇 the real fight is just beginning 😈