The air tightened.
Heavy.
Crushing.
That man's presence alone… was different.
Not like the others.
Not like the soldiers.
💀
Kael felt it immediately.
"…He's not normal…"
—
"…No," Darian replied lowly.
"…He's the one in charge."
💀
—
Silence didn't last.
—
(SLASH.)
Lyra moved first.
Fast.
Direct.
Her blade cut toward his neck without hesitation.
—
(CLASH.)
He blocked.
Barehanded.
💀
—
The sound echoed.
Metal… stopped by flesh.
—
Kael's eyes widened.
"…What the—"
—
The man didn't even move.
—
"…Too fast," he said calmly.
—
(SHOVE.)
A simple push—
—
(BOOM.)
Lyra was sent flying back.
Crashing through a broken stall.
💀
—
"…LYRA!" Ryn shouted.
—
"…Focus!" Darian snapped.
—
The man stepped forward.
Slow.
Controlled.
—
"…Three confirmed…"
His voice calm.
—
"…And one unstable."
💀
—
His eyes locked on Kael.
—
Kael froze.
—
"…Why is he looking at me like that…" he thought.
💀
—
(Step.)
The man vanished.
—
"…MOVE!" Darian shouted.
—
Too late.
💀
—
(THUD.)
A strike hit Kael's stomach.
—
Air gone.
Body lifted.
—
(CRASH.)
He slammed into the ground.
Hard.
💀
—
"…GHH—!"
—
Pain exploded.
—
"…So this is the unstable one…" the man muttered.
—
(SLASH.)
Lyra reappeared.
Faster than before.
—
(CLASH.)
She attacked again.
Relentless.
—
Ryn jumped in—
"…Hey! Don't ignore me!"
—
(PUNCH.)
He struck from the side.
—
The man tilted slightly.
Dodged.
—
(THUD.)
Ryn got hit instead.
Sent sliding across the ground.
💀
—
"…Damn… he hits HARD…" Ryn groaned.
—
Darian moved.
Not rushing.
Watching.
Analyzing.
—
"…He's not trying to kill us," he said.
💀
—
"…What?" Kael coughed.
—
"…He's testing."
💀
—
Silence.
—
"…Testing…?" Kael whispered.
—
The man stepped back slightly.
Looking at them.
—
"…Correct," he said calmly.
💀
—
Everyone froze.
—
"…You're improving," he continued.
"…Faster than expected."
—
Lyra's grip tightened.
—
"…Don't talk like you know us."
—
"…I don't," he replied.
A pause.
—
"…Not yet."
💀
—
(Step.)
He moved again.
—
This time—
Toward Kael.
💀
—
"…STOP HIM!" Darian shouted.
—
Lyra dashed forward—
—
(CLASH.)
Blocked again.
—
Ryn jumped in—
—
(PUNCH.)
Countered.
—
They couldn't stop him.
💀
—
He reached Kael.
—
Kael forced himself up.
Breathing broken.
—
"…Not… again…" he muttered.
💀
—
The man raised his hand.
—
"…Let's see."
💀
—
Everything slowed.
—
[ Synchronization… 12% ]
💀
—
Kael's eyes widened.
—
"…Now…!"
—
(Step.)
He moved.
—
Dodged.
—
Barely.
—
The strike missed.
—
For the first time—
💀
He avoided it.
💀
—
Silence.
—
The man paused.
—
"…Interesting."
—
Kael's fist moved.
—
(PUNCH.)
—
Direct hit.
💀
—
The man's head turned slightly.
—
A mark.
A real hit.
—
Silence.
💀💀💀
—
"…I hit him…" Kael whispered.
—
Ryn blinked.
"…NO WAY—"
—
Lyra's eyes narrowed.
—
Darian stepped forward.
—
"…Now!"
💀
—
All three moved.
Together.
—
(CLASH. SLASH. BOOM.)
—
Coordinated.
—
For a moment—
They pushed him back.
💀
—
But—
Only for a moment.
—
(BOOM.)
A burst of force—
—
They were all thrown back.
💀
—
Silence.
—
Dust filled the air.
—
The man stood still.
—
Untouched.
💀
—
"…Enough," he said.
—
Kael's heart dropped.
—
"…Already?" Ryn muttered.
—
The man looked at them one last time.
—
"…You're not ready."
💀
—
A pause.
—
Then—
His eyes locked on Kael.
—
"…But you will be."
💀💀💀
—
(Step.)
He turned.
—
"…Wait—!" Kael shouted.
—
No response.
—
"…Why didn't he finish us…?" Ryn asked.
—
Darian's face darkened.
—
"…Because this…"
A pause.
—
"…was just the beginning."
💀
—
Far away…
—
"…Report."
—
"…Four confirmed."
—
"…Good."
—
"…Send the others."
💀💀💀
End of Chapter 21
Why didn't he kill them when he had the chance?
And what did he mean by "you will be ready"?
More importantly… what happens when "the others" arrive?
Drop your thoughts below 👇 the war is coming 😈🔥