The darkness didn't just block out the light—it swallowed it whole. I couldn't even see my own hands, only the breath of others all around me.
'Ha Jin…' So Ah's voice came from somewhere off to the side.
'Don't move!' Aki shouted.
Too late.
WHOOSH.
Something brushed past my neck — blood. I flinched.
'You can't see me… but I can see you,' Kairel's voice echoed from all around.
THUD!
I was slammed into the wall.
'Damn…'
My body wouldn't obey. The SCAR inside… was silent. For the first time.
"Ha Jin!" So A appeared beside me. "What should we do?"
I closed my eyes.
If I can't see, then I must feel.
Silence. A pulse. Energy.
From behind.
CLANG!
I parried the blow.
— Found it.
I lunged forward — nothing.
A BLOW from the side!
Blood. My knees buckled.
Kairel appeared before me:
— Almost… but too slow.
I smirked:
— You talk too much.
I threw the sword upwards — and struck point-blank with lightning.
EXPLOSION!
Kairel was sent flying. I was breathing heavily.
— We won't last… — whispered So A.
— Once is enough, — I said.
SCAR stirred.
— Just a little… out of control, — I whispered.
Warmth. Dangerous.
The lightning turned dark.
Kairel emerged from the darkness — and for the first time, stopped smiling.
— You've unleashed it…
— Enough to kill you.
We vanished at the same time.
WHISTLE! RING! THUD!
I hit him.
He flew back… but grabbed me.
— Got you.
The darkness burst in.
— Damn—
PAIN.
SCAR screamed: — DON'T LET HIM IN!
I collapsed to my knees.
— HA JIN! — So A shouted.
Aki lashed out with her whip — to no avail.
— Too late, — Kairiel said quietly. — I'll find out what you're hiding.
…
And suddenly—
something answered.
Deeper than SCAR.
— …who dared…
Kyriel froze.
My eyes opened.
But it wasn't me.
— …to touch MINE.
EXPLOSION.
The darkness scattered. Kyriel was thrown back.
I stood up.
The aura changed.
Aki stepped back:
— It's not him…
So A whispered:
— It's not Ha Jin…
I stepped forward.
And smiled.
A stranger's smile.
— Now… let's play for real.