Chapter 15

Valien sauntered forward with a glint of sadistic delight in his eyes. His hook-sword gleamed menacingly in his right hand.

Clare stood firm, protecting Kai and May with unwavering resolve.

As the fight commenced, Valien launched himself forward with lightning speed. His hook-sword arced through the air, aimed at Clare's vulnerable form. Clare, focused on her protective duty, anticipated the strike and swiftly sidestepped, narrowly evading the lethal blade. The force behind Valien's attack left a trail of displaced air, evidence of the power he possessed.

In response, Clare seized the opportunity to counter, her training guiding her every move. She unleashed a flurry of strikes. Yet, Valien's supernatural agility allowed him to twist and contort his body, evading each blow with calculated precision.

Undeterred, Clare adjusted her tactics, as she launched a swift series of strikes, targeting his joints. Her heel struck his knee, momentarily buckling his leg, but Valien's otherworldly reflexes allowed him to regain balance in an instant. He retaliated with a swift slash of his hook-sword, aiming for Clare's midsection, but she deftly twisted away, the blade grazing her side.

The fight continued in a maddening dance of evasion and attempted strikes. Clare, fueled by determination and a burning desire to protect Kai and May, pushed herself beyond her limits. She aimed a powerful roundhouse kick at Valien's head, the force of her blow whistling through the air. However, he once again twisted his body with unnatural flexibility, narrowly avoiding the impact.

"You're amazing!" Valien exclaimed, his voice filled with a hint of admiration and desire.

Valien, relishing the challenge presented by Clare, reveled in the chaos and pain he will inflicted. His every movement exuded sadistic pleasure, his body contorting in mesmerizing ways as he weaved through the onslaught of Clare's attacks. His hook-sword remained an extension of his deadly grace, an instrument of pain and torment that threatened Clare's defenses.

"And you're disgusting!" Clare retorted, her voice laced with disdain and anger for the first time.

Despite Clare's tenacity, Valien's ethereal beauty masked a formidable opponent. His supernatural endurance and pain tolerance granted him an almost inhuman resilience. Clare's strikes, although expertly aimed, seemed to slide harmlessly off his skin, leaving only fleeting traces of impact.

In the final moments of the battle, as tension reached its climax, *Okay, Clare, don't go overboard. Remember your training and hold back,* Clare thought to herself, a determined look in her eyes as she readied her leg. As Valien charged at her with a slash headed to her neck.

Clare unleashed a final, earth-shaking roundhouse kick aimed at Valien's ribs. The power behind her strike was palpable, a culmination of her unwavering determination and fierce protective instincts. The impact landed with bone-crushing force, propelling Valien through the air, his body hurtling towards the nearest wall.

Valien's ethereal beauty turned to sheer astonishment as he collided with the unforgiving surface. The impact echoed through the dilapidated house, the wall quivering from the force. Cracks spiderwebbed across the plaster, evidence of the sheer strength behind Clare's kick.

For a brief moment, time seemed to suspend as Valien's body slumped against the wall. His sadistic grin faltered, replaced by a flicker of vulnerability. But even in this vulnerable state, his supernatural resilience began to assert itself. The wall absorbed the impact, its durability protecting him from more severe damage.

As Valien slowly regained his composure, his twisted grin reappeared, a testament to his unyielding spirit and sadistic nature. The pain from the impact surged through his body, igniting a renewed hunger for the thrill of the fight. The battle was far from over, and Valien's ethereal presence returned to full force, ready to resume the deadly dance.

"Wow, that kick was something else," Valien said, dusting off his jacket. "Are you even human?" he asked, his smile still in place.

"She is, she's just gifted, that's all," a voice suddenly said. Everyone turned their heads and saw Xain standing there. "Blue hair/Xain!" Kai, May, and Clare exclaimed simultaneously, relieved to see him conscious again.

Valien looked at Xain? for a moment and said, "Hey, are you really just a child?" He had a smile on his face, intrigued by Xain's? presence.

*Wait a second, is that really Xain?* Clare thought, examining him closely, especially his eyes. Xain's? eyes, despite her brief acquaintance with him, had always appeared kind and she was certain they were blue. But now, his eyes seemed devoid of that kindness, taking on a deep purple hue.

"Huh, I guess an assassin should be able to tell," Xain? said matter-of-factly as he approached Valien, seemingly unfazed by his still own remaining injuries.

"Xain, stay back! He's dangerous!" Clare exclaimed, concern evident in her voice. But Xain? turned around, completely exposing his back to Valien. "Relax, he can't do anything to me," he said seeming bored?

"Hmm, you really don't fear me at all if you turned your back on me like that!" Valien exclaimed as he slashed his hook-sword towards him.

"Xain, look out—huh?" Clare was about to jump in but stopped as she saw Xain? grab the sword with his fingers. "Good choice to attack me when my back was turned, but let's just finish this," Xain? said stoically, as he let go of the sword.

Valien's smile widened, his excitement bubbling beneath the surface. "Well then, let's see what you're made of," he said.

Valien revealed a second hook-sword, a sinister glint in his eyes as he prepared to strike. With a wicked grin, he launched himself at Xain?, his movements a blur of calculated aggression. his movements a blur of calculated aggression.

The fight erupted with a clash of steel, the sound reverberating through the air. Valien swung his hook-sword in a diagonal arc, aiming for Xain's? exposed flank. But Xain? swiftly sidestepped the attack, his body moving with unnatural agility.

Undeterred, Valien followed up with a series of rapid slashes, each strike calculated to find its mark. His hook-sword lashed out, aiming for Xain's? torso and limbs. But Xain? deflected the strikes with precise movements, evading the lethal edge of the blade by a hair's breadth.

Valien's sadistic laughter echoed in the room as he continued his relentless assault. He changed tactics, feinting low and then executing a swift upward slash towards Xain's? chest. But Xain? anticipated the move, seamlessly ducking under the attack and countering with a lightning-fast kick to Valien's side.

The impact of the kick reverberated through Valien's body, momentarily stunning him. Yet, he couldn't suppress the exhilaration that surged within him, relishing the pain that accompanied the fight.

Valien regained his composure, redoubling his efforts. He unleashed a flurry of slashes, his hook-sword dancing through the air like a deadly serpent. Each strike aimed for Xain's? vital points, seeking to exploit any opening.

But Xain's? body moved with uncanny grace, a perfect dance of evasion. He sidestepped, ducked, and weaved through the onslaught with mesmerizing fluidity. Valien's hook-sword whistled through the empty space, its lethal intent thwarted at every turn.

Frustration welled up within Valien, his sadistic joy mingling with a burning desire to land a telling blow. His strikes came faster and more ferocious, each blow meticulously placed to maximize its impact. Yet, Xain's? body seemed to defy all logic, always a step ahead, evading the strikes effortlessly.

The fight continued with a flurry of acrobatic movements, the clash of steel punctuating the air. Valien's frustration intensified, yet a twisted pleasure coursed through his veins. He reveled in the challenge, savoring the desperate struggle to overpower an opponent who seemed invincible.

Xain? remained composed and unfazed throughout the relentless assault. His movements were effortless, his defense impenetrable. He parried Valien's strikes with surgical precision, countering with swift and devastating blows that kept Valien on the defensive.

Sensing an opportunity, Xain? delivered a final blow. With lightning speed, he closed the distance between them, launching a devastating kick towards Valien's ribs once more breaking them. The impact reverberated through Valien's body, launching him backward and crashing into a nearby wall with bone-jarring force.

Realizing the futility of the situation, Valien's sadistic grin slowly faded. The realization that he was outmatched by Xain's strategic brilliance sank in. With a final desperate strike, he disengaged from the fight, retreating so fast through the same wall he was crashed against that no one had a chance to react.

Xain? stood there, his gaze locked on Valien's retreating figure, his expression one of calm victory.

Kai, May, and Clare stood in stunned silence, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. "Did... did you just defeat Valien?" Kai stammered, his voice filled with disbelief. Xain? responded matter-of-factly, "Yes, obviously. That's exactly what happened."

Clare, still in a state of shock, gathered her composure to ask the burning question that had been nagging at her since Xain regained consciousness. "Who are you?"

Xain? looked at her for a moment, seemingly caught off guard by Clare's observation. His eyes darted nervously before he responded, "Huh, well, I'm... Xain, of course. Who else would I be?" The tone in his voice revealed a hint of unease. Clare, determined to trust her instincts, shook her head and firmly replied, "No, I know you're not. Xain's eyes don't look like that."

*Gods damn you ape! Why do you have to have a competent ally why couldn't she be like that damn elf!* Ercale thought. He didn't know why he suddenly gained control over Xain's body, but when he woke up and saw the unfolding events, he thought it was an opportunity to test his powers and understand how they function in this vessel. Now, caught in this situation, he found himself uncertain about his next course of action.

With Clare's intense gaze fixed upon him, Ercale decided to come up with a response on the spot. "I'm Xain's twin brother, residing within his body. You can call me uh Cain," he said dramatically

End of ARC 1