Chapter 42

Eirisse, with open arms, taunted Lennix and Xain, leaving herself completely defenseless, which did little to boost their confidence. Nonetheless, they both charged at her, determined to make some headway.

Lennix, being significantly faster than Xain, closed the distance first. His fingers transformed into black claws as he unleashed a upwards slash at her, but she casually sidestepped his attack. With graceful agility, she spun around, delivering a swift and powerful back kick that struck Lennix squarely in the throat, sending him crashing to the ground, clutching his neck in pain.

As Xain approached, he snatched a wine bottle from a nearby shelf and hurled it at her. Eirisse, still appearing nonchalant, casually snatched the bottle out of the air. "What was this supposed to do?" she asked with a smirk.

Xain, undeterred, closed the gap between them, his fist ready to strike. As he neared her, he executed a sliding maneuver, attempting to deliver a low kick to her shin. Eirisse, displaying her supernatural agility once more, gracefully leaped over him. Landing elegantly, she placed the wine bottle back on the shelf, commenting with a smirk, "This is old wine, can't let it go to waste." Xain, on the other hand, found himself colliding with the wall.

Eirisse couldn't help but chuckle at their tenacity. "So, ready to give it another shot?" she taunted, her gaze fixed on Xain and Lennix as they regrouped and planned their next move.

Xain, suggested, "Alright, new plan. Let's attack her at the same time."

Lennix, his crushed throat still healing, nodded his agreement. They charged at Eirisse once more, but this time Lennix adjusted his pace to ensure they reached her simultaneously. However, Eirisse had other plans. She moved faster than sound, meeting them halfway.

With a lightning-fast kick, Eirisse struck Lennix's guard. He managed to block the blow, but its force sent him sprawling backward. Simultaneously, Xain aimed a punch at her temple. Eirisse, rather than evading, allowed the punch to land. An audible crack filled the room as Xain's knuckles took the full brunt of the impact. He cried out in pain, clutching his injured hand.

"You're just a normal human. What did you expect?" Eirisse giggled wickedly at Xain's suffering before swiftly launching a sidekick aimed at his wounded arm. Xain used his broken-knuckled limb to block the strike, but the pain intensified, and he was sent crashing into a shelf. The impact shattered the shelf, causing glass wine bottles to rain down on him.

Undaunted, Lennix closed the distance once more, slashing with his clawed hands. Eirisse reacted with astonishing agility, gracefully ducking beneath his attack. With swift precision, she hooked her leg around Lennix's, leveraged his momentum, and executed a flawless throw. Lennix was sent crashing forcefully into the ground, the impact jarring his entire body.

Xain clawed his way out of the shattered shelf, his body riddled with cuts from the broken glass. Blood trickled from his wounds as he fought to regain his footing. Eirisse, on the other hand, inhaled deeply, savoring the scent of his blood.

"Oh, what a waste," she purred sadistically, "I was just about to enjoy a delightful drink."

As she spoke, she callously curb-stomped her injured little brother, causing a sickening crunch of breaking bones. Lennix winced in pain, clutching his throbbing ribs, unable to intervene.

Meanwhile, Xain, weakened and in agony, struggled to crawl toward the broken wall in a desperate attempt to escape Eirisse's relentless advance. But Eirisse closed in on him with ruthless determination, her grip tightening around his neck as she prepared to sink her fangs into his vulnerable flesh.

"Finally, I was growing a bit peckish from all this commotion," Eirisse taunted, her fangs gleaming menacingly.

Xain, too drained and wounded to put up a fight, could do nothing but watch in horror as Eirisse readied herself to feed. However, just in the nick of time, Lennix sprang into action. He grabbed Eirisse from behind, momentarily bewildering her with his unexpected intervention.

Eirisse raised an eyebrow, her expression a blend of irritation and intrigue. "My dear little brother, you never learn, do you?" she quipped, her voice dripping with condescension. Lennix's motives were far from ordinary, though. With swift dexterity, he delved into Xain's pocket, leaving Eirisse momentarily perplexed by his actions. As she regained her composure, she responded by sending Lennix hurtling across the room with a powerful punch, and he crashed into the nearby wall.

Lennix lay on the ground, nursing his injuries, clutching something tightly in his hand. Eirisse, initially concerned that he might have found a weapon, quickly grew bored with the situation. With an air of indifference, she dropped Xain and sauntered over to her brother.

"So, what are you planning to do with that?" Eirisse asked, her tone dripping with mockery. Lennix, however, seemed unfazed by her taunts. Instead, he produced an item that appeared valuable but entirely non-threatening. Eirisse couldn't help but chuckle.

"And what exactly is that supposed to accomplish, dear brother?" she inquired, her amusement evident. Yet, Lennix remained determined, focusing solely on his task and ignoring her.

Instead, he called out to Xain, "Hey kid! I'm sorry about this," a trace of regret in his voice. Xain, his heart pounding with anxiety, quickly checked his pockets but realized something was missing. Panic edged into his voice as he protested, "What do you think you're doing?" However, before he could finish his plea, Lennix raised the object—his chronoscope.

Xain pleaded desperately, "Please don't!" But Lennix disregarded his words, forcefully smashing the chronoscope against the ground. The sound of shattering glass reverberated through the room, leaving Eirisse puzzled.

"Now what's your grand plan, hmm?" Eirisse inquired, her patience wearing thin. Lennix's response left her perplexed. He simply muttered, "I just hope I don't get killed," as he gestured toward Xain. Eirisse shifted her gaze to Xain, who had lowered his head, concealing his expression.

"What's going on?" Eirisse asked, genuinely intrigued by the unfolding situation. As Xain slowly raised his head, revealing his eyes, a wave of unease washed over her. In those eyes, she saw something she hadn't anticipated—a seething, unrelenting Hatred that sent shivers down her spine.

**Back to the others**

Amara continued her relentless barrage of fiery spells upon the black knight, who persistently defended himself with his shadowy shield. His shadowy defenses holding strong as he persisted in reasoning with her. Ercale, Clarissa, Zee, and Larkin, on the other hand, were doing their best to keep the artifact's combat capabilities in check.

Suddenly, a deafening crash reverberated throughout the room, commanding the attention of everyone present. They turned their heads to locate the source of the noise, and in the midst of the chaos, Lennix doubled over in agony. Before anyone could react, Eirisse, with astonishing speed, darted past the group, her focus squarely on the artifact. It obediently floated just above her shoulder, firmly under her control.

With anxiety gnawing at her, Zee couldn't help but panic, her thoughts consumed by worry for Xain's safety. She urgently inquired of Lennix, "Where's Xain?" He pointed toward the shattered wall of the storage room from which he had been forcefully launched. Relief surged within Zee as she caught sight of Xain emerging from the room. She was about to rush towards him, but something held her back—an unshakable instinct, a sense that caution was warranted.

"Xain?" Zee's voice trembled with worry as she watched him. Xain tilted his head, his gaze falling upon her, but  His face was darkened, his eyes brimming with raw Hatred. He appeared more frightening than even Cain, sending a shiver down her spine.

Larkin, his curiosity mixed with trepidation, dared to question the transformation. "What the hell happened to ya?" he inquired, but as Xain's gaze fell upon him, Larkin felt something he had rarely experienced in his life—a feeling akin to staring into the eyes of death itself.

Amara, too, sensed the ominous change in Xain. Her extensive experience as an assassin had honed her instincts, and they now screamed warnings about the danger Xain posed. The black knight, though masked by his helmet, felt a similar foreboding. Xain, in this altered state, exuded an aura of malevolence far beyond any monster he had ever encountered.

Ercale, unlike the others, remained devoid of fear. Yet, he remained cautious and analytical. In his mind, he contemplated, *Out of everyone in this room, Xain currently presents the greatest threat.* He readied a bolt of lightning, Amara readied a fireball, and the black knight assumed a defensive stance with his sword—all preparing for the impending onslaught.

As Xain, like a bolt of lightning, surged toward Lennix with ferocious speed.