Chapter 43

Xain closed in on Lennix with relentless speed, but before he could strike, both Ercale and Amara unleashed their respective lightning and fire attacks, targeting him directly. Xain, seemingly anticipating their moves, leaped into the air with astonishing agility, twisting his body to evade both attacks.

Just as he was about to deliver a devastating blow to Lennix on the ground, Zee sprinted forward with incredible swiftness. She reached Lennix, grabbing him and pulling him out of harm's way, narrowly escaping Xain's punch that cracked the floor upon impact. The force of the blow sent tremors through the room, emphasizing the sheer power and danger that Xain now possessed.

Lennix gaped at the spot where Xain's punch had landed, realizing the devastating power behind the blow. "My head would've been smashed in if I took that hit!" he exclaimed, thankful that Zee had pulled him to safety just in time.

Eirisse, her possessive nature over her little brother evident, prepared to unleash the artifact's power, its eye shifting to a shade of green, targeting Xain. She asserted, "Nobody gets to harm my little brother except me." But Xain, displaying remarkable agility and quick thinking, seized the broken pieces of the wooden floor and flung them toward the artifact, obstructing the eye's line of sight.

Xain then dashed toward Eirisse and threw a powerful left hook, aiming it straight at her. Eirisse reacted swiftly, blocking Xain's punch with her arm. Despite her successful block, the sheer force behind Xain's punch caused Eirisse to skid across the floor, struggling to maintain her balance.

Meanwhile, Zee, deeply concerned about Xain's sudden transformation, turned to Lennix with a furrowed brow. "What on Aetheria happened to Xain? Why is he like this?"

Lennix, still wincing from the pain, managed to explain, "I smashed his pocket watch."

Zee's eyes widened in shock, her worry for Xain intensifying. "You did what?! Why would you do such a thing!?" Her voice carried a mix of disbelief and concern. However, her confusion grew when Lennix retrieved Xain's chronoscope from his coat pocket, showing it to her intact and undamaged.

"I faked smashing it," Lennix clarified with a sly grin, "to make him go berserk and fight my sister." He gestured toward the ongoing battle between Xain and Eirisse, redirecting Zee's attention.

In the midst of the chaotic brawl, Xain unleashed a barrage of punches aimed at Eirisse, each one carrying tremendous force. His right fist shot forward with blinding speed, targeting Eirisse's face. In response, Eirisse leaned backward, narrowly avoiding the punch. The gust of air from the near-miss gently brushed against the tip of her nose.

Xain followed up with a left hook, delivered with such force that it left a trail of motion in the air. Eirisse moved with frantic agility, swaying to the side at the last possible moment, narrowly avoiding the punch as it passed dangerously close to her cheek.

Eirisse, with her supernatural reflexes and agility, continued to narrowly avoid Xain's relentless assault. Her movements were a testament to her agility and reflexes, but it was clear that Xain's blows were perilously close to landing.

As Xain sent another powerful punch hurtling toward her, Eirisse reacted with great agility. She shifted her weight and twisted her torso with precision, allowing the punch to sail past her. While her evasions were good, they were accompanied by an air of urgency, she knew that any lapse in her defenses could prove costly.

Amid this intense confrontation, Amara seized an opportunity to strike. She conjured a fireball, and aimed it directly at the both of them. However, just as she released the fiery projectile, Xain abruptly distanced himself from Eirisse. The fireball hurtled toward Eirisse, but before it could reach her, the artifact's eye turned deep black, negating Amara's fiery attack. This turn of events left Amara visibly annoyed and frustrated.

Xain, suddenly changed his target, redirecting his aggression toward Amara. He charged towards her, his fist cocked back and ready to strike. Amara swiftly conjured two bursts of flame in her palms, prepared to unleash them upon Xain as he drew nearer.

However, before Xain could reach Amara, the black knight, interceded. He positioned himself in between Xain and Amara, wielding both his sword and shield in a defensive stance. Amara, though clearly annoyed by the display, rolled her eyes at what she perceived as an act of unnecessary heroism.

Xain, continued his charge, closing in on the black knight. The knight remained resolute, bracing for the impending attack. Yet, in a surprising turn of events, Xain chose not to strike the knight directly. Instead, he hammered his fist into the floor just in front of the knight, shattering the ground beneath him. The floor cracked and crumbled, causing the black knight to plummet into the office's basement, mirroring Lennix's earlier descent.

"Goddess damn it, I thought he'd focus on my sister and me, not wreak havoc on everyone," Lennix grumbled as he slowly rose to his feet, his injuries gradually healing.

Zee wore a worried expression. "He hasn't singled any of us out yet," she pointed out. Lennix nodded in reluctant agreement.

As Xain closed in on Amara, she unleashed the two bursts of flame directly at him. The flames seared his body, but Xain appeared impervious to the pain. He continued his relentless advance, undeterred by the scorching heat, until he stood within striking range. With swift precision, he delivered a devastating uppercut to Amara's already injured stomach. She gasped, crumpling in agony and clutching her abdomen as pain coursed through her.

Xain raised his foot, intending to follow up with a brutal stomp to her head, but a shadowy figure, resembling the black knight, suddenly manifested in front of him. This spectral entity blocked Xain's attack and then forcefully pushed him away with great strength, stopping his assault on Amara.

In the place of the shadow that resembled the knight, the black knight materialized and turned his attention to Amara, concerned. "Are you okay?" he inquired, extending his protective presence toward her. Amara, however, grumbled with stubborn independence, "I didn't need your assistance."

The black knight, not letting her defiance deter him, took a protective stance near Amara, ready to shield her if needed. As Xain landed on the ground, poised for another attack on both Amara and the black knight, Zee stepped forward, positioning herself as an barrier.

Larkin's voice pierced the tense air, questioning urgently, "Zee, what are you doing?" Undeterred, Zee remained resolute, placing herself between Xain and his intended targets. She met Xain's gaze head-on, unfazed by the raw Hatred in his eyes. Her intent wasn't to protect Amara, she aimed to safeguard both Xain and the black knight. She implored Xain, "Xain, please, stop this. Together, we can defeat Eirisse. Just stop."

Xain raised his fist, and Larkin's exclamation of "Zee!" rang out. Yet, just inches from her face, Xain's fist halted. Zee's unwavering resolve appeared to be making headway, slowly chipping away at the Hatred in his eyes. But before the transformation could be fully reversed, Eirisse aimed the artifact at Xain, and its eye shifted to a menacing shade of orange. In an instant, a powerful blast erupted from the artifact, hurtling toward him.

Blood spattered across Zee's face and clothes. The sickening sound of bones crunching and organs being pulverized filled the air. Zee's voice wavered with shock as she called out, "Xain?"

Her gaze dropped to Xain's lifeless, crushed form, sprawled unmoving on the ground. His body bore the brutal consequences of the devastating blast, and the sight was nothing short of nightmarish. His limbs contorted unnaturally, and his life force had been brutally extinguished in an instant, leaving behind a grotesque tableau of violence.