Chapter 9 – The Awakening of Blood

Seraphine didn't hesitate.

With a flick of her wrist, she summoned her staff, its crimson runes pulsing with energy. She lunged at Vaelin Drex, her movements swift and precise. Fire erupted from the tip of her staff, a blazing inferno aimed directly at his chest.

Vaelin merely tilted his head.

With a flick of his fingers, the flames were swallowed by shadows, dissipating as if they had never existed.

Seraphine gritted her teeth. She didn't expect it to be easy, but she refused to stand aside and let him take Kalen without a fight.

She spun her staff, channeling raw energy into its core. A wave of force blasted outward, shaking the ground beneath them. Vaelin shifted his stance, his shadow-infused spear absorbing the impact with minimal effort.

Then he moved.

A blur of darkness.

Before she could react, he was behind her.

A brutal kick sent her crashing into a nearby tree, the bark splintering on impact. She coughed, tasting blood, but forced herself back to her feet.

Vaelin sighed, as if she was a minor inconvenience.

"You should have stayed out of this."

He raised his spear, dark energy spiraling around it. This time, he was serious.

Seraphine barely had time to raise her staff before he struck. The sheer force of the attack sent shockwaves through the air, her knees buckling under the pressure. Vaelin didn't stop. Blow after blow, his spear clashed against her defenses, each strike heavier than the last.

Her arms screamed in pain.

Her magic flickered, weakening.

Then—her staff cracked.

Vaelin's spear tore through her defenses, slicing a deep wound across her shoulder. She gasped, staggering back as her vision blurred.

She couldn't win.

Vaelin Drex lifted his spear one final time, aiming straight for her heart.

"Enough. Die."

The moment the spear thrust forward—

A pulse.

The air trembled.

Shadows recoiled as an unseen force erupted from behind them.

Vaelin froze. His instincts screamed at him, warning him of danger.

Seraphine turned, her breath catching in her throat.

Kalen was standing.

Or rather, something else was standing in his place.

His body pulsed with an ancient power, his eyes glowing a deep crimson, his veins crackling with arcane energy. The bloodline had awakened.

Vaelin took a cautious step back, his grip tightening on his spear. "Impossible…"

Kalen moved faster than sight.

One second he was standing still—the next, his fist buried itself into Vaelin's stomach, sending him hurtling through the forest. Trees shattered as the warlock crashed through them, his body skidding across the ground.

Vaelin coughed, clutching his ribs. He tried to stand—but Kalen was already above him, dark tendrils of power swirling around his hands.

"You tried to kill Seraphine," Kalen's voice was layered with something inhuman. "I'll erase you."

Vaelin snarled, launching his spear. Kalen caught it mid-air with his bare hands. The weapon disintegrated into nothingness.

Then Kalen struck.

A single blow to the chest—

The sound of bones shattering filled the air.

Vaelin Drex gasped, blood pouring from his mouth. His body convulsed as cracks of dark energy spread through him. He tried to speak, to summon magic—

But it was too late.

The warlock executioner was dead.

The moment the life faded from Vaelin's eyes, Kalen's body trembled. The overwhelming power that had surged through him began to fade.

His vision blurred.

His legs gave out.

And then—

Darkness.

Seraphine barely caught him before he hit the ground, panic flooding her veins.

"Kalen? Kalen!"

He didn't respond. His body was burning hot, his breathing unsteady.

His bloodline had awakened—but at what cost?

Seraphine's fingers curled into fists. She had no idea what had just happened, but she knew one thing:

This was just the beginning.

And the Council of Shadows wouldn't let this go unanswered.