The Mentor

A voice cut through the silence of the ruined city.

"Who enters my domain?"

Kai spun toward the source.

A figure emerged from the shadows of a crumbling archway.

An old man. At least in his fifties. 

He walked with a slight limp, supported by an elaborate cane that clicked against the stone path with every step. His robes were tattered but intricate, layered in dark greys and deep sapphire.

An ornate blue-speckled opal sat embedded in the chest of his robe.

A hood covered most of his face, but beneath it, Kai caught a glimpse of glowing blue eyes. Similar to, but different from, his undead minions.

The stranger tilted his head, studying Kai with mild interest. "Do you have a death wish, little one?"

Kai's fingers twitched, readying a spell. "I came here to escape death, not accept it."

The man let out a low chuckle. With a flick of his hand, the mana swirling around Kai dissipated.