Death Confirmed

Mary gasped, her eyes widening in pain as the blade pierced her shoulder. She stumbled back, her grip on the dagger loosening. Blood gushed from the wound, staining her clothes crimson.

Kaito, his senses jolted into action, scrambled to his feet. He couldn't let Mary die. He charged towards Thomas, his sword raised, his movements fueled by a desperate rage.

But Thomas was too strong, too fast. He parried Kaito's attack with ease, his sword a blur of motion. He deflected every blow, every thrust, his strength and skill overwhelming Kaito's amateurish attempts.

"You're no match for me, boy," Thomas snarled, his voice deep and menacing. "You're just a weakling, a pretender."

Kaito gritted his teeth, his frustration growing. He was weak, he knew it. But he couldn't give up, not while Mary's life hung in the balance.

He lunged again, his sword a desperate arc of steel. Thomas sidestepped the attack, his sword flashing out, its blade slicing through Kaito's leg.

Kaito cried out in pain, his leg buckling beneath him. He collapsed to the ground, his vision blurring.

"Pathetic," Thomas sneered, raising his sword for the final blow.

But before the blade could fall, a figure leaped in front of Kaito, her body shielding him from the attack. It was Mary, her face pale with pain, her eyes blazing with defiance.

"No!" she screamed, her voice filled with a desperate strength.

Thomas's sword pierced her chest, and she gasped, her body convulsing. Kaito watched in horror, his heart shattering into a million pieces.

"Mary!" he screamed, his voice raw with anguish.

Mary looked at him, her eyes filled with a sad tenderness. "Run, Kaito," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Don't... don't let them win..."

Her body slumped to the ground, her lifeblood staining the forest floor crimson.

Kaito's vision blurred with tears, his body trembling with rage and despair. He couldn't save her. He couldn't save anyone.

He was weak. He was useless.

"You're next, boy," Thomas snarled, his sword dripping with Mary's blood.

Kaito looked at him, his eyes filled with a cold, burning hatred. "You'll pay for this," he hissed, his voice raw with fury.

He scrambled back, his hand reaching for his sword. But Alaric stepped forward, his own blade glinting in the moonlight.

"Enough of this," Alaric said, his voice bored. "Kill him, Thomas. We have more important matters to attend to."

Thomas nodded, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. He raised his sword, its blade aimed at Kaito's heart.

Kaito closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable. He had failed. He had failed to protect Mary and he had failed to stop Alaric.

He felt the cold steel pierce his flesh, the searing pain exploding through his body. He heard Alaric's triumphant laughter, the mocking echo of Thomas's voice.

Then, darkness swallowed him whole.

[Death Confirmed]

Cause of Death: Stab wound to the chest.

Time of Death: Unknown

Location: Whisperwood

Resurrection Point Set.

Returning to the designated checkpoint.

Kaito's eyes snapped open, his body jolted awake. He was back in his chamber in the castle of Aloria, the soft sunlight streaming through the window. He sat up, his hand instinctively going to his chest, but there was no wound, no pain.

He was alive.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles white, his head pounding with a relentless ache. He had to become stronger. He had to find a way to protect those he cared about – Elara, Hope, and Mary. He had to break this curse, no matter the cost.

He rose from the bed, his resolve hardening with each step, but a wave of dizziness nearly sent him crashing back down. He gripped the bedpost, his knuckles turning white as he fought to maintain his balance. Images flashed through his mind – Mary's terrified face, the blood blooming across her chest, the chilling emptiness of her eyes as her life faded away. He had seen her die, felt the weight of her lifeless body in his arms, and the memory clung to him like a shroud, a chilling premonition of what might yet come to pass.

He stumbled towards the washbasin, splashing cold water on his face. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, his eyes bloodshot, his face pale and drawn. He looked like a ghost, haunted by the memories of countless deaths and failures.

"Get it together, Kaito," he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse. "You can't fall apart now. You have to be strong, for them."

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He had to focus on the present, on the task at hand. He had to find a way to protect Mary, to prevent her death, to change the course of this loop.

He had to. For Mary. For Elara. For Hope. For himself