A strange light

The room was thick with smoke, the acrid scent of the sleeping gas mixing with the metallic tang of blood.

Gorren loomed in the haze, a monstrous figure swaying unsteadily, his right eye a ruined mess where my knife still protruded. His breathing was ragged, each inhale drawing more of the poison into his system, but his sheer willpower kept him upright.

He was a beast, a wounded one but neverless a dangerous one far from being defeated.

I tightened my grip on the guard's blade in my hand, the paste-coated edge glinting faintly in the dim light. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a reminder of how close we were to the edge.

Jack was gone, the book safe in his hands, but I couldn't leave until this was over. Gorren wouldn't stop. Not unless I made him.

"You… little rat," Gorren snarled, his voice guttural and dripping with venom. He yanked the knife from his eye with a sickening squelch, tossing it aside.

Blood poured down his face, but he didn't seem to care. His remaining eye locked onto me, burning with a fury that made my stomach churn. "I'm going to tear you apart."

I didn't respond. There was no point in trading words with a man like him, useless talk can only get you killed in these kinds of situations.

Instead, I shifted my stance, my body low and ready. My mind raced, calculating every possible move.

He was stronger, faster, and far more experienced, but he was also slowed down. The poison was working. I just had to survive long enough for it to take him down.

Gorren charged.

He moved like a hurricane, his massive frame barreling toward me with terrifying speed, unexpected from his giant body.

I barely had time to dive to the side, rolling across the floor as his fist slammed into the wall where I'd been standing.

The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing through the stone, and I felt the vibrations in my bones.

I scrambled to my feet, but Gorren was already turning, his movements fluid despite his injuries. He swung a backhand at me, and I ducked, feeling the rush of air as his hand passed inches above my head.

I retaliated with a slash at his side, the blade biting into his flesh but also got stuck.

"Heh, gotcha bitch," He grunted but didn't falter, a grin crept on his face.

His hand gripped the bland and the other hand came down in a hammer blow.

"SHIT!" I left the blade and twisted away, but not fast enough.

His fist grazed my shoulder, and the force of it sent me sprawling. Pain shot through my arm, and I gritted my teeth, forcing myself back up.

I couldn't afford to stay down. Not even for a second.

Gorren laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed through the room. "Is that all you've got? Pathetic."

I didn't take the bait. Instead, I circled him, my eyes darting to the weapons I'd scattered around the room. The paste on the blades was doing its work, but it wasn't enough.

I needed to hit him harder, faster. I needed to end this.

He lunged again, and this time I was ready. I sidestepped his charge, slashing at his leg as he passed. The blade cut deep, and he stumbled, his knee hitting the ground. But he didn't stay down.

With a roar, he pushed himself back up, his movements slower now, more labored.

"You're… not... getting away," he growled, his voice slurring slightly. The poison was taking effect, but he was still dangerous. Too dangerous. I can't tank any of his punches.

I darted forward, aiming for his injured leg, but he anticipated the move. His hand shot out, grabbing my wrist and twisting. Pain exploded through my arm, and I cried out, dropping the blade. He yanked me closer, his other hand closing around my throat.

"Got you," he hissed, his breath hot and foul against my face.

I struggled, clawing at his hand, but his grip was like iron. Spots danced in my vision as he squeezed, cutting off my air.

Desperation surged through me, and I kicked out, my foot connecting with his groin. He grunted, his grip loosening just enough for me to wrench free.

I stumbled back, gasping for air, my throat burning. Gorren advanced, his movements slower now but no less menacing.

He was bleeding from multiple wounds, his face pale and slick with sweat, but he wasn't stopping. He wouldn't stop until one of us was dead.

I needed to end this. Now.

I grabbed another blade from the floor, this one a short sword coated in the sleeping paste. Gorren saw it and smirked, his confidence unshaken. "You think that's going to stop me?"

"No," I said, my voice hoarse but steady. "But this will."

I charged at him, feinting to the left before twisting to the right. He swung at me, but I ducked under his arm, driving the blade into his side.

He roared in pain, his hand coming down to grab me, but I was already moving. I yanked the blade free and slashed at his other leg, cutting deep.

Gorren staggered, his legs buckling beneath him. He fell to one knee, his breathing ragged, his movements sluggish. But he wasn't done. Not yet.

"You… fucker…" he muttered, his voice barely audible. He tried to push himself up, but his arms gave out, and he collapsed to the floor.

I stood over him, my chest heaving, my body aching from the fight, but never let my guard down.

He was still breathing, his eye glaring up at me with pure hatred, but he couldn't move. The poison had finally taken him.

'I can't waste anymore time, let get over with this.'

He didn't respond. His eye fluttered shut, and his breathing slowed.

I waited, watching him until I was sure he was unconscious. Then, with a final, decisive motion, I drove the blade into his chest.

Gorren's body jerked once, then went still.

I stood there for a moment, staring down at him, my mind numb. It was done. He was dead. We were free.

But there was something unsettling that, if not paying extreme attention, would've escaped my notice. As I drove the blade into Gorren's chest, I saw a faint red glint, like a dying ember, flicker and extinguish—but a part of it seemed to seep into me, settling deep inside my chest, as if it had been forced into my very being.

'Now's not the time, I'll check this later.' , I pushed pushed the thought aside. There was no time to dwell on it now.

Not until I deal with the current mess.

There was no time to celebrate my victory, not that I would anyway.

I could hear voices outside, the sound of footsteps approaching. Gorren's men were coming. I needed to go.

I grabbed the remaining weapons, wiping the blades clean and tucking them into my bag. Then I turned and ran, my body screaming in protest with every step.

I didn't stop until I was out of the hideout, the cool night air hitting my face like a slap.

Jack was waiting for me at the edge of the forest, his face pale but determined.

"Is it done?" Jack asked, his voice low but steady.

I nodded, too exhausted to speak, my body still trembling from the fight. Gorren was dead.

"Good," Jack said, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Let's go."

We moved quickly, leaving the hideout and Gorren's lifeless body behind. The forest swallowed us whole, its shadows hiding our retreat.

As we walked, the weight of what we'd done began to settle over me. Gorren was gone. No one would connect his death to us, I made sure to leave no witnesses.

No one would come after us, or Lyra. For the first time in what felt like forever, we were safe.

We returned to the city under the cover of darkness, slipping through the alleys like ghosts. By the time we reached our house, the first light of dawn was creeping over the horizon.

Lyra was waiting for us, her face pale with worry, but she didn't ask questions. Not yet.

She simply pulled us inside, her hands trembling as she checked us for injuries. I felt guilty for hiding too much from her but disclosing what happened isn't an option.

We cleaned up in silence, the adrenaline of the fight slowly fading. Jack and I exchanged a glance, a silent agreement passing between us.

We wouldn't speak of what happened. Not to Lyra, not to anyone. We'd act as if nothing had changed, as if the last few days had been nothing more than a bad dream.

But as I lay in bed that morning, staring at the ceiling, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed.

That faint red glint, the part of it that had settled inside me—it was still there, a quiet, almost imperceptible warmth in my chest. I didn't know what it meant, but I knew one thing for certain: We had survived. Against all odds, we had survived.

And that was enough. For now.