The Gathering Storm

The clearing held its breath.

The armored men encircling Jin exuded a different presence than the masked raiders he had just slain.

These weren't simple mercenaries or common thugs.

Their stance, the way they carried their weapons—calm, controlled, deliberate—told him they were something else entirely.

The leader, a broad-shouldered man with a scar running down his cheek, studied Jin with cold scrutiny. His voice was steady when he spoke. "I'll say it once more. Step away from the children."

Jin didn't move. His stance remained firm, his grip on his sword unwavering. "Who are you?"

The leader's lips twitched, not quite a smirk, but something close to amusement. "You ask too many questions for a man standing on a blade's edge."

Jin's eyes flickered to the insignia on their armor—a stylized black crescent with jagged edges. Not a symbol he recognized. But the way they carried themselves… They weren't here for him by chance.

A breeze rustled through the trees. The girl clung to her brother, wide-eyed and silent. Jin could feel the boy's trembling—fear, exhaustion, uncertainty. He needed to get them out of here.

The leader took a slow step forward, raising his weapon slightly. "This is your last chance, wanderer."

Jin exhaled. "Then you've already lost."

He moved.

In an instant, his sword was in motion, a blur of silver cutting through the dim moonlight. The first soldier reacted swiftly, raising his weapon to block.

Metal clashed against metal, sparks flashing in the darkness.

Jin twisted, using the force of the impact to shift his momentum, ducking under another blade aimed at his neck.

He struck low, sweeping a leg beneath one attacker. The man stumbled, but Jin had already turned, deflecting another incoming strike. Two more men closed in, their movements precise, coordinated. They weren't underestimating him.

Good.

Jin pivoted sharply, forcing one opponent's blade into another's path. The clash sent them both off balance, giving him an opening. He surged forward, his blade carving a shallow gash across one soldier's shoulder. The man hissed but didn't fall. These warriors were trained to endure pain.

Jin didn't have time for drawn-out battles. He needed to break their formation.

He feigned a step back, luring one of them in. As the soldier thrust forward, Jin sidestepped and slammed the hilt of his sword into the man's wrist. The weapon clattered to the ground, and in the same breath, Jin spun, slicing across the warrior's exposed leg. He collapsed with a grunt.

The leader hadn't moved yet. He watched, analyzing Jin's every motion. His patience was unsettling.

Jin knew what was coming.

The leader finally sighed, stepping forward. "You fight well. But you misunderstand something."

Jin tensed.

"You're not the hunter here."

Before Jin could react, the man's blade flicked forward with terrifying speed. Jin barely managed to deflect it, but the force of the strike sent a sharp vibration up his arm. He gritted his teeth, adjusting his stance.

Faster than the others.

Stronger.

More refined.

Jin pushed forward, meeting the leader's blade again and again. Each strike was met with equal force, neither of them giving ground. The air rang with the sound of steel on steel. The other soldiers had stepped back, forming a loose circle around them.

A duel.

The leader pressed his advantage, his attacks relentless. Jin deflected, sidestepped, countered. But for every move he made, the leader was already adapting. He was testing Jin, reading him like an open scroll.

Jin needed to change the rhythm.

He let the next strike come, barely dodging it in time. As the leader overextended slightly, Jin shifted his weight and slammed his foot into the man's knee. The leader staggered, and Jin took the chance to bring his sword down.

A blur of movement.

Pain exploded along Jin's ribs.

The leader had countered at the last moment, the edge of his blade slicing through Jin's side. Blood seeped into his tunic, warm and sticky. Jin grunted, forcing himself to stay upright.

The leader stepped back, rolling his shoulder as if unfazed. "Not bad."

Jin steadied his breathing. His vision remained sharp, his grip firm, but he couldn't ignore the wound. He needed an out.

The children.

Jin's gaze flickered toward them. The girl was clinging to her brother, fear etched into her small face. They wouldn't survive if he fell here.

He made his decision.

Jin took a half-step back, his stance shifting subtly. The leader raised an eyebrow, sensing the change.

Then Jin moved—not to attack, but to escape.

With a powerful leap, he surged backward toward the tree line. The leader cursed, lunging to stop him, but Jin was faster. His hand shot out, grabbing the boy's wrist. "Hold on."

The girl barely had time to react before Jin pulled them both into the shadows of the forest.

Shouts rang out behind them. The soldiers surged forward, but Jin was already moving, weaving between the trees with practiced ease. The children struggled to keep up, but adrenaline carried them forward.

The forest blurred past them. Jin's wound throbbed, but he forced himself to ignore it. The voices behind them grew fainter, but he knew they wouldn't stop chasing him.

Not until he was dead.

A flicker of movement ahead.

Jin barely had time to react before another figure emerged from the darkness—a lone woman clad in dark robes, her face partially obscured by a veil. But her stance, her presence—it was unmistakable.

Another hunter.

Jin skidded to a halt, pushing the children behind him. His breath was steady despite the pain. The woman tilted her head slightly, eyes glinting in the moonlight.

"Well," she murmured, amusement lacing her voice. "You're causing quite a commotion."

Jin didn't respond. His grip on his sword tightened.

The woman sighed. "I have no interest in killing you."

Jin's gaze didn't waver. "Then step aside."

She chuckled. "I would… but I need you to come with me."

Jin exhaled slowly. He had just barely escaped one fight, and now another opponent stood before him.

He had a choice to make.

Behind him, the distant shouts of pursuit grew louder.

Ahead of him, the woman waited, her posture calm, unreadable.

The night held its breath once more.

And Jin, blade in hand, prepared to carve his own path through it.