Chapter 10: Raen's Gambit

The cavern was a storm of chaos. Dust and debris filled the air, the sounds of clashing weapons and desperate shouts echoing off the walls.

Raen moved like a shadow, his eyes locked on the relic, his mind sharp and focused.

But he wasn't unscathed. Blood dripped from a gash on his forehead, his ribs ached from a earlier blow, and his left arm hung limply at his side, the pain shooting through it with every movement. He was battered, bruised, and running on sheer willpower.

I can't stop. Not now. Not when I'm this close.

A boy lunged at him from the side, a spear in hand. Raen's instincts screamed at him to dodge, but his body was slow to respond.

The spear grazed his side, tearing through his already tattered clothes and drawing blood. Raen gritted his teeth, the pain sharp and immediate.

He didn't have time to waste. The relic was within reach, but so were the others.

Raen grabbed the spear shaft mid-thrust, twisting it sharply and yanking the boy off balance.

The boy stumbled, his grip faltering. Before he could recover, Raen drove a jagged bone shard into his throat.

The boy choked, his eyes wide with shock. Raen didn't wait for him to fall. He shoved the body aside and kept moving, his voice low and cold.

"Stay out of my way."

Another participant charged at him, a blade raised high.

Raen's vision blurred for a moment, his body screaming in protest. He couldn't afford to slow down.

He snatched a discarded knife from the ground and hurled it like a dart. The blade sank into the attacker's knee, and the man crumpled with a scream.

Raen didn't look back. He kept low, weaving through the chaos, using the others' fights as cover.

His movements were quick and precise, but every step sent a jolt of pain through his body.

I can't stop. I can't stop. I can't stop.

The relic was close now. He could feel its pull, its power radiating through the air. But the path to it was littered with bodies and blood.

A flash of movement caught his eye. The Machine Girl appeared out of nowhere, two combat robots flanking her. The robots' eyes glowed red as they locked onto Raen.

One of them fired a beam blast. Raen dove behind a pile of rubble, the heat of the blast singing the air above him.

Shards of rock rained down, cutting into his skin. He hissed in pain but forced himself to keep moving.

Predictable, he thought, his mind racing. She always teleports after an attack. I just need to time it right.

The Machine Girl teleported again, reappearing on a ledge above him.

Her robots advanced, their mechanical limbs whirring as they closed in.

Raen didn't wait for them to attack. He feinted left, then slipped right, sliding under one of the robots.

With a quick, brutal motion, he jammed a bone shard into its leg joint.

Sparks flew as the robot staggered, its systems glitching. It swung wildly at its ally, the two machines colliding in a shower of sparks.

Raen used the confusion to close in on the Machine Girl. She teleported again, but he was ready.

As she reappeared behind him, Raen turned mid-dodge and hurled a chunk of debris at her face. She instinctively raised her arms to block, and Raen took the opening.

Shard Pulse.

The blast exploded near her side, the force throwing her back. She hit the ground hard, gasping for breath.

Raen didn't hesitate. He walked up to her, his expression cold and unyielding.

"You should've stayed out of this," he said, his voice low.

Before she could respond, he drove a bone shard into her collarbone, knocking her unconscious.

The battlefield was still chaos, but Raen didn't stop. He couldn't. The relic was calling to him, and he wouldn't let anyone stand in his way.

Raen's breath came in ragged gasps as he stumbled away from the Machine Girl's unconscious form.

His body screamed in protest with every step, but he couldn't stop. The relic was close—so close—but the battlefield was far from quiet.

The two combat robots were still active, their glowing red eyes scanning the chaos for targets.

One of them turned toward Raen, its mechanical limbs whirring as it prepared to attack.

Great, Raen thought bitterly, wiping blood from his face. Just what I needed.

The robot fired a beam blast. Raen dove behind a pile of rubble, the heat of the blast scorching the air above him.

Shards of rock rained down, cutting into his already battered body. He hissed in pain but forced himself to keep moving.

I can't take them head-on. Not like this.

Raen's mind raced as he assessed the situation. The robots were fast and heavily armed, but they weren't invincible.

He'd already disabled one by targeting its leg joint. If he could do the same to the others, he might stand a chance.

The second robot advanced, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground.

Raen crouched low, his eyes darting around for anything he could use as a weapon or distraction.

Think, Raen. Think.

He spotted a discarded blade nearby, its edge dull but still usable. He lunged for it, his body protesting with every movement.

The robot fired another blast, the beam grazing his shoulder and leaving a searing pain in its wake. Raen gritted his teeth, forcing himself to ignore the pain.

I can't stop. Not now.

He grabbed the blade and rolled to his feet, his movements slow and clumsy. The robot closed in, its mechanical arm raised for a crushing blow.

Raen waited until the last possible moment, then sidestepped and drove the blade into the robot's elbow joint.

Sparks flew as the robot's arm went limp, its systems glitching. Raen didn't stop there. He yanked the blade free and jammed it into the robot's "eye," twisting until the red light flickered and died.

The robot staggered, its systems failing as it collapsed to the ground. Raen didn't have time to celebrate.

The second robot was already on him, its beam cannon charging for another shot.

Raen dove behind a pile of debris, his mind racing. He couldn't keep this up forever. His body was failing him, and the robots were relentless.

I need to end this. Now.

He spotted a loose boulder above the robot, its position precarious. If he could dislodge it, he might be able to crush the machine.

Raen took a deep breath, ignoring the pain in his ribs, and summoned what little energy he had left.

Shard Pulse.

The blast struck the boulder, sending it tumbling down.

The robot looked up just in time to be crushed under the weight of the rock, its mechanical limbs twitching before going still.

Raen collapsed to his knees, his body trembling with exhaustion. He'd done it—he'd taken down the robots. But the victory was hollow.

The Machine Girl was still unconscious, but the battlefield was far from quiet. The sounds of fighting echoed around him, and Raen knew he couldn't afford to rest.

I have to keep moving. The relic…

He forced himself to his feet, his vision swimming. His body was a mess of cuts and bruises, his left arm all but useless. But he couldn't stop. Not now.

The relic was close. He could feel its pull, its power radiating through the air. But the path to it was littered with bodies and blood.

Raen took a step forward, then another. His legs felt like lead, but he kept moving.

I can't stop. I can't stop. I can't stop.

Raen had barely taken three steps when a figure stepped into his path.

Tall, lean, and calm, Eryn stood with his blade drawn, his expression unreadable.

"You've got fight in you, Solmere," Eryn said, his voice calm but edged with something sharp. "But you're bleeding."

Raen's jaw tightened. His body was a wreck, but he couldn't afford to show weakness. Not to Eryn. Not now.

"So?" Raen shot back, his voice hoarse but defiant. "I'm still standing."

Eryn's lips twitched, almost like a smile, but there was no warmth in it. "Let's see how long that lasts."

Eryn moved first, his blade flashing in the dim light. Raen barely had time to raise his arm to block, the force of the strike sending a jolt of pain through his already injured shoulder.

He stumbled back, his movements sluggish and unsteady.

Damn it, Raen thought, his mind racing. He's fast. Too fast.

Eryn didn't give him time to recover. He pressed the attack, his strikes precise and relentless.

Raen dodged and blocked as best he could, but every movement sent waves of pain through his body.

A kick to the chest sent Raen sprawling, the air rushing from his lungs. He hit the ground hard, his vision blurring for a moment.

Get up. Get up. Get up.

Raen forced himself to his feet, his body trembling with effort. He couldn't afford to lose. Not to Eryn. Not now.

Eryn advanced, his blade gleaming. "You're not as strong as you think you are," he said, his voice calm. "You're just a kid playing at survival."

Raen's eyes burned with anger. He didn't respond. He couldn't. Instead, he lunged forward, his movements fueled by sheer willpower.

Eryn sidestepped easily, his blade slicing across Raen's side. Raen hissed in pain but didn't stop. He grabbed Eryn's arm, his fingers digging into the wound from an earlier fight.

Eryn growled, his calm facade cracking for a moment. He headbutted Raen, the impact sending stars across Raen's vision. But Raen didn't let go.

With a snarl, Raen bit into Eryn's shoulder, his teeth sinking into flesh. Eryn cursed, shoving Raen away with a brutal kick.

Raen hit the ground hard, his body screaming in protest. But he forced himself to his feet, his vision swimming.

I can't stop. I can't stop. I can't stop.

Raen's eyes darted around the cavern, taking in every detail.

The flickering light from the Sol-lit crystals cast long shadows across the uneven ground, their glow pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.

The air was thick with the scent of blood and dust, and the distant echoes of clashing weapons and shouts reverberated through the cavern, a chaotic symphony of survival.

Eryn stood a few feet away, his blade gleaming as he circled Raen like a predator sizing up its prey.

His movements were fluid, almost effortless, and his calm demeanor only added to the tension.

He's too fast, Raen thought, his mind racing. And he's not even trying. He's toying with me.

Raen's body screamed in protest with every movement, but he forced himself to focus. He couldn't afford to make a mistake—not now.

Raen's mind worked furiously as he studied Eryn's movements. The boy was fast—faster than anyone Raen had ever fought. His strikes were precise and relentless, each one calculated to exploit the smallest opening.

There was no wasted energy, no unnecessary flourishes. Every move Eryn made was deliberate, his blade always finding the most efficient path to its target.

But it wasn't just his speed or precision that made him dangerous. It was his calmness. Eryn didn't seem to care about the chaos around him, as if the fight were nothing more than a game.

He didn't rush, didn't panic, didn't falter. He was in complete control, and that made him terrifying.

He's not just strong—he's disciplined, Raen realized. He doesn't waste energy. He waits for the perfect moment to strike.

Yet, as Raen watched him, he noticed something else: Eryn's arrogance.

The way he held himself, the way he spoke, the way he barely seemed to acknowledge Raen as a threat—it all reeked of overconfidence.

Eryn didn't see Raen as a challenge. He was holding back, underestimating him.

That's his weakness, Raen thought, a spark of hope igniting in his chest. He thinks I'm weak. He thinks I'm not worth his full effort.

Raen's eyes flicked to the surroundings, searching for anything he could use to his advantage. The cavern was a battlefield, but it was also a maze of opportunities.

The ground was uneven, littered with rocks and debris that made it difficult to move quickly. Eryn's speed might be less effective here, especially if Raen could force him into a position where footing was unstable.

The Sol-lit crystals cast flickering shadows across the cavern, their glow creating patches of light and darkness.

If Raen could use them to obscure his movements, he might be able to catch Eryn off guard. The shifting light could disorient him, break his rhythm, and give Raen the opening he needed.

And then there were the loose rocks and rubble scattered around the cavern. Some were small, barely more than pebbles, but others were larger—boulders that could be dislodged with the right amount of force.

If Raen could create a distraction or trap, he might be able to turn the tide.

Raen's mind raced as he formulated a plan. He couldn't match Eryn's speed or strength, but he could outthink him. He just needed to stay alive long enough to make it work.

Raen took a step back, his movements slow and deliberate. He needed to lure Eryn into a position where he could use the environment to his advantage.

Eryn smirked, his blade gleaming as he advanced. "Running already?" he taunted. "I thought you had more fight in you."

Raen didn't respond. Instead, he feigned a stumble, his foot catching on a loose rock. He dropped to one knee, his body trembling with exhaustion.

Eryn's smirk widened. "Pathetic," he said, his voice dripping with disdain.

He lunged forward, his blade flashing as he aimed for Raen's chest. But Raen was ready.

At the last moment, Raen rolled to the side, his hand grabbing a handful of loose rubble. He hurled it at Eryn's face, the dust and debris obscuring his vision.

Eryn cursed, his blade slicing through the air as he tried to clear his vision. Raen didn't waste the opportunity.

He darted behind a cluster of Sol-lit crystals, his movements quick and silent.

The flickering light cast shifting shadows across the cavern, making it difficult to track his movements.

Eryn growled, his calm facade cracking for the first time. "You think hiding will save you?" he shouted, his voice echoing through the cavern.

Raen didn't respond. Instead, he focused on his next move.

Raen's eyes locked onto a loose boulder perched precariously above Eryn's position.

If he could dislodge it, he might be able to crush Eryn—or at least create an opening.

He took a deep breath, ignoring the pain in his ribs, and summoned what little energy he had left.

Shard Pulse.

The blast struck the boulder, sending it tumbling down. Eryn looked up just in time to see the massive rock hurtling toward him.

For the first time, Raen saw a flicker of fear in Eryn's eyes.