The Hunters of the Hollow Sun

The ground trembled.

Raiyan's grip tightened around his sword as the figures in obsidian armor marched toward them. The air itself felt heavier, charged with an unspoken menace.

They moved in perfect formation—silent, relentless, like shadows given form. Each warrior bore a sigil on their chestplate: a black sun with a hollow core.

The Order of the Hollow Sun.

Doom stood beside him, unshaken. His golden eyes flickered with something unreadable.

> "They move faster than I expected," he muttered.

Raiyan glanced at him. "Who are they?"

Doom's gaze never left the approaching army.

> "The ones who bury what should never rise."

A cold chill crawled down Raiyan's spine.

> "You mean… they're after me?"

For the first time, Doom turned to look at him.

> "No, Raiyan. They're after what you carry."

His sword.

Raiyan exhaled slowly. The blade in his hands still pulsed faintly, as if sensing the approaching danger.

Something told him this wasn't just about the sword.

It was about the history tied to it.

And that meant he needed to survive long enough to understand it.

---

As the warriors closed in, one of them stepped forward. Unlike the others, he wore no helmet. His face was scarred, pale, and emotionless.

His eyes were strange—black sclera with golden irises.

He stopped a few paces away, studying Raiyan with a cold detachment.

Then, he spoke.

> "You are carrying something that was meant to be lost."

His voice was deep, but hollow, as if stripped of all emotion.

Raiyan forced himself to stand his ground. "And if I refuse to give it up?"

The man didn't blink.

> "Then you will die. And we will take it from your corpse."

A sharp tension crackled in the air. The other warriors tightened their grips on their weapons.

Raiyan wasn't ready for this fight. His body still ached from the battle with Vaelith. He had no idea what these people were truly capable of.

But one thing was certain.

> They weren't going to let him walk away.

---

Without warning, the leader moved.

Faster than Raiyan could react.

A black blade of energy erupted from his palm, slicing toward Raiyan's throat.

Instinct took over.

Raiyan raised his sword.

A metallic clang rang out as the two weapons collided. Sparks flew. The impact sent a jolt through Raiyan's arms.

But something felt wrong.

The moment the black blade touched his sword, a burning sensation seared through his body. His veins ignited with pain, as if something inside him was being ripped away.

The leader's eyes flickered.

> "The sword rejects you."

Raiyan gritted his teeth. "Shut up."

He shoved forward, breaking the clash, and swung his blade in a wide arc.

But before it could connect—the leader vanished.

And reappeared behind him.

A sharp pain exploded in Raiyan's side.

He staggered. Looked down.

A black dagger was buried in his ribs.

The world blurred.

He could barely process what had happened before a knee slammed into his back, sending him crashing to the ground.

Dust rose around him. His breath hitched.

His body wasn't moving properly.

He was losing.

Fast.

---

The leader stepped forward, towering over him.

> "Pathetic."

His boot pressed against Raiyan's chest.

The warriors behind him watched in silence, unmoving, as if this was nothing more than routine.

Raiyan gritted his teeth, trying to move, but his limbs felt heavy.

He saw the leader raising his blade for the final strike.

> "The sword's legacy dies with you."

The blade descended.

And then—

A shadow moved.

SHRRK.

A black tendril shot through the air, wrapping around the leader's wrist mid-swing.

The attack stopped an inch from Raiyan's face.

The leader's eyes narrowed.

> "What?"

The tendril tightened.

And then, from the ruins, a voice echoed.

> "You overstep, Hollow One."

The warriors turned sharply.

Raiyan's vision blurred, but he managed to lift his head.

From the shadows of the ruined city… someone emerged.

A woman.

Tall, draped in flowing robes of midnight blue, her face partially obscured by a dark veil.

Her eyes glowed silver.

But what struck Raiyan the most was the sigil on her arm—

Not the Hollow Sun.

But a symbol he didn't recognize.

The leader of the Hollow Sun warriors frowned.

> "You should not be here."

The woman didn't answer. She lifted her hand.

The tendril yanked the leader backward, tossing him across the ground.

For the first time… the Hollow Sun warriors reacted.

They drew their weapons, stepping into a defensive stance.

> "Raiyan."

The woman's voice cut through the tension.

He forced himself to focus on her.

> "If you want to live—stand."

His body screamed in pain.

His blood dripped onto the cracked stone.

But something in her voice ignited him.

With a ragged breath, Raiyan pushed himself up.

He didn't know who she was.

He didn't know why she had interfered.

But one thing was clear—

> The Hollow Sun had enemies.

And that meant he wasn't alone.

---

To Be Continued…