Poison!

[Oakhavan.]

The wind, a phantom's breath, stirred the dark overcoats of the five Guardians as they stood beside Kyle on the crest of the hill. Below them, Oakhavan, a once-vibrant village nestled in the valley, was consumed by a ravenous fire. Distant screams, ragged and desperate, echoed through the night, a chilling counterpoint to the crackling flames.

Kyle, his face an impassive mask, surveyed the scene. His heightened senses, a product of his Rank 30 Knight Hunter status, allowed him to pierce the veil of darkness, revealing the grim tableau below. The Guardians, similarly enhanced, shared his grim view.

"Lord Kyle," Kelly began, her voice a mix of concern and impatience, "why aren't we attacking? The village is under attack."

Kyle's gaze, sharp and analytical, swept across the burning village. "Something is amiss."

'Oakhavan, a peaceful enclave on the fringes of Neville, had long enjoyed a fragile neutrality between the three races. Even the demons, with whom Neville was at war with, respected its sanctity.' He thought, and added out loud:

"A sudden, unprovoked attack… it does not align with their usual tactics. This reeks of a larger scheme."

He raised his eyes to the full moon, its pale light casting long, distorted shadows across the ravaged landscape.

"We investigate. No attack until we understand the situation."

With a fluid motion, Kyle launched himself off the precipice, landing silently on the scorched earth below. The Guardians, a mix of apprehension and reluctant obedience, followed. Carl, his face pale from the hight, invoked a levitation spell, descending slowly and cautiously. Kelly and the others, more seasoned, leaped with practiced ease.

"I can't believe they jumped," Carl stammered, his eyes wide with disbelief. "From a two hundred feet Hill!"

"Be vigilant," Kelly cautioned, her voice low and tense.

The village was a macabre stage set. The flames, now a roaring inferno, illuminated empty streets and deserted buildings. The screams had ceased, replaced by an unsettling silence. Oakhavan was a ghost town, its inhabitants vanished.

"Where are they?" Kyle's voice, a low growl, broke the eerie stillness.

"Perhaps they're all dead," Kelly suggested, her tone laced with a dark satisfaction. "The demons have crossed a line. This gives us the justification we need."

Kyle's eyebrow arched. "Justification for what?"

Kelly's lips curled into a predatory smile. "Oakhavan was a peaceful village. Its destruction, the slaughter of its inhabitants… it is a tragedy. But it also presents an opportunity. The elves kingdom will not aid Neville in a war against the demons, unless they see a great loss. A loss that will anger all humans."

"And that loss is…?"

"You, Lord Kyle Blade."

Kyle's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. "You brought me here to kill me?"

Kelly exchanged a brief glance with the other Guardians, then nodded. "Yes."

Kyle scoffed, a flicker of dark amusement in his eyes. "You underestimate me. You are not strong enough."

"We are aware of your strength," Kelly conceded. "A Rank 30 Hunter with the power of a Rank 35… you have become a threat. Not only to the Emperor, but to the delicate balance of power."

She held out her hand, revealing a small, pulsating green orb. "This, Lord Kyle, is a power nullifier. Sourced from the Isles of Paradise. It will strip you of your abilities."

Kyle's gaze remained steady, his expression unreadable. "And you believe this will suffice?"

"It will take away your powers," Kelly replied. "That's enough for us to complete our task."

A primal surge of killing intent flashed in Kyle's eyes. "You dare—"

He froze, his hand clutching at his chest. A searing pain ripped through him, and he coughed, a gout of blood staining the scorched earth. He looked up at the Guardians, their faces now contorted in cruel grins.

"What have you done?" he hissed, his voice strained.

"Oh, come now, Lord Kyle," Samantha purred, her eyes gleaming with malicious delight.

"Where is your fire? Your anger? For five years, you have been a stone, never a laugh, never a tear. We wished to see some emotion."

"Answer me!" Kyle roared, a crimson aura flaring around him.

"Very well," Kelly said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "The nullifier was not the only treasure we found on the Isles. We also discovered a rare herb, capable of neutralizing a Hunter's powers. The Imperial Mage identified it, and the Emperor… he chose you as the test subject."

"He chose me?" Kyle's voice was a low, dangerous growl. "After all I have done for Neville?"

"You have become too powerful, too unpredictable," Kelly said. "A threat to the established order."

"He chose me, the one who won countless battles, he chose to use me as a test subject, instead of a slave. If I survive this, I will watch Neville burn."

"You would betray Neville?" Kelly scoffed. "And Join forces with the demons?" She sneered.

"They are all in this together," Kelly stated, pointing around the burning village. "Neville, Gavania, Skyborne. All three races have joined forces to eliminate you. You are a threat to all of them."

"You are fools," Kyle spat, wiping the blood from his lips. He drew his sword, its polished surface reflecting the flames.

"They seek to weaken Neville by eliminating me. The Emperor's folly is now evident."

"Speak with respect!" a voice boomed.

The group turned towards a burning building, where a figure stood, untouched by the flames. He wore golden armor, the mark of a high-ranking Hunter.

"Crown Prince Harold," Carl whispered, his voice filled with awe and dread.

"He is a Rank 28 Assassin Hunter," Kelvin added, his voice trembling. "They say he is the most skilled assassin in Neville."

Harold leaped down from the building, landing gracefully on the ground.

"Lord Kyle," he said, his voice cold and precise. "The flames you see are infused with a paralytic agent, derived from the herb. We are protected by the Imperial Mage's enchantments. You are not..."

"...You will lose your powers, and you will die here," Harold declared, his eyes gleaming with cold determination.

Kyle grinned, a predatory glint in his eyes. "You talk too much."

Kelly handed the green orb to Harold, who crushed it in his palm, which glowed with a radiant green light.

'If that palm touches me, I lose my powers. Harold is an assassin. He is faster. My Knight attribute is a disadvantage.'

Kyle's frown deepened. He gripped his sword, and prepared for the fight.