Chapter 2: Primal

Ness surged forward with explosive speed, plunging headfirst into the chaos of battle. Kaelis clung desperately to the massive feline's muscular back, consciousness flickering violently, his vision swimming as blood poured from his wounds, leaving a crimson trail in their wake. Around them sprawled the grotesque remains of fantastical creatures, their vibrant beauty shattered by merciless lightning-infused blades: Sky Seraphs lay lifeless, translucent wings cracked and shredded, their once radiant bodies dimmed and splintered. Crystal bloom plants were scorched, their delicate spiraled petals now brittle, blackened husks scattered across the blood-slicked earth. Kaelis gasped weakly, struggling to stay awake even as darkness threatened to suffocate him. Ness, sensing this, forced a fierce smile, his voice strained yet arrogantly defiant. 

"Come onnnnn, little human, stay awake—no passing out now, or I'll leave you to the vultures. And trust me, vultures here are nastier than you can imagine." But the joke fell flat, Kaelis fading in and out of painful lucidity, his breathing shallow, labored, desperate. 

"Okay that usually gets people." Ness smirked. "Am I getting rusty? You better not die, human. If you die, then Espen will brutally explode."

Hunters surged from every side, their presence relentless, overwhelming. Lightning crackled violently around their weapons, each warrior wielding uncanny and terrifying forms of lightning Kenda. One Hunter swung a serrated whip of crackling violet lightning, each lash violently searing the air, leaving arcs of scorched ozone behind. Another wielded twin daggers pulsing with ghostly pale lightning, which bent and twisted unnaturally, seeking prey like living serpents. Their movements were precise, flawless, disciplined—a stark contrast to Ness's primal fury. 

"Form ranks!" shouted a Hunter in ornate jade-green armor, eyes narrowed intensely. "Box him in, overwhelm him in numbers. The witch cannot escape without him!" 

Ness growled ferociously, darkness erupting around his feline form in thick, consuming waves. His claws extended, razor-sharp, slicing the air violently with each swipe, unleashing devastating arcs of red and black energy that cleaved through Hunters with merciless precision. Bodies shattered, armor splintered, limbs severed in grotesque explosions of blood and lightning. Still, the Hunters pressed their assault, blades lunging and parrying in synchronized harmony, each strike threatening to end Ness and Kaelis in an instant.

Ness vaulted skyward, spinning into a seamless, intricate somersault as bolts of violet and white lightning slammed into the ground beneath him, shattering earth and tree roots in explosive devastation. His tail lashed outward, elongating into a deadly, spiked whip of shadow, carving through two Hunters in a single brutal sweep, their screams cut violently short as they collapsed lifelessly. Landing, Ness twisted acrobatically, narrowly evading a barrage of lightning-infused arrows that pierced through the air with celestial speed, embedding themselves deep into nearby trees that exploded violently into shards of flaming timber. 

'Close!'

He lunged forward again, claws slashing furiously, cleaving another Hunter's blade cleanly in half before piercing through armor and flesh, blood erupting like a geyser. "Hold him back!" a voice shouted, desperate now, cracking under the strain of battle. "Do not falter! Our reward will grant us divinity! We will be one with the gods!"

Ness grinned savagely, slamming his fists downward in a titanic blow, crushing another Hunter beneath him, bones splintering audibly, armor shattering into fragments. Yet still, they came. Ness spun violently, unleashing a volley of shadowy slashes that decimated everything they touched, trees collapsing in ruinous heaps, armored warriors hurled backward in ragged, broken heaps. Kaelis's bloodied hands gripped Ness's fur weakly, his consciousness flickering violently, reality slipping away into darkness. 

"….I need help…a doctor…something…" Kaelis struggled to say. "Fuck…you guys don't have doctors here…"

"What's a doctor?"

Ness sensed his fading strength and growled sharply, voice trembling with frantic urgency masked by false bravado. 

'Craaaaap. This is bad. Of course the White Brigade was tracking us all the way here. We were careless.'

"Hey, human, you better not give up yet! I haven't finished making fun of how soft and pathetic you humans are!" Kaelis coughed, blood dripping from his lips, vision hazy. Ness's jokes rang hollow now, drowned by the relentless, brutal chaos surrounding them. "I stole that joke from Espen..though I don't know if that was a joke or not. I mean, I laughed when she said it."

"…That…wasn't funny. Sorry…"

Lightning flared brightly, Hunters coordinating precise assaults with uncanny discipline, their lightning Kenda crackling hungrily, weapons infused with volatile energies eager to pierce and carve through flesh.

A massive Hunter, clad in obsidian armor etched with glowing crimson runes, lunged forward, wielding a colossal double-edged greatsword pulsing violently with black lightning. Ness ducked beneath a ferocious swipe, spinning fluidly into a low, graceful twist, his spiked tail shattering armor and tearing through flesh in an explosive, ruthless counterattack. Blood sprayed violently, coating Ness's fur in thick crimson, yet he surged forward relentlessly, driven by raw fury and desperation to protect Kaelis. Another Hunter hurled a spear engulfed in blinding white lightning, the weapon shattering the air itself. Ness twisted sharply, narrowly avoiding the strike, his body carved brutally across the shoulder, blood erupting from the wound. But he retaliated instantly, claws igniting in swirling shadows and slashing through the Hunter's chest, leaving a ragged, smoking crater where armor and flesh once stood.

The battle intensified violently, Hunters swarming from every direction, desperation and greed driving their relentless assault. Ness moved with godlike agility, each movement precise yet chaotic, a devastating dance of violence and grace. He somersaulted over lightning whips, vaulted beneath arcs of crackling energy, spinning and cleaving through enemies with primal wrath. Blood and lightning painted the forest floor, bodies and armor littering the ground in grotesque heaps. 

A Hunter shouted urgently, voice trembling with fear: "He's a demon! No bounty is worth this!"

Yet, another voice barked harshly, rallying courage: "Stand your ground! Riches await us! Glory and Ascension!" 

Ness smirked savagely, dark shadows swirling violently around him, eyes blazing crimson. "You greedy weirdos..you'll all just die here anyway!" He roared, claws smiting downward in a brutal, shattering strike that carved through armor and bone alike.

Kaelis, barely conscious, managed a weak whisper, voice trembling painfully. "Ness… why… are you protecting me…?" Ness paused briefly, breathing heavily, voice suddenly somber beneath arrogant bravado. "Because, human, if you die, Espen dies. And Espen… she's everything to me. Maela enhanced me a little, enhanced me for her when I needed help.. from shadow and blood. From that day, I swore I'd always protect her, even from herself." Ness's eyes darkened with haunted memory, pain flickering briefly across his feline features, quickly suppressed beneath determination. "So hold on, human. I won't let you both die here. It's not like I give a damn about you, it's just you need to live."

Kaelis weakly nodded, heart thundering painfully, the desperate sincerity in Ness's voice grounding him, anchoring him to consciousness even as death clawed at his senses.

'How long do I have…? Visions getting super damn blurry…'

Yet more Hunters surged forward, some screaming defiantly, others trembling visibly with fear and doubt. Lightning crackled violently, blades raised, desperation and hunger in every strike. Ness growled fiercely, preparing for another brutal clash. Kaelis's heart thumped violently in his chest, pain and adrenaline surging through him. And in that precise moment, a shadowy vision flared vividly in his mind—an enormous throne cast in deep, impenetrable darkness. Upon it sat a shadowy figure, eyes blazing crimson, a sinister smile curling slowly upward. Kaelis felt a strange sensation ripple through him, his teeth lengthening slowly, becoming sharp, predatory. His eyes widened in shock and confusion, breath catching painfully, reality shifting violently around him.

'What was that…?'

The Hunters closed in rapidly, shouting encouragement and threats, lightning swirling ferociously around them. "Kill them both!" roared a Hunter desperately, greed and fear blending chaotically in his voice. 

Ness braced himself, snarling violently, claws erupting in shadowy flame. Kaelis gasped weakly, eyes blazing crimson, heart pounding violently. The shadowy figure in his mind smiled wider, voice echoing softly, darkly amused. "You are special. Bring war..Kaelis."

Kaelis trembled violently, pain, confusion, and fear surging fiercely. Yet something else stirred within him—dark, powerful, primal, and terrifying. His teeth sharpened further, heart racing violently, as darkness consumed him from within, ready to awaken.

…

Espen's heartbeat thundered in her chest, adrenaline flooding her veins like molten fire. The world slowed to a crawl as Hunters surged forward, their bodies crackling with unique, destructive lightning Kenda. Espen spun her staff ferociously, carving intricate arcs of black and crimson through the air. She vaulted upward, somersaulting gracefully over a Hunter's brutal lunging strike, then landed fluidly, twisting her body as she retaliated with a fierce sweep of Shacklebrand. The staff grazed the Hunter's arm, instantly branding him with blazing dark tendrils. Yet, before she could savor the minor victory, Espen felt a sharp sting—her own Shacklebrand surged wildly, tendrils wrapping around her wrists and burning deep into her flesh.

Espen bit back a scream, clenching her teeth as agony surged through her nerves. 'I was careless! Damn it! Shacklebrand is too volatile—if I don't control it precisely, it'll turn against me!' She staggered, barely dodging a second enemy's devastating strike, a clawed gauntlet of lightning shattering the ground beneath her feet into white-hot embers. She grasped desperately at her burning wrists, just managing to release the tendrils before they crushed her bones.

"Pathetic," Orenn, the veiled woman who was the head of this group of Hunters, mocked coldly from afar, arms folded elegantly beneath her veil. "Is this truly Maela's protégé? The woman whose madness could shatter kingdoms and terrify Apostles? Pitiful."

Espen's breath came ragged, her vision blurred as another attacker lunged, his fists encased in celestial white lightning blazing with destructive heat. She braced herself, twisting again, flipping backward seamlessly through a spinning somersault to evade. But a second Hunter intercepted her mid-air, his lightning-infused hands gripping her ankle ferociously. Espen cried out in agony as the brutal lightning surged violently through her, frying her nerves and shattering her concentration. She twisted desperately, kicking him in the jaw and breaking free, tumbling violently onto the forest floor.

She rolled aside, narrowly avoiding a crushing, explosive strike that splintered the earth, hurling burning debris into the air. Espen coughed violently, thoughts racing desperately. 'They're too disciplined, too precise. Their lightning Kenda isn't just destructive—it's adaptive, explosive on contact, creating localized devastation. I can't fight them head-on. I need to predict their momentum, anticipate their moves, use their aggression against them! If I can… but my power betrays me..this sucks.'

She staggered upright, raising her staff shakily. "Thornborn Crest.." she shouted, spinning the staff and carving blazing crimson circles into the air. Jagged black spikes erupted at lightning speed, piercing one Hunter's chest brutally, impaling another's thigh. But before Espen could celebrate, agony exploded through her—one spike burst violently from beneath her own feet, piercing through her calf. She screamed, tears streaming down her face as she collapsed forward, blood pooling beneath her.

'No! I lost focus again—my Kenda keeps backfiring. I'm losing control. If I don't regain composure now, I'll die here! I won't lose at all, fuck that!'

Espen pushed herself up painfully, barely evading another Hunter's devastating lightning-imbued fists. She twisted desperately away from his relentless assault, spinning, rolling, narrowly parrying brutal strikes with her staff, each blow rattling through her bones. His lightning surged through the metal, burning her palms severely, sending tremors of agony through her limbs. She gasped sharply, staggering away.

Orenn laughed contemptuously, voice dripping with venomous mockery. "So weak, Espen. Did Maela truly waste her time on a fragile child like you? She was a woman feared by Apostles—a woman who broke the very chains of Spirits. And you? You can barely stand."

Espen's shoulders heaved, shame burning fiercely in her chest. 'She's right. I'm nothing compared to Maela. My skills are chaotic, uncontrollable. But chaos… chaos is my strength. If I can't match their precision, then I'll drown them in my instability! My magic..Please just work for once…! I'm begging you, please.'

She raised her staff defiantly, blood streaming down her face, mixing with tears of fury. "Bloodletting Pyre.." Espen whispered, absorbing every ounce of pain and wound; Her injuries burst open violently, black and red Kenda-infused blood boiling forth, igniting explosively into living flames. The fire roared around her, volatile and untamed, singeing nearby Hunters, melting armor, charring flesh. Two Hunters screamed, their bodies consumed by the uncontrollable inferno.

But again, Espen's triumph was fleeting. The flames began devouring her own body, blistering her flesh violently. Her vision wavered, agony overwhelming her senses. She collapsed forward, retching blood and smoke, trembling violently.

"AGHHH!" She screamed.

Hunters seized their advantage, overwhelming her brutally. "Now! Send that damn witch brat to Hell!"

One spun forward, brutally cleaving downward with lightning-infused fists. Espen barely managed to brace herself, staff shattering violently beneath his strike. Another lunged from behind, his lightning-enveloped hands gripping her shoulders, sending destructive arcs searing through her bones. She screamed in raw agony, collapsing helplessly to her knees, vision darkening.

Espen's heart sank, despair flooding her veins. 'Is this… is this all I am? A failure? A pathetic imitation of Maela's legacy?' She hated herself for a split second, humiliation searing deeper than any physical pain. 'I can't… I can't let it end like this! I refuse!'

She clawed desperately at the earth, pulling herself up weakly, bloodied hands gripping her shattered staff. Her body trembled violently, muscles screaming with exhaustion, pain, and raw determination. She swayed precariously, barely standing.

Orenn approached slowly, her voice calm, ice-cold, and mocking. "Did Maela truly abandon reason by taking you as her apprentice? You wouldn't have run far, Espen. Those without Kenda have heightened strength, speed, senses—all to compensate for their lack of magic. You never stood a chance."

Espen glared defiantly, spitting blood fiercely into Orenn's veiled face. "Bitch..," she snarled weakly. "Come at me.."

Orenn smiled coldly beneath her veil, lightning sparking violently through Espen's spittle. An explosive force blasted Espen backward, her broken body rolling brutally across the blood-soaked earth. Yet even then, even as agony consumed her, Espen clawed painfully to her feet once more. Her legs shook uncontrollably, blood streaming from countless wounds, but still she stood—defiant, stubborn, unbreakable.

Her heart beat wildly, every nerve aflame, raw determination burning brighter than ever. 'I won't surrender. I refuse to die here, mocked and defeated. Maela… I will surpass this. Even if my magic fails me, even if my body breaks apart, I will fight until my last breath. I'll prove myself worthy. Even if my power betrays me, I'm not betraying my fucking self..'

Espen's vision blurred, tears mixing with blood, yet she stood tall, facing Orenn as darkness swirled violently around her. Her voice was ragged, but her words echoed with unyielding resolve.

"I… am not… finished yet."

Espen barely had time to register Orenn's movement—one moment the veiled woman stood at a distance, and the next, she vanished in a blur of lightning-infused speed. She appeared directly in front of Espen, her slender finger crackling violently with white-hot energy aimed precisely at Espen's forehead. Espen's eyes widened in shock, fear gripping her heart as she realized, too late, that she wasn't fast enough to retaliate.

'No!' Espen's mind screamed desperately, her muscles frozen in panic. 'She's  too fast—I can't move!'

Orenn's voice was cold, triumphant, dripping with mocking finality as her fingertip surged towards Espen's skull. "Yes you are, dear. You are finished now."

But at the last possible second, a shadow blurred in front of Espen, shoving her violently aside. Espen gasped, tumbling backward and skidding painfully across the blood-soaked ground. Her vision spun, and she twisted around frantically—just in time to see Kaelis standing in her place, taking the full force of Orenn's devastating lightning strike directly into his shoulder.

"Fool!" Espen snarled.

A horrific explosion of electrified energy erupted around Kaelis, sparks and arcs of lightning ripping through the clearing, carving deep, molten scars into the earth and shattering nearby trees. Espen's breath caught violently in her throat, horror flooding her veins as Kaelis's torso exploded grotesquely, blood and gore splattering violently across the battlefield. Yet, impossibly, Kaelis did not fall. He stood tall, motionless, seemingly unaffected by the catastrophic injury.

Espen's heart thundered wildly, disbelief overwhelming her senses. "Kaelis…? How—how is he still standing?"

Slowly, the air around Kaelis began to distort, shadowy tendrils of red and black magic swirling violently around him. His torn flesh knitted itself back together rapidly, muscles reforming, bones snapping into place with sickening cracks. Espen felt a chill surge down her spine, a primal fear unlike anything she'd ever known. Upon Kaelis's head appeared a single swirling horn, red and black, pulsing with sinister energy. Dark veins spread across his pale skin, writhing like serpents beneath the surface.

Kaelis lifted his head, a malicious, unnatural smile spreading slowly across his lips. His eyes glowed deep, unnatural crimson, and from his lips came words in a language older than stars themselves, a distorted, ancient tongue resonating with dark, runic power:

"ᛞᚨᚱᚲ ᛊᛟᚱᛟᚱ ᚨᚾᛞ ᛟᛒᛚᛁᚡᛁᛟᚾ, ᛁᛗᛗᛟᚱᛏᚨᛚ ᛁᚾᚲᚨᚱᚾᚨᛏᛖ."

Orenn gasped sharply, her arrogant composure shattered utterly as she stared, horrified, into Kaelis's crimson eyes.

'That dark presence…it's evil…that witch has to be using her magic on him! Right?!'

Reflected there, within Kaelis' irises, she glimpsed a shadowy throne, upon which sat a demon-like king wreathed in shadows—a being of immense, terrifying power. Her lips parted in stunned disbelief, her voice trembling in shock and terror.

"You… What—what are you…?"

Espen lay frozen, her heart hammering painfully in her chest, her mind screaming desperately in disbelief. 

'No… that's impossible. This aura… this presence… it feels demonic, ancient. The same feeling during Maela's rituals..Kaelis is no ordinary human. What power lies dormant within him?'

Ness, battered and bloodied, stood frozen beside her, muscular feline body trembling visibly. His eyes widened in shock, breath catching sharply in his throat. "This magic… this darkness… It's beyond anything I've ever sensed before. Who—or what—did the hell came into our world?"

Kaelis moved with terrifying, unnatural grace, extending his right arm slowly. From his clenched fist erupted a blade of pure shadow and crimson, swirling with smoky grey tendrils. With a speed beyond comprehension, he lunged forward, driving the blade directly into Orenn's open mouth, piercing brutally through her skull and erupting grotesquely from the back of her head, leaving Espen and Orenn to gasp.

A malicious grin twisted Kaelis's lips as he planted one foot firmly against Orenn's chest, kicking off violently. Her body flew backward, violently severed from her head, spraying blood and viscera across the battlefield. Kaelis stood motionless, holding Orenn's severed head impaled grotesquely upon his shadowy blade, blood dripping steadily onto the scorched earth beneath him.

Slowly, Kaelis turned toward Espen and Ness, crimson eyes blazing fiercely, his smile unwavering and malicious. He stepped toward them, movements jerking oddly, his head twitching and glitching unnaturally, as if reality struggled to contain the horrifying presence that now inhabited his body.

Espen's body shook uncontrollably, dread pooling coldly in her stomach, every nerve screaming desperately to flee. Yet she stayed frozen, unable to tear her gaze from Kaelis's terrifying approach, heart pounding violently in her chest.

'Kaelis what have you become? Is he even in his right mind?!'

"ᛞᚨᚱᚲᚾᛖᛊᛊ ᚺᚨᛊ ᚨᚹᚨᚴᛖᚾᛖᛞ," Kaelis whispered again, voice echoing with ancient, corrupted power.

He stepped closer, and closer, each footfall resonating heavily, his sinister smile never wavering, eyes locked unblinkingly upon Espen as shadows danced violently around him.

Espen could only stare helplessly, horror gripping her heart, as Kaelis moved ever nearer, the severed head of Orenn still grotesquely impaled upon his dark blade.

"Kaelis…wake the hell up! Whatever is going on with you, it's resonating with me. I can feel it…it's dark. Snap out of it! I'm not planning on losing to you either."

In Kaelis' mind..he was falling.

Darkness surrounded him, thick and suffocating. There was no wind, no rush of air against his skin, no sensation of momentum—just an endless, silent plunge into the void. It was a fall without end, without beginning, without direction. He wasn't even sure if he still had a body; he felt like a disembodied consciousness, tumbling forever through a cold, empty nothingness.

His mind flickered desperately, grasping at memories, at fragments of consciousness, trying to make sense of what was happening. Images flashed before him—Espen's terrified eyes, Ness's stunned expression, Orenn's severed head impaled on a blade of darkness. Each memory was distant, surreal, as if viewed through shattered glass.

He felt confusion, numbness—and beneath it all, a slow-boiling rage. But this wasn't the kind of anger he could scream out, wasn't the kind that could explode into fists or shouts. This rage was quieter, deeper, like a smoldering ember buried beneath layers of shame, self-doubt, and despair. It was a rage aimed inward, a rage at himself—at his own weakness, his own inadequacy, his own existence.

Kaelis felt his throat tighten, though he had no throat. He felt tears welling, though he had no eyes. He felt a familiar ache within him—the same hollow, gnawing emptiness he'd felt countless nights alone in his empty apartment, staring at empty bottles, divorce papers, unanswered messages. It was the same feeling he'd experienced in those dark moments when he'd contemplated the worst, when he'd stared into his own reflection and seen nothing but a broken man.

'How did I end up like this again?' He thought bitterly, helplessly. 'For a second, I thought I escaped this. For a second I thought this world—this beautiful, surreal place—could finally give me purpose, finally make me feel alive again. But here I am, falling back into the same damn emptiness.'

Flashes of his pathetic attempts at bravery came back to him—his smug jokes, his casual teasing, the arrogant facade he'd shown Espen and Ness. He had desperately wanted them to see someone confident, someone brave. And even if he did think this was a dream before, he tried to bring his reality to it unknowingly. But he wasn't brave. He was scared, weak, fragile. He'd always been those things, hiding his insecurities behind smirks and sarcasm. He'd always been falling, even when he appeared to stand tall.

'Am I a failure?' Kaelis admitted silently, a wave of humiliation washing over him. 'I always have been. Even here, even in this world of magic and wonder.'

The darkness pressed closer, colder, heavier. Kaelis's thoughts blurred, despair pulling him deeper into the void. He wondered if this emptiness was permanent, if he'd finally lost himself for good—if he'd ever truly been found at all.

'Maybe I belong here', he thought bitterly. 

'I want to go home. I'm damn afraid.'

Suddenly, a presence stirred in the darkness. Kaelis felt it before he saw it—a vast, overwhelming power, ancient and unfathomable. He struggled to focus, and slowly, a shadowy figure took shape before him. A dark throne emerged from the void, carved from shadows and whispers, and upon it sat the same demonic king he'd glimpsed in his own reflection. Eyes of crimson fire burned through the murky darkness, piercing into Kaelis's very soul.

'The same guy…from before..?'

Kaelis trembled inwardly, unable to look away, fear and awe mingling in his chest. A massive shadowy hand formed above him, its fingers elongated, its palm vast and impossibly large. The hand descended slowly, inexorably, reaching for him.

Kaelis tried to scream, but no sound came. He tried to move, but he was paralyzed, frozen in place by the sheer magnitude of the being before him.

Then the shadowy hand closed around him, cold and unyielding, wrapping him in an unbreakable grip. The demonic king leaned forward slowly, eyes blazing with ancient, dark power. His voice resonated through Kaelis's entire existence, deep and commanding:

"You are my avatar of Uuen."

Kaelis felt himself being pulled inexorably towards the throne, towards the darkness, towards a destiny he could not yet understand.

Back outside, Kaelis approached slowly, footsteps heavy against the blood-soaked earth, the severed head of Orenn still grotesquely impaled upon his shadowy blade. Espen's breath came ragged, her body trembling violently as she struggled to stand. Ness, battered and bleeding heavily, snarled softly, stepping boldly in front of Espen despite his own grievous wounds.

"I won't let you hurt her, kid. I know I know you're both like, married and all, but I can't just let you attack her." Ness growled fiercely, eyes locked defiantly upon the corrupted Kaelis. His muscular feline form trembled visibly from exhaustion, lightning wounds still smoking painfully. Espen's heart twisted bitterly in her chest, humiliation and shame surging fiercely within her.

"Stop," she hissed weakly to Ness, forcing herself upright despite her shaking limbs. "I don't… need your help." Her voice wavered, quiet yet filled with stubborn pride; anger at herself for being seen this weak, this vulnerable, scorched through her veins. She hated the pity, the fear, the helplessness consuming her now. "I am Maela's apprentice. I am a witch of darkness. How did I allow myself to fall this low?"

Ness glanced back briefly, eyes softening slightly with understanding, yet his stance did not waver. "Espen… I don't know what's happening with Kaelis, but whatever it is, we can't lose him," Ness murmured, voice heavy with concern. "No matter how much you dislike him, we can't let him die. Something powerful has awakened within him—something we need to understand. Right? Damn I sound cool and heroic."

Before Espen could respond, the remaining Hunters suddenly emerged from the shadows, their bodies crackling violently with unique, unstable lightning Kenda. Their eyes blazed fiercely, some shouting encouragement to one another, others grinning savagely, bloodlust shining hungrily in their eyes.

"Come on, brothers!" one Hunter roared, pounding his chest violently. "With Orenn gone, her share is ours! Kill the witch, and we'll live like kings!"

Another, more cautious and calculating, nodded grimly. "The bounty grows higher every day. Even if we fail, more Hunters will come. She'll never know rest—only endless fear and battle until she breaks."

Ness snarled angrily, stepping forward defiantly. "Cowards! You White Brigade Guild Hunters disgrace your own name, chasing after coin like beasts in a frenzy. Have you no honor left?"

A Hunter laughed coldly, lightning sparking dangerously at his fingertips. "Honor doesn't fill our bellies, beast. The Apostles reward strength, not foolish ideals. Espen's head means riches, power—everything we've dreamed of. That's what Hunters in this world revolve around. If we just overwhelm you all while you're all in this state of exhaustion, we have the advantage!"

Espen stood frozen, heart hammering painfully in her chest, fear coiling tightly within her stomach. She wanted desperately to fight, to unleash her chaos upon these Hunters, but terror rooted her to the ground. Her magic felt unstable, uncontrollable—dangerous even to herself. 'What if I lose control again? What if I fail?' Dread washed over her, but she gripped her broken staff tightly, refusing to let her fear show.

The Hunters lunged forward, lightning crackling explosively around them. Before Espen or Ness could react, Kaelis—still grinning maliciously, still holding Orenn's severed head—leapt violently over them, landing directly amidst the charging foes. His body moved with terrifying, primal fluidity, his bladed fist carving brutal arcs through flesh and bone, Orenn's head a grotesque, improvised weapon swung mercilessly, shattering skulls and crushing limbs.

"HAHAHAHAH!" Kaelis laughed.

Kaelis vaulted acrobatically, dodging lightning-infused strikes effortlessly, his body contorting impossibly as he twisted, spun, and somersaulted through the chaos. A dark star crest—deep red and smoky grey—swirled violently behind him, pulsating with sinister, ancient power. Even as lightning seared his flesh, his wounds healed instantly, muscles and bones knitting seamlessly back together. Kaelis laughed softly, eyes blazing crimson, his smile never faltering as he carved a merciless path of destruction.

Yet beneath that horrific smile, Kaelis's mind screamed desperately, horror flooding every fiber of his being. He watched helplessly, feeling his own body move, his muscles contracting, his limbs striking mercilessly, blood spraying grotesquely across his skin. 'No…Stop! This isn't me! I don't want this!' His thoughts quaked violently, terror and disgust overwhelming him. He saw the life fade from his victims' eyes, felt the sickening crunch of bone beneath his strikes, his heart wrenching painfully with every kill.

Kaelis's body twisted violently, flipping through the air and landing atop a Hunter's shoulders, driving his bladed fist deep into the man's heart, Orenn's severed head swung brutally into another Hunter's face, shattering his jaw. Kaelis's movements were fluid, primal, relentless—exactly like a predator stalking wounded prey. He vaulted off the dying Hunter, spinning through the air and cleaving through two more Hunters mid-flight, landing gracefully as their bodies fell broken and bloody to the ground.

Internally, Kaelis sobbed bitterly, panic and despair surging through him. 'I can't stop myself!' He pleaded desperately, but his body refused to listen, moving with relentless speed and savagery. 'I've never taken a life before—this isn't me. Someone, help me stop..'

Kaelis ducked beneath a Hunter's ferocious strike, spinning around violently, driving Orenn's head brutally into the Hunter's temple, sending him sprawling lifeless to the ground. A second Hunter lunged from behind, lightning blazing destructively, but Kaelis twisted effortlessly, impaling the attacker mercilessly upon his shadowy blade. Blood splattered Kaelis's face, but his smile remained hauntingly unwavering, his eyes glowing fiercely as he turned to face his final opponent.

The last Hunter backed away desperately, lightning crackling weakly around him, eyes wide with terror. 

"You demon! Y-You're the type of bastrd the Apostles warn us about—!"

Kaelis lunged forward, primal and unstoppable, ripping the Hunter apart in a grotesque display of violence. Kaelis landed softly, the forest clearing now eerily silent, broken bodies strewn grotesquely around him.

Slowly, Kaelis dropped heavily to his knees, breath coming in ragged gasps, horror flooding through every nerve. His body trembled violently, tears streaming unchecked down his blood-smeared face. The dark star crest faded slowly behind him, the swirling horn disappearing, black veins receding from his skin. He stared blankly at the carnage surrounding him, mind numb with disbelief, despair, and self-loathing.

"What… have I done? This… this was all me. I'm a monster. I killed them—I slaughtered them all…" Kaelis's hands shook violently, his vision blurred with tears of anguish, confusion, and overwhelming guilt. Espen and Ness stood frozen, eyes wide with shock and fear, as Kaelis knelt brokenly in the blood-soaked earth, utterly lost, devastated, and shattered.

The silence stretched painfully around them, the weight of what had happened pressing heavily upon each of their souls. Kaelis, sobbing softly, could only whisper brokenly into the silence:

"What… am I?"