(Kael remains on the ground, still trying to steady his breath. His fingers feel numb, a faint frost lingering on his skin. Liza watches him carefully, concern flickering in her blue eyes.)
Liza: "That reaction… you really aren't an ordinary knight, are you?"
(Kael doesn't answer. He isn't sure himself. Before he can think further, a sudden shift in the air makes the forge feel heavier. The warmth of the nearby furnaces dims, and an unnatural cold spreads through the room.)
???: "So, this is where you've been hiding."
(Liza's expression hardens as she quickly turns. A tall figure steps into the forge chamber, clad in jagged black armor lined with deep crimson markings. His face is obscured by a dark helmet, but the pressure radiating from him is undeniable.)
Kael (thinking): "This presence… it's like the warlord's, but more refined."
Liza (gritting her teeth): "What the hell is one of his generals doing here?"
(The man slowly steps forward, each footstep echoing unnaturally. He is one of the four generals serving the Final Boss—the Abyssal Tyrant. His name is Zephyrn, the Crimson Frost.)
Zephyrn: "I was expecting a mere blacksmith's daughter, but instead, I find something… interesting."
(His gaze locks onto Kael, and a slow, chilling smirk plays at his lips.)
Zephyrn: "That power within you… it hasn't fully awakened yet, has it?"
(Kael's grip tightens. The pain in his chest hasn't faded, but something about Zephyrn pulls at him, like a distant memory trying to surface. Before he can react, Zephyrn vanishes—then appears right in front of him, aiming a brutal punch at his chest. Kael barely raises his arms in time.)
(BOOM!)
(The force sends Kael flying through the chamber, crashing into the weapon racks. Swords and spears scatter around him, the impact leaving a deep dent in the stone wall.)
Liza (shouting): "Kael!"
(Kael groans, his body aching. He coughs, blood dripping from his lip. Zephyrn's strength is absurd. Even against the Warlord, Kael didn't feel such a refined force.)
Zephyrn (coldly): "You'll break if you don't fight back."
(Kael wipes his lip and pushes himself up. His hands still shake, but his glare is unwavering.)
Kael: "…Then I'll just have to not break."
(He grabs a nearby sword from the rack—but before he can react, Liza leaps into action. She dashes forward, drawing two curved daggers from her belt. The moment she moves, a gust of chilling wind follows, her speed nearly blurring.)
Kael (thinking, shocked): "She's fast—!"
Liza: "Stay away from my forge!"
(She slashes at Zephyrn, aiming for his throat. Zephyrn barely tilts his head back in time, avoiding the first strike. The second dagger, however, cuts through part of his helmet, revealing a glimpse of his cold, pale skin.)
Zephyrn (quietly, amused): "Interesting…"
(With a flick of his wrist, a freezing wave of ice erupts from his palm, forcing Liza back. She lands beside Kael, her daggers coated in frost.)
Kael (panting): "Didn't know you could fight."
Liza (without looking at him): "There's a lot you don't know."
(Zephyrn raises his hand, and a long crimson ice blade forms from his palm. The room's temperature drops to the point where Kael can see his breath.)
Zephyrn (smirking): "Shall we see how long you two last?"
(The battle is just beginning.)
---
Next: Kael and Liza team up against Zephyrn, but the fight is far from fair. Can Kael unlock more of his hidden strength before it's too late?