Kaelan strode through the forest, his steps deliberate and unyielding. The shadows seemed to welcome him, coiling around his figure as though he were their master. He felt their pull, the way they whispered promises of power and dominion. In his mind, the two voices continued to battle—one urging restraint, the other demanding submission to the dark flame.
He reached a clearing, the moonlight barely piercing the dense canopy above. With a flick of his hand, the Soulfire erupted, crackling as it consumed the air around him. The forest animals scattered, their instincts screaming danger. Kaelan didn't care. They were insignificant.
In the distance, a lone deer hesitated, its wide eyes staring at him. He tilted his head, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "Run," he whispered. When it didn't move, he raised his scythe, the dark flames licking the edges,ready to oblige to its master and purify the deer's soul.
"KAELAN!"
The voice cut through the silence, sharp and filled with urgency. He paused, his grip tightening around the weapon. Turning slowly, he found Elara standing at the edge of the clearing. Her face was a mixture of determination and heartbreak, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
"What do you want?" he asked coldly, his tone devoid of the warmth it once carried.
She took a step closer, her hand clutching the crescent moon pendant around her neck. "I want you to stop. This… this isn't who you are. Whatever the Demon King did to you, you have to fight it. Don't let it consume you."
Kaelan laughed, the sound bitter and mocking. "You still don't understand, do you? This is who I've always been. The Demon King didn't change me—he simply freed me from the lies I was forced to believe. This is my truth."
Elara's voice wavered, but she refused to back down. "No. Your truth is that you're stronger than this darkness. You're Kaelan Darksong, the boy who would fight for those he loves, who would stand against the gods themselves for justice. That's who you are."
He stepped closer, the flames around him intensifying. "Love? Justice? These are meaningless ideals. The demon king would have killed me if he didn't sense Power in me.Power is the only truth. If you can't see that, then you're as blind as the rest of them."
Elara's resolve hardened. "If that's what you believe, then prove it. Fight me."
Kaelan blinked, taken aback by her words,but immediately accepting the challenge."Your Choice your downfall".
She drew her celestial bow, the starlight shimmering in her hands. "its my decision if power is all that matters to you now, show me. But know this—I won't hold back."
For a moment, there was silence between them, broken only by the crackling of the dark flames. Then Kaelan smirked, his expression dark and dangerous. "Very well, Elara. Let's see if your light can stand against my darkness."
The clearing erupted into chaos as the two clashed, Kaelan's dark flames meeting Elara's radiant light arrows. Each strike sent shockwaves through the forest, the ground trembling beneath their feet.
From the shadows, the rest of the group watched, their faces etched with worry.
"We can't let this continue," Thorne growled, gripping his hammer tightly.
Draven placed a hand on his shoulder. "Not yet. This is her fight. If anyone can reach him, it's Elara."
Orin nodded, though his expression was grim. "We'll step in if we must, but for now, trust her. She's fighting for more than herself—she's fighting for all of us."
As the battle raged on, Elara's voice rang out over the din. "I won't give up on you, Kaelan! No matter how far you fall, I'll bring you back!"
Her words struck something deep within him, and for a fleeting moment, the crimson glow in his eyes dimmed. But the darkness was relentless, pulling him back into its grip.
"Foolish girl," he snarled, his voice laced with both anger and pain. "You can't save me.."
But even as he said it, the part of him that was still Kaelan—a part he thought lost—clung to her words, a flicker of hope fighting against the encroaching shadows.
Kaelan grabbed Elaras' light bow and crushed it with blinding speed, the struggling girl tried to free herself but he pinned her to the ground.The dark flames roared around him. He stood over her, his scythe raised high. The crimson glow in his eyes burned with feral intensity, his dark self reveling in the power coursing through him. Elara lay on the ground, her celestial bow shattered beside her, her strength drained but her spirit unbroken.
"Kaelan, stop this!" she pleaded, her voice trembling yet firm. "You're better than this. You're not a monster."
Her words only seemed to provoke the darkness further. Kaelan's lips curled into a cruel smile as he raised his scythe for the finishing blow.
From the shadows, Thorne gritted his teeth, gripping his hammer. "I've seen enough. He's going too far!"
"Wait!" Orin snapped, though his voice carried the same desperation. "Intervening now might make things worse."
Before either could act, a haunting melody swept through the battlefield, freezing everyone in their tracks. The tune was ethereal, laced with magic, and it seemed to tug at the heart of even Kaelan's dark self. He faltered for a moment, the scythe trembling in his grip.
Seeing an opportunity,Elara looped up and hugged kaelan hard,his dark fire hurting her but she wouldn't let go until the power seeking boy pushed her aside; ignoring her feelings.
A figure stepped out of the woods, a lute slung across her back. Keyara Darwn's fiery auburn hair glowed faintly in the moonlight as she strummed her lute again, weaving a spell into her song.
"Such despair," she said, her voice soft but carrying an edge. "What a tale you've become, Kaelan Darksong. A hero consumed by darkness. Tragic, yet predictable."
Kaelan's crimson eyes narrowed as he turned to her. "Who are you?"
Before she could answer, another voice rang out, this one sharp and commanding. "Someone who's not about to let you destroy everything in your path."
Seraphina emerged from the opposite direction, her black cloak billowing as she strode into the clearing. Her silver hair glinted like frost, and she carried a vial filled with swirling blue liquid. Her piercing gaze fell on Kaelan, assessing him as if he were a specimen in her lab.
"Fascinating," Seraphina murmured. "You're the perfect fusion of human,darkness and divine. But imperfect control… that's dangerous."
Kaelan snarled, the flames around him surging. "I don't care who you are. Get out of my way, or I'll destroy you too!"
Seraphina smirked, uncorking a vial. "You're welcome to try." She threw the vial at Kaelan's feet, and it exploded in a burst of shimmering mist. The dark flames recoiled as if repelled by the substance, causing Kaelan to stagger.
At the same time, Keyara's music shifted, the melody becoming more vibrant and uplifting. The others felt the spellwork in the song, a calming presence washing over them. Elara gasped as strength returned to her limbs and her wounds healed by this song.
Kaelan growled, his scythe lashing out in frustration. The weapon carved through the mist but found no target. Seraphina moved with precision, her alchemical knowledge allowing her to predict his strikes. Meanwhile, Keyara's illusions danced around him, confusing his movements.
"Kaelan!" Elara's voice broke through the chaos, filled with desperation. "Fight it! Please, don't let the darkness win!"
"Shut it"He growled at her,his eyes vivid of confusion and anger.The hold of the demon king's influence getting stronger.
Seraphina pulled another vial from her belt, glancing at Keyara. "Buy me a few seconds."
Keyara nodded, her fingers dancing over the strings of her lute as she summoned an illusion of Kaelan's former self—calm, resolute, and full of purpose. The image stepped forward, speaking in Kaelan's own voice. ".Remember who you are."
Kaelan froze, his crimson eyes wide with conflict.
Taking the opportunity, Seraphina hurled a second vial, this one emitting a brilliant golden light that wrapped around Kaelan like chains. He roared in defiance, but the light held him firm.
Keyara strummed a final chord, her voice echoing through the clearing. "Rest now, Kaelan. Let the storm within you calm."
Kaelan's body went limp, the dark flames extinguishing as he collapsed to his knees. The golden light receded, leaving him unconscious but stable.
The group rushed to his side, their relief palpable.
Seraphina crossed her arms, her gaze cool as she surveyed the others. "You're welcome. Though you might want to reconsider keeping him around if this is what he's capable of."
Keyara slung her lute over her back, her expression softer. "He's not beyond saving. None of us are."
Elara knelt beside Kaelan, her hand trembling as she brushed a strand of hair from his face before looking up to both"Thank you… both of you."
"Where on earth did you originate from?"Eira inquired of them.
Keyara smiled, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Just a bard passing through. But it seems your story needs a bit of fine-tuning."
Seraphina smirked. "And I'm an alchemist with an interest in dangerous curiosities. Consider me… intrigued."
"We are both from a neighbouring city a few miles from here."Keyara added.
Orin frowned but nodded. "We'll discuss this later. For now, we need to regroup and figure out our next move."
As they prepared to move Kaelan, Keyara and Seraphina exchanged a glance. Whatever their true intentions, they had become part of this tale, and the story was far from over.