The dust settled, but the tension in the air only grew thicker. Kael stood in the center of the arena, his chest rising and falling with every breath, the dark Hakana swirling around him like a phantom cloak. His eyes were still void, soulless, as if some ancient force had completely taken over. "Four against one," he said, his voice deeper—layered. "Then let the balance be evened." Rand wiped the blood off his mouth and looked sideways at his three friends—Jarvis, Azeal, and Denis. The fear in their eyes didn’t match the bravado in their stance. "Together!" Rand shouted, and the four launched forward in sync, blades raised, energy swirling. Kael moved. It wasn’t just speed—it was something beyond human, even beyond gifted. He disappeared in a blur, and before any of them could land a strike, Lance screamed as he was hurled across the arena. His body smashed into the ground with a sickening crack. The crowd gasped. "That’s one," Kael murmured. Jarvis tried to stab him from beh

The crowd barely breathed. Everyone was ready to see some action as Kael and Dareth walked round in circles, each trying to catch his opponent off guard. Kael was sacred. His breath was steady yet sharp. He knew he couldn't not take on Dareth even with his Hakana. But he could feel him drawn to the energy that was radiating around Dareth. The energy that was supposed to be his. Tears mingled with the rain that fell on his face. He could remember the death of his father just like yesterday. "You are stalling, boy!" Dareth said with rage. "Or perhaps you need more years of training before you have the boldness and courage to come at me," he jested. The storm above raged in symphony with the chaos below. Rain pelted the earth, thunder echoing like the drums of war. Every eye was on Kael and Dareth—two shadows circling one another under the fury of the skies. Kael’s grip tightened on the broken hilt of his blade. Blood ran from a gash on his brow, tracing down his cheek l

The guards hesitated. Steel-clad warriors, some of the kingdom’s finest, looked to one another for silent permission. But none moved. Not a single step. They felt it too. The Hakana that surged through Kael wasn’t just power—it was will. Ancient, commanding, primal. It wasn’t just that he’d defeated Rand. Or broken Dareth. It was that he now stood like a god reborn—balanced between wrath and purpose, forged by betrayal, and no longer bound by mortal limits. Kael turned his silver-black gaze to the guards. “Come,” he invited, voice like iron wrapped in velvet. “Try and see what side of history you want to fall on.” Still, they didn’t move. Tiffany broke from Harond’s grasp then, unable to stay back any longer. Her steps were cautious, her eyes brimming with disbelief and awe. “Kael…” she said softly, voice trembling. “What are you becoming?” Kael turned his gaze to her, and for a heartbeat, the storm around him seemed to still. He wasn’t the boy she’d once trained beside, nor

The room darkened as the mages stepped closer to Kael, their chanting intensifying with each syllable. Shadows curled along the stone walls, dancing like whispering serpents. Kael pulled at his chains, his heart pounding against his ribs, the metallic clank echoing in the chamber. Tiffany had disappeared beyond the heavy door, and now, only the faceless hooded mages remained.“I said it’s time,” Elira repeated, her voice echoing as if spoken by a hundred tongues at once.“What are you going to do to me?” Kael spat, his voice steady despite the uncertainty gripping his gut. " Wait! The killed my father. They have to pay. Please, don't do this to me!" Kael shouted but there was no one to save him. One of the mages raised a hand, and Kael’s body went rigid. Invisible tendrils of energy coiled around him, silencing his limbs. Another mage began drawing an ancient sigil mid-air—each stroke burning gold for a moment before fading to darkness. Kael’s eyes widened as he recognized the anci

Kael’s blade dripped crimson onto the marble floor, the body of the king’s champion slumped in a broken heap behind him. The corridor, once regal, now smelled of scorched stone, sweat, and blood. Silence echoed through the shattered hall as Kael turned his burning gaze on King Almond. “I gave you everything!” the king roared, but the tremble in his voice betrayed his fear. “You were supposed to be my weapon, my sword against the rising chaos—not the storm itself!" “You only helped me because you felt pity for me,” Kael said coldly. “And now, I’m breaking every one.” With a roar, Kael surged forward, Hakana spiraling around him like a dark cyclone. The air bent, and stone cracked beneath his feet. King Almond raised a warding hand, but he wasn’t fast enough. Kael’s sword slashed through the air, aimed for the king’s throat— A sudden pulse of blue light exploded in the hall. Kael’s body locked mid-motion, suspended in the air as though invisible hands clutched him. He snarled,