Blood and Ember

Running side by side with Hikari, the wind rushed past us, cool and sharp against my face. The blue moon hung high in the dark sky, its light casting a faint glow over the city.

"YEAH!"

Hikari's loud cheer echoed through the empty streets, her enthusiasm infectious.

In the distance, a man's scream pierced the air—raw and agonizing. It wasn't the same scream we'd heard before, but we couldn't ignore it. Before we could move, a bone-chilling howl cut through the night. The Dagon Wolf. The sound sent shivers down my spine, freezing me in place for a moment.

When we arrived, the sight before us was horrifying. A man lay on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. One arm and one leg were gone, his pale face twisted in pain.

He looked familiar. My stomach dropped as recognition set in. It was him—the man I met in the bar. The one Hikari was searching for.

A figure in a white lab coat stepped out of a nearby building, watching the scene unfold with a grim expression. The Dagon Wolf stood motionless, its massive form looming over the woman pinned beneath its claws.

"Woah… what happened here?" I muttered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Hikari didn't wait. She sprinted to the injured man, her expression sharp and commanding.

"On your feet. You're not done here yet."

Her voice was firm, almost like she was leading an army.

I followed slowly, unsure of what to say or do. He was in no condition to fight, but Hikari didn't waver.

"I-I can't! What do you know about failing?" he shouted, his voice breaking. "I failed to save the mother for her child. I'm just… a failure!"

Hikari knelt beside him, her gaze steady.

"It's okay… you did your best," she said softly. "Just give me a second, and I'll save her. But in return, I need you to keep fighting."

Hikari stood and turned to me.

"Elara! Can you use healing magic?"

"Uh—sorry, I can't."

"Okay. Just keep pressure on his arm!"

I dropped to my knees, tearing a strip of cloth from my clothes to wrap around his arm.

The man in the lab coat rushed toward us, his face pale.

"Kain! What happened?"

He knelt by the injured man—Kain, I realized—and pressed down on the bleeding stump of his leg.

"Kain, tell me. What did you do?"

"I tried to save a mother," Kain said with a bitter laugh. "Failed miserably, as you can see."

Despite his attempt at humor, the pain in his voice was evident.

"You again," Kain said, looking at me. "From the bar, right? Your name was Elara?"

"Do you guys know each other? the man in the lab coat interjected.

"To answer your question, yes, we met not that long ago. I didn't think we'd meet again so so—"

AWOOO.

The Dagon Wolf's howl cut me off. My eyes darted toward Hikari, who was struggling to lift the woman from beneath the wolf's claws. Somehow, she managed to hoist her onto her shoulder.

Hikari ran, her movements quick and deliberate, placing the woman down a safe distance away. Turning back to the wolf, she unsheathed her sword.

"I will not die today… not after what you did to my master!"

Her voice rang out, filled with determination.

The Dagon Wolf moved. Its massive head swung, fangs flashing as it lunged at Hikari. She blocked the attack with her sword, but the force pushed her back. She countered, swinging at the beast, but it dodged and slammed her into a wall with its massive head.

"Damn it, I need to get up! We don't know if it's going to attack at random!"

"No, Kain," Elias said firmly. "Your injuries need treatment. You can't move like this!"

"I'm sorry I'm not good at healing magic. Are you?" I asked Elias desperately.

"Sorry, I'm no mage. I'm a scientist," he replied grimly.

"Damn it! Why can't I help her?" Kain yelled, his rage spilling over.

His face twisted in anguish as he screamed at himself. "STUPID LEGS, GET UP! WHY DID I HAVE TO BE SO STUPID? SHE'S GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF ME!"

"Kain, stop this! This isn't going to help anyone, and it's certainly not going to help her!" I shouted, trying to pull him back to reason.

"I—I NEED TO MOVE!" Kain bellowed. "I'm sorry, Elara. I'm sorry, Elias. But I need to help her!"

He started to crawl, dragging himself toward the Dagon Wolf, his blood smearing across the ground.

"Kain, calm down!" I yelled.

Suddenly, the shadows around us shifted. They pooled and gathered, moving toward Kain like living things.

"What the hell is going on?" Kain shouted, his eyes wide with panic.

The shadows swirled around him, forming a dense cloud.

"KAIN!" Elias exclaimed, his expression breaking into a wide grin. "I KNEW IT! You have it in you!"

His excitement was almost unnerving.

"You have HIS power," Elias said, his tone filled with reverence.

Who was "He"?

The shadows condensed, then faded. Kain stood, his injuries gone. His leg and arm had returned as if they'd never been severed. In his hands was a weapon—dark, sleek, and otherworldly.

"What did those shadows do to him?" I whispered, unable to look away.

Kain's gaze was fixed on the Dagon Wolf, his face unreadable. Whatever had just happened, one thing was clear. This fight wasn't over.