The first strike came fast. Too fast.
The Hunter's black blade hissed through the air, grazing Kyle's shoulder before he could fully parry. Blood welled instantly—only for Kyle to grab it mid-drip, shaping it into a second weapon in his other hand.
Gia stumbled back, her pulse pounding in her ears. She wanted to help, but she knew the moment she opened a portal, the Hunter would learn she could do more than run.
Felix's voice cut through the chaos. "Hey, Tin Man! Over here!"
The Hunter turned slightly, just enough for Kyle to lash out. His blood whip cracked across the armor, sparking as it made contact. No damage—just distraction.
Felix slid in behind him, knives flashing. He aimed for the neck, but the Hunter's free hand shot back, catching Felix's wrist mid-strike. Without effort, he hurled him into the side of a crumbling wall.
"Felix!" Gia's voice was panicked.
Felix groaned, half-laughing. "I'm good! Just… seeing stars shaped like knives."
The Predator's Focus
The Hunter stepped toward Gia, and Kyle's stomach dropped.
"No!" Kyle's voice was sharp as a blade. He surged forward, both weapons swinging in a flurry of slashes, each one blocked with minimal movement. The Hunter's precision was inhuman—every step calculated, every swing purposeful.
Gia's hands itched with the urge to open a portal and drop him into nothingness. But she hesitated—what if she missed? What if Kyle—
The Hunter lunged.
Gia flinched, but before the blade could reach her, Felix slammed into the Hunter's side. "Yeah, you're scary, but you're not touching her!"
Kyle's eyes flicked to Felix for just a fraction of a second—long enough for the Hunter to sweep his leg under him. Kyle hit the ground hard, his breath knocked out.
Felix stayed between Gia and the Hunter, knives raised. "She's not yours to hurt."
The words hung in the fog for just a moment too long.
Kyle heard them.
Gia heard them.
And Kyle's chest tightened—not with injury, but with something far sharper.
Turning the Tide
Kyle pushed to his feet, rage hardening his stance. Blood gushed from a cut along his side, but instead of slowing, it fed his weapon, the crimson edge glowing faintly in the gloom.
"You want me?" Kyle's voice was low, dangerous. "Then stop aiming for them."
The Hunter tilted his head in something almost like amusement. "So protective."
Their blades met again—this time harder, each impact sending shivers through the ground. Kyle's movements became unpredictable, his weapons morphing mid-strike—sword to scythe, scythe to spear, spear to shield.
Finally, with a burst of strength, Kyle slammed the Hunter into a wall. "Run!" he barked without looking back.
Felix didn't argue this time—he grabbed Gia's hand and pulled her down a side alley, glancing over his shoulder more than once.
Kyle stayed behind, just long enough to give them a lead before turning and sprinting after them.
No Rest
They didn't stop until the buildings thinned and the fog began to break. Gia bent over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.
Felix smirked, even while panting. "Still alive. And still not letting him near you."
Gia glanced at him, unsure how to respond.
Kyle arrived seconds later, his shirt torn, blood drying along his ribs. His eyes locked on Felix—just for a moment, something unspoken passed between them.
Then he turned to Gia, his tone clipped. "We keep moving. He's not done."
And though he didn't say it, the look in his eyes promised something else entirely:
If Felix thought he could play protector, he was going to learn just how far Kyle would go to keep Gia safe.
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