Chapter 40: On the Edge of Collapse
The night sky trembled under the relentless clash of steel and shadow. Kael's blade, wreathed in black fire, tore through the air again and again. Each strike rang like a death knell, forcing Le Wai further toward the brink.
Le Wai staggered under the weight of the assault. His arms felt numb, his chest burned with every breath, and blood trickled from the corner of his lips. His vision blurred, edges darkening, yet still he refused to fall.
Kael sneered, his voice sharp and cruel.
"Pathetic. You drag your broken body forward as if it matters. Every second you stand is just another second of agony."
The shadow beasts circled, their snarls echoing like vultures waiting for their prey to collapse. The mastermind's unseen presence pulsed with cold amusement.
"He will break soon. His spark is weak… it cannot last."
Le Wai's knees buckled as Kael's strike slammed against his guard, sending shockwaves through his arms. He dropped to one knee, his sword trembling in his grip. The faint light flickered dangerously, nearly extinguished.
Pain screamed through every part of him. His body begged him to surrender, to let go. The thought whispered cruelly in his mind: Maybe this is the end.
But even as despair gnawed at him, the ember within refused to fade. A heartbeat—steady, stubborn—echoed inside his chest.
No… not yet.
Le Wai forced himself upright, staggering back into stance. His voice cracked, but it carried defiance.
"I won't… give in."
Kael snarled, fury twisting his face. He struck again, faster, harder. Sparks flew as steel clashed with steel, each blow threatening to shatter Le Wai's weapon.
The faint glow around him continued to flicker, dim yet unyielding. It was fragile, almost invisible—yet it endured, mocking Kael's might with its persistence.
From the shadows, the mastermind's tone sharpened, laced with unease.
"He should have fallen already. Why does he still stand…?"
Le Wai staggered back once more, his breathing ragged, his body trembling on the verge of collapse. He knew he couldn't last much longer—but deep within, he also knew this wasn't the end.
Somewhere inside him, beyond the pain and exhaustion, something vast and terrible waited. The ember pulsed again, a silent promise.
And though his body faltered, his spirit whispered the truth Kael refused to accept:
This fight isn't over.