The clash of steel and fire shattered the night.
Eryan's black blade hissed against Kael's unfinished weapon, sparks bursting like fireflies in a storm. Every strike shook the ground, the air vibrating with the fury of two blacksmiths whose forges extended beyond anvils—whose battlefield was the very essence of creation itself.
Kael pressed forward, his movements calculated, elegant. His strikes were heavy, yet precise, each one designed to break Eryan's guard and his will. The blue-forged steel he wielded shimmered unnaturally, as though ice and fire were fused within its veins.
Eryan gritted his teeth, sweat and blood dripping down his arms as he blocked another blow. His muscles screamed, his lungs burned, but the black blade in his hands pulsed violently, feeding on his desperation.
More… strike harder… bleed more…
The whispers slithered in his head. Eryan shook them off, focusing only on Kael's crimson eyes glaring back at him.
The fight was not just of steel—it was of wills.
Kael's aura was suffocating, the sheer confidence of a man who had mastered the forge of battle. His smirk never faded, even as Eryan fought with every ounce of strength he had.
"You swing like a child," Kael taunted, his voice calm amidst the chaos. He spun, the edge of his blade slashing across Eryan's chest. Blood sprayed, searing hot as it splattered onto the ground.
Eryan staggered back, gripping the wound, his vision blurring. The black blade pulsed harder, absorbing drops of his blood as if savoring the taste.
Kael tilted his head, amused. "See? Your weapon is nothing but a parasite. It feeds on you because you're weak. You'll never surpass me."
Rage burned in Eryan's chest. He roared, swinging with renewed fury. The blade answered, glowing darker, veins of crimson light racing along its surface. The force of his strike sent Kael sliding back a step—the first crack in the rival's calm mask.
The clearing trembled as their weapons collided again and again, each blow ringing louder than thunder. Trees split, earth cracked, the very night seemed to wail at their fury.
Eryan's vision blurred, but something awakened inside him. Every strike he made, the blade shifted—its shape adjusting, edges sharpening, as though forging itself mid-battle.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "So… you've awakened it. The Blacksmith's true curse."
Eryan didn't understand, but the power in his hands was undeniable. His blade no longer felt like steel—it felt like a living beast. A beast hungry for Kael's blood.
Selene's scream cut through the chaos.
"ERYAN!"
Both men froze for an instant. At the edge of the clearing, Selene stood, her shawl falling from her shoulders as she stumbled forward. Her wide eyes locked on Eryan's bleeding chest, then on Kael's monstrous aura.
"Selene—get back!" Eryan shouted, his voice hoarse.
Kael's smirk widened. "So this is your tether to humanity? How fragile."
Before Eryan could react, Kael swung, not at him—but at Selene. A streak of blue flame cut across the ground, racing toward her. She shrieked, frozen in terror.
Eryan's body moved before thought. He lunged, planting himself between Selene and the attack, raising his black blade. The force of Kael's strike slammed into him, sending shockwaves through his bones. Pain tore through his body as the ground beneath him shattered.
Selene fell to her knees behind him, clutching his back. "Eryan, you'll die—!"
He spat blood, forcing his legs to hold. "Then I'll die protecting you."
Kael tilted his head, watching. "Pathetic. Chains of love and weakness. You'll never surpass me if you let yourself be bound."
Eryan's eyes burned with fury. "Then I'll surpass you because of them."
The black blade roared, glowing brighter, its whispers turning into screams. Power surged through him, tearing muscle and bone, but he held on. He raised the weapon, his chest heaving, and charged Kael with a primal scream.
Their blades met again, the force splitting the earth, fire and blue flame colliding in an explosion of sparks.
Kael slid back this time, his smirk fading slightly.
For the first time, the rival blacksmith looked intrigued.
"You might not be useless after all," he said, licking blood from his lip where Eryan's strike had grazed him. His crimson eyes gleamed. "Good. That means breaking you will be worth it."
But instead of pressing the fight, Kael stepped back, his blue flame blade dissolving into smoke. The forge behind him roared once, then vanished as if it had never been there.
"You're not ready yet," Kael said, turning his back. "Forge stronger steel, boy. Or next time, I'll cut down your woman first before you."
His laughter echoed as he vanished into the trees.
Eryan collapsed to one knee, the black blade still pulsing violently in his hand. Selene caught him, tears streaking down her cheeks.
"Don't—don't move, you're bleeding too much—" she cried, pressing her hands against his wound.
Eryan's breath was ragged, his vision swimming. But in his chest, he felt it.
The battle wasn't over. It had just begun.
The rival blacksmith, Kael…
He wasn't just stronger. He was a mirror of everything Eryan feared becoming.
The night was silent again. Too silent.
Only the sound of Eryan's labored breathing broke the stillness as Selene struggled to half-carry, half-drag him back toward the village. His body was heavy, slick with blood, and the black blade he still clutched pulsed faintly like a beating heart.
"Damn it, Eryan, stay awake!" Selene's voice cracked, trembling as tears streamed down her face. She pressed her shoulder under his arm, her thin frame straining to support his weight.
He coughed, crimson spilling from his lips. "…I'm… fine."
"Fine? You're bleeding everywhere! If I hadn't—if you had been a second slower—" Her words broke, swallowed by a sob.
Eryan clenched his jaw, forcing his legs to move despite the searing pain in his chest. "I… had to protect you."
Selene froze for a moment, staring at him with wide eyes. Then she shook her head fiercely, dragging him forward. "Idiot. You'll die for me if you keep this up."
They reached the inn by dawn, the sky painted in pale gray. Selene laid him down in her small room, tearing strips of cloth to bind his wounds.
"Take it off," she ordered, her voice sharp despite her tears.
Eryan raised a brow weakly. "What?"
"Your shirt, your armor—everything. I can't treat you like this."
He smirked faintly despite the pain. "You're awfully direct."
Selene glared, cheeks burning red. "Don't joke at a time like this!" She tugged at his shirt, forcing it off despite his wince. His torso was a mess of cuts and bruises, blood seeping from a deep gash across his chest.
Selene's hands trembled as she pressed cloth against the wound. Her eyes lingered on his scarred muscles, but she quickly bit her lip, forcing herself to focus. "You're reckless. So reckless…"
Eryan watched her in silence, her hair falling over her face as she worked. The warmth of her touch contrasted with the icy whispers of his blade still resting against the wall.
When she finished binding him, Selene collapsed at his side, wiping sweat from her brow. "You should be dead," she whispered. "That man… Kael. He's not human."
Eryan's eyes darkened. "He's a blacksmith. Like me."
"No," she snapped, clutching his hand. "Not like you. You're not… like him."
Her grip tightened, her tears falling onto his skin. "Promise me you won't become like him. Promise me you won't lose yourself."
Eryan hesitated. The whispers of the blade were louder now, mocking her words. She doesn't understand. She doesn't know what power demands.
But looking into her desperate eyes, he forced a nod. "I'll fight it. I'll fight him. I swear."
Selene leaned forward, resting her forehead against his, her breath trembling. For a moment, the world outside ceased to exist—the rivalry, the blood, the darkness. Only her warmth anchored him.
But peace never lasted.
That evening, the village bell rang. Loud. Urgent. A warning.
Eryan struggled to his feet despite Selene's protests, grabbing the black blade. He staggered outside, his body screaming in pain.
On the horizon, smoke rose. Figures approached—mercenaries clad in battered armor, carrying Kael's emblem burned into their shields.
Kael wasn't done.
He was sending a message.