The forest didn't feel like a forest anymore.
It felt like a battlefield waiting to happen.
Every leaf was still.
Every sound had disappeared.
Even the wind refused to move too fast.
šŗ KAELTHAR STRIKES FIRST
Kaelthar tilted his head slightly.
Then he vanished.
Not like normal speed.
Not like teleportation.
More like the world simply skipped his presence.
Jemila shouted, "Kael!"
But Kael was already reacting.
He turned sharplyā
Too late.
A slash of blue energy cut through the air and exploded against his shoulder.
BOOM.
Kael was thrown back into a tree.
Wood shattered instantly.
š©ø FIRST BLOOD
Kael hit the ground hard.
For a secondā¦ silence.
Jemila froze. "Kael!!"
Blood dripped from his arm.
His first real wound.
Kael looked at it.
Then slowlyā¦ he smiled.
Kaelthar stepped out from the shadows.
"I expected more resistance," he said calmly.
Kael stood up slowly.
"ā¦That was just your greeting?"
š„ THE MARK REACTS
The Bloody Sun mark on Kael's arm ignited.
Red energy spread across his skin like burning veins.
The dragon's voice echoed in his mind.
DO NOT LET HIM TOUCH YOUR CORE.
Kael whispered, "My core?"
But Kaelthar didn't wait.
He attacked again.
āļø SPEED BEYOND SIGHT
Kaelthar moved in circles around Kaelātoo fast to track fully.
Jemila tried to follow but couldn't see him properly.
Kael stood still.
Not confused.
Focused.
Kaelthar's voice came from everywhere.
"You're slow."
Thenā
Three slashes came at once.
Kael blocked one.
Barely.
The second hit his ribs.
The third missed only because he twisted mid-air.
Kael crashed again.
š THE DRAGON WHISPERS
Inside Kael's mind:
YOU ARE HOLDING BACK.
Kael gritted his teeth. "I don't even know what I am supposed to do!"
STOP THINKING.
A pause.
REMEMBER.
Kael's eyes widened slightly.
"ā¦Remember what?"
But the dragon didn't answer.
Insteadā
Something inside Kael shifted.
š JEMILA AWAKENS
Kaelthar raised his hand.
A blade formed from compressed void energy.
"This ends now."
He dashed forwardā
But suddenlyā
Jemila stepped in front of Kael.
Her troll mark exploded with green-gold energy.
The ground cracked under her feet.
Kaelthar stopped mid-step.
"ā¦Interesting."
Jemila was shaking but standing firm.
"You're not touching him."
Kael whispered, "Jemilaā¦ move."
But she didn't.
For the first timeā
Her voice wasn't soft.
"It's my turn to fight too."
šŗ SECOND FORM OF THE HUNT
Kaelthar's expression changed.
"ā¦Then I will remove both of you."
The forest darkened instantly.
His shadow expanded.
And behind himā
Two more figures appeared.
The other Void Hunters had arrived.
Nymora, The Silent Blade Brakkus, The Bone Titan
Kael's eyes widened.
"ā¦So it was never just one."
š„ KAEL BREAKS LIMIT
The dragon's voice became louder.
NOW.
Kael clenched his fist.
The Bloody Sun mark erupted fully.
Red light exploded outward.
The ground beneath him cracked violently.
Kael slowly stood.
His voice changed.
Calmer.
Heavier.
"ā¦Enough."
Kaelthar narrowed his eyes.
"What did you just say?"
Kael looked up.
And for the first timeā
His eyes had faint red flame patterns inside them.
"I saidā¦ enough.
The forest went completely silent again.
Even the Void Hunters stopped moving.
Because something about Kael had changed.
And they could all feel it.
The huntā¦
was no longer one-sided.