Kai pushed open the huge metal doors and stepped into the throne room. The room was big and impressive, designed to amaze. Tall pillars reached up to the high ceiling, decorated with carvings of power and history. Soft golden light came through colorful windows, spreading shifting colors across the shiny marble floor. At the far end, up a few steps stood a large throne.
Above, a giant glowing screen floated, showing the battle happening outside in real time.
On the throne sat Alexandria Morningstar. Her hand resting casually on the armrest, fingers tapping lightly as she watched the fight. She didn't glance at Kai when she spoke.
"You're late."
"Spawn point was miles out," Kai countered, his boots echoing as he approached. "And besides, it didn't take me that long to get here."
"Not that long?" Her eyes narrowed as she finally turned to face him.
"It took you five minutes and sixteen seconds," she said coolly. "A lot can happen in five minutes."
"I could have been attacked. I could have been killed. If I died, the exam would have ended, and you would've been forced to leave this school permanently."
"None of that happened," Kai countered
"So why get worked up over a hypothetical?"
"Oh, you misunderstand me, Kai. I'm not angry. Just… disappointed."
Her comments irritated Kai, but he said nothing.
Arguing wouldn't change anything. His job was to protect her. That's what being the Queen's Guard meant. Hardly anyone knew it, but Alexandria couldn't fight.
Putting her in an exam like this was basically a death sentence. But that's why he was here. Who better to protect her than the one who had the most to lose if they failed?
"Anyway, come look at this." She motioned toward the glowing screen above, where the battle outside raged on.
Kai wandered over and dropped onto one of the steps leading up to the throne, stretching out a little as he looked up.
"I figured being a leader in this exam would come with perks," he said, smirking. "But I didn't think they'd throw in a giant flat-screen TV."
"Apparently, as long as I'm sitting here, I can see the entire battlefield."
They watched the battle unfold together, from Fex's onslaught of air bullets to Rebecca's single-handed reversal of the fight.
"Note to self: never get on her bad side," he muttered.
Yet, a spark of competitive hunger ignited. With his new skills… could he take her? Right now? His thoughts raced further. And Isaiah… if he walked through those doors this second… how would that go?
"That reminds me," he muttered.
"Status bar." He glanced down at his watch as the screen lit up.
====STATUS====
Name: Malakai Blackwell
Potential Rank: Fallen
Current Rank: Awakened
Strength: 14
Speed: 18
Stamina: 18
Intelligence: 13
Charm: 18
Curse Energy Level: 10,000 +
---
Curse: Dark Forge
Curse Description:
In a realm shrouded in eternal darkness, where light dares not intrude, the blacksmith forges weapons of war. This place takes the form of a majestic crown, a somber tribute to its former master, the Fallen King. It awaits the next Dark Forger to wield its powers.
---
Dark Forge Armory:
The Shadow Blade (Bane)
[The Fallen King bestows upon you a nameless, ancient blade, a relic with the power to cut what cannot be cut. No matter the size or strength of your target, this blade will cut through it]
---
Skills:
Blackout
Shadow Blade (Bane) Mastery:
Blur 10%
Severance : undetermined
Veil : undetermined
---
Techniques tied to Bane:
Blur
A technique that uses Bane's speed boost. It manipulates the perception of the enemy rather than physical reality. By combining rapid acceleration with micro-feints and afterimage control, the user's outline becomes unstable, distorting the vision of anyone looking.
Severance
The true essence of Bane. This ability allows the user to cut what cannot be cut. Severance is powered by belief. If the user doubts, the cut will fail. At full belief, Severance unleashes two types of slashes:
Red Slash: Cuts through physical matter.
Black Slash: Cuts through conceptual and spiritual things, even those beyond physicality.
Veil
The user can manifest the darkness within Bane to engulf an area in pitch blackness, robbing enemies of sight and dulling their senses. Only the user can see within the veil. It can only be used at night or in enclosed locations. Direct sunlight completely disperses it.
--
The updated descriptions left him stunned.
Severance—the projected slash that could cut anything—meant he finally had a way to strike from range. Veil, on the other hand, could flip a battle in an instant. Together, they were perfect.
His chest tightened with anticipation. He couldn't wait to unleash them in real combat.
Across the throne, Alexandria caught the subtle shift in his expression. Her curiosity stirred.
"Something on your mind?" she asked.
Kai smirked. "Let's just say I took a reckless gamble… and it actually paid off."
Her brow lifted, ready to press him further—then a thunderous boom echoed from the floating screen.
Damian Knight had entered the fight.
"Where is Malakai Blackwell?" his voice roared.
Hearing this, Kai immediately rose to his feet at once, stepping down the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Alexandria called.
"To kill Damian," Kai answered flatly. "He's after me, not them. If I move now, I can pull him away from the main fight into a more secluded spot. If I don't, he'll tear through our army until he finds me."
Alexandria's gaze hardened. "Did you think I hadn't considered that? I've already chosen someone to deal with him."
"Who? Fex?" Kai's tone edged with disbelief. "No offense, but I don't think a few air bullets are gonna stop Damian."
Her eyes narrowed. "And since when did you become such an expert?"
"Since the day I beat him."
Alexandria rose from her throne, her voice firm.
"Do not take another step."
Kai stopped and turned back to her.
"Why? are you that desperate for my company?" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"We've been sitting here this whole time, and nothing's happened. Vanguard hasn't even come close to this place. There's nothing to protect you from."
Alexandria's eyes narrowed.
"If you think Vanguard is your only enemy in this exam, then you're even dumber than I thought. Did you really believe it was all black and white?"
"What are you even talki—"
Kai's words were cut short by a deafening sonic wave that tore through the air, rattling Kai's ears as it shot toward Alexandria."l
She moved quickly, dodging to the side. The attack smashed into the throne, cracking stone and filling the chamber with a ringing echo.
Kai's eyes widened. "What the hell…?"
He spun toward the source of the blast—and froze.
Marching through the throne room doors was a group of students, each clad in black armor and armed for battle.
At their front stood Marcus, wearing a smug grin.
Damian's gang had arrived.
"Long time no see, Kai," Marcus said.
Kai's fists clenched. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You almost killed her, you bastard!"
Marcus shrugged. "That was the plan. Shame she's faster than I expected."
"We're supposed to be on the same side!" Kai snapped.
Marcus's grin stretched wider. "That's where you're wrong. That's never going to happen."
"Trash like you don't belong here. And clearly…" He glanced at the armored students behind him. "…I'm not the only one who thinks so."
Kai quickly understood what Marcus meant. There were more of them now than during the hallway fight. Damian's gang wasn't the only group that wanted him gone.
"This is what you meant earlier, isn't it?" Kai asked—though his words were aimed at Alexandria behind him, recalling her warning that Vanguard wasn't the only threat.
"When I saw their names listed under Rebellion, I suspected something like this," Alexandria said calmly. "And it seems I was right."
"Marcus, was it?" She tilted her head. "I can't imagine Damian would be happy about this. He's far too prideful to stoop to such underhanded tactics."
"He doesn't know. And right now…I don't care what he thinks." His eyes locked on Kai, burning with hate.
"I hate Malakai Blackwell more.... than I fear Damian."
The words sank into the room, and the air seemed to thicken. Every student felt the shift.
Kai stepped forward, his eyes glowing red, his presence pressing down like a storm. His gaze locked on Marcus, cold and unblinking.
He raised his hand, voice low and deliberate.
"Come forth… Bane."
The crown above his head spun slowly, shadows spiraling downward as the ancient blade materialized in his grip.
"You're about to hate me a lot more,"
"Oh, enough with all the yap!" Tristan, one of Damian's men, barked as he lunged forward. He unleashed a flurry of punches, each blow tearing through the air, the force splitting it into sharp sonic booms that roared toward Kai at supersonic speed.
But Kai was gone. His figure slipped from sight, gliding past every strike with ease. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared right before Tristan.
Tristan swung again. Kai leaned aside, effortless, the punch missing by inches. Tristan pulled back for another strike, but before it could land,Kai stepped in without warning and swung the blade in a rising diagonal slash from hip to shoulder.
The motion was so fast that Tristan barely had time to blink before his arm was cut off
Tristan's scream tore through the air as blood sprayed from the stump where his arm had been, his blade swung again, this time aimed at Tristan's throat, intending on ending it then and there.
But before the strike could land, steel rang against something unyielding. A diamond hand clamped down on Bane's edge, stopping it cold.
Kai's eyes lifted. It was Marcus.
His entire arm shimmered with the hard, clear gleam of diamond. The same diamond etched into the throne room doors he had touched upon entering.
Marcus yanked Kai in close, his other hand already hardened. A brutal punch smashed against Kai's guard, launching him backward. He managed to block in time, dulling the worst of it, but the sheer force still rattled his bones.
Kai skidded across the marble, boots grinding until he steadied himself. The throne room rang with the echo of that single blow.
"You like it?" he sneered as he flexed his diamond coated skin. "I can become anything…All it takes is a single touch."
Kai's expression didn't change. It was still cold. He was still unimpressed as he readied to lunge. But the moment he pushed forward, his body jerked to a halt. He glanced down.
Thin, nearly invisible red threads had coiled tight around his right foot, rooting him in place.
"Huh…?" he muttered, eyes narrowing.
At the edge of the room, a figure stood still.
Her dark-blue hair looked almost black in the light, but a faint shimmer revealed its true color when she moved. With a small flick of her hand, the threads responded, drawing tighter at her command
She locked eyes with him for only a heartbeat before another attacker launched himself high into the air, crashing down toward him.
Kai quickly slashed through the binding threads with Bane, freeing himself, and slipped aside just as the impact shook the marble beneath him.
The floor cracked wide, lines splitting through the marble as chunks of stone shot up from the heavy landing. Dust filled the air, but Kai was already on the move.
The attacker climbed out of the crater, eyes sharp as he searched through the haze. But when he finally turned...
It was too late.
Bane had already sliced his throat.
Kai had gotten his first ever kill.