The forest was eerily silent, save for the crunch of boots against underbrush. The remaining bandits huddled close, their torches casting jagged shadows across the trees. Every flicker of light seemed to conceal movement, every rustle of leaves a threat.
Mickel spat on the ground, gripping his sword tightly. "I'm telling you, the moment that brat shows his face, I'm gutting him."
"Sure you will," Jeska muttered. Her face was pale, her lip split from earlier. "You'll probably die whining, just like the others."
"Say that again, Jeska," Mickel growled, stepping toward her.
"Enough!" Tarn barked, his voice carrying an authority that silenced them all. "We're not going to win by tearing at each other's throats. We've got one enemy, and he's bleeding just like we are. Remember that."
Lenn, the youngest, gripped his torch with trembling hands. "But he knows this forest. We don't. We're stumbling around like—"
"Like prey," Jeska finished, her voice bitter.
"Prey doesn't fight back," Tarn growled. He reached into his belt, pulling out the jagged black crystal. It pulsed faintly, a dark crimson light flickering like a heartbeat.
Jeska's eyes widened in alarm. "Tarn, no. That thing will kill you. Or worse."
"We're already dead if we don't stop him," Tarn snapped. "This? This is our only shot. You got a better idea? Speak now."
Jeska hesitated, then looked away.
Lenn stepped back. "That thing... it's cursed. You've seen what it does to people."
Tarn's lips curled into a grim smile. "What it does is give me the power to win. That's all that matters."
He gripped the shard tightly, the crimson glow intensifying as black veins spread up his arm. His muscles bulged grotesquely, his frame expanding as his skin darkened. His eyes turned a burning red, and his breath came in deep, guttural growls.
Jeska took a step back, her voice trembling. "You've just doomed us all, Tarn."
Kaidan's Arrival
Kaidan stepped from the shadows, his gait uneven. Blood stained his clothes, and his breathing was ragged. His mismatched eyes, one faintly glowing, swept over the remaining bandits before settling on Tarn's monstrous form.
"You look worse than I feel," Tarn rumbled, his voice distorted.
Kaidan's eyes narrowed. "And you've turned into an abomination. Let me guess—desperation?"
Tarn laughed, the sound reverberating through the forest. "Desperation? No. This is power. Something you clearly don't understand."
Kaidan gripped his short sword tightly, his body tensing. His injuries screamed with every movement, but he pushed the pain aside. "Where did you get that shard?"
Tarn's grin widened. "Why don't you come find out?"
Without warning, Tarn charged. The ground shook beneath his feet as he closed the distance with terrifying speed. Kaidan barely had time to react, diving to the side as Tarn's massive fist slammed into the ground, leaving a crater in the dirt.
Kaidan rolled to his feet, gasping for breath. Too fast. He slashed at Tarn's side, but the blade barely grazed the thickened skin. Tarn swung again, and Kaidan raised his sword to block. The force of the blow sent him skidding backward, his arms trembling from the impact.
"You're nothing," Tarn snarled, advancing.
Kaidan ducked under another swing, slashing at Tarn's leg. The blade bit deeper this time, drawing blood, but Tarn barely flinched. He retaliated with a backhanded strike that caught Kaidan in the ribs, sending him flying into a tree.
Pain exploded through Kaidan's body as he hit the ground. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his vision blurred.
"You're slowing down, boy," Tarn taunted, looming over him.
Kaidan coughed, forcing himself to his feet. "And you're burning out. I can see it—your movements are getting sloppy."
Tarn roared in anger, charging again. Kaidan sidestepped, driving his sword into Tarn's arm. The blade sank deep, and Tarn howled in pain, but he swung wildly, forcing Kaidan to retreat.
Kaidan stumbled, his vision swimming. I'm running out of time. My body's giving out.
Tarn's movements became more erratic, his strikes heavier but less precise. Kaidan used this to his advantage, darting in and out, landing small cuts where he could. But each exchange cost him—his injuries slowed him, and Tarn's relentless attacks pushed him closer to the brink.
The Turning Point
Tarn suddenly grabbed Jeska's unconscious form from the ground, hurling her at Kaidan.
Kaidan's eyes widened as the body hurtled toward him. Instinctively, he caught her, the impact nearly knocking him over.
"What—" Kaidan began, but before he could finish, Jeska's body erupted in a violent burst of energy. The force threw him backward, the heat searing his skin.
Tarn laughed, the sound maniacal. "You think you're the only one who's resourceful?"
Kaidan pushed himself up, his ears ringing. His sword was gone, and his body felt like it was on fire. Tarn advanced, his mutilated arms leaking blackened blood, his grin feral.
"You're finished," Tarn growled.
Kaidan's mismatched eyes flickered as he spotted his short sword lying in the dirt a few feet away. Summoning the last of his strength, he rolled toward it, grabbing the hilt just as Tarn lunged.
Kaidan twisted, driving the blade into Tarn's wrist. The monster howled, staggering back. Kaidan didn't let up—he spun, slicing through Tarn's remaining hand.
Tarn's screams echoed through the forest as he fell to his knees, his monstrous form beginning to wither.
Kaidan stood over him, his chest heaving. "Where did you get that shard?"
Tarn glared up at him, his red eyes dimming. "You'll... never know."
With a final shudder, Tarn collapsed, the cursed energy consuming what remained of his strength.
Kaidan swayed, exhaustion threatening to overtake him, but he forced himself to stay upright. The battle was over, but the questions remained. For now, he had survived.