Kael, Alira, and Phel were running at top speed across the city square towards Phel's house. Suddenly, a harsh, oppressive aura washed over them, immediately followed by a blinding white light that flashed from the direction of the house.
What the hell is that? Kael thought, eyes narrowing.
Phel's heart sank, the suffocating feeling returning with sharp clarity. It was the same presence she'd felt when she left the city and Caroline behind. Back then, she hadn't understood it, but now...
"This isn't right. We have to hurry!" Phel urged. "I've felt this before. And it never ends well." Kael and Alira nodded grimly.
Moments later, they reached the house. The exterior looked untouched, yet Caroline's aura… was eerily absent.
"The barrier's still up. We'll need a way in," Phel muttered.
Kael turned to Alira. "You can handle it, right?"
Alira clicked her tongue, then smirked. "Who do you think I am? Give me ten minutes."
She circled around the house, searching for weak points. Finally, at the rear wall, she found a faint crack in the barrier's weave.
Meanwhile, Kael and Phel sat near the side.
"When this barrier comes down…" Kael stared at Phel with a serious look. "Are you ready?"
Phel clenched her fists. "I'll finish this. With my own hands."
"You sure?" Kael didn't doubt her strength—he doubted her heart.
Phel looked down. He didn't know when everything had gone wrong… but deep inside, all he wished for was to end Caroline's suffering. Whether she hated him—or he hated her—he wanted to be the one to end it.
"Carol! It's me, Lumino!"
Alira paused, blinking as she caught a faint voice near the front of the house.
"Kael—I hear Lumino!"
Kael stood abruptly. He heard it too.
And then—
"Cursed…" A low, guttural whisper echoed—Caroline's voice. Phel felt his chest tighten.
"Alira! How long? I think Lumino's in danger!"
"I'm on it!" Alira hissed. "The rear's open now! Go!"
Without a second thought, Kael drew his sword and smashed through the crumbling barrier. He burst into the living room, arriving just as he saw Lumino confronting Caroline.
Without thinking, Kael lunged, grabbing Lumino by the waist and yanking him out of harm's way.
"Sorry I'm late, Lumino."
Lumino looked up, disbelief and relief in his eyes. "Kael…"
Alira caught up shortly afterward. Kael passed Lumino into her arms and stood—facing the Red Witch herself. His heartbeat raced, something dark stirring inside him. I'll kill her.
"Kael… don't kill her." Lumino's voice trembled from behind.
I'm not sure I can promise that.
Kael rushed forward. A chilling whisper, "Kill... kill..." escaped Caroline's lips, her tendrils thrashing as her voice echoed. Crimson tendrils, like shadows, lashed out at him. Unable to forecast.
Unfortunately for her, Kael was a close-range fighter who was also a master of dodging attacks. He skillfully avoided her hits, swiftly closing the distance and in a flash, he thrust his sword into her shoulder.
Caroline shrieked, clawing at him. Kael yanked his blade free and leaped back.
"You… you too… you carry a curse," Caroline hissed.
Kael sneered. "Look who's talking, witch." He noticed his arm—where she touched him—darkening, almost rotting. He grimaced. I'll have to be careful.
But Caroline's gaze shifted—no longer at Lumino… but locked on him.
"You must be erased."
Kael saw Phel shift in the background.Got it.
He pushed forward, slashing with precision, keeping her attention locked.
"Shadow Manifestation: Act 7 — Drill Slash!"
A powerful arc of dark energy forced Caroline into defense—leaving her wide open.
Slash.
Behind her, Phel's dagger stabbed into her heart. Caroline's eyes darted back, shocked.
"It's over, Caroline… rest now," Phel whispered.
She pulled back, leaving the dagger embedded. Caroline staggered, turning— "Phel… dephine…"
Did it work? Kael thought.
But before Phel could react, Caroline absorbed the cursed dagger with her body—her magic swallowing its power.
"Phel… don't interfere."
A pear-shaped, faintly glowing red shadow burst from the ground beneath her, piercing Phel's back completely.
"C…Caroline…" Phel gasped blood, lifted into the air, floating because of the spear.
"Phel!" Kael roared, charging—but Caroline's tendrils wrapped around him, crushing the air from his lungs.
"Kael!" Alira screamed.
Lumino watched in horror, covering his mouth.
Kael struggled, fury burning in his veins. The shadows faded—Phel's lifeless body falling with a hollow thud.
Alira cast a spell that released Kael from the binding tendrils. But Caroline noticed her—lashing out.
Alira braced herself—until Kael blocked the strike at the last second.
He shoved Alira behind him, facing Caroline, rage and wind swirling around him.
"You'll die right here," Kael hissed. "Go to hell!"
He vanished—then reappeared, sword enlarging, slashing Caroline in two—only to find it was her shadow clone.
Caroline countered from behind—but Kael dodged, slashing her again.
"Shadow Manipulation, Act 4: The Calamity!"
Caroline stumbled back, I have to annihilate him… this man… he's also#$@$the one…
She screamed, her body surging with dark crimson energy—skin blackening, eyes glowing red, hair turning jet-black.
Kael stood still—unflinching.
"Be careful, Kael!"Even though her mana was almost drained, Alira cast an enchantment to buff his agility.
Nearby, Lumino clutched his head—memories pounding, ears ringing. Antonio… Resvika… his grandfather… explosions… blood… tremors…
"Don't… not yet… don't remember everything…" A soft voice whispered inside him.
Blood dripped from his nose—his vision fading.
"Lumino! Are you alright?!" Alira knelt by him, panic flashing in her eyes.
"Thread…" Lumino whispered.
"What?"
Alira activated her sensory spell—and gasped.
A thin red thread bound Lumino's wrist… leading straight to Caroline.
Not a normal Orb connection—but a forbidden link—one that bound everything: mind and body.
"Kael!" Alira shouted. "You can't kill her yet—if you do, Lumino dies too!"
Kael froze—glancing back, anger shifting to fear.
---
Kael stood frozen, Everything he'd planned… vanished from his mind.
How could he kill Caroline if it meant killing Lumino too?
What's the point…?
Kael's eyes stayed locked on Caroline as his heart raced. His mind spun — calculating, grasping at nothing.
"Is there a way to break the link, Alira?" he asked, voice low but tight.
Alira, still wiping blood from Lumino's face, hesitated. "I… I'm not sure."
Kael clenched his fists. "Figure it out! You're a genius witch, aren't you?!"
He didn't know why he cared this much about a guy he'd only met three weeks ago.
But one thing he knew —He didn't want to regret this.
Alira looked down, biting her lip. But then Lumino rested a shaky hand on her shoulder.
"I'm… fine. You don't have to worry about me." His voice broke. "Kael, just focus on fighting… Carol."
Kael whipped his head around. "What the hell are you talking about?!"
Caroline kept attacking — Kael dodged instinctively, snarling, "How the hell am I supposed to let you die?!"
"And what are you going to do?!" Lumino coughed hard. "We're up against a witch no sword can touch… And I'm… I'm drowning in emotions that aren't even mine. I hear voices. See… memories I don't even recognize."
Kael cursed under his breath, He couldn't dodge forever.
With a fierce growl, he parried Caroline's next strike and slammed his blade toward her throat.
"Shadow Manipulation — Act 2: Movement Lock!"
Shadows twisted from the ground, binding Caroline's limbs, freezing her mid-motion.
It wouldn't last long. But it was something.
Alira poured all her magic into Lumino, but it didn't stop him from coughing up blood.
Then—
A voice, soft and cold, echoed in Lumino's ears.
"My dear Lumino… You don't have to worry. That petty spell of Caroline's could never break the Orb's thread on you."
A voice. Soft. Familiar. Echoing in his ear.
He knew that voice. But… who was it?
"If you do exactly as I say… the thread will break."
"What… should I do?" Lumino whispered.
Alira looked up sharply. "Don't worry, Lumino. I'm working on it."
"You need to…"
The voice trailed in, sharp, direct.
Lumino inhaled shakily, then rose to his feet.
Kael fought to hold Caroline down, sweat beading on his forehead as he yanked at his sword, which remained stubbornly stuck. A slow, cruel smile spread across Caroline's face.
Damn it! Kael cursed inwardly. This was her plan—!
Caroline's hand shot up, crimson magic gathering at her palm. She aimed a killing blow at Kael.
Kael, still trying to dodge the attack, was knocked aside by a sudden shove before the strike could land.
He gasped as Lumino shoved him, and then Caroline's attack plunged straight through Lumino's chest.
Lumino coughed, blood spilling from his lips, and collapsed to his knees with a soft, broken smile. "I guess… dying's enough, right?" he whispered, smiling faintly.
At that exact moment, Caroline screamed, her body igniting with dark magic that burned her from within until she disintegrated into ash.
With her destruction, the barrier vanished, the sky cleared, and the storm of dark power was gone.
"LUMINO!!" Alira's scream tore through the silent aftermath.
Kael dropped beside him, eyes wide in disbelief.
"You… idiot." He lifted Lumino's limp body into his arms.
"Alira do something! You have healing spells! Potions! Anything—!" His voice cracked.
Alira shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I… I don't know… I didn't think… He caught the blow for you…"
They stared at the gaping hole in Lumino's chest, crimson blood blooming across the dirt. Kael's eyes widened, disbelieving. A sharp ache tore through him. Why the crushing weight in his chest?
"Lumino…" Kael rasped, his voice thick. He held Lumino's head, feeling the rapid thud of his own heart. Then—a soft, inner light, like a sunrise trapped within a gemstone, bloomed within Lumino's chest.
The red thread, which had symbolized his severed connection to the life force, now broken and frayed, miraculously rejoined itself, the ends knitting together with an almost imperceptible tremor.
At the point where the thread mended, a surge of energy erupted. Lumino's wrist, the source of the mysterious power, emitted a blinding white glow, so intense that it burned even through closed eyelids.
Kael, ever the pragmatist, and Alira, whose usually unflappable composure faltered, instinctively shielded their eyes, their hands covering them in a futile attempt to block the radiance.
It seemed to last an eternity, an agonizing flicker of pure, untamed energy. Lumino's body, ravaged by the previous attack, was miraculously whole, the grievous wound that had threatened to claim his life vanished without a trace.
The crimson stain on the stone floor had also disappeared, leaving behind only the faint memory of the struggle.
He slowly opened his eyes, his pupils growing larger to accommodate the light. He drew a shallow breath, the sound echoing in the suddenly silent chamber. "Uh... I..."
Alira choked on a sob and slammed her head against his chest.
"You stupid, stupid idiot! I thought you were dead!" She pounded her fist weakly against him.
"Eh? W-What happened?" Lumino blinked, baffled.
Then Kael's shadow loomed over him.
"…You…!!" Kael looked furious.
Kael smacked a hand against Lumino's forehead, ruffling his hair roughly.
"Don't you ever pull crap like that again!" His voice cracked.
"If you do — I'll kill you myself."
Lumino shrank back. "O-Okay! I won't!"
Kael huffed, turning his face away.
Why…why did my chest feel like this?