The Darkside Spirits attacked without warning.
The Shinras reacted instantly, drawing their blades as the battlefield erupted into chaos.
Yet even as they fought back, more Darkside Spirits continued pouring onto the battlefield. Among them, the unknown creature watched from afar, its mere presence filling the air with dread.
Falco fought desperately to survive.
He ducked beneath a claw, twisted his body, and slashed at another Darkside Spirit. His movements lacked polish, and there was no proper technique behind them.
He relied entirely on instinct.
One mistake meant death.
As Falco grappled with one of the creatures, he struggled to keep its claws away from his face.
Then he heard something.
A heartbeat.
Behind him.
His own heartbeat immediately quickened.
Falco released the creature and dropped low, catching himself with his hand holding the sword,just as a Darkside Spirit's claws swept over his head.
He had dodged the attack by mere inches.
Still gripping his shield in his other hand, Falco twisted his body and pressed his fingertips against the ground.
Then he pushed off.
His entire body shot upward as he drove his blade toward the creature's throat.
CLANG.
The blade struck its target, but it failed to cut through.
CRACK.
Falco's sword shattered.
"What?"
The Darkside Spirit barely reacted.
Another creature stepped forward, Dark Renshi gathering around its elbow blade. The weapon turned completely black, radiating such intense heat that the air around it began to distort.
It swung toward Falco's neck.
Falco dropped immediately. The blade swept past just above his head, and he rolled beneath the attack before sweeping his legs outward.
Both Darkside Spirits lost their balance.
THUD.
They crashed to the ground.
Falco didn't waste the opportunity. He sprang back to his feet, breathing heavily.
Then he closed his eyes.
He listened beyond the noise of the battlefield, focusing on the creatures' heartbeats.
One.
Two.
He could hear them clearly.
One of the Darkside Spirits began to rise.
Falco opened his eyes and struck toward its chest.
The creature reacted instantly, raising its arm to block. His half blade struck its hardened skin and stopped dead.
Then a powerful kick slammed into his ribs.
BOOM.
Falco was hurled backward and crashed onto the ground.
Pain exploded through his side.
CRACK.
He heard the bone break.
"Ugh..."
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"That hurts."
He forced himself to breathe through the pain.
"So this is what they're made of..."
Falco turned toward the battlefield, his expression hardening.
"There's no way I'm letting my son join the Shinra Academy."
He pushed himself upright, clutching his injured ribs with one hand.
"Broken rib for sure," he muttered.
"Behind you, Smith."
Falco's eyes widened.
The Shinra wearing the second dark cape was shouting at him.
He barely had time to turn before a third Darkside Spirit charged toward him. The other two were already recovering, and now all three creatures stood together.
They rushed him simultaneously.
Falco raised his remaining blade as the Darkside Spirits attacked with their weapons, claws, and Dark Renshi.
He dodged the first strike.
Then the second.
But the third caught him.
BOOM.
Falco was slammed into the ground.
Before he could move, all three Darkside Spirits leapt toward him.
Then---
WHOOSH.
Three heads struck the ground.
THUD.
They rolled across the battlefield, one stopping directly beside Falco's feet.
He stared at it before slowly lifting his gaze.
The Shinra wearing the second dark cape stood nearby, his blade still raised.
"You should watch your back next time, Smith."
He walked over to Falco.
"Told you not to get yourself killed."
Falco blinked at him.
"How the hell did you do that?"
"Don't ask questions."
The Shinra glanced around the battlefield.
"There's more coming."
His expression grew serious.
"They're not trying to kill us."
Falco frowned.
"What?"
"They're trying to wear us out."
He tightened his grip on his weapon.
"Something's wrong. I can feel it."
The Shinra reached down, grabbed Falco's hand, and pulled him back to his feet.
"Thanks," Falco said.
He turned toward the approaching Darkside Spirits.
"I feel it too."
His gaze dropped to the broken sword in his hand.
"This is why I never made it into the Academy. I don't have any Renshi in me, but I couldn't become a mage."
He gave a bitter smile.
"So I dropped out."
"We'll talk about your failures later," the Shinra muttered.
He pointed his blade toward the approaching creatures.
"For now, they're our problem."
Falco nodded.
"It's best i save my Renshi, or lack of it, for later. Aim for the back of the head or the center of the chest."
He paused briefly.
"Those are the soft spots."
"Got it, buddy."
"Don't call me that, you scum."
The Shinra glared at him.
"I just don't want a lowly blacksmith dying under my watch."
Falco grinned.
"Whatever."
He raised his remaining sword.
"Let's kick these Darkside Spirit freaks' asses and go home."
The Shinra stared at him coldly.
"Stop smiling. We might not make it out alive."
He stepped forward.
"Just fight."
Then more Darkside Spirits appeared.
Seventeen of them.
They surrounded Falco and the dark-caped Shinra from every direction.
"Here they come."
They charged together.
The dark-caped Shinra moved first, with Falco following close behind.
But the Darkside Spirits approaching from the other directions attacked at the same time, surrounding them almost instantly.
One lunged from the left.
Another came from behind.
Two more rushed straight at them.
There was nowhere to retreat.
The assault became relentless.
Falco raised his shield and braced himself.
BOOM.
A Darkside Spirit slammed into it, sending a jolt of pain through his injured ribs.
Another attack followed.
Falco barely managed to block it.
"Don't just stand there, idiot."
The dark-caped Shinra moved like a blur, his blade flashing through the swarm.
One Darkside Spirit fell.
Then another.
And another.
"You're going to die with that shield up."
He cut down another attacker.
"Fight."
His blade struck again.
"Better to die swinging than die frozen."
Falco gritted his teeth.
"Fine."
He lowered his shield and gripped his remaining sword properly.
The dark-caped Shinra had already taken down nine of the seventeen Darkside Spirits.
Eight remained.
And they showed no signs of slowing down.
Three suddenly leapt at them from above.
Two attacked from the left.
Three more rushed in from the right.
Falco tightened his grip on his sword as the dark-caped Shinra stepped beside him.
Their backs nearly touched.
Neither could afford to look away.