The knight lunged toward Kaine, its movements silent but terrifyingly fast. A greatsword of burning blue light materialized in its grasp, swinging down with crushing force.
Kaine barely managed to raise his arm, but the blade sliced through flesh, leaving a searing wound. He stumbled back, clutching his arm, his eyes darting wildly as if searching for someone—anyone.
"Where are you?! You said I just needed to kill one more to be accepted!" he screamed into the empty air.
The knight gave no answer. It twisted its grip on the sword, pivoted, and thrust straight for Kaine's heart.
A split-second before impact, the tip struck something solid—a curtain of writhing black shadows. The blow rang out like steel on steel. A tall, faceless figure cloaked in darkness stepped forward behind Kaine, its presence cold and suffocating.
The knight lowered into a defensive stance, blade leveled at this new enemy. The shadow creature didn't even acknowledge it. Instead, it raised a hand, and tendrils of darkness coiled around Kaine's bleeding arm, sealing the wound with an unnatural chill.
The knight took the opportunity to strike again—a diagonal slash aimed to cut the shadow apart—but the faceless figure batted the attack aside effortlessly.
"Leo! Stop!" Maya's voice cut through the clash of steel. "We need to save Liam first!"
Her eyes were locked on the still-breathing Liam, blood pooling beneath him.
Leo froze, grief flashing across his face. "He's alive?"
"Yes, but not for long—we have to move!" Arnold urged.
Leo turned toward the knight. He didn't understand how his new power worked, but something told him the knight would obey without question. With a single glance, the armored figure stepped back, slammed its sword into the ground, and conjured a towering wall of blue light between them and the shadow figure.
Leo didn't waste a second—he grabbed Liam under one arm, helped Arnold with the other, and started moving.
"As if I'd let you go."
The voice was fractured, like glass grinding against itself. The shadow being lifted a hand, and dozens of black whips lashed forward, slicing through the air. The blue barrier flared under the assault, holding for only a moment before shattering into sparks.
One whip snapped around Leo's neck, yanking him backward.
"You are different," the shadow rasped. "You are… useful."
Maya lunged forward to free him, but another whip shot toward her—only to be deflected at the last second by the knight's blade. Trish dove in beside him, daggers flashing as she cut through another strike.
The shadow advanced, summoning more and more whips until the hallway seemed alive with writhing darkness.
"This is the end," it promised, launching the entire mass toward them.
The knight braced itself, planting its feet to shield Leo and Liam. Trish stepped in front of Maya, blades crossed.
Then—movement in the walls.
Tiny crimson spiders crawled from the cracks, scuttling over the floor. As they reached the center of the hall, they dissolved into a swirling red mist that solidified into countless razor-like spikes. The spikes tore into the shadow whips, shredding them mid-air.
"Crimson Mist really is dependable," a voice said casually.
The shadow figure turned, its faceless head angling toward the source—just in time to see Isaac standing there, idly waving Kaine's severed hand like a trophy.
"So," Isaac said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "who exactly were you planning to attack just now?"