The alley reeked of rain and iron. Crimson lights reflected off puddles, flickering like warnings in the shadows. Kairo's fingers tightened around his blade, every muscle coiled, ready. Selene moved beside him, silent and lethal, eyes scanning every corner for threats they couldn't yet see.
A sudden metallic clang echoed from the far end, and both froze. Three figures emerged, their steps synchronized, weapons glinting. No hesitation. No mercy.
Kairo whispered, barely audible: "Together?"
Selene's gaze locked with his, nodding once. In that instant, their world shrank to just the two of them—moving, striking, surviving.
The first attacker lunged. Selene sidestepped, her dagger cutting a clean arc through the air, catching him off guard. Kairo spun, his blade a blur, meeting another foe head-on. Sparks flew as steel clashed. Pain flared—then vanished—the adrenaline swallowing all else.
But it wasn't enough. The third moved faster than expected, slamming into Kairo from the side. He grunted, staggering, barely deflecting the strike with his forearm. Selene shouted, slicing cleanly, giving him a split second to regain balance.
They were relentless. And so were Kairo and Selene. Every strike, every dodge, was choreographed chaos—two lovers, two hunters, surviving only because they were in sync, hearts beating as one.
A shadow fell over them suddenly. A fourth figure appeared—taller, cloaked, weapon drawn, and moving with a predator's precision. Selene's breath caught. Kairo's jaw tightened.
This was no ordinary fight. This was the one that could break them.
And then, without warning, the figure vanished into the mist, leaving a single, taunting echo: a whisper carried on the wind.
"You can't survive together forever."
Selene's hand found Kairo's. Fingers intertwined. Eyes met. No words—just the shared understanding that the real battle was only beginning.