The wind howled across the shattered rooftop. The moon hung pale behind drifting clouds, its light reflecting on the ruins of the building where Kai and Lira stood, side by side. The city below was in chaos—fires scattered like stars on the ground, sirens echoing faintly.
Kai's chest heaved, his crimson aura flickering wildly around him. His hands trembled, not from fear, but from the toll of the endless battles. Beside him, Lira's breaths were sharp, her blade streaked with dust and blood. Yet her eyes never wavered.
"Hindi pa tayo tapos, Kai," Lira whispered, gripping his wrist. "We fight… together."
Kai turned his head, crimson eyes glowing against the shadows. For a brief moment, his hardened expression softened. "Together… always."
From the smoke ahead, a figure emerged. Raven—his cloak torn, but his stance calm, almost elegant. His eyes glimmered with cruel amusement.
"You two never learn," Raven's voice sliced through the silence. "That bond you cling to so desperately… it's what makes you weak."
Kai stepped forward, shielding Lira instinctively. His aura ignited, swirling around him like living fire. "And it's the reason we'll never lose to you."
Raven raised his hand. Shadows pulsed at his command, rising like black serpents, coiling around the rooftop. The air grew heavy, suffocating, pressing down on their lungs. Yet Lira only tightened her grip on Kai's arm, leaning close enough for him to hear her heartbeat.
In that single rhythm, Kai found his strength.
"Lira…" he whispered, his voice low but steady. "This ends tonight."
He released a roar as crimson energy surged outward, blasting away the creeping shadows. The rooftop trembled, cracks spiderwebbing beneath their feet. Raven's smirk faded as the light burned through his illusions.
For the first time, Kai's aura didn't waver—it was steady, fierce, resolute.
"Crimson Resolve," Raven muttered, narrowing his eyes. "So you've finally embraced it."
Kai's hand tightened into a fist, his power blazing brighter than ever. He glanced at Lira, who nodded firmly, her blade raised in perfect sync with his stance.
And then—together—they charged.
The rooftop lit up in crimson and silver, their voices and steps merging as one.
The battle for their bond had entered a new stage.
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