Kael's hands scraped against concrete until his palms burned.
Dust filled his lungs as he shoved again, shoulder pressed to the edge of the slab that had crashed down from the roof. The concrete box was cracked, uneven, tilted at an angle that made it impossible to lift—but Kael didn't stop trying.
"Just—hold on," he gasped. "I can move it. I swear I can—"
His mother lay pinned beneath it, her legs trapped, her back pressed against the fractured wall of the house. Her breathing was shallow but steady. Blood streaked her temple, cutting through the dust on her skin.
"Kael," she said softly.
He didn't answer. He shoved again. His arms trembled. The slab didn't move.
"Kael," she repeated, firmer this time.
He froze.
Slowly, he looked at her face.
She wasn't panicking.
That scared him more than the sirens.
Behind him, the street shifted.
The sound wasn't loud—not an explosion, not a roar—but something wet and heavy dragging itself forward. Kael felt it before he turned, a pressure in his chest, like standing too close to a massive machine.
The Dami was closer now.
It had changed position without him noticing, its bulk dragging across asphalt and debris, folding and spreading like a living spill. The mass leaned—not toward the house, not toward the noise—
Toward him.
Kael's breath caught.
The thing's surface rippled, reacting. A narrow opening formed briefly along its body, as if sensing direction. Its movement sharpened, deliberate now.
It was responding.
To him.
"No…" Kael whispered.
His mother saw it too.
Her hand tightened around his wrist, fingers digging in with a strength that surprised him. "Kael," she said, voice low but urgent. "You need to go."
"I'm not leaving you," he said immediately. "I won't."
"Kael, listen to me." She swallowed. "That thing… it's coming because of you."
"That's not—"
"It is." Her eyes softened. "And if you stay, it won't stop."
Behind them, Edward staggered forward, clutching his side, face pale. He followed Kael's gaze and cursed under his breath.
"She's right," Edward said. "Kael, it's locked onto you."
Kael shook his head. "No. I can fight it. I can—"
"You can't," his mother said gently. "Not like this."
The Dami shifted again, faster now. The ground seemed to sink slightly beneath its weight.
"Kael," she said. "Basement. Now."
"No," he said, voice breaking. "I won't hide."
Edward moved.
Kael didn't see it coming—only felt the sudden force against his chest. Edward grabbed him, spun him, and shoved him hard toward the basement stairs.
"What are you—!" Kael stumbled.
Edward didn't hesitate.
He threw him.
Kael hit the steps shoulder-first, tumbling down as the door slammed shut above him. The sound echoed through the basement like a gunshot.
Darkness swallowed him.
He scrambled up, slamming his fists against the door. "No! Open it—Edward! Mom!"
The door opened but now the dami was too close to deal with, kael watches as the dami comes closer
Its flesh shifts and forms a dome over his mother, she is seen getting sucked into the bulk of flesh,her flesh turning into the dami.
she muttered with what little strength she was left with
Muffled but clear, her voice carried through the walls.
"Thank you, Edward."
Kael's hands froze.
A pause.
"I love you, Kael."
The dami had gotten bigger, as if an anaconda had devoured a prey larger than itself. The new flesh mass was cleaner than the other parts
Something inside Kael collapsed.
His knees gave out. He slid down the wall, breath hitching violently. His heart slammed against his ribs, too fast, too hard, like it was trying to escape his chest. His eyes could see only black
"No," he whispered. "No, no, no…"
The world narrowed.
His vision tunneled. Sound dulled. His heartbeat roared in his ears, drowning out everything else. His chest felt tight, constricted, like he couldn't draw in enough air.
Then it broke.
A sob tore out of him—raw, uncontrolled. His shoulders shook as he bent forward, hands clutching at his hair, tears spilling freely onto the concrete floor.
He cried until his throat burned.
Until his chest ached.
Until the sirens above seemed impossibly distant.
And then—
Rage.
It rose slow at first, coiling beneath the grief, hot and suffocating. His hands clenched. His breathing steadied—not calm, but focused.
He stood.
The sword waited on the worktable, wires coiled neatly around its hilt,The tank full of gasoline. The skates lay beside it, scratched and worn.
Kael grabbed both.
His movements were rough, unpracticed. He strapped the skates on with shaking fingers, grabbed the sword with both hands. The weight felt familiar—comforting.
"I'll kill it," he whispered. "I swear."
He kicked the door open.
Edward said "Stop! You'll get killed instead. Please stop!" He tries to stop Kael but Kael is too cosumed by rage.
Heat, smoke, and chaos crashed into him. The Dami loomed near the house, its bulk pressing against the structure, flesh spreading along the walls.
Kael launched forward.
The skates screamed against asphalt as he pushed off, momentum carrying him straight at the thing. He swung the sword with both hands.
The blade cut deep.
The Dami recoiled, its mass folding inward. The wound began to close—but slowly. Too slowly.
Kael's fingers shaked,his breath becoming faster.
He struck again.
And again.
Some blows landed clean. Others glanced off uselessly. His footing slipped. His arms burned. He didn't stop.
"You took her!" he screamed. "You don't get to walk away!"
He flicked the switch.
The sword ignited .
Flames burst along the blade, like the flames of hell, brilliant and unnatural, clinging to the metal instead of consuming it. Heat washed over Kael's face as he slashed again.
The fire bit deep.
The Dami shuddered. The scorched areas failed to regenerate, flesh curling inward as the flame lingered.
A shrill sound tore from the narrow opening in its body—not a scream, but something sharp and piercing.
Kael pressed the attack, skating past it, turning sharply, slashing again. His movements were wild, driven by fury more than skill.
His arms trembled. His lungs screamed.
Still, he fought.
Kael flicked an switch, the skates turned faster, he moved swiftly beging the dami and slashed it again.
The slash landed cleanly, like a professional swordsman. The wound behaved as if it were hesitant to regenerate.something felt wrong
Then—
Something struck him from the side.
A tentacle lashed out, the projection was random,almost instant. The tentacle slammed into his ribs. Kael flew, skidding across the street, the sword skittering away from him as the flames sputtered out.
He tried to rise.
His body didn't respond. His adrenaline had depleted, his body now actually felt pain for the first time. He screams "Don't you dare f*ck around with me!"
The Dami loomed over him, its mass shifting, folding inward. The flesh curved strecthing, enclosing him.It almost covers Kael
Kael's vision blurred.He couldn't see anything but the damis' flesh. Panic surged.
Then—
White flashed through the chaos.
Eight figures dropped into the street with precision, moving as one. White tops. Black pants. Blades darker than night drawn in a single motion.
They didn't hesitate.
They cut.
Their swords moved with impossible speed, slicing clean arcs through the Dami's mass. Wounds behaved differently now. They couldn't regenerate.
They struck with incredible precision, the damis flesh was scourged, and split into countless parts. The eight men moved as if they were flying (or were they?)
Black drones rose into the air, humming softly as an invisible barrier snapped into place.
The noise faded.
People inside the barrier collapsed,unconscious.
The Dami shuddered, its movements slowing. One final strike split it into parts which cannot be identified.
It stilled.
Kael barely registered it as someone knelt beside him.He was the only conscious man inside the dome of the drones
A face came into focus—calm, unreadable.
Kael swallowed,and asked with wonder and fear "Who… are you?"
The man rose slowly.
"Artemidorus," he said.
A drop of tear falls from Artemidorus' eyes and falls on cheek of Kael...