She probably hadn't expected this to happen. The angel standing before her bore no trace of weakness, no sign of someone who had been on the brink of collapse just moments ago.
"That can't be..."
"I have questions for you," Lyra said, her voice sharp, her stance unwavering. "And you're going to answer them."
A scoff.
"I don't have time to waste on you! You should have stayed down. Now, I'll make you regret it!"
Lyra hadn't tapped into her power in years—not since the day she was cast out. Not since she lost everything. She had no cause to fight, no reason to wield the force buried inside her.
But now, she had no choice.
Even if her strength had not dulled, her stamina would not last. If she was going to fight, she had to finish this fast.
Her opponent, however, had no intention of giving her that chance.
"Namtaru shupak ina zarati, lemnuti tabu!"
Three circles burned into the earth—demonic sigils writhing at their core.
No.
This was impossible.
Lyra's breath caught as shadows clawed their way into existence. Not one. Three. Three demons emerging from the summoning circles.
"She did it again…"
"Who are you?!" Lyra demanded.
"Like I said, I don't have time for you," the woman said, stepping back. "You can play with them. It's your race's job to kill demons, right?"
"Wait—!"
A rush of wind—then she was gone.
Leaving Lyra alone with the demons.
She clenched her fists. This wasn't supposed to happen. What kind of enemy was she even dealing with? Summoning three demons at once—without hesitation, without effort. Demons shouldn't even exist anymore. So why…? No—focus. Get back to Kai for now.
But first—
"I guess I have to deal with you lot, huh?"
***
Viper nursed his drink, his mind already on tomorrow's mission. A rare excitement thrummed in his chest—something he hadn't felt in a long time.
"I wonder if that guy is still there…"
The bartender wiped down a glass, throwing a glance at Viper. "So, they're back, huh? Tafari swung by earlier. Haven't seen the others, though."
Viper swirled his drink, staring at the liquid as if it held answers. "Yeah… Blaze is always off on his own, lost in thought. Rey's the same as ever—spends all his time training. That guy takes everything way too seriously. Not my kind of person." He exhaled, setting the glass down. "Kaida, though… I don't know where she is."
The bartender frowned. "That so?" He shrugged, placing a fresh drink in front of Viper. "Well, whatever. Tonight's a rare occasion—drinks are on the house."
Viper smiled faintly, but something gnawed at him—an unease he couldn't quite shake.
He stepped outside, the wind brushing against his face, brisk and grounding. He didn't have time to gather his thoughts before a sharp voice cut through the air—
"Viper!"
Blaze. Commanding as ever.
His eyes were sharp, tone clipped. "Where is everyone?"
He blinked, caught off guard. "Uh… Tafari's at the training grounds. Rey's up the mountain path. As for Kaida… I've got no clue."
Blaze's expression darkened. "I see." He turned on his heel. "Be at the village entrance in an hour. We're heading to Eldrida."
"What hap—?"
He couldn't finish the question—Blaze was already gone.
This wasn't like him. Something was wrong.
***
Kai sat on a rock beside the lake at the edge of Lalderida, his gaze lost in the reflection of the trees on the water's surface. His thoughts churned, heavy with everything Tashi had told him.
''This is bad. Worse than I thought. I don't stick my neck out for other people—never have, never will. But this time… damn it. It's all because of her.''
A sigh.
"If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have stayed in this village. And if that wasn't enough, she just had to go and cross a line she shouldn't have."
His fingers curled into a fist. He had spent years pursuing a single goal, dedicating his existence to it. And now—
Tch.
"And where the hell is she, anyway? It's been hours since I woke her up."
He pushed himself to his feet, prepared to go looking for her—
And froze.
A weight settled over him, slow and insidious. His breath hitched. His limbs grew sluggish. Something was draining his strength.
In fact, something had been sapping his strength for a while—but he'd only just realized it. He had been too preoccupied with everything that was going on.
''Damn it. I should've noticed sooner. Another attack?''
His senses sharpened. His grip tightened around his sword as he turned—and then he saw her.
Slowly, a figure stepped from the shadows of the trees. She moved with an eerie grace, her beauty striking, her purple eyes brimming with something indescribable. Pain. Regret.
Kai's instincts flared. Even in his weakened state, he could tell—
She's stronger than the guy from yesterday.
He adjusted his stance, calculating, measuring. Then, suddenly—
Something shifted. The fog clouding his mind wavered—then cracked. His strength flooded back, like chains snapping all at once.
His eyes sharpened. "You…?"
"I canceled my spell," she said smoothly. "You're the one who fought Viper yesterday, aren't you? I need a favor."
"Viper… the guy with the flames?" Kai's grip on his sword eased just a little. "So you're with him?"
"You could say that."
Kai didn't move. His voice cut through the silence, low and dry. "Let me guess—you want me gone. Out of the village. Out of your way."
She didn't respond.
He scoffed. "Would've been a great idea. Too bad there's a certain stubborn angel who'd raise hell if I walked away."
The woman stiffened. "Angel? That girl is with you?"
Kai's eyes narrowed. "You know her? Who are you?"
Damn. I let that slip. I'd better not tell him what I did to her…
The woman hesitated. A flicker of uncertainty crossed her face before she finally answered.
"My name is Kaida. I need you to help me save—"
She stopped. Not by choice.
Kai had gone rigid, his breath caught in his throat. His fingers twitched around the hilt of his sword.
A name surfaced in his mind, unbidden. A name Tashi had spoken—one that should have meant nothing to him.
And yet—
His grip tightened. His pulse roared in his ears.
No. That wasn't possible. It had to be a coincidence.
But then—why did it feel like something had just snapped into place? Why did his gut twist with the certainty that this was real?
He looked at her again, but this time, he wasn't seeing just the woman standing before him. He was seeing everything Tashi had said. The missing pieces he hadn't even realized were missing.
The weight of it settled deep, cold and final.
"You're Kaida?"
!?
***
Ten years earlier...