A heavy silence fell over the battlefield. The scent of blood lingered in the air, mixing with the metallic stench of armor and burnt wood. Ishin lay on the cold ground, his breathing ragged. His vision blurred, his body refusing to obey him. He could hear Keal and Lyria groaning in pain, barely conscious. The black-armored soldiers stood tall, victorious.
Lidar stepped forward, his boots clicking against the bloodstained ground. He crouched near Ishin, his helmeted face inches from Ishin's own. "Pathetic," he spat. "I expected more from you. But in the end, you're just another weakling, just like the rest of them."
Ishin clenched his fists. His body felt heavy, as if chains bound him to the earth. A dark haze clouded his thoughts. Lidar turned his gaze to his soldiers. "Take them. We'll break them one by one."
Keal struggled against the soldiers holding him. "Damn it...! Let me go!"
Lyria coughed, blood dripping from her lips. "Ishin..." her voice was weak, almost pleading.
Ishin's heart pounded. His body ached, but something inside him stirred. A whisper in his mind. A voice that wasn't his own.
Is this it? Is this where you fall?
Ishin's breath hitched. That voice again. It had spoken to him before. But this time, it was stronger. More demanding.
They are waiting for you. Do you want them to die?
Ishin's fingers twitched. His nails dug into the dirt. Something was changing within him. Heat surged through his veins, igniting every nerve in his body. His heart pounded faster, his vision sharpening. His mind cleared, pushing away the pain.
Lidar chuckled, standing up. "You're nothing, Ishin. Just another failure."
A sudden wave of energy erupted from Ishin's body. The air grew thick, suffocating. The soldiers staggered, their helmets rattling. Lidar's grin faltered.
Ishin pushed himself up, his once-dull eyes now burning crimson. His breathing steadied, deeper, controlled. And then, he laughed.
A chilling, unhinged laughter echoed across the battlefield.
Lidar took a step back. "What... What is this?"
Ishin bent down, picking up a fallen sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. He rolled his shoulders, as if shaking off invisible chains. His smirk widened. "Now... let's begin the show."
Without warning, Ishin lunged forward, moving faster than before. His blade cut through the nearest soldier, black armor cracking under his sheer force. The soldier crumpled, lifeless.
Keal and Lyria watched in shock as Ishin tore through the enemy ranks. His movements were precise, yet wild. It was as if he had become someone else entirely.
Keal's eyes widened. "I told you, didn't I? Ishin is more than we thought."
Lyria, still breathless from the battle, shook her head. "That... That's not Ishin."
The battlefield became a massacre. Ishin slaughtered the black-armored soldiers with terrifying ease. His blades danced in the moonlight, leaving a trail of destruction. The soldiers screamed, trying to retreat, but Ishin didn't stop.
Lidar clenched his fists. "Enough!" He rushed forward, his blade swinging at Ishin's neck.
Ishin caught the blade with his bare hand.
Blood dripped from his palm, but he didn't flinch. Instead, his grin widened. His grip tightened around the blade, shattering it into pieces. Lidar staggered back, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
"You... What are you?"
Ishin tilted his head, his red eyes glowing. "You wanted a monster, didn't you? Here I am."
With a single strike, Ishin's dagger plunged into Lidar's chest. Lidar gasped, stumbling backward. He clutched the wound, coughing up blood.
The remaining soldiers hesitated. Fear seeped into their very bones. They had come expecting an easy victory. But they had awoken something far worse than they could have imagined.
Ishin stood over Lidar, his expression unreadable. Then, he turned to the remaining soldiers. "Run. Or you'll meet the same fate."
The black-armored soldiers didn't need to be told twice. They scattered, leaving behind their fallen leader.
As the last soldier disappeared into the night, Ishin exhaled, his body trembling. The red glow in his eyes faded. His grip on his weapons loosened. Then, everything went dark.
Keal and Lyria rushed to his side as he collapsed.
Lyria pressed her hand against his forehead, her voice laced with concern. "He's burning up... What just happened to him?"
Keal frowned, watching the blood-stained battlefield. "I don't know. But I'm sure of one thing… This is just the beginning."