The girl stuck her tongue out at the retreating backs of the bullies one last time. Kiego scrambled to his feet, dusting off his pants, ready to disappear into the shadows of the school. He didn't want a witness to his shame. But as he turned to leave, a small, firm hand caught his.
"You're hurt," the girl said, her voice softening. "Don't you need to see someone? The nurse?"
"NO! I'm fine," Kiego snapped, pulling his hand away. He started to walk, his shoulders hunched.
"Why didn't you fight back?" she called after him. "Why didn't you defend yourself?"
Kiego stopped dead. He stared down at the scuffed toes of his boots. "I haven't awakened my sword yet," he muttered. The silence that followed felt heavy, suffocating. "I know you're just going to laugh at me. Go ahead. Say I'm weak."
Suddenly, he felt a sharp shove against his shoulder blades. Caught off guard, he tumbled forward, landing face-first in the grass. He spun around, heat rising to his face. "HEY! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"
The girl didn't look sorry at all. She stood over him, leaning on her umbrella, a mischievous giggle escaping her lips.
"Not awakening doesn't mean you are weak," she said, her expression turning serious. "Everyone has their own time. Yours will happen when it's meant to... and even if it doesn't, awakening isn't what makes you strong."
Kiego blinked, his anger fading into confusion.
"It's about your connection," she continued, her eyes bright with conviction. "It's the experiences you gain in battle, your skills, and the will you and your blade share together. If you trust your weapon—truly trust it—the rumors say you can catch a glimpse of the power you're meant to have. Trust your sword more, Kiego. Do that, and you'll awaken. You'll become the strongest."
She flashed him a brilliant, confident smile that seemed to outshine the afternoon sun.
In the present, Kiego's hand tightened around his sword's hilt until his knuckles turned white. He wasn't just holding a weapon; he was pouring his entire will into the steel. Slowly, agonizingly, he began to stand. His muscles screamed under the pressure, but his eyes snapped open—no longer dull, but burning with a fierce, brilliant yellow light. I can do it, he roared in the silence of his mind. I am going to save her!
The Vampire's hand descended toward Lily's head, the air rippling with lethal pressure. She was an inch from death.
"AWAKEN..." Kiego's voice tore through the clearing, louder than the wind. "LUMINOUS!"
A jagged bolt of pure yellow radiance fell from the heavens, striking Kiego's blade with the force of a thunderclap. The sword erupted in a golden glow, bathing the dark woods in the color of the sun. The Vampire's hand froze just a hair's breadth from Lily's scalp. He spun around, his black eyes widening in shock. Kiego stood there, wreathed in a small but intense yellow flame—a manifestation of power that shouldn't have been possible for a first-stage awakening. Still, he is no match for me, the Vampire hissed internally, trying to shake off his surprise. But Kiego wasn't charging. He raised Luminous high above his head with both hands, the light intensifying until it was blinding.
"LILY... EYES!" Kiego screamed.
He slammed the blade into the earth. The impact didn't cause an explosion of fire, but a silent, violent burst of absolute radiance.
"FLASHBANG!"
The world turned white. The Vampire let out a guttural scream of agony, his sensitive eyes seared by the holy light. He stumbled back, clawing at his face as the darkness he commanded was completely burned away.
Lily's hands were still clamped over her eyes when she felt herself being lifted. Kiego had her in his arms, his feet pounding against the forest floor as he retreated through the darkness. She finally lowered her hands, looking up at his determined face as the wind whipped past them.
"Sorry for charging out like that," Kiego panted, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. "We can't defeat him. We just have to survive. The Imperial Defenders will come... I'm sure the villagers have reached Tokino by now."
He looked down at her for a brief second, a soft smile breaking through his exhaustion. "Thanks, Lily. Because of you, I've finally awakened. I can become a Defender now! I can protect you."
Lily stared at him, her heart fluttering as her cheeks burned a bright red. Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the air behind them. The Vampire had recovered from the flash. With a monstrous surge of strength, he leapt high into the air, a dark blur against the moon.
"YOU'RE DEAD, HERO!" he roared from above.
"Dammit!" Kiego hissed. "What the hell is with this guy?"
"He... He's going to catch up if we continue to run," Lily said, her voice steadying as her tactical mind took over. "We just have to hold him off until backup arrives."
Kiego skidded to a halt, gently setting her on her feet. "Right!"
"We'll attack at once," Lily commanded, her eyes narrowing as she watched the shadow descend. "We won't give him time to breathe. The more he concentrates his gravity, the slower he becomes. If we keep running, he'll just find an opening and go for the head."
Kiego gripped the hilt of LUMINOUS, his resolve hardening. "LETS DO IT!"
BAM!
The Vampire slammed into the earth directly in front of them. He landed in a low squat, the sheer force of his descent creating a deep depression in the soil.
The Vampire stood in the center of the crater, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the two young warriors. Their fear had vanished, replaced by a cold, sharp courage. He could smell it—a scent of iron and resolve—and it infuriated him.
"I've got to give you guys credit," the Vampire hissed, his voice trembling with a mix of amusement and rage. "None of my prey have lasted this long. But all this cat-and-mouse play is getting on my nerves."
He crouched low, then coiled like a spring. "If you're going to put up a fight... MAKE SURE TO ENTERTAIN ME!"
He launched himself into the air, a dark blur against the night sky, before coming down like a meteor. He slammed his fist into the earth, but Kiego and Lily had already predicted the move, diving in opposite directions to escape the shockwave. Lily didn't wait for the dust to settle. She knew Kiego needed an opening to use his newfound strength. She had to be the distraction. She had to be the wind.
"TEMPEST... HURRICANE!"
She charged, her rapier becoming a silver blur. She thrust with blinding speed, a whirlwind of steel aimed at the Vampire's vitals. He danced back, his movements inhumanly fluid. They exchanged a flurry of blows—a deadly dance of offensive lunges and defensive parries. But with every clash, Lily felt the vibration travel up her arm. Her fingers were numbing. He's gotten even stronger and faster, she realized with a sinking heart. Consuming Namizo's energy had pushed him to a different level. The Vampire lunged forward with a heavy punch, aimed to crush her into the dirt. Lily felt her grip on her sword slipping—the weapon was nearly shaken from her hands. She threw herself backward, narrowly dodging the blow as the Vampire's fist shattered the ground where she had stood a millisecond before. The Vampire grinned, seeing her struggle. He prepared to follow up, but he had forgotten one thing. Lily had created the opening. And Kiego was already moving.