The night was silent.
Zaydan leaned against his black horse, watching the dark sky.
Only one thought occupied his mind:
"Dante said one month. It's been 21 days since I killed him. That means… I have 10 days left."
He closed his eyes.
The peaceful breathing of his sleeping bear could be heard nearby.
On the cold ground, his weary eyelids grew heavy, and he fell into a deep sleep.
Nahid finished his training.
He sheathed the Blade of the Fire God and set off toward the palace.
As he approached the city, he noticed a campfire.
A man sat silently by the flames.
As he drew closer, the man's face became illuminated.
This was the man who had delivered Dante's letter to him.
When Zaydan noticed the newcomer, he stood up quickly.
Instinctively, he reached for his sword, but Nahid's gaze remained calm.
"Relax. I'm not a threat."
After a brief hesitation, Zaydan nodded.
"Fine."
Both sat on the ground.
The firelight flickered across their faces.
Nahid squinted at Zaydan.
"What is your name?"
"Zaydan."
Nahid pulled the letter he had received from Dante out of his pocket.
"How did you get this letter to me? Were you a friend of Dante's?"
Zaydan answered without thinking:
"Yes."
Nahid turned the letter over in his hand and continued:
"You gave it to me. But why?"
Zaydan remained silent.
Nahid narrowed his eyes.
"Dante... Was he too busy to find me and give me the letter himself? Or is he… no longer alive?"
Zaydan clenched his teeth.
Nahid gripped the letter.
"Was he still breathing when you last saw him?"
Zaydan looked away but did not answer.
Now, Nahid understood completely.
His eyes burned like fire.
"Did you kill him?"
Zaydan took a deep breath.
His eyes locked onto Nahid's, and he spoke in a cold voice:
"Yes."
Without hesitation, Nahid stood up.
He gripped the Blade of the Fire God.
Where his missing arm should have been, an arm made of flames appeared.
"Then I must kill you."
Zaydan swiftly drew his Lightning Blade.
"I am a friend. I only did what he told me to do."
Nahid's eyes narrowed with rage.
"If you were truly his friend, you would have let him live!"
Zaydan gritted his teeth.
"You don't understand. He had to die."
Blinded by fury, Nahid did not listen.
And he attacked.
The swords clashed, tearing through the sky.
Lightning and flames illuminated the night.
As the blades collided, sparks flew in every direction. When Nahid's Blade of the Fire God met Zaydan's Lightning Blade, a crackling energy rippled through the air. Nahid's missing arm was completed by an extension made of fire. His attacks were relentless; with every strike, he tried to push Zaydan back. The heat of the flames scorched Zaydan's face, making it difficult to breathe.
Zaydan retreated into a defensive stance, trying to catch an opening in Nahid's assault. Every blow exhausted him further. Nahid spoke through his anger:
"How did you get Dante's letter?"
Zaydan steadied his breathing. "He gave it to me," he said simply.
Nahid's eyes narrowed. "Why would he give it to you? Dante didn't trust his enemies."
Zaydan paused for a moment but then replied sharply:
"He asked me to do this before he died."
Nahid caught it instantly. His eyes narrowed, and his voice turned cold.
"Before he died?"
He gripped his sword tighter, a hidden threat in his voice.
"Or… did you kill him?"
Zaydan silently gripped his own sword. "Yes."
The expression on Nahid's face changed instantly. Rage turned to a moment of shock, then to pure malice.
"Then I must kill you."
His fiery arm lunged toward Zaydan along with his blade, every movement carrying lethal intent.
The Clash of Two Powers
Zaydan retreated quickly, reinforcing his defense, but Nahid attacked without pause.
The sword strikes clashed against one another, the ground cracking with every hit. The earth beneath Zaydan's feet melted from the heat of the flames, making every step more dangerous.
Zaydan caught a momentary opportunity, shoved Nahid's blade aside, and leapt back several steps.
"This fight is meaningless!" he shouted. "We must unite. Kill me after the job is done if you want!"
Nahid stopped where he stood. His breath was ragged as he clutched his sword.
"Why should I trust you?"
Zaydan fixed his eyes on Nahid.
"Because I brought Dante's letter to you. If I had betrayed him, I never would have done that."
Nahid hesitated. His arm of flames flickered slightly. Then, he slowly lowered his sword, though his eyes remained suspicious of Zaydan.
"You will have to prove it."
Zaydan sheathed his sword and nodded.
"Then I will."
Dante's Last Will
Nahid looked into Zaydan's eyes. Rage still lingered within him, but a shred of doubt had surfaced. The fact that Dante had given the letter to Zaydan meant something to him.
"Fine," Nahid said, his voice still cold but slightly softer. "Show me the letter."
Zaydan pulled the letter from his belt and handed it to Nahid. It bore Dante's seal, and Nahid recognized it.
He opened the letter and began to read. As his eyes moved across the lines, his expression gradually shifted. Rage was replaced by a deep sorrow.
"Nahid, if you are reading these lines, it means I am no longer alive.
But know that this was a sacrifice. My death was necessary to prevent a greater catastrophe. There was only one month left before the seal broke, and this was the only way to stop it.
You must trust Zaydan. He is not our enemy. I personally requested that he take on this task."
Nahid clutched the letter tightly. His hands were trembling.
"Dante really did send you," he said, his voice shaking. "But why did you kill him?"
Zaydan took a deep breath.
"He accepted being a sacrifice. For us. For you. If I hadn't killed him, we all would have died. I want you to understand that."
Nahid's eyes filled with tears. The fire arm slowly faded, and his normal arm reappeared.
"He was my best friend," he said quietly. "Losing him… destroyed me."
Zaydan stepped closer to Nahid.
"I loved him too. But now we must complete the task he gave us. Together."
The Pact of Fire and Lightning
Nahid remained silent for a while, then nodded.
"Very well. We will fulfill Dante's final wish. But remember, Zaydan, if you betray me…"
"I won't," Zaydan interrupted. "I promise you."
Both stood in silence for a moment. The flames around them had died down, and the earth had grown cold once again.
They were no longer enemies.
At least for now.
"Then let us begin," Nahid said, fully sheathing his sword. "Let us finish the task Dante gave us."
Zaydan nodded in approval.
"Together."
And so, the two former enemies set off for a common cause.
The shadows of the past still loomed over them…
But now, they had taken a step toward the future.