The sparks flying as the swords clashed tore through the darkness. When Nahid's Sword of the Fire God met Zayden's Lightning Blade, a crackling energy radiated through the air. Every strike tore the earth and shook the surroundings.
Nahid's severed arm had transformed into an extension made of flames. His rage was uncontrollable. Dante's killer stood right in front of him, and the hatred within would not allow him to stop.
"Stop!" Zayden shouted, parrying Nahid's strike with his sword.
"This war is meaningless; we must unite!"
Nahid narrowed his eyes and continued his assault.
"You killed my closest friend—how can you speak of unity?!"
He swung his sword violently; flames soared into the sky, and the heat scorched the air around them. Zayden retreated quickly, his chest heaving.
"If your brothers' seal is broken, who will stop them?!" he yelled.
"Think, Nahid! If we fight them and fail, the world could end!"
Nahid's eyes widened. He paused for a moment. His anger was still vivid, but Zayden's words echoed in his mind.
"Damn it..." Nahid muttered, lowering his sword slightly. Despite his reluctance, he had to accept the offer.
The flame arm slowly began to fade. Nothing remained but Nahid's deep breaths and his struggle to control his fury.
"Fine," Nahid said coldly. "But remember this: if you betray me, I will kill you."
Zayden inclined his head slightly. "Agreed."
Departure to the City and the Unknown Enemy
Nahid crossed his arms and turned to Zayden. "What's the plan?"
Zayden sighed softly. "I don't have a plan."
Nahid frowned. "Don't joke with me, Zayden."
Zayden continued. "There was a man the person who gave me the jobs spoke to every day. He was leaving the table just as I arrived. I suspected him. If we can find him, perhaps we can learn who is behind all this."
Nahid nodded thoughtfully.
"Then we must head to the city. We'll find that man and make him talk."
The duo quickly set off toward the city. Silence dominated the journey. Nahid still didn't trust Zayden, but he knew he had no other choice if he wanted to fulfill Dante's final wish.
When they reached the city, the streets felt silent and sinister under the cover of night. Passing through narrow alleys, they reached the tavern Zayden had mentioned. However, upon checking inside, they realized the man they were looking for had vanished.
"There's nothing here," Nahid muttered, his brow furrowed.
"Still, something feels off. It's like someone is watching us."
Zayden scanned the area. His instincts told him this was a trap.
At that moment, a powerful gust of wind blew, and the glint of armor appeared under the dim lights. They both realized it instantly.
They were surrounded.
Dozens of armored soldiers emerged from the shadows. Naron's men. Nahid and Zayden stood back-to-back.
"I guess the only thing we found was death," Nahid whispered.
"Do you have enough reason to fight now?"
Zayden smiled faintly. "Grip your sword tight, Nahid. The battle has just begun."
And so, a deadly conflict erupted.
Zayden and Nahid stood alert against Naron's surrounding soldiers. These were no ordinary troops; each was an elite warrior capable of controlling the elements of fire, water, earth, and air.
Zayden leaned toward Nahid without taking his eyes off the enemy.
"How are we going to escape all of them?" he asked, his voice grave.
Nahid gripped his sword firmly.
"Forget that—how did they get here so fast?"
Zayden frowned and took a deep breath.
"Probably because I killed the king. It happened tonight."
Nahid paused for a second, then shook his head mockingly.
"Working with you is going to be truly challenging."
The soldiers suddenly charged. Water mages filled the narrow streets with surging waves, fire users blasted flames into the air, and earth warriors shook the ground to throw them off balance. Wind mages whipped up violent storms to restrict their movements.
Using the power of the Fire God, Nahid unleashed a massive blast of flame that vaporized the water waves. Zayden dived into the fray, swinging his Lightning Blade. Using the electricity in the air, he neutralized several wind mages, but they were outnumbered.
"If this keeps up, we'll lose!" Zayden shouted.
Nahid scanned the area quickly and spotted a sewer entrance. He formed a plan and acted immediately.
"Zayden, jump in here!"
Without hesitation, Zayden jumped, falling into the dark, foul-smelling tunnel. Nahid looked around one last time, then created a massive fire cyclone around himself to push the soldiers back. Seizing the moment, he jumped into the sewer.
A subsequent explosion sealed the passage behind them.
The Parting
The duo eventually made it out after navigating the dark and narrow paths of the city's sewers. Nahid took a deep breath and turned to Zayden.
"I need to become stronger. That's why I'm going to the Fire Monastery."
Zayden looked at him intently. "And what about me?"
Nahid continued thoughtfully:
"You should head to the Island City. Perhaps Dante left a letter with someone before he died. You might find a clue there."
Zayden nodded.
"Alright. But remember, we only have one week left. We must act quickly."
Nahid smiled faintly. "Then let's not waste time."
And so, the two set off in different directions. Zayden headed toward the Island City to uncover Dante's secrets, while Nahid journeyed toward the Fire Monastery to augment his power.
Their fates had diverged, but the war was far from over.