Faelyn's smile widened.
"Well..."
"Let's see what you can do before you die."
For a moment—
nothing happened.
Then—
**SPARK!**
Lightning crackled across Faelyn's body.
Her golden eyes sharpened.
**WHOOSH!**
She vanished.
Alex's eyes widened slightly.
Faelyn suddenly appeared beside her, swinging her lightning-coated fist toward Alex's face.
**CRACK!**
At the same time—
a dagger flashed toward Faelyn's neck.
Faelyn twisted her body just in time.
The blade passed dangerously close to her throat.
But—
the Alex she had struck suddenly faded.
Her body dissolved into shadow.
Faelyn's eyes narrowed.
"So that's how it is..."
**WHOOSH!**
The two clashed again.
Alex appeared behind Faelyn.
Faelyn turned and blocked the dagger with her forearm.
**CLANG!**
Lightning burst from Faelyn's body.
Alex immediately disappeared into the shadows.
Faelyn turned toward the doorway.
Nothing.
Then—
**BOOM!**
Faelyn suddenly burst through the wall and into the next room.
Dust filled the air as she landed lightly.
But before she could even turn—
Alex emerged from the shadow beneath her.
**SHING!**
A dagger flashed upward.
Faelyn's eyes widened.
She twisted her body.
The blade missed her neck—
but still sliced across her side.
A thin line of blood appeared.
Faelyn landed several steps away.
She touched the cut, then looked at the blood on her fingers.
Her golden eyes slowly returned to Alex.
Alex stood in the room, dagger in hand.
Calm.
Unbothered.
Faelyn smiled.
"Those are some handy moves you've got there."
She rolled her shoulder.
"Moving through shadows..."
Her eyes narrowed.
"...and creating clones."
A spark of lightning traveled across her fingers.
"I'll admit..."
She grinned.
"I'm impressed."
Her body lowered slightly.
"But if that's all you've got..."
Lightning began to crackle around her.
"...sorry."
Her golden eyes locked onto Alex.
"You're dying here."
Alex remained still.
"I admit..."
She raised her dagger.
"You're quick on your feet."
Her silver eyes sharpened.
"But I'm faster."
She took a step forward.
"If you don't give it everything you've got..."
Her voice grew colder.
"...this will end with a single step."
Silence.
Then—
Alex disappeared.
The room plunged into darkness.
Complete darkness.
No movement.
No sound.
Faelyn stood still, her eyes scanning the darkness.
Nothing.
Then—
**SPARK!**
A tiny flash of lightning appeared beside her.
Faelyn smiled.
"Alright..."
Lightning exploded across her body.
**CRACKLE!**
Her eyes glowed through the darkness.
"...now get excited."
**BOOM!**
Faelyn burst forward.
Lightning trailed behind her as she shot through the darkness.
Then—
the shadows moved.
One Alex emerged from the left.
Another appeared from the right.
A third stepped out of the darkness behind Faelyn.
Then another.
And another.
Multiple Alexes appeared from every direction.
Each one held a dagger.
They attacked at once.
**SHING!**
**SHING!**
**SHING!**
Faelyn's smile widened.
"Now this is more like it."
**CRACK!**
Lightning erupted from her body as she charged directly into them.
**BOOM!**
Faelyn's fist struck one of the Alexes squarely in the chest.
The shadow clone shattered, its body dissolving into black smoke.
Faelyn immediately turned.
Another Alex was already behind her.
**SHING!**
Faelyn ducked beneath the dagger and slammed her elbow into the clone's stomach.
**CRACK!**
The clone vanished.
But—
another Alex emerged from the darkness.
Then another.
Faelyn's eyes narrowed.
**WHOOSH!**
She shot forward, lightning trailing behind her.
Her fist tore through another clone.
It faded.
Another appeared.
Faelyn struck again.
It disappeared.
Another took its place.
No matter how many she destroyed—
there was always another.
**BOOM!**
Faelyn was suddenly driven backward.
She smashed through a wall and crashed into the lower section of the ship.
**CRASH!**
The surrounding Crossfall members turned toward the noise.
Dust filled the corridor.
Several of them stared in disbelief.
"What the hell is happening?"
"Who is that?"
"He's actually pushing the Guild Master back..."
Another member tightened his grip on his weapon.
"That guy's incredibly strong."
"But the Guild Master isn't someone who can be pushed around that easily."
They watched as lightning flashed through the dust.
**CRACK!**
The battle continued.
---
### Inside the Lower Section of the Ship
The fight was already in full swing.
Faelyn darted across the room.
Alex's shadow blades flew toward her from every direction.
**SHING!**
Faelyn twisted her body.
One blade passed beside her face.
Another flew beneath her arm.
A third—
**THUD!**
—pierced the floor.
The shadow blade melted into darkness.
Then—
black chains erupted from it.
**WHOOSH!**
They shot toward Faelyn.
She crouched.
The chains passed over her head.
**CRACK!**
Lightning exploded from her body.
Faelyn burst forward like a lightning strike.
She weaved between the chains, narrowly avoiding each one.
One passed beside her shoulder.
Another wrapped around empty air.
Faelyn kept moving.
Fast.
Faster.
Until—
she suddenly stopped.
Her eyes widened.
"...What?"
She tried to move.
Nothing.
Faelyn looked down.
The black chains hadn't wrapped around her body.
They had locked onto her shadow.
Her own shadow was pinned to the floor.
Faelyn's expression changed.
She tried to pull her leg back.
It wouldn't move.
Another chain tightened around her shadow.
Then another.
She was completely locked in place.
Faelyn stared at the chains for a moment.
Then—
she smiled.
"Would you look at that."
She glanced toward the darkness.
"I've been caught."
A figure slowly emerged from the shadows a few feet in front of her.
Alex.
Her dagger was still in her hand.
Her silver eyes remained fixed on Faelyn.
She stopped, then raised her dagger slightly.
"Now..."
Her voice was cold.
"Let's get to it."
Alex took a step forward.
"Speak."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Where is he?"