Xadion dropped to his knees, injured and bloody. He could barely see.
In front of him stood a tall man in dark armor, smiling like a madman. The Fallen Prince took his time, each step echoing as he closed the distance. He grabbed Xadion's head and hauled him up to eye level.
"Time to die." The Fallen Prince grinned. His other hand rose, ready to strike—
Then he froze.
He dropped Xadion and staggered back.
Looking up through the blood and blur, Xadion saw it: a sword buried in the prince's back.
The prince fell to his knees. With bloodshot eyes, he stared at Xadion. "You can't control it." he choked. "It will control you."
The sword wrenched itself free. In one clean arc it severed the prince's head. The blade hovered in the air, blood dripping from its edge.
Before Xadion could move, he heard his name.
He turned. Ezekiel, Skylar, and Peter were sprinting toward him.
Xadion tried to rise, a smile starting to form—
Then came the sound of metal cutting flesh.
He raised his head slowly.
Ezekiel lay in a pool of his own blood.
Beside him, Peter held Skylar in his arms.
"Why did you do this?" Peter's voice shook.
Terror was etched on Xadion's face as he walked slowly toward him. Peter met his eyes and shouted, "Why didn't you control that thing?!"
Xadion paused, confusion flickering across his face. Then, looking past Peter, his blood ran cold.
A sword was flying straight for Peter's back.
"No—stop!"
He tried to run. It was no use.
The sword cut through the air and beheaded Peter in one stroke.
Peter dropped.
Xadion fell to his knees, shock and terror twisting his face. The sword floated slowly toward him and stopped, hovering in front of his eyes.
He chuckled.
Then he broke into laughter.
He laughed until he choked on his own blood and collapsed.
The sword hovered over him... and struck.
---
Xadion jolted upright, gasping for air.
Panic. His chest heaved.
He looked down. He'd been treated. Bandages wrapped his wounds.
He was in a cave, lying on cold, hard ground. Beside him, the sword lay still.
He stared at it.
Footsteps.
He turned to the entrance.
Ezekiel stood there, carrying some kind of beast over his shoulder. He dropped it, then looked at Xadion.
"Good to see you awake. Your friends are deeper in the cave." Ezekiel said, turning to focus on the beast.
Xadion stood, staring at Ezekiel before his eyes drifted to the sword on the ground. He walked slowly deeper into the cave.
There was a pool of blue water.
Inside it, his friends floated, unconscious.
Xadion dropped to one knee and dipped his hand in. The water was cold. And familiar.
It was the same water he'd taken when he became a Master.
He stared at them for a long time before standing and walking away.
---
Ezekiel had built a fire and was setting the meat to roast. "You're fit, I hope?"
Xadion nodded. "Thanks. For everything."
Ezekiel sighed. "You and your friends have been out for a few days."
"What's wrong with them?" Xadion asked, worry tightening his voice.
Ezekiel paused, poking the fire. "I'm not sure. But their Qi and their bodies are drained. A few more days in the pool should heal them."
Xadion let out a sigh of relief and sat across from Ezekiel. "Need any help?"
Ezekiel paused, then smiled. "At Lord rank, we don't need much sleep. But after that battle, I haven't rested. I've been keeping watch to make sure everything's alright. I've already eaten. Can you keep an eye on the cave while I take a long rest?"
Xadion chuckled. "Go ahead."
Ezekiel nodded, leaving the meat by the fire. He moved to the other side of the cave and lay down on his back.
Xadion sat closer to the flames and took over tending the meat.
---
A day later, Ezekiel woke with a wide smile and joined Xadion by the fire. They didn't talk much.
Over the next few days, Xadion went out a few times and scouted the area.
They weren't far from the place they'd been trapped.
He knew of a village half a day's walk from the cave.
When he was ready, he turned to Ezekiel. "I'm going to check on the world. See what's happened."
Ezekiel nodded.
Xadion bid him farewell and stepped out.
They'd been gone over four months. And if he remembered right, time moved differently in that space compared to the outside world or the real world.
Xadion traveled with only a dagger. He wanted to avoid trouble.
Luckily, he still had a few gold coins tucked away, just in case.
He reached the village earlier than expected.
There were no guards at the gates. The village was small, almost too quiet.
He found an inn and booked a room for the night.
Everything looked normal.
Xadion was here for information only. If he sensed trouble, he'd leave.
---
Late that night, he left the inn and stepped into the village bar.
Everyone kept to themselves. Some men laughed together. Others sat with women.
Xadion sat at the counter and waited to be served.
A young woman working the bar approached him.
He dropped a handful of gold coins on the wood with a grin and shouted,
"Everyone's drinks are on me tonight!"
The bar went silent.
For a long moment, no one said a word.
Then the room erupted.
Men and women crowded around him, thanking him. Some called him "brother." Older men told him to call them "uncle."
A few women tried to get close, smiling and talking in his ear.
Xadion smiled back at all of them. He laughed. He sang.
The night was loud.
After a few hours, Xadion left the bar.
He walked slowly, stumbling over his own feet now and then. He ducked into a narrow alley and stopped to piss. When he finished, he sighed.
"You guys can come out now."
He turned, bored.
Three men surrounded him, each holding a small knife.
"Listen." one of them said. "Just give us everything you have and we won't hurt you."
Xadion sighed.
Then he became a blur.
Seconds later, the three men were on their knees, beaten bloody. Xadion sat in front of them on a wooden crate.
"I'll ask some simple questions." he said. "The one who answers well gets to leave. And gets rewarded."
He looked at the three of them.
"First question. How many years has it been since the Emperor died?"
The men were confused for a moment. Then the one on the left raised his hand.
The night went smoothly after that.
Xadion didn't kill any of them. He left a gold coin on the ground and walked away.
He stayed in the village a few more days. Bought some new clothes. Then he left.
Half a day later, he returned to the cave.
His friends were awake.
Their bodies and Qi were fully healed.
With nothing to do, they sat around the fire. All eyes turned to Xadion.
"For the three of us, it's been a year and a half since we got trapped in there."
He paused. Then looked at Ezekiel.
"But you've been trapped there for ten years."
Ezekiel frowned. Then he chuckled.
"The whole point was to get stronger faster."
His smile faded. He met Xadion's eyes.
"I might regret this… but I hope none of you are from the Kin Clan."
The cave went silent.
The three friends stared at him.
"How do you know them?" Xadion asked.
"Because my family has been at war with them for generations." Ezekiel didn't hide the pride in his voice. "I am from the Blood Clan."
He watched them closely, studying their expressions.
"How can you prove it?" Skylar's voice was cold.
Ezekiel paused. He reached into his robe and placed a large coin on the ground.
The three friends recognized it immediately.
It belonged to the high-authority members of the Blood Clan.
Xadion stared at the coin for a moment. Then he looked up at Ezekiel.
"Well." Peter said with a grin. "That's unexpected."
He leaned back. "At least now we won't have to figure out how to join them."