Over the years, Xadion had been dealt every kind of pain. He started with his dad's training — nothing special, but it still broke him down. Then came two to three years under the Kin Clan. After that, missions and training for his former teacher back at the base.
He knew pain.
But never like this. Never a blade moving on its own. And the worst part, surprisingly, wasn't the steel in his gut.
It was the agony in his head.
Dozens of voices. Screaming. All at once.
He dropped to his knees, both hands clutching his head while the sword stayed buried in him.
Then came the laughter.
"You hear them, don't you, boy!" The Fallen Prince looked wrecked, but he was laughing like a madman at what he saw. Ezekiel fought to throw the prince off and reach Xadion. He couldn't.
Xadion was still on his knees in a pool of his own blood, the sword still in him. Slowly the voices started to fade.
He looked down, slowly. The sword was pulling itself out. The pain in his head was decreasing. The pain in his stomach wasn't. With blood on his gritted teeth, he grabbed the base of the sword.
Regret hit him. From tens of voices… to hundreds.
He gritted his teeth harder and ripped it out. The sword thrashed instantly, trying to break free.
Xadion wasn't letting go.
Laughter again.
"You're the first fool to actually try and hold that sword. Except me, of course. Do you hear it? The voices of everyone I've slain. Hahaha!"
The Fallen Prince laughed harder, watching Xadion fight to hold the blade steady.
The pain was unbearable. The blood loss was catching up. His strength was fading too.
But he didn't fall.
He stood there, forcing the sword to stay in his grip. If nothing else, he'd buy Ezekiel more time.
Ezekiel was getting the upper hand. Not because he was more powerful, but because he was more skilled in hand to hand combat.
The Fallen Prince was only defending, avoiding every deadly strike.
"This is good. Keep proving you're stronger than me. And when the gate of this world opens, I can escape."
The Fallen Prince shouted, trying to get into Ezekiel's head.
It wasn't working.
Ezekiel wasn't listening. He was still thinking about Xadion. The time Xadion was buying him was precious. And he had no intention of letting him die.
He stamped down and drove the Fallen Prince back.
A gold circle appeared on the floor beneath him.
He clapped his hands together. The circle brightened gold, and two transparent gold arms formed behind him.
He dashed at the Fallen Prince, fists coming from every direction.
The Fallen Prince's face was cut open now. His dark armor breaking, falling apart.
He was losing badly, and he needed to fight back.
He sensed something. He smiled, then dashed toward Ezekiel.
A jab came from his left hand. Ezekiel caught it with his gold arm, grabbed the Fallen Prince's head with both hands, then drove his other gold arm into the Fallen Prince's ribs.
No cry of pain.
The Fallen Prince smiled instead. With his right hand he called his sword back.
Seconds later Ezekiel saw it.
But the sword wasn't coming for him. The handle was flying toward the Fallen Prince.
Metal cut flesh. Something hit the ground.
The Fallen Prince had lost four fingers.
Shock hit Ezekiel. Pain broke through the Fallen Prince. That was all he needed. He ripped free and pulled back.
He held his wounded ribs. Looked at his ruined hand. Surprise was clear on his face.
He raised his head slowly.
Xadion was standing beside Ezekiel, sword in hand.
Pale as a corpse. Barely standing.
And not bleeding from the wound anymore.
Ezekiel stared at him with disbelieving eyes.
"Kid, are you okay?" Ezekiel asked, concern in his voice.
"No. The voices are still there, but I'm still myself. The only way I can suppress it is if I keep myself busy." Xadion paused and looked at the Fallen Prince. "Sorry. But I'm going to get in your way."
Ezekiel chuckled. "No worries. A true warrior doesn't make excuses. Attack when you're ready."
With that, he dashed toward the Fallen Prince.
The Fallen Prince laughed loud, then clashed with Ezekiel.
The battle was destructive, just like before. Neither of them held back.
But a minute in, the Fallen Prince was at a disadvantage. He was being pushed back by Ezekiel and Xadion.
Xadion was matching their speed. Keeping up.
He landed deep cuts whenever he found an opening. Used the sword as a shield too.
It looked like it was coming to an end.
Xadion threw a strike. The Fallen Prince dodged, then tried to kick him.
Ezekiel caught his leg, yanked, and drove an elbow across the Fallen Prince's face. He was sent skidding back again.
The two stopped. They looked at the kneeling prince trying to get up.
After a few moments, he sighed.
"Still not enough, I see."
He raised his head and looked at the two, then smiled madly.
"I'll kill the boy first, and send you away. I think after a year of training you should be able to face me on your own. And this world will see us as equals."
He paused, then raised his head again. "Maybe you'll be able to learn this."
With that, he started to laugh.
Qi came from everywhere. A massive amount.
It poured into his body.
Some cuts healed, but not all. The ones Xadion gave him were still there, but they stopped bleeding.
Another thing too — he was getting bigger.
Still on his knees, and he was already past six feet. His dark eyes turned completely black.
The worst part for Ezekiel and Xadion?
They couldn't move closer. The Qi around him felt wrong.
It was dark Qi. Dark Qi is poison to humans.
The Fallen Prince didn't seem bothered.
"The best thing about this world is I can use dark Qi all I want. In a day or two, I'll be healed."
The Fallen Prince laughed. Slowly, he got to his feet.
He now stood at an unbelievable seven feet. Maybe close to eight.
Xadion looked at Ezekiel, then at the Fallen Prince.
"What do we do?"
Ezekiel stayed quiet for a long while, then smiled.
"If we try to escape, we're dead. And I think you know what we have to do."
"Yeah, but he said he'll keep you alive." Xadion said, trying to read Ezekiel's expression.
"If we don't kill him now, then I'll die too." Ezekiel said, still watching the Fallen Prince. "We move together. I'll be the main striker."
"Well if it isn't you, then who else?" Xadion said with a smile, raising the sword.
The two dashed toward the giant prince.
Ezekiel's four arms came together and struck the Fallen Prince.
A loud bang.
The Fallen Prince caught all four fists with one palm.
Behind him, Xadion appeared, raising the sword for a strike.
The Fallen Prince vanished from his sight.
Before Xadion could react, the air left his lungs.
He was sent flying, crashing into the wall.
Seconds later, the Fallen Prince was in front of him, foot raised.
He was ready to smash Xadion into the wall.
Ezekiel drove his body into the Fallen Prince, sending him back a few feet.
The Fallen Prince smiled and moved toward Ezekiel.
Ezekiel didn't back down. He dashed forward too.
They exchanged two moves.
Then Ezekiel was sent flying.
Before he could crash into a wall, the Fallen Prince was already there to stop him. A punch. He flew again. Another punch.
It kept going.
Till he finally crashed into a wall.
The Fallen Prince grabbed his legs and slammed him into the ground.
He walked over him and raised his leg. Then he looked at Xadion, still collapsed on the ground.
"This won't kill you. Hopefully." The Fallen Prince smiled. "How long has it been since I crushed a bug? I do hope I can control my strength."
He brought his foot down.
It crushed Ezekiel into a crater.
Ezekiel was still alive, but his breathing was slow.
The Fallen Prince smiled and raised his leg again.
"I am truly selfish."
He sent his leg down again, this time with full force.
Just before his foot connected, an arrow shot in.
Speed of light.
It stabbed into his right eye, sending him back, clutching his face.
Ezekiel took the opening.
He made his gold arms pour their power into his right hand. He stood up, bolted toward the Fallen Prince, and punched him in the face.
A crack.
The Fallen Prince was sent flying, crashing into the wall.
Ezekiel turned, looking toward the arrow.
There he saw Xadion on one knee, holding a girl with silver hair. Another boy his age stood beside him.
The three friends were united.
And they were all Master ranks.