Yig glowed brightly. The static sensation rushing through his body was exhilarating. He shoved back against Quinlou’s blades with Icarus, forcing him nearly ten feet away. His aura surged with newfound power. It was warm.

  He glanced behind him to check on Joe. The guard was clutching his stump, his hand smeared with blood. Joe looked up. “It’s sealing,” he said.

  It had indeed begun to heal. Yig’s mind immediately connected it to his spike in mana, but he said nothing, determined to look cool and heroic in that moment.

  “Get back,” he said. “Take your friend and run!”

  With his remaining arm, Joe pulled the other guard to his feet, and together, they limped away.

  “So…” Quinlou said, one sword resting on his shoulder, “one of the pair has made his entrance. Tell me, is she far behind? Or do you seriously intend to fight me alone?”

  Yig’s excitement dulled. A numbness crept in. And strangely, he felt bad that Quinlou didn’t know.

  “Mona is dead…”

  Quinlou seemed rattled—Yig saw it in his eyes.

  “Truly?”

  Yig scowled. Of course he wouldn’t lie about that.

  Quinlou hummed, guilty for even asking.

  “It’s just you and me,” Yig said. “Even if it sounds foolish to you.”

  Quinlou sighed. “Then let’s begin.” His aura burst outward in a surge of dark power.

  Yig answered with a surge of mana, his light glowing even brighter.

  Doors and shutters flapped in the winds that followed. Air rushed through alleys and streets, driven by the explosive collision of opposing energies. Debris rumbled beneath their feet.

  Quinlou charged, silver hair streaming behind him. Yig planted his stance and focused mana into Icarus, the cyan blade shining with the fire of resolve until it erupted like a flame.

  “Icarus!” Yig shouted.

  Finally! Bwahahaha! Icarus bellowed with joy.

  Yig swung forward with the now-heavy weapon, its blazing yellow energy rising to clash with the oncoming foe. The air cracked with a thunderous boom, shaking Yig to the bone.

  Quinlou was hurled backward at incredible speed, vanishing into another street with a bang.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “What in the world!?” Blū shouted, gripping an Owlman by the neck. “Where’d that come from, Blond Boy?”

  Yig turned around. “Hm? Oh, the strange lady in my head gave it to me.” He pointed to his temple, just in case it wasn’t clear.

  “Right,” Sil replied. “Of course.”

  ◇─◇──◇─◇

  Quinlou crashed through a wall, expending mana to minimize the damage. He stood among the dust inside a vacant home, pink decorations fluttering in the wind from the new hole in the wall.

  He stepped out, kicking aside a few bricks to fit through. Outside, he waved a hand to scatter the dust into the midnight air, then shook his head. Even though he’d tried not to underestimate little Yig, he’d still been caught off guard. He was angry—but he couldn’t help cracking a giddy smile.

  Yig landed down the street, both he and his sword still burning with overwhelming brightness. Where did he get that blade?

  “Hehehe,” Yig chuckled with a grin. “Coincidence?”

  Quinlou spun his blades into position. “It’s your turn to attack.”

  Yig didn’t hesitate. He dashed forward in a burst of speed. Quinlou quickly responded, summoning blobs of darkness from the ground. They bubbled up like worms bursting to the surface, writhing toward their target.

  With a few effortless swings, Yig slashed them away—his burning light cleaving through the shadows like they were mud. Quinlou should’ve known light would have no trouble with that.

  “A Levula?” Yig asked, seemingly thrilled by the idea as he kept dashing forward.

  “No, that’s not it. That’s just one of the many gifts of Surath.”

  Quinlou darted from side to side, narrowly dodging a flurry of swings. Then, spotting an opening, he countered with an underhand slash, cutting across Yig’s stomach.

  Yig stumbled back, bleeding but safely out of range. “Damn,” he muttered. “You got me.”

  But Quinlou wasn’t foolish enough to let one good hit go to his head.

  To both their surprise, the wound sealed itself in seconds—closed by the warmth of Yig’s aura, leaving behind only a faint line visible through his torn shirt.

  Quinlou laughed. “Should’ve guessed that would happen.”

  “Yeah,” Yig said, slightly amazed at his own power. “It’s working really well right now.”

  “Well then… want to see my Levula?”

  “Where did you go?”

  Quinlou paused.

  The wind still circled them, swirling to the rhythm of their auras like the sea drawn to a whirlpool.

  “Does it matter?” Quinlou answered hesitantly.

  “Yes. You owe me—and Mona—an answer at the very least.”

  “Why? Because of that time with the bandit?”

  Yig stared at him, stern.

  Yes. It seemed it was because of the bandit.

  “Chestnut Town had nothing left for me. That’s my reason. I wanted strength—and I found it. Leaving that place gave me strength. Can’t you relate?”

  “I will never abandon Chestnut. And I will never abandon myself.”

  “Oh, you think that’s it? That I abandoned myself? When did you get so ‘wise’?”

  “When I knew you, your strength was your own.”

  “You think this isn’t my strength? You dare call me a liar?”

  “You said yourself—you haven’t used your Levula.”

  Quinlou grit his teeth and clutched his blades. Heat surged inside him, and his aura followed. Darkness phased in, outlining his body.

  Yig was going to get what he asked for.

  Quinlou summoned his dread again—a sinister form of his aura that evoked terror and upheaval in all who felt it. This… this was the Levula Surath had gifted him. And he had made it his own.

  He coated his blades in both dread and darkness, thickening them with violent energy. The dread was meant to strike fear into Yig directly. The darkness, to extend the reach of his weapons.

  He charged forward, arms crossed, blades drawn wide. Yig raised his blazing blade to parry but was thrown off balance by tentacle-like shadows rising from beneath him.

  Quinlou passed by in a flash, leaving a cross of blood slashed across Yig’s chest. This time, the wound was deeper and it leaked wisps of darkness.