Eclipse was battered and bloodied with his body covered in cuts and bruises. Chael and Shadow were in a much better position, but clearly they were getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of Dracoferus warriors. It didn’t matter how strong Chael had gotten, he could only fight so well with tens of arrows and spears coming at him at every minute, and with his Qi reserves slowly depleting.

  The initial plan had been for Eclipse to make quick work of Thorn, then the three of them could divide and conquer the small army of Dracoferus warriors with the help of Chael’s Tenelux, but not only had Eclipse failed to finish off Thorn, but Chael had been found out.

  Though Chael and shadow were barely hurt, they were slowly getting pushed towards the lake that Eclipse was on as they fought desperately against the horde of Dracoferus tribesmen.

  Soon, three of them were surrounded united in the middle of the lake, backs nearly touching as they tried to fend off the endless waves of swords, spears, arrows and needles.

  Eclipse swung his Mooncrest katana with all the strength he could muster, lightning sparking off the blades. Chael barely held on as he used his tenelux to send roots and vines surging through the earth, trying to ensnare the tribesmen and his odachi slicing through the warriors and tribesmen who dared to come close like butter, while Shadow tore into any tribesman that came too close, his fur matted with blood.

  But it was clear - they couldn’t keep this up for too long.

  “We’re retreating.” Eclipse gritted his teeth, his eyes scanning the situation, “Shadow, get back in.”

  Shadow then dipped back into the darkness surrounding Eclipse.

  Thorn sneered at them with a twisted grin as he staggered slowly with blood seeping down his gashed left eye and a huge slash on his side.

  "You fucking shits. You’re not going anywhere." he snarled, his voice dripping with venom. "I'm going to kill you... I'm going to fucking rip every organ out of you."

  He took a step forward with countless needles seeping out of his skin when a sudden shift occurred.

  One of the Dracoferus tribesmen standing next to Thorn, wearing a large helmet that obscured their face, moved with inconceivable speed. The tribesman grabbed Thorn from behind and pressed a dagger against his neck.

  The tribesman’s voice was low but filled with menace and spoke to the crowd of tribesmen in front of him. “Make one move or even think about making a single move, and I’ll kill him.”

  The battlefield fell into a stunned silence. All the attacks and movement toward Eclipse and Chael stopped as the tribesmen froze in place, eyes wide with shock.

  Thorn’s face twisted in fury and disbelief.

  "Who the fuck are you?" He shouted with a voice hoarse with rage.

  The tribesmen, unsure of what to do, began to howl and shout like wild animals with confusion and anger. Thorn’s eyes darted around, looking for a way out, but the dagger pressed closer to his throat, a thin line of blood appearing where the blade met his skin. The mysterious tribesman didn’t waver, his grip on Thorn steady and unyielding.

  Eclipse and Chael, panting heavily, exchanged a quick glance, both trying to process what had just happened. The tide had turned in an instant and they waited to see what would happen next.

  Thorn cursed silently to himself. Missing an eye and nursing a wound on his hip, he was already in bad shape. But now, to be caught off guard like this and by someone who had infiltrated his tribe without him even noticing - it was humiliating.

  "What the fuck do you want?" Thorn spat, gritting his teeth as he glared at his captor.

  "First," The man replied coldly as he jerked his head toward Eclipse, and Chael, "Release them."

  Thorn hesitated but, seeing no other option, signaled his tribesmen to let them pass. The tribesmen parted and created a path for the trio. Eclipse and Chael glanced at each other once again and began to move cautiously out of the circle and in the direction of the unexpected stranger who held a knife to Thorn’s neck.

  "There. Move." Thorn demanded, trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

  "No," the man responded flatly. "I'll let you go when I want to. First, I’ve got a few questions."

  His tone was deadly serious as if he wanted to leave no room for negotiation, "Khali has been searching for something hasn’t he, what is it? What is he up to, and why?"

  Thorn narrowed his eyes, "I don’t know what you’re talking about,"

  He lied, but before he could say more, the stranger’s body and weapon surged with a murky yellow Qi, and pressed the knife harder - this time reaping blood.

  As Thorn’s blood started to flow freely down his neck, Thorn felt the cold sting of fear for the first time and screamed in desperation. "What the hell are you doing?! Let me stop the bleeding, or I’m going to fucking die!"

  "Answer my questions," The man said, his voice as cold as the steel at Thorn's throat, "or I’ll kill you right here."

  Eclipse and Chael were stunned that this stranger was asking the very questions they had intended to ask Thorn. It was as if he had read their minds.

  Thorn realized he had no other choice and began to speak, his voice trembling with both anger and fear.

  “Chief Khali is looking for a blood sample of the late head of the Xephyr family," he confessed. "The reasons why... I don’t know. That’s all I know. He wouldn’t tell me why. The only person who might know more is Dragos, but even he might be in the dark."

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  "Interesting… and where is Khali?" The man pressed on firmly.

  Thorn gritted his teeth, the pain from his wounds making his vision blur.

  "Right now, I don't know exactly where he is," He finally muttered.

  "But what I know is, he has almost all his men out searching for the blood sample, they’re also split into groups like mine. He’s awaiting the information at..." Thorn trailed off, unwilling to give more details.

  The mysterious man didn’t need them anymore. In one swift movement, he stepped back, joining Eclipse and Chael who had made it behind them.

  Thorn was about to breathe in relief when the man let go of him but immediately blinked in shock - because the knife was still pressed against his neck while hovering in midair.

  "Again. Any of you make a move, and I’ll kill him," the man warned threateningly as he turned his head to take a look at them.

  All the Dracoferus tribesmen could do was watch with hands twitching near their weapons, but none dared to move.

  The man turned to Eclipse, Chael, "Let’s go.”

  The mysterious man and the duo then took off, disappearing into the night. The tribesmen stood frozen with eyes darting between their retreating figures and the knife that still floated by Thorn’s throat, held by the strange telekinetic power of the mysterious man.

  It wasn’t until several minutes later that the knife clattered to the ground. Thorn finally clutched at his neck and gasped as he tried to stem the flow of blood desperately. Rage and humiliation burned in his chest, and he barked, "Find them! Kill them now!"

  Thorn was rushed into a tent, his wounds being roughly tended to by his men. Meanwhile,

  The Dracoferus tribesmen sprang into action there, and their usual savage energy unleashed as they scattered to hunt down the four.

  They spread out through the dense forest which the four had gone into. The mountainous terrain made the hunt difficult, but the tribesmen were relentless and their shouts echoed through the trees as they combed every possible hiding spot.

  Behind a thick cluster of branches, Chael used his Tenelux to manipulate the forestry and created a hidden nook for the group to take cover. Eclipse, Chael and the mysterious man crouched silently and watched as the tribesmen moved past them, oblivious to their presence. The tribesmen kicked aside branches and pushed through shrubs, their eyes scanning every leaf and opening for movement.

  As the last of the tribesmen trudged away, Chael released his hold on the branches and allowed them to settle back into place. Eclipse and Chael exchanged relieved glances before turning to the mysterious man beside them.

  "Thanks for helping us, but who are you?" Chael asked, his voice full of gratitude but a hint of suspicion was also apparent.

  The man reached up and slowly removed his helmet, revealing a familiar face. It was Sage, the young man they had met at the Avyssos, "Well, I didn’t think I’d see you two here, Leo, Jin."

  Eclipse and Chael looked surprised but felt a wave of relief wash over them.

  "Sage," Chael said. "Good to see you."

  "The knife held up against Thorn’s neck as we left,” Eclipse stared hard at Sage, “your Tenelux?"

  "Bingo," Sage replied with a small smile. "That’s right, my Tenelux is telekinesis. But what were you guys doing here?"

  Chael’s expression grew serious. "It seems like we’re after the same thing. The questions you asked Thorn about Khali were exactly what we needed to know."

  Sage nodded and bluntly said in a voice thick with rage and tension. "You see, I’m going to kill that man, Khali."

  Eclipse remained cautious, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed Sage’s words. Sage took a deep breath and continued, "Since our goals align, why don’t we work together?"

  Chael and Eclipse exchanged another glance, both thinking they should leave first and talk later. Sage seemed to sense their thoughts without them saying a word, though neither of them realised it.

  "Let’s get out of here first, before those tribesmen find us," Sage suggested. Chael nodded in agreement. "You’re right. We need to move quickly."

  Eclipse glanced around the forest, ensuring no one was watching before he replied, "Alright, let’s go."

  The Dracoferus tribesmen continued their search and were unaware that the four of them had slipped past their defences. Chael used his powers block the tribesmen's trail, making their escape smoother.

  As they moved, Eclipse couldn’t shake the feeling that Sage knew more than he was letting on. And looking at Chael’s hard and serious expression, he could tell he was thinking the same thing.

  The soft glow of lanterns illuminated the entrance of a restaurant at the heart of a quiet village. The scent of grilled fish and simmering broth wafted through the air, inviting passersby to step inside and enjoy a warm meal.

  Inside the restaurant, the atmosphere was cozy and relaxed with low wooden tables and tatami mats. The clinking of sake cups and the quiet hum of conversation filled the room. Sage sat across from Eclipse and Chael, pouring himself another shot of sake with a casual expression. His long, blonde hair rested on his shoulders eloquently, and patron’s gazes lingered on his face a little longer than necessary.

  “As I said earlier, we should work together since we have the same goal,” Sage said as he downed the shot of sake.

  Both Eclipse and Chael were reluctant. They weren’t used to relying on others, especially when the stakes were this high. But they couldn’t deny that taking down Khali was a pretty monumental mission they had set for themselves. Can the two of them really take down the entire Dracoferus Tribe alone when they had struggled so much against just a tiny fraction of their army?

  Sage noticed their hesitation and leaned forward slightly. “I mean, if all of us work together, then it’ll be a lot easier to achieve our goals. Don’t you guys want Khali dead for your own reasons?”

  Eclipse paused, his chopsticks hovering above his plate. The mention of Khali sent a surge of anger and anima with murderous intent coursing outward. His grip tightened, but before the rage could consume him, Chael’s cheerful voice cut through the tension.

  “We’ll think about it,” Chael said, his tone light as he took a bite of grilled fish. His casual demeanor seemed to calm Eclipse, who slowly exhaled and resumed eating.

  Sage watched them both, sensing the conflict within them. He knew they were still processing everything, still deciding whether or not to trust him. “No worries, you guys think about it. I’ll be around here tomorrow so come and find me if your answer is yes.”

  “Of course.” Chael replied.

  Soon enough, the evening came to an end.

  Eclipse and Chael returned to the lodge they had been staying at, the day’s events weighing heavily on their minds. The room was dimly lit by a single flickering lantern which cast long shadows against the wooden walls. Eclipse threw himself onto his bed after changing into casual clothes for the night. He was wearing a black vest and baggy trousers. Across the room, Chael sat on his bed in a white t-shirt and grey baggy trousers, his thoughts equally clouded. In the corner, Shadow lay curled up, already fast asleep.

  Chael broke the silence first. "So, what are you thinking about - that Sage guy? Do you think we should work with him? I mean, our goals are the same."

  Eclipse’s gaze remained fixed on the ceiling. "We don’t know his motive."

  Chael leaned back against the wall, considering this. "He doesn’t know ours either."

  "Still," Eclipse replied, "we can’t trust him just because we have the same goal."

  Chael looked over at Eclipse, "So you don’t want to work with him?"

  A small pause filled the room, and finally, Eclipse spoke again, "No, we’ll use him. He knows a lot about the Avyssos, and he could be very useful if we’re going to take down Khali. We won’t fully trust him because he’s suspicious, but he’s useful."

  Chael nodded slowly as he understood the logic. The conversation faded into silence with the weight of their decisions pressing down on them. The two didn't really talk much at all. After all, living together with Celestia for such a long time had deepened their bond to the point that they didn't need to converse much to know what the other was thinking.

  Eventually, exhaustion took over, and the two fell into a restless sleep.