Battle In The Slums

Gordon's feet hastened as the explosion of lightning rang out behind him. There was no time to take a breather; there was only time to run forward. His heart pounded in rhythm with the thunder, adrenaline fueling his flight.

Several questions raced through his mind, each one more alarming than the last. Was that truly Kai? How had he awakened his Endowment so quickly?

'An Endowment is only awakened at ten years old,' Gordon thought, his mind racing back to his own awakening. 'Even I awakened mine at that age. So what does this mean?'

Was Kai special? The implications spiraled out of control. If it was a new awakening, why was he so strong? To be able to stop carriages with merely a descent from the sky? How the hell was he even flying in the first place?

The answers eluded him as he finally reached his destination: the Imperial Slums, home to the city's forgotten and desperate. Gordon clutched his sister Cecilia tightly in his arms as the storm intensified, rain pelting down with a ferocity that soaked him to the bone. He scurried through the slick, damp streets, the rumble of thunder echoing ominously above.

Suddenly, he stopped short, breath hitching in his throat. There, several meters ahead, stood Kai, his hair and clothes drenched by the unrelenting rain.

"K-Kai?" Gordon stammered, shock slicing through his fear. He had expected to find the Masked Men already dealing with him; the Darkness Guild was not only prided on their cunning but also their strength. Kai had only just awakened an Endowment—it seemed impossible.

"Were they truly your last resort?" Kai asked, spitting on the ground. He wiped a streak of blood from his cheek, an unsettling smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "They were rather weak."

Time was slipping away—only ten minutes remained—but Kai showed no signs of concern. He knew there was no way Gordon could harm her, especially in this moment of vulnerability.

"Weak? They're the Darkness Guild, for fuck's sake!" Gordon retorted, his anger flaring as he extended a hand forward. "I'm warning you; don't let me use my Endowment."

Kai's blank eyes momentarily widened, intrigue glimmering within them. He was curious about what kind of magical Endowment Gordon possessed, especially considering he didn't seem like the type to have one.

Gordon took a step back, attempting to put distance between them, but Kai was already stepping forward. The air around him grew thin, pressing against his body like a vice. The gravity had increased several-fold, and yet Kai moved through it as if it were nothing.

"Your Endowment is Gravity Manipulation, and you consider yourself a threat?" Kai taunted, the gravity pushing down on him only serving as a reminder of his newfound power. Gordon's brows furrowed in confusion as Kai shot off the ground, closing the distance between them with impossible speed.

Gordon poured more magical energy into his spell, intensifying the gravity around Kai. The boy considerably slowed, but then, lightning burst to life around his body, engulfing him in a radiant glow. In an instant, he shot forward again, moving like a bolt of lightning.

Gordon felt the weight lift from his hands and turned just in time to see Kai holding Cecilia tightly. Panic surged through him.

'There's no need to engage,' Gordon thought, taking slow steps backward, fear exuding from every pore. 'I just have to escape.'

But Kai wouldn't allow that. He raised his hand, and the swirling storm intensified around them. Thunder rumbled and flashes of lightning filled the air, creating an atmosphere thick with tension.

"Your greed got you nowhere," Kai said, his voice dripping with menace. "All it got you was a quick death at my hands, but I want to give you a final chance to redeem yourself."

Cecilia's eyes widened as her binds shattered. Kai set her down gently, then turned back to Gordon. "If you can beat me in a battle without using magical energy, I shall let you live."

Cecilia stumbled back, creating distance between herself and Kai, her mind racing with disbelief. She couldn't help but glance at her brother, wondering how he had come to possess such power.

Kai tossed a sword toward Gordon. He caught it deftly, fingers tracing the nimble hilt, heart racing. The downpour ceased, leaving an eerie silence as they assumed their combat stances. Confidence surged through Gordon; he had taught Kai everything he knew about swordplay.

With a quick flick of his wrist, Gordon swung his sword, aiming for Kai's head. But the young boy was quick, raising his own blade to block the strike with practiced ease. The sound of steel clanging against steel resonated through the damp air as Kai pushed against the blade, forcing Gordon to take several steps back.

They entered attacking stances simultaneously, both rushing at each other. The swords became blurs in the wind, each clash echoing like thunder as they matched each other strike for strike.

But something felt off. Their sword styles were similar, yet Kai's was fundamentally different. His movements were basic, devoid of complex arts, yet there was an underlying ferocity that made Gordon's heart race.

As they battled, Kai's eyes glinted with a newfound power. He had no intention of fighting fair. He began to see the openings in Gordon's technique, the weak spots that he had been trained to exploit.

With a swift motion, Kai blocked a downward slash and pushed Gordon's sword upward. Gordon's grip faltered, the weapon spinning from his hand and flying through the air. Suddenly, he was wide open.

"You're wide open," Kai taunted, thrusting his blade forward. The sword lodged mercilessly into Gordon's stomach, and with a crackle of energy, it ignited with lightning. Gordon's insides sizzled, pain lancing through him as he gasped, struggling to remain upright.

Though Kai had not used his full strength, he had every intention of stretching out Gordon's suffering. There was a cruel satisfaction in his eyes as he watched the realization dawn on his former mentor.

As Gordon collapsed to his knees, clutching the sword still embedded in his gut, the storm raged on above, a fitting backdrop to the tempest that had now engulfed their lives.

"Why, Kai?" Gordon croaked, bewilderment mixing with pain. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because," Kai said, leaning closer, his voice a low whisper filled with contempt. "You never believed in me. You only saw a weak little boy, but look at me now. I'm not the one who's weak anymore."

Gordon felt his strength ebbing away, darkness creeping into the corners of his vision. Kai straightened, taking a step back, watching with a mix of triumph and pity as Gordon struggled to comprehend the gravity of his defeat.

The storm howled around them, but for Gordon, the world had grown quiet, his body betraying him, just as he had betrayed Kai long ago.