The sound of clashing weapons echoed through the air as Richard and the shadowy figure fought in a brutal battle.
Richard's body was covered in blood. He didn't care about the pain. The fact that he couldn't feel pain made him wild in battle. He never backed down, never hesitated, and kept fighting like a beast. But it also made him careless.
Even though he attacked again and again, he couldn't land a single hit. The shadow moved smoothly, dodging every blow like it knew what Richard was going to do before he did it.
Richard was losing control. He growled, "Tch, this is getting annoying."
He slashed wildly, but nothing worked. The shadow seemed untouchable.
Then, in a sudden spin, the shadow struck. The hilt of its sword slammed into Richard's jaw, sending him flying through the air. He crashed into the orphanage wall with a loud bang.
Dazed, Richard stood up, blood dripping from his lip. He spotted a large chunk of broken wall and hurled it at the shadow.
But with a single swing of its sword, the shadow sliced it into dust.
Richard froze. He was losing. For the first time, he didn't know what to do. He was trapped in a fight he couldn't win.
Then something caught his eye—Kai was awake. The boy had stood back up, injured but still alive.
Richard's face twisted with rage. This is all his fault, he thought. And with one last push of strength, he rushed at Kai, hoping to end it once and for all.
But before he could reach him, the shadow moved. One fast strike and Richard's arm was gone.
He stared at the stump in shock.
Then came another clean slash and his other arm fell too.
Richard dropped to his knees, powerless. Rain poured down on him, mixing with the blood. He had lost.
The shadow stood over him.
"Pathetic," it said in a cold, quiet voice.
For the first time in his life, Richard felt something real..it was fear. His eyes locked with the shadow's glowing red ones, and he felt something deep inside shake. It was as if his very soul heard the voice of his maker.
Then, in one final motion, the shadow swung its sword and ended Richard's life.
The rain stopped. The world went silent.
Only two figures remained: Kai and the shadow.
Kai stood in the quiet, his heart full of feelings he couldn't name. Not fear. Not shock. Something deeper.
He looked at the shadow and quietly said, "Thank you."
The shadow nodded, then slowly faded into Kai's body until it vanished completely.
---
For a few moments, Kai stood still, lost in thought. But then, like lightning, it hit him—the orphanage!
He ran back inside.
What he saw stopped him cold.
The hallways, once full of warmth and laughter, were now wrecked. Furniture was broken, walls were cracked, and pieces of the ceiling had fallen in.
He shouted out the names of the children.
No reply.
Everything was quiet. Too quiet.
As he stumbled deeper into the wreckage, he finally found her—Miss Agatha.
She was lying still among the debris. His breath caught.
"No… Miss Agatha," he whispered, running to her side. He held her gently, hoping—praying—she was okay.
"Please… wake up," he said, his voice trembling.
But she didn't move.
Memories flooded his mind. Her bedtime stories. Her warm hugs during storms. Her calm voice when he was afraid. She had been more than a guardian—she had been his mother.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
"I should've protected you," he thought. "You gave me everything… and I couldn't do anything."
But even in his pain, her memory brought comfort. He remembered her smile. Her strength. Her belief in him.
He held her tighter, crying softly.
"Please," he whispered, "I need you now… more than ever."