Havel kept striking the wall with his bloodied hands and torn knuckles. His voice, hoarse from screaming, echoed through the hallway as he called out his companion's name. Ada was slumped against the opposite wall, her eyes still lost in the void.
"Damn it, Shirei!" he shouted, each blow accompanied by a grunt of pain and frustration. "You can't do this! You can't sacrifice yourself like this! Idiot! You said your powers weren't working!"
A powerful, primal roar made the entire building tremble, drowning out even the noise from the other side of the wall. He froze, blood running cold in his veins. Rutia's daughter, as if awakened, raised her gaze and met the blonde's, terror clear in her gray eyes.
"The lion…" she whispered, her voice barely audible, "it's the lion. He wants us to reach him. He's tired of waiting."
The air grew heavy, thick with palpable tension. Shadows seemed to stretch, dancing along the hallway walls. The silence that followed was far from reassuring, broken only by the distant echo of Shirei's battle and the breathing of the two Blendbreeds.
Havel grimaced. "Then let's make him happy."
They headed toward the room with the altar. The boy's heavy steps echoed through the corridor as he dragged Ada behind him. She disagreed and resisted in silence.
Havel turned, standing in front of her. "I know, okay? I know you're scared. I know you're terrified," he gripped her forearm tightly, "but we won't solve anything by staying here! That idiot…"
He couldn't finish the sentence, overwhelmed by growing anger.
"We just need to act and eliminate the problem."
It didn't seem like he'd managed to convince her, but he turned again and kept moving forward without looking back. After a few seconds, he added, "Leave it to me. No one can beat me when my friends' lives are in danger."
It was a lie, and even Sidal's son knew it, but it was what the Blendbreed needed to hear.
So I'll believe it, for you. I'm unbeatable.
They continued on. The cold, damp floor beneath their feet added to the creeping sensation that every step was bringing them closer to the source of the malevolent force. The walls pulsed imperceptibly, and the darkness within the cracks came alive, as if it were watching them.
And so, here we are.
They had reached the altar room.
"Stay alert," he said quietly, without turning.
His grip on his friend's arm remained firm. There was no need to warn her; she was more aware than he was even in that state, but he feared that fear itself was blocking her every thought.
The blue light of the creeping tendrils of darkness that climbed the columns created a spectral atmosphere, reflecting in Rutia's daughter's eyes and faintly illuminating both Havel's tense face and the surrounding space. Each time they passed one of the stone towers, it seemed to be infested with that growing evil.
The negative energy saturating the air grew thicker, almost suffocating. The enemy couldn't be far, and yet he still chose to wait.
That was when the leader of the Equinox Flowers stopped abruptly, his gaze fixed on a motionless figure before the altar, cloaked in shadow.
Ada tensed. Her hands were trembling uncontrollably, but she said nothing, locked in a silent internal battle. Sensing his companion's fear, Havel stepped forward, shielding her with his body.
The man who emerged before them was the very embodiment of primal ferocity. Tall and muscular, his physique seemed sculpted from bronze, every muscle defined and taut like a predator ready to strike. His tanned skin glistened as if fresh from battle. Long, dark hair flowed wildly down his back, framing a sharply defined face. His bare chest bore only a necklace of large black spheres that appeared to absorb the surrounding light. But it was his eyes that truly seized and held their attention—golden like a feline's, literally, with a vertical slit marking the iris. They glowed with a wicked light, scrutinizing the two with piercing intensity.
The dark figure stopped just a few steps away, a predatory grin curving his lips. When he spoke, his voice was deep, perfectly matching the dangerous aura he exuded.
"Panther, you've finally stopped running," he said, his tone almost mocking. "You've grown, no doubt about that, yet you're still the frightened little girl from the Orphanage."
Havel clenched his fists. "Who are you really?"
The very air seemed to crackle with energy as Sidal's son prepared to confront the terrifying threat. Behind them, the sound of Shirei's battle had faded, leaving an eerie silence in its place.
"I remember you. Too bad there wasn't time for introductions," the wanderer's smile widened. "I'm a hunter… and you're my prey."
Sidal's son remained still for a moment, eyes narrowed as he watched the man before them. "Don't mess with me—you're just an idiot," he snapped. "Don't dance around it. I'm not in the mood to ask the same question seven hundred times."
"Nadim," came the reply, perhaps a little too quickly. "That's my name. You could say I'm an old friend of the panther."
"Old friend?" the Blendbreed muttered with disdain. It was obvious even to him that the man was lying. "You don't strike me as someone who values friendship."
"I've heard that before. I always end up eating everyone."
"So that's what this is—you want to eat a mortal and you call him a friend."
"Not just any mortal, a Blendbreed… and not just any Blendbreed."
"You're just a monster in humanoid form."
Nadim laughed with a tone almost nostalgic, as if completely ignoring the hostility radiating from the boy. "Oh, but we were once. She and I used to play often, though she was so little she didn't understand the game. It was fun—a constant hunt…" his grin widened, revealing sharp, white teeth. "And now that she's grown, I thought we could pick up where we left off."
Ada wavered, her breath broken.
"Also, boy, you ought to study the definition of that word. There are many kinds of monsters—many are defined by their physical form, but not only that. Some of them hide in plain sight, wearing masks to conceal themselves, to escape the light of the world. I belong to a different category altogether."
The dark past Nadim spoke of began to surface in Rutia's daughter's memory. With a sudden movement, the girl tore herself away from Havel, who silenced the enemy.
"Enough! Now you're really starting to piss me off," he said, stepping forward with clenched fists. "Stop hiding behind your little games and your hunt. I'm right here. You want a fight? Bring it on."
The humanoid raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused by the Blendbreed's outburst. He licked the back of his hand with a tongue so grotesquely long it made Sidal's son recoil.
He stepped forward, his approach menacing as the atmosphere grew heavier and more oppressive.
"Ah… heroes… always so impulsive, always so eager to protect, without even understanding who or what they're dealing with."
Fed up with the provocations, Havel grabbed the hilt of his weapon.
"Enough. You're just another monster to take down, Nadim," he said, pronouncing the name as if mocking it. "I don't have a problem with it. In fact, I'll enjoy it."
"I already told you, I'm not a monster."
"Spare me."
Just as the blonde prepared to launch himself at Nadim, the latter clapped his hands together in a sharp, deliberate motion.
"Believe me… once, I was human too—many centuries ago."
Nadim spread his arms wide and opened a portal of shadow before him. From the center of the rift in the air, a zone of pure darkness radiated outward, expanding rapidly. Havel instinctively pulled Ada closer, but the dark magic reached them in an instant, engulfing them in a bluish mist.
"What the hell…" Havel murmured, still in disbelief.
He furrowed his brow, trying to keep hold of his companion. Within seconds, he felt the hilt slipping from his grasp—as if his weapon were dissolving into the air.
"No!" he shouted in fury.
He turned to his friend, still clinging to him. He was about to breathe a sigh of relief, when he noticed her twin blades had vanished too.
The darkness stopped churning violently. Before them now stood a new place, where mana pulsed with malevolence.
Nadim's smile gleamed through the shadows.
"In my domain, you won't need your little metal toys. Here… it's just: me, you, and the hunt that binds us."
Ada staggered backward, terror plain in her gray eyes.
"We… we can't fight him, I… Havel…" she whispered, her voice broken by dread.
The leader of the Equinox Flowers gritted his teeth and clenched his empty fists.
"It doesn't matter!" he roared, stepping forward. "I don't need weapons to send you straight to Cragar!"
But no matter how determined, the boy's words were swallowed by the rising darkness. Nadim's laughter echoed through the new dimension, filling the air with a sound as sinister as the place itself.
"What the hell are you laughing at? What did you do?" Havel snapped.
The creature's deep, grim voice rumbled in their ears, as its body seemed to blend with the surrounding shadows. Ada shivered—this was no longer the voice of a human being.
"I imagine this is your first time. This, which our friend here has already had the pleasure of experiencing, is my Dark Hallway," he announced solemnly.
The darkness responded to his call, tightening even more around the two.
"Here, all external weapons simply… vanish. This is the law that defines the lion's hunt, and thus, this place—my corridor. Nothing material can exist in here, except what belongs to our own body."
Havel found himself clenching an empty hand, the sensation of vulnerability making his heart pound in his chest. His friend was struggling to breathe, as if the air itself was trying to choke her.
"This can't be real… it's impossible… not again…"
Nadim tilted his head, his golden eyes gleaming with malice.
"Every wanderer has their own corridor—a unique place that responds only to them, to their laws. The rules of the outside world no longer apply. And this… well, this is my domain."
He raised a hand, letting shadows dance across his fingers like smoke.
"Do you understand now why you don't stand a chance?"
The Blendbreed stood still, listening to the director's words. Blood boiled in his veins, stirred by the ichor inherited from his father. He was ready to fight, even in this situation. He looked back at Ada to make sure she was still behind him and gave her a faint smile.
Because I know you'd do the same for me.
He turned his gaze back to Nadim. Inhaled deeply, then shouted: "I don't give a damn about your hallway or your rules!"
He hurled himself forward with the force of an enraged son of Torari. The thought of being unarmed didn't seem to affect his chances of victory—at least, not from the fire burning in his eyes. The Blendbreed needed nothing but his own hands to take down anyone who stood in his way or threatened his companions.
"A suicidal choice," the beast remarked.
A punch crashed toward the monster with the force of a storm, but the creature was tougher than Havel had expected. Nadim deflected the blow by ducking and pushing away with his shoulder, then sidestepped with a grin spreading across his lips—he was pleased with his successful dodge.
"So reckless…" he commented in an amused tone.
His body seemed to slip between the shadows as he prepared to counterattack, but the Blendbreed didn't stop. Even without weapons, he was in the middle of a furious offensive.
He twisted around and launched another punch at Nadim's face. Unfortunately, it only grazed him. The creature appeared amused, but behind his golden eyes lurked a wild, focused intensity.
"Interesting," he murmured. "You've got more fire than I expected, even if your strikes are rather weak."
"Shut up already."
The fight grew intense, with Havel charging relentlessly, fists and kicks slicing through the air. Each attempt missed its mark, just like during the duel with Shirei.
Ada stood frozen in fear, helplessly watching the two clash. The sound of their blows echoed through the corridor, muffled, as if swallowed by the darkness. She wanted to act, to do anything, but the terror awakened by the lion rooted her to the spot. Dark, fragmented memories of that game pulsed in her mind like inescapable nightmares.
The leader of the Lilies Park's Blendbreeds shouted to push the monster back. A red aura emerged from his skin and began evaporating upward. Simultaneously, a strange crimson coating wrapped around his fists. Ada recognized the distinctive hue of Bloodthirst and marveled at the mantle forming around the son of Sidal's hands. He usually fought with his twin axes, so he had never shown her those skills before.
"Time to get serious, huh?"
They clashed in close combat for nearly a minute, until Havel managed to land a heavy punch to Nadim's side, causing him to stumble. The lion let out a roar, only for a flicker in the edge of his vision to steal his attention. A red orb made of mana gleamed brightly and struck his opposite flank.
Havel grinned as the creature dropped to one knee. The daughter of Rutia didn't recognize that technique—the boy had been trying to apply it to his weapons for over six months. When his punch landed, the coating passed through the enemy's body and condensed about half a meter away into a crimson sphere. The energy then surged backward, forming a perfectly timed blow to complement the first. A power capable of merging both physical and magical attacks. That was one of the abilities inherited from his father: the Twin Affliction.
"Not smiling anymore, are you?" the boy growled.
He didn't have time to finish the taunt before a powerful strike crashed into his chest. He stumbled back and dropped to his knees. Nadim chuckled, his hands glowing faintly with dark light.
"You're strong, Blendbreed, but muscles alone won't cut it against me."
Havel spat blood and struggled to his feet, his burning gaze locked on the enemy. The battle between them turned increasingly brutal. The son of Sidal refused to back down, but the wanderer's blows began to pierce through his defense. Nadim moved with crude strength, rarely dodging and countering with a raw power that pushed Havel to his limits. With each scratch from the enemy, he felt slower, as if the darkness was dragging him downward, trying to suffocate him.
Then came the real damage.
Nadim drove a brutal punch into Havel's side, making him groan in pain. The beast glanced at his own arm—now shaped like a paw made of pure darkness—with evident satisfaction. The Blendbreed's armor had cracked. A hot, sticky liquid began to drip from his ribcage: blood. He bent over for a moment, the pulsing wound burning like live fire.
The daughter of Rutia, frozen in horror, watched the person she was closest to stagger just to stay on his feet, and the terror pinned her even harder to the ground. Nadim shifted his predatory gaze onto her, as if the current battle was nothing more than a prelude.
"Look, panther," he hissed, his voice laced with contempt. "Standing there motionless, just like when you were a frightened little girl. He can't do anything."
"Count on it… y-you think… I'm already… done?"
Though in pain and wounded, Havel stood back up. His breathing was ragged—he suspected the injury had something to do with it. He threw a desperate glance at Ada, knowing he had to act to protect his unit.
"Ada!" he cried, his voice hoarse. "You can't just stand there! Don't let this fear freeze you! You have to move… please, run!"
The daughter of Rutia heard his words echo in her mind, but the terror was too strong. It was like a vice clamped around her, making it impossible to move, speak, or act. Every fiber of her being screamed to flee, to hide, just like she always had.
Nadim laughed again, the sound cold and cruel as it dissolved into the darkness. "Don't you see, boy?" he taunted. "She won't do anything. She's useless. The panther is weak. Always has been, always will be."
"Don't listen to him, Ada! It doesn't matter what he says! It doesn't matter what happened before! You're different! You're strong! You have to move! If you don't now… we'll both die here!"
The boy's heart thundered in his chest. He had always been reckless, but he wasn't fighting for the group this time. He wasn't facing just any monster.
He had to protect her. He had to.
He would sacrifice his soul and body if that's what it took.
The lion lost interest in Havel and began walking toward Ada with an outstretched hand—an invitation to their own final hunt. The daughter of Rutia stepped backward.
"It's pointless, panther. You can't—" the sentence was never finished.
The leader of the Lilies Park Blendbreeds launched a devastating punch into the creature's kidney. A brilliant crimson light lit up the corridor, immediately followed by a mirrored strike. Havel gasped and staggered toward Ada, clutching his right arm, his armor completely pulverized. Upon closer inspection, the Silver Vessels could be seen pulsing, and several dense patches of blue spread across the Blendbreed's skin.
The daughter of Rutia stammered, "H-Havel… your arm…"
The leader tried to reassure her. "I'll be fine."
To deal significant damage, he had chosen to channel the energy of his technique through his entire upper limb rather than a single point. A very risky move—but necessary.
I could've broken it on impact… or lost it entirely. But the evolved form of the Crimson Meteor, combined with Double Affliction and the Bloodthirst enhancement… I should've taken him out.
As if the enemy could read his thoughts, Havel heard the deep voice of the wanderer utter a single word.
"No."
Before the two Blendbreeds' eyes, Nadim's body began to transform as he stood back up. His massive spine stretched as darkness clung to him, accumulating like it was fusing with his flesh. Muscles expanded, his skin was covered in a pitch-black pelt, and the human face vanished—replaced by a leonine head with the same feline eyes burning with golden wickedness. In an instant, they stood before a hulking beast made of tangible shadows, with powerful paws that clawed at the ground.
And now the real fight begins, thought the son of Sidal.
Nadim growled menacingly and seized him, lifting him as if he were a mere toy. The boy struggled, trying to break free, but the lion's strength was immense. He was hurled across the room and crashed violently against a pillar. He landed on the ground with a groan, pain radiating through his entire body—unbearable. He drew a deep breath, trying to summon what strength he had left, and stood once more, swaying. His face was strained, marked by fatigue and blood trickling from his side, but his eyes still held a fire.
Nadim watched as he once again positioned himself in front of the daughter of Rutia, ready to fight and protect her.
Stop… please stop, thought the Blendbreed girl, unable to speak aloud. She couldn't bear seeing him like that—nor could she imagine losing him. She was terrified, and the darkness that wrapped around the wanderer seemed to reflect the one inside her.
Havel turned, a tired but genuine smile on his face.
"Don't worry," he said, with a calmness that did not match his usual nature. "I won't stop. Not as long as you're here with me."
His words pierced her like a blade, cutting deeper than anything the lion could inflict.
He was there, ready to sacrifice himself, and she could do nothing.
The fear still held her captive, the chains of the past binding her, rendering her powerless.
She shut her eyes.
Everything reminded her of what she had already lived through—the moments when she was alone, abandoned, a defenseless child incapable of fighting back. The terror she had once known returned to seize her body, choking her.
She began reliving the days when she stayed hidden, silent, while the darkness crept around her. Those same shadows now took the form of Nadim—the monster who had haunted her all that time.
She was back at the Orphanage.