"Kira, support me. I'll try to get to him. If I know anything about Aren, there's no way to stop his shadows unless you target him," Aiden said.

"I'll do my best," Kira replied with a nod. She lifted her hands, and twenty ice lances formed in the air.

The shadows lunged forward at top speed, spreading out to attack from all sides.

"Now, Kira," Aiden said.

She unleashed her attack. The ice lances shot forward like cannons, and Aiden immediately bolted after them, not wanting to miss the opening.

But these shadows were awakened as well and possessed abilities of their own. Even if they were from weaker tiers, they were still dangerous.

One shadow unleashed a massive whirlwind, pulling most of the ice lances off their original paths and forcing them to miss. As for the rest, a few shadows managed to block them, while others were struck and knocked back.

By then, Aiden was already close.

A shadow wielding a sword lunged at him, but he parried with ease, stepping to the side and forcing the blade downward. He drove his elbow into the side of the shadow's head, knocking it down, followed by a knee to the face. Spinning around, he stabbed straight down through the shadow.

He pulled his blade free as the shadow disintegrated and turned, only to see another shadow right in front of him, sword thrusting forward.

BAM

A blade of ice slammed into the shadow's head, knocking it back and giving Aiden the opening he needed to slash its head off.

He looked at Kira and nodded. She nodded back and spread her hands apart. Fine blades of ice formed above her.

The wind shadow noticed her and blasted itself into the air. Kira looked up just in time to see it preparing an aerial attack. She adjusted her aim and unleashed her ice upward as the wind shadow released a barrage of wind blades.

Ice and wind collided violently. Some attacks broke through on both sides. The ice blades pierced the wind shadow, sending it falling, but Kira instantly created an ice wall to block the remaining wind blades. She shattered the wall and turned it into dozens of ice blades, firing them all at once.

Another shadow slammed its hands into the ground, raising an earth wall that blocked most of the attack. It wasn't enough. Several ice blades pierced through, striking the shadow behind the wall and completely obliterating it.

Aiden, meanwhile, was locked in a sword fight with another shadow. It was fast, executing clean and precise movements, aiming for Aiden's weak points.

But Aiden was faster.

His feet shuffled rapidly across the ground, his counters exploding with force, knocking attacks away as quickly as they came.

They attacked at the same time, and the collision sent both of them skidding back.

Aiden looked up at the shadow. "If you were human, you would've been a good sparring partner."

He lunged again. This time, his sword glowed light blue, and his speed increased.

The shadow slashed, but Aiden dodged easily, moved in, and cut the shadow clean in half.

Shadow watched, his expression darkening. Half of his summons were gone, again. He clicked his tongue.

"You lot are really a pain in the ass. Just die already and join me," he said, summoning more shadows, twenty in total.

"He had more?" Kira said in shock.

"Just how many people have you killed?" Aiden asked, gripping his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"Hahahahaha! You thought it would be that easy? In this battle, there is only one outcome, and that's me defeating you," Shadow said.

"Shut it already!" Kira slammed her hands into the ground, creating a massive surge of ice spikes that rushed toward Shadow.

Shadow reacted instantly, sending his shadows forward as shields. The spikes crashed into them, destroying several.

That opening was all Aiden needed.

He rushed forward, sword in hand, eyes locked on Shadow. A shadow charged at him with a sword, but Aiden kept it in his peripheral vision. When it attacked, Aiden ducked low, dodged, and didn't even bother killing it. He kept moving.

He closed in on Shadow.

With one final push, Aiden lunged for Shadow's blind spot, ready to end it.

But Shadow's head snapped toward him.

He smiled.

"Gotcha."

A shadow was summoned instantly, a man wielding an axe that swung down without hesitation.

There was no room to dodge.

Aiden gritted his teeth and twisted his body. The axe tore deep into his shoulder. Blood sprayed violently as he was thrown to the ground.

"Arghhhh!" Aiden groaned in pain.

"Aiden!" Kira screamed.

"Finish him," Shadow said.

Before the shadow could move, Kira stretched out her hands and released a massive wave of icy mist. It spread rapidly, covering the entire area and blocking all vision.

Shadow moved through the mist, but when it finally cleared, the two of them were gone.

Only a trail of blood remained.

Shadow stared at it, frowning. "Fuck."

Kira carried Aiden through the maze at full speed. When she was sure they were far enough, she set him down and leaned him against the wall.

Aiden was barely conscious, his breathing shallow.

"Don't die now, Aiden. Please," she whispered, pulling out a pill from her ring. It was an expensive healing pill she'd saved for emergencies.

She placed it in his mouth. It dissolved instantly, but it would take time to work, and he might bleed out before then.

Gritting her teeth, she used her ice, spraying a thin layer over his wound until it was completely sealed. After that, she fell back on her butt, using her hands to support herself. Her breathing was heavy. She was completely exhausted, but she was happy she managed to save Aiden.

She didn't know when he would wake up, but at least he was out of death's hands now. She started at him in a barely conscious state, "if only Aren was here now." She muttered

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