The leader stepped forward, his blade humming with magic. "Kale Ardent," he said — voice sharp and inhumanly calm. "By decree of the Witch Council, your existence is forbidden. Surrender, and your death will be painless."
Lyra snorted. "Charming."
Kale rose slowly to his feet. His eyes met the Hunter's mask. "And if I don't?"
"Then you'll see why we're called Hunters."
In one fluid motion, the man raised his sword — and the forest erupted.
Dozens of glowing sigils flared to life, encircling them. The ground split, roots twisting as magical traps activated. Arrows of pure energy fired from every direction.
Kale barely had time to raise a barrier. The first blast hit like thunder, sending dirt flying. Elric deflected another strike, his staff sparking.
"Lyra!" Kale shouted.
She was already gone — moving faster than the eye could follow. A blur of silver and crimson. She appeared behind one of the Hunters, her claws slicing through his armor before vanishing again.
"Two down!" she hissed, leaping back.
Another blast struck the barrier, cracking it. Kale gritted his teeth. "There's too many!"
Elric slammed his staff into the ground. "Then we cut a path through!"
He whispered a word — and a wave of fire erupted, sweeping through the circle and scattering the Hunters.
Kale took the chance. He reached deep inside — not enough to lose control, but enough to bend the magic around him. Blue fire licked his arms as he unleashed a concentrated burst of mana forward.
The ground exploded.
The lead Hunter's mask cracked — revealing a single eye beneath, glowing gold. He smirked. "Interesting. The cursed child's learning control."
He raised his hand. A single spell rune formed in the air, black as night. "Let's test it."
The rune detonated.
Kale was thrown backward, slamming into a tree. His ears rang. The world spun.
When his vision cleared, the leader stood over him, blade aimed at his chest.
"Any last words?"
Kale's lips curved faintly. "Yeah."
The air shimmered. Behind the Hunter, Lyra appeared — fangs bared, eyes blazing.
"Bite me," Kale said.
Lyra struck.
Her claws sliced through the man's armor, ripping him from behind. The Hunter fell to his knees, blood spraying across the dirt. His mask shattered completely, revealing a human face beneath — young, scarred, and terrified.
The others froze.
Elric raised his staff, flames swirling. "Now, Kale!"
Kale thrust both hands forward, pouring every ounce of remaining mana into one final blast. The explosion of blue light tore through the clearing, consuming the remaining Hunters.
When it faded, only three figures stood among the smoke.
Kale, Elric, and Lyra.
All breathing. All bloodied.
Elric leaned on his staff. "Well," he muttered, "that could have gone worse."
Lyra smirked, wiping blood from her mouth. "I'm starting to like you humans."
Kale looked down at the leader's body — the once-human Hunter lying still, his broken mask beside him.
He whispered, "They weren't born like this."
Elric nodded. "No. The witches create them. Take humans and twist them with spells until there's nothing left but obedience."
Kale clenched his fists. "Then I'll end this. All of it."
Lyra's crimson eyes glinted. "Then you'll need more than the three of us."
Kale turned toward the horizon. Smoke rose from the distant mountains — the direction of the Witch Kingdom.
"I'll find others," he said quietly. "Those like us — cursed, hunted, unwanted. Together, we'll change everything."
The wind carried his words, fading into the night.
And somewhere deep within, the voice whispered,
"Yes, Kale. Change everything — and start with the world that betrayed you."