“Part of darkness, escaping the light.” Kaine chanted from within the Dimlands before them, “I see what does not, in turn, see me.” As his form suddenly melded into the shade, his eyes disappearing last as they at first shone a bright emerald. “I am partly light, but I…I embrace this darkness first.”

{ [Arcana]: 40/50 }

“Drow!” Exclaimed the startled Covenant officer, “Do not let the creature escape!” He then ordered his men forward, soldiers who albeit their training, were still mere squires.

Unsure of what they had just seen, they all faltered, before tentatively approaching the shadows. Careful step after step, with weapons and shields held first and ahead.

Each of them pausing in their steps then as Kaine’s voice once again whispered out from before them, “Light, as a feather, I tread.” Chanting, a coldness filling the soldiers at the sound of it, “The illusions surrounds us, engulfs you, removes me.”

{ [Arcana]: 31/50 }

A glimmer of a blade briefly flashed out from within the shade, a mere glimpse, immediately disappearing as it had appeared.

“Do not falter, his witchcraft is merely an illusion, nothing compared to the military’s own stealth or the Coven’s power!” The officer exclaimed, “Nothing compared to our abilities! There is nothing to fear out of this vermin!” He said, stepping forth and into the shade himself, the rest of his retinue followed.

“Reveal thy enemy, thou who hides from the light!” The officer chanted, raising their blade forwards, a bright blue light pulsed out from it.

Engulfing their surroundings, quickly it collided with Kaine as he hid, revealing him briefly.

Revealing him as he stood mere inches to the right of them, emerald slits wide as they stared at him, the officer’s own eyes widened with fright.

Kaine suddenly moved then, his blade lunging into the man’s sword-arm and piercing in between the gauntlet and arm-guard as the sound of flesh tearing filled his ears and blood splattered out from within the man’s armour, it resounded through the shadows as Kaine dissipated once more.

Retrieving his blade, Kaine disappeared, soundless and unseen he put distance between himself and the officer. As two of the other soldiers rushed to aid their captain, whilst the rest stared in shock, their captain now laying disarmed and shaking.

{ [Arcana]: 23/50 }

“F-Fuck, what are you all doing!? Look for him! Ch-” He began to exclaim, but was too slow in his orders, as Kaine then reappeared behind one halberdier.

Again, the sound of tearing skin then flesh filled their ears, as Kaine’s blade poked out through the woman’s throat. She struggled to breath much less fight back as Kaine held onto her shoulders. Holding his weapon and her steady, as she slowly drowned under her own blood, choking and splattering out crimson. She dropped her weapon, clutching her neck and the blade which protruded out of it.

Eyes wide and horror filling her expression, as she felt around the weapon.

The weapon which took her life away, the pain and sudden fear which filled her, sending tears down her face to join her bloodied chin and neck.

And wearing that expression of horror, she died, one last choked breath leaving her as her eyes froze up and body gone limp. She fell and Kaine let her, sliding off his blade, the soldier collapsed to the ground with a rattle of armour.

You have killed {Covenant 3rd Squire} Elven Halberdier [Level 13]

-50 {Elder’s Coven} Reputation

[The Elder’s Coven] -40/2000

-50 {Covenant} Reputation

[The Covenant] -40/2000

Increased Reputation with /Unknown/ faction

Martial Experience gained 65/600

Arcane Experience gained 195/300

Leaving Kaine standing alone before the remaining four of them, his eyes shining a bright monstrous green, as his blade still dripped fresh crimson. “Nothing…to fear?” Kaine mused, as all four turned to face him with their weapons, even the officer who could only hold his shield. “Ha…Haha…”

His expression, one of amusement as he faced them, “Do you know…what it is, that I mostly hate in the world?” He asked in a cold toneless voice, as he took a step forth, “My own father aside, do you know what I…completely and utterly despise?”

His sword hand was shaking, as did the blade in turn, splattering red with each tremble.

As Kaine smirked, “I hate blind fools, who follow doctrine and rules to the T, just because it serves them. I despise, morons who allow themselves to be used as minions, just because they are afraid of losing its safety…” Kaine chuckled, a despicable sound as his smirk widened into a grimace.

“I detest it...with a passion.” As his eyes focused upon them, before his entire form melded back into the shadows.

{ [Arcana]: 18/50 }

But you know that, don’t you?

Kaine thought, still fully able to see himself, he raised his blade forwards.

You want to control my fate? There’s no such thing, some come, corrupted AI…Show me your worst.

Focusing on his weapon, Kaine thought back to abilities Jedd and Dark used.

I know every nook and cranny of this game’s combat system, it’s time I put that knowledge to use.

Taking a deep breath, Kaine then focused on the enemies ahead of him, watching their scurrying movements as he then stalked forth.

Silent and unseen, Kaine walked around the soldiers, watching and waiting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLkTUpzMPrE

As one of them then snapped out of his daze, “Reveal thy enemy, thou who hides from the light!” He chanted, and the blue light which he produced briefly revealed Kaine once more.

Kaine charged then, lunging into the shield-wielder who casted the spell, his sudden abandon startled them into a defensive stance. Dashing to the side, Kaine avoided the shield’s defence and came to be standing at the man’s right.

“Too slow.” Kaine mused, as just as before he stabbed his blade through their armour’s crevices, his blade sinking briefly into their side as the man turned to evade. Injured but still armed the Covenant soldier turned to face Kaine.

“Surround him!” The unarmed officer exclaimed as his sword hand hung at his side, bleeding.

The remaining three rushed to engage Kaine as he retreated back, two shieldsmen and a halberdier, they charged him altogether.

“Three on one? Hardly seems fair!” Kaine exclaimed, stopping several feet away, he turned to face them. “The very sight of me sends chills through your bones!” Kaine chanted, and each attacker stumbled in their charge, briefly being stunned where they stood as their eyes turned to a cloudy dark colour.

{ [Arcana]: 11/50 }

For mere seconds the spell took effect, but mere seconds was all Kaine needed to close the distance, and attack.

Dashing into the one shield-wielder he had yet to assault, Kaine took the chance to disarm them from their sword. Evading to the side as they all recovered from his spell, a shield was about to bash into him.

Sidestepping further before suddenly lunging in, Kaine aimed for the man’s throat, but missed as the armour shifted when they moved, hitting hard metal. But Kaine was not done even as his weapon was deflected off, he quickly reached down and grabbed the dropped shortsword with his free hand.

Rolling to the side just as he had and evading a descending halberd, Kaine quickly turned around and rose back up, blocking with both weapons, he deflected the third shieldsman’s sword.

Sensing their every movement, feeling their every step and action, from the shadows which surrounded all of them.

Kaine had eyes in each direction, sensing even their quickening breaths, as fear overtook them.

As fear distracted them, turned their movements slow, and clouded their judgement.

On the other hand Kaine’s thoughts were clear, serene and with a single objective before him.

Kill, kill and kill.

Thinking not of anything else, as his blade led him forward, as he led it deeper. Plunging the shortsword through the shieldsman’s armour, stabbing through the leather part of it and pushing it even deeper into their shoulder. Kaine left it there as he pulled back and away from the halberdier’s strike.

Disappearing into the shadows once again.

{ [Arcana]: 3/50 }

Panic filled all four of the Covenants, as the last armed shieldsman stuttered to chant the spell.

“R-Reveal thy enemy, thou w-who hides f-” Cut off as he had almost completed it.

You have killed {Covenant 3rd Squire} Elven Shieldsman [Level 13]

-50 {Elder’s Coven} Reputation

[The Elder’s Coven] -90/2000

-50 {Covenant} Reputation

[The Covenant] -90/2000

Increased Reputation with /Unknown/ faction

Martial Experience gained 115/600

Arcane Experience gained 245/300

Kaine’s blade once more sinking through his enemy’s throat, the keen accuracy and stealth of his {Assassinate} skill increasing the damage his normal attack would’ve landed.

But that skill wasn’t the only reason Kaine was about to accurately drive his weapon through the chinks in their armour.

As he retrieved it from what was now a second corpse, he turned to the last three Covenants.

Eyes focused, as he clenched his weapon, Kaine’s expression widened into a cold smile. “It brings me no joy to kill you, but you are in my way…yet I offer you mercy. Leave and take your companions with you, and you will be spared.”

The officer was about to speak, but Kaine immediately cut him off before he even could.

“I will warn you only this once!” Kaine then exclaimed, breathing deeply as his eyes widened. “With the next fucking step I take, I won’t be holding back any longer! Run, or die like an animal.” He warned them with a harsh, yet seemingly restrained tone.

But then the last Halberdier retrieved their weapon, and slammed its butt down before himself, “We are Covenant, we are the Elder’s protectors and executioners…The coven signed you all off as outlaws, and captured you will be. But you…Dark Elf!” He exclaimed, fearful eyes yet holding his weapon strong as he raised it towards Kaine, “Either you die here, or we die at the hand of our commander before the entire city! Tell me, which do you think we’ll choose?!”

Kaine met the man’s unsteady gaze with his own sullen stare, cold and resentful eyes forcing the soldier to blink. A mere moment passed, and Kaine knew that there was no backing down for either side now.

{ [Breath]: 160/160 } { [Arcana]: 7/50 }

And although he hadn’t taken a single hit, pushed by the fear of instant K.O, he did his best to evade each of them.

Still Kaine was unsure he could keep that up, as his Arcana loomed dreadfully low, he at best had one last cast of {Camouflage} within a few moments and would then be left with fighting the remaining two fully visible.

That is, if he managed to get the killing hit whilst invisible, it’d be all over if he missed as Kaine was sure he could not take three of them on without the advantage of his magic.

I can’t lose.

Kaine told himself, glancing briefly at his comrades in the distance, Sin and Dark helping the crows seemed to be helping them in at least staying alive…but it was very obvious even to him that they were at the disadvantage and were slowly losing ground.

I can’t let these three go.

Three more Covenants, even injured ones, would decimate the fight there too. As they each grabbed hold of their weapons, the officer too as he abandoned his shield and picked up a shortsword.

“Y-You should surrender, we just m-might let your friends off more easily.” The officer offered sheepishly, as they approached him. Kaine’s own faltering giving them new hope.

As their previously fearful eyes, reminded of the fate that awaits them if they fail, were replaced with wild murderous glares.

The choiccce isss a sssimple one, the Ssserpent offersss it to you.

Then suddenly Kaine’s vision blurred, nausea overcame him as the ground all around him shuddered into a different sight.

Amongst the grass where two corpses lay, now rose thousands of weapons, yet the same dagger they were one and all.

A smooth patch of green snake-skin with a coil of black making up the grip, whilst the handguard lay as the entire head of one, long blackened fangs on both the top and bottom of the wide-open maw as it lay ready to snap closed upon said grip which also ended as a snake’s tail. The weapons each stood with the blade sunken inside the ground and grip up into the air, as if asking to be held and taken out.

Kaine stumbled back at the sight, stepping through several of them, they suddenly dissipated into green wisps of smoke. His eyes widening in fright as he glanced back and forth, everywhere he looked the ground was littered with the same weapon of the same type and design.

It offersss you ssstrength, if you would sssimply grasssp it.

The words said into his view, promising him power.

What, ssshall you do?

Grasssp power, at the cossst.

Or will onwardsss, with only your own?

“Why falter, master?” Then hissed a familiar voice, as Nova coiled up around his neck, startling the Covenants into taking a step away. It was not Nova’s voice, but their own mistress, “Your friends stand bravely, but stand for much longer they won’t.” It urged, “Resistance is meaningless if one does not have the power to back it up.”

“Why…should I listen to you, demon?” Kaine then asked, his shaken gaze rising to meet the now confused Covenants, he knew they wouldn’t falter for much longer.

“Hah, you shouldn’t. Who in their right mind listens to a demon’s whispers?” It then chuckled rigidly, “But you aren’t in your right mind, are you, master? You’re broken, you’re desperate. Those cracks in your soul, that desperation which pushes you to hold on, they are why I chose you. You rejecting me for this long was expected, but I won’t force you. I could, but I won’t, for I have many puppets and need not another.”

“You call that an answer?” Kaine then asked, grimacing as the Covenants before them seemingly regained their spine.

“That’s all the answer you’ll get child, but here’s some free advice from a denizen of the underworld.” The serpent then hissed, uncoiling from his neck Nova breathed out a blaze into the Covenants, forcing them away once more as they had begun to approach.

“Power comes with sacrifices, at a price and at the cost of others.” The Serpent said, its slits returning to meet Kaine’s eyes, “The question is, will you grasp it yourself? Because if you don’t take the power yourself, no one is going to give it to you!” It exclaimed, its eyes focusing as a greenish energy lit them brightly.

“But most importantly, once you’ve grasped that power, what will you do with?” It then asked, opening its maw wide and gasping as it faced him, the dagger’s same grip appearing out of the darkness within.

A choice…but is it?

Kaine thought, unsure if he even had a choice, as the Covenants no longer faltered. Heaving their weapons, they charged, three on one Kaine had little hope.

As his hand rose, approaching the grip, he saw not a change in Nova’s serpentine expression as he did.

Not a single movement outside the norm, it really wasn’t going to force him?

As his hand moved closer, opening and almost engulfing the handle.

Kaine took a deep breath as a chill crawled through his palm, the air seemingly being colder around the weapon.

And then, a warm breath.

A dim set of lights.

And three spooked soldiers, "I take back what I just said, run-"