The Hollow Kings

The king's face twisted in fury when the news reached him. Walid had escaped. The chains that should have held him were broken, and the guards were dead. But it wasn't just an escape; someone had helped him. Though the identity of the accomplice remained a mystery, the king's sharp mind knew this was no accident. He wasted no time in responding. A bounty was placed on Walid's head, but the king didn't rely on mere bounty hunters for this task. Instead, he called upon Ravok, the most feared hunter in the land, a man wielding the destructive power of an Aether Crystal.

Ravok smiled wickedly when the assignment was given. "I'll find him. And whoever dared to help him will regret crossing me."

The icy river numbed Walid's body as he and the old man swam to its far bank, gasping for breath as they climbed ashore. Walid collapsed onto the wet ground, shivering and coughing up water. The cold clung to him, but the strange vitality coursing through his veins made the pain bearable.

The old man stood tall, his breath visible in the chilly air. He turned to Walid, his expression unreadable. "You did well back there," he said at last. "Few would have survived what you just endured."

Walid pushed himself up, his limbs heavy. "Who… who are you?" he asked, his voice trembling from exhaustion and the cold.

The man hesitated for a moment, then gave a faint smile. "I am Daemir of the Crimson Veil."

Walid raises an eyebrow. "Crimson Veil?"

Daemir's lips twitch into a faint smile.

"It's not just a name. It's an organization—a hidden hand shaping the fate of kingdoms. We deal in secrets, in power... and in freedom. For those who are willing to pay the price."

Walid's eyes narrowed. "An organization? Why help me? What do you gain from this?"

Daemir chuckled, a low, humorless sound. "It's not about what I gain. It's about what you'll become. But make no mistake, boy—there's a price for everything."

Walid narrows his eyes. "And you're recruiting me?"

Daemir leans forward, his gaze piercing.

"Not yet, boy. First, you need to survive. The world will chew you up and spit you out if you're weak. And I don't waste my time with weaklings."

Walid clenches his fists, a spark of defiance in his eyes. "I'll prove I'm not weak."

Daemir smirks, satisfied.

"We'll see."

Before Walid could press further, Daemir's head snapped toward the forest ahead. "We're being followed," he said, his tone turning grim. "And it's not just anyone."

The forest was alive with sounds—the rustle of leaves, the distant calls of nocturnal creatures, and the faint crunch of footsteps that didn't belong to them. The air grew thick with tension as Daemir led Walid deeper into the woods, his movements quick but deliberate.

Suddenly, a figure stepped into their path. Tall and broad-shouldered, Ravok emerged from the shadows, his armor gleaming faintly in the moonlight. His cold, predatory eyes locked onto Daemir, and for a moment, there was silence.

"It's you," Ravok said, his voice a mixture of shock and amusement. "Daemir. I should've known."

Daemir's lips curled into a smirk. "Ravok. Still licking the king's boots, I see."

Ravok's hand rested on the hilt of his blade, his other hand swirling with water drawn from the nearby river. The Aether Crystal embedded in his chest glowed faintly. "You've made a mistake coming out of the shadows, Daemir. And now, you'll pay for it."

Daemir didn't flinch. Instead, he reached into his cloak, revealing a Blood Crystal embedded in his palm. "You should've stayed in the shadows too, Ravok. But now, you'll die here."

The forest erupted into chaos. Ravok thrust his hand forward, and the ground beneath Daemir's feet exploded as jagged spikes of stone shot upward. Daemir leapt aside, narrowly avoiding impalement. He retaliated by slamming his fist into the earth, sending crimson tendrils snaking through the ground toward Ravok. The tendrils lashed out, aiming for Ravok's legs, but he countered by summoning a surge of water that sliced through them like a blade.

Nearby, Walid faced his own battle. A group of mercenaries had closed in, their blades gleaming in the moonlight. Walid's body moved on instinct, the enhanced vitality from Daemir's gift sharpening his senses and amplifying his physical strength. As one mercenary lunged at him, Walid sidestepped with ease, catching the man's arm and twisting it with unnatural force. The mercenary screamed as his weapon clattered to the ground.

Another attacker charged from behind, but Walid spun around, his speed blurring the motion, and landed a bone-crushing punch to the man's chest. The mercenary was sent flying into a tree, the impact knocking him unconscious. The remaining attackers hesitated, their confidence faltering as they realized Walid was no ordinary opponent.

Ravok's blade flashed in the moonlight as he charged Daemir, his strikes swift and brutal. Daemir met him head-on, his fists glowing with crimson energy. Their clash sent shockwaves rippling through the forest, toppling trees and scattering debris.

"You've gotten slower," Ravok taunted, his voice dripping with disdain. He raised both hands, and a massive wave of water surged forth, crashing toward Daemir like a tidal wave. Daemir raised his hand, and crimson energy erupted from his Blood Crystal, forming a barrier that split the wave in two. The water drenched the ground, but Daemir remained standing, his eyes blazing with determination.

Meanwhile, Walid was forced to think fast as the leader of the mercenaries stepped forward, wielding twin blades. The man moved with deadly precision, forcing Walid onto the defensive. Each strike came faster than the last, but Walid's sharpened reflexes allowed him to dodge and parry with precision. He grabbed a fallen weapon—a spear—and used it to deflect an incoming strike before driving the butt of the spear into the man's stomach, sending him reeling.

Ravok didn't relent. He stomped the ground, and a wall of stone shot up, forcing Daemir to dodge. The hunter followed up with a spear of water that shot forward with deadly precision. Daemir twisted aside, but the spear grazed his shoulder, drawing blood.

"You'll bleed out before you beat me," Ravok sneered.

Daemir gritted his teeth, his hand clutching his wounded shoulder. "We'll see about that." He pressed his hand to his chest, and the Blood Crystal flared brighter. The blood from his wound surged outward, transforming into razor-sharp tendrils that lashed out at Ravok. One tendril wrapped around his arm, pulling him off balance, while another slashed at his chest, leaving a deep gash.

Walid's battle reached its climax as the leader of the mercenaries swung both blades in a furious assault. Walid dropped the spear, ducking low under the strikes, and surged forward, slamming his shoulder into the man's chest with superhuman force. The mercenary staggered back, and Walid finished him with a devastating uppercut that sent him sprawling to the ground.

Ravok roared in pain, the Aether Crystal in his chest glowing brighter. He stomped the ground again, and the earth beneath Daemir erupted, sending him flying. Ravok followed up with a surge of water that encased Daemir in a crushing torrent. Daemir struggled against the water's pressure, his vision blurring.

But Daemir wasn't finished. The Blood Crystal pulsed, and the water around him turned crimson. With a guttural shout, he broke free, the crimson-tinged water exploding outward in a deadly spray that forced Ravok to retreat. Daemir landed on his feet, his body battered but his resolve unshaken.

"This ends now," Daemir growled. He raised his hands, and the blood from his wounds coalesced into a massive, swirling sphere of crimson energy. Ravok responded by summoning a towering column of water and stone, the two elements intertwining as they surged toward Daemir.

The two forces collided with a deafening explosion, the shockwave flattening the forest around them. When the dust settled, both men were bloodied and battered, but neither showed any sign of yielding.

Ravok staggered forward, his breaths labored. "You're strong, Daemir," he admitted. "But not strong enough." He raised his blade, the Aether Crystal in his chest glowing fiercely. The ground beneath him rumbled, and a massive stone fist erupted, aiming to crush Daemir.

Daemir dodged at the last second, closing the distance between them. He uses the full power of his Blood Crystal. With a guttural chant, he summons a massive crimson blade, cutting through Ravok's defenses and driving it into his chest. Ravok collapses, his body sparking with residual energy.

Ravok coughed up blood, his weapon slipping from his grasp. He looked up at Daemir, his expression a mix of rage and disbelief. "You… can't win," he whispered before collapsing.

Daemir stands over his fallen opponent, breathing heavily. He retrieves the Aether Crystal from Ravok's chest, inspecting it briefly before tossing it aside.

"A waste of potential," he mutters.

Walid, bloodied but victorious, approaches Daemir, his eyes filled with a mix of awe and determination.

"You didn't tell me you were this powerful," Walid says.

Daemir smirks.

"There's much you don't know, boy. Stick around, and you might learn a thing or two."

"Let's go," Daemir said, his voice strained but firm. "We don't have much time."

Walid nodded, his mind racing with questions but knowing better than to ask them now. Together, they disappeared into the shadows, leaving behind the carnage that marked the beginning of their journey.