The Shattered Sky: Only I Do What the Gods Can't

Kael and Lira sprinted through the jagged terrain, the glow of the Skybreaker camp fading behind them. The shattered device's lingering hum still vibrated faintly in Kael's ears, a ghostly reminder of what they had just destroyed.

"They're coming!" Lira shouted, glancing over her shoulder.

Kael didn't need to look. The air crackled with energy, and the sound of pursuit was unmistakable—the pounding of boots, the sharp hum of fragment-powered weapons.

"We need to lose them in the rocks!" Kael yelled, his voice strained as he pushed his legs harder.

The rocky terrain became a blur as they wove through narrow passes and leapt over scattered debris. The Skybreakers were relentless, their glowing armor and weapons making them impossible to miss even in the deepening darkness.

"Split up!" Lira called out, veering sharply to the right without waiting for a response.

Kael cursed under his breath but followed her lead, darting left and ducking behind a large boulder. His fragment pulsed wildly in his palm, warning him of danger before a streak of energy zipped past his head, scorching the rock face.

The first Skybreaker rounded the boulder, his weapon—a long, jagged spear—glowing with unstable energy. Kael barely had time to react as the man lunged, the spear's tip crackling with a burst of light.

Kael ducked low, feeling the heat of the weapon as it sliced through the air above him. His fragment flared in response, sharpening his instincts. He pivoted, his blade striking the Skybreaker's side with a metallic clang.

The Skybreaker staggered but recovered quickly, his movements precise and calculated. Kael realized this wasn't like fighting bandits—these opponents were trained, disciplined, and deadly.

The Skybreaker thrust his spear again, but Kael sidestepped, using the uneven terrain to his advantage. The man overextended, and Kael seized the opportunity, slashing at the exposed joint of his armor.

The strike landed, and the Skybreaker let out a grunt of pain as his weapon faltered. Kael didn't wait—he delivered a swift kick to the man's chest, sending him sprawling onto the rocks.

Kael wondered why he was suddenly able to fight so well, but all his questions were answered when Astraea explained that his fragment can produce miracles.

Lira, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of motion. She had drawn two of the Skybreakers away, her agile movements keeping them off balance.

The first swung a heavy mace, its fragment-imbued glow casting eerie shadows across the ground. Lira ducked under the swing, her daggers flashing as she struck the man's unprotected wrist.

He howled, dropping the mace, but the second Skybreaker was already closing in. His blade hummed with energy as he slashed at her, but Lira flipped backward, landing gracefully on a higher rock.

"You're going to have to do better than that," she taunted, her voice dripping with confidence.

The second Skybreaker growled and lunged, but Lira sidestepped effortlessly, kicking a loose stone into his path. He stumbled, and strengthening her resolve, she drove her dagger into the gap between his shoulder and chest plate.

He collapsed with a choked cry, leaving Lira to face the scene she had just caused. She then turned to the first Skybreaker, who had recovered his mace.

"Round two, then?" she said, twirling her daggers.

Kael rejoined Lira just as the remaining Skybreakers caught up. The air was alive with the hum of weapons and the crackle of fragment energy, the tension thick enough to choke on.

"This isn't sustainable," Lira said, her back to Kael as they squared off against their opponents.

Kael gritted his teeth, his fragment pulsing in warning. "We just need to hold them off a little longer. The terrain favors us."

"Favors us?" Lira said with a dry laugh. "That's generous."

Before Kael could respond, the Skybreakers charged.

The battle exploded into chaos.

Kael ducked under a swing from a glowing axe, his fragment guiding his movements with uncanny precision. He countered with a strike of his own, aiming for the exposed joint in his opponent's armor.

The Skybreaker blocked with his gauntlet, the impact sending a jolt through Kael's arm. Before Kael could recover, the Skybreaker's knee shot up, catching him in the ribs and knocking the wind out of him.

Kael stumbled but rolled with the momentum, narrowly avoiding a follow-up strike. His fragment flared again, and he spun on his heel, slashing at the Skybreaker's leg. The man cried out as he fell, his weapon slipping from his grasp.

Lira, meanwhile, was a blur of motion, weaving between her opponents with a grace that bordered on supernatural. She leapt onto a boulder, then used it as a springboard to launch herself at a Skybreaker wielding a glowing whip.

The whip cracked through the air, but Lira twisted mid-leap, narrowly avoiding it. She landed behind her opponent and drove her dagger into the small of his back, forcing him to his knees.

She was getting used to this.

Another Skybreaker charged her, his sword raised high, but Lira spun, using the first Skybreaker as a shield. The sword struck his comrade instead, and Lira took advantage of the confusion to deliver a swift kick to the second man's chest, sending him sprawling.

The tide of the battle shifted as more Skybreakers joined the fray. The narrow pass became a claustrophobic arena, the glow of fragment-enhanced weapons lighting up the darkness.

Kael and Lira fought side by side, their movements synchronized in a way that spoke of years of trust and practice.

Kael's fragment pulsed rhythmically, enhancing his reflexes and guiding his strikes, while Lira's agility and precision further improved by her fragment that seemed to give her a physicality boost kept their enemies off balance.

But the Skybreakers weren't ordinary foes. Their fragment-enhanced weapons and armor gave them strength and resilience beyond that of any bandit or corrupted they had faced before.

Kael blocked a strike from a glowing halberd, the force of the impact nearly driving him to his knees. He gritted his teeth and pushed back, using his fragment's energy to steady himself.

"Lira, we can't keep this up!" he shouted over the din of battle.

Lira ducked under a swing and delivered a brutal slash to her opponent's leg. "I'm open to suggestions!"

A sudden roar cut through the chaos, and both Kael and Lira turned to see a figure emerging from the shadows.

The Skybreaker captain was an imposing presence, his armor larger and more intricate than that of his subordinates. A massive sword crackling with fragment energy rested on his shoulder, and his eyes glowed faintly with an unnatural light.

Kael's fragment pulsed violently, a warning unlike any he had felt before.

"Well," Lira said, her voice tinged with nervous humor. "This just got a lot worse."

The captain pointed his sword at them, his voice a low growl. "You've meddled long enough. Time to end this."

Kael tightened his grip on his blade, his heart pounding. The captain's sheer presence was overwhelming, but Kael forced himself to stand his ground.

"Lira," he said, his voice steady despite the fear coursing through him. "We'll handle this together."

Lira nodded, her daggers at the ready. "Together."

The captain charged, his sword cutting through the air with a deafening hum. Kael and Lira braced themselves, the battle far from over.