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

The Skybreaker captain's charge was like an avalanche bearing down on them. His massive sword hummed with unstable energy, each step sending tremors through the rocky ground. Kael and Lira barely had time to brace themselves before he was upon them.

Kael parried the first strike, the force of the blow reverberating through his arms. His fragment flared in protest, its energy barely dampening the captain's raw power. Kael staggered back, his boots skidding against the loose stones.

"Kael, move!" Lira's shout cut through the ringing in his ears.

He ducked just in time as Lira darted past him, her daggers flashing toward the captain. She aimed for the gaps in his armor, but the captain's reflexes were unnaturally sharp. He spun his massive blade with shocking speed, deflecting her strike and forcing her to retreat.

The other Skybreakers closed in, their glowing weapons illuminating the narrow ravine. The uneven terrain became a treacherous battlefield, each step threatening to twist an ankle or send someone tumbling into the jagged rocks below.

"We're boxed in!" Lira shouted, her voice edged with frustration.

Kael's mind raced, searching for options. They couldn't win a prolonged fight against this many opponents, especially not with the captain leading the charge. They needed to create an opening—something, anything to give them a chance.

"Buy me time!" Kael yelled, his fragment pulsing wildly in his palm.

"For what?" Lira demanded, but she didn't wait for an answer. She leapt onto a nearby boulder, drawing the attention of two Skybreakers. They followed her, their movements slower but deliberate as they navigated the precarious terrain.

Kael's fragment flared again, guiding him as he sidestepped a thrust from a Skybreaker's spear. He countered with a slash of his own, his blade scraping against the man's armor but failing to find a weak point.

"Damn it," Kael muttered, his frustration mounting.

The Skybreaker captain barked a command, his voice booming like a war drum. "Press them! Do not let them escape!"

Kael's pulse quickened. The captain's presence was suffocating, each swing of his massive sword carving through the battlefield like a force of nature.

Lira, meanwhile, was a blur of motion. She used the rocky terrain to her advantage, leaping from one precarious perch to another. The Skybreakers struggled to keep up, their heavier armor and weapons slowing them down.

But even Lira's agility had its limits. One of the Skybreakers anticipated her next move, striking out with a glowing chain that wrapped around her ankle mid-jump.

"Lira!" Kael shouted, his heart lurching as she crashed to the ground with a cry of pain.

The Skybreaker yanked the chain, dragging her closer. Lira slashed at it with her dagger, sparks flying as the fragment-infused metal resisted her blade.

Kael charged toward her, his body surging with adrenaline-fueled clarity. He slammed into the Skybreaker holding the chain, his blade finding a weak point in the man's shoulder joint. The Skybreaker roared in pain, releasing Lira as he staggered back.

"Get up!" Kael urged, pulling her to her feet.

"I'm fine," Lira said through gritted teeth, though her limp told a different story.

The Skybreaker captain advanced again, his blade carving through the space where Kael and Lira had stood moments earlier. The siblings scrambled to evade, their movements growing more desperate as the battle dragged on.

Kael's mind raced, piecing together a plan. The ravine's narrow layout gave the Skybreakers an advantage in numbers, but it also limited their mobility. If he could exploit that, they might have a chance.

"We need to funnel them," Kael said, his voice strained.

"Funnel them where?" Lira shot back, ducking under a swinging halberd.

Kael's eyes darted to a crumbling outcrop of rock hanging precariously above the ravine. "There," he said, his tone resolute.

Lira followed his gaze, her eyes widening. "Are you insane? You'll bring half the mountain down!"

"Exactly," Kael replied grimly.

They retreated toward the outcrop, their movements calculated but frantic. Kael's fragment pulsed in warning as another Skybreaker closed in, his twin axes gleaming with fragment energy.

Kael raised his blade to block, the impact jolting his arms. He twisted, using the Skybreaker's momentum against him, and drove his elbow into the man's side. The Skybreaker stumbled, and Kael delivered a swift kick to his knee, forcing him down.

Lira fought beside him, her movements a dance of precision and brutality. She disarmed one opponent with a flick of her wrist, sending his weapon clattering to the ground. Another Skybreaker lunged at her, but she sidestepped and slashed at his exposed neck, her dagger biting deep. She struggled to stop the vomit from going past her throat.

The captain roared, his voice filled with fury. "Enough of this! End them now!"

Kael and Lira exchanged a glance, their unspoken understanding clear. They couldn't hold out much longer.

"Get to the outcrop," Kael said, his voice firm.

Lira hesitated. "Kael—"

"Go!" he barked, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Lira nodded, her jaw set. She turned and sprinted toward the outcrop, her limp barely slowing her down.

Kael stayed behind, fending off the advancing Skybreakers with a ferocity born from desperation. His fragment pulsed erratically, its energy a chaotic rhythm in his veins.

The captain loomed closer, his massive sword gleaming like a beacon of death. Kael parried a blow that nearly knocked him off his feet, his arms trembling with the effort.

"You fight well for a fool," the captain said, his voice cold and mocking. "But you cannot win."

Kael gritted his teeth, his mind racing. "Maybe not," he said, his voice steady despite the fear clawing at his chest. "But I can still ruin your day."

Lira reached the outcrop, her heart pounding as she assessed its fragile state. She could see what Kael had in mind—if they could bring it down, it would block the ravine and trap the Skybreakers on the other side.

"Kael!" she called, her voice sharp. "It's ready!"

Kael glanced back, his eyes meeting hers. The plan was their only chance, but it came with a risk he hadn't voiced. If they brought down the outcrop, there was no guarantee they'd make it out in time.

The captain advanced again, his blade cutting through the air with lethal precision. Kael dodged and parried, each movement growing more labored and tiring.

"Lira," he said, his voice low but firm. "You need to run."

"What?" she shouted, disbelief and anger flashing across her face.

"If this doesn't work, you need to survive," Kael said, his eyes fierce. "Go. Now."

"Kael—"

"GO!" he roared, his fragment flaring with a pulse so strong it made the air around him shimmer.

Tears filled Lira's eyes, she didn't know what overtook her but at that moment, without thinking, she turned and ran, her figure disappearing into the shadows.

Kael turned back to face the captain, his grip on his blade tightening. The Skybreakers advanced, their weapons glowing with deadly intent.

He took a deep breath, his fragment pulsing in time with his heartbeat. "Let's finish this," he muttered, charging forward to meet them head-on.