The late afternoon sky hung low over the school as Kai leaned against the cold bricks behind the gym, sweat still clinging to his forehead from PE. His ribs ached with every breath, bruises from the last Mamodo battle flaring up anytime he twisted too hard. He gritted his teeth and forced himself upright as the dismissal bell rang.
He hadn't told anyone about the fight—not his mom, not his teachers, not even the nurse when she asked about the strain in his side. As far as the world was concerned, he was just another tired student navigating coursework and adolescent mood swings. But inside, his thoughts spiraled like a storm.
How long could he keep this up?
He should've felt stronger after winning, but instead, he felt like he was barely holding himself together. The moment the battle ended, his limbs had trembled like twigs in the wind, the world spinning from the drain of casting Zaker three times in a row. Zayn had said the spellcasting would get easier, but Kai wasn't convinced. He could still hear the echoes of the blast ringing in his ears, like lightning caught in his skull.
"Kai."
He looked up and saw Zayn standing nearby, silent as ever. His white scarf fluttered slightly in the breeze, and his eyes were focused, scanning the horizon like he sensed something off.
Kai didn't need words. He could feel it too.
"You felt that?" Kai asked, adjusting the strap on his backpack.
Zayn nodded. "Another one. It's close."
Kai sighed, already feeling the burn in his legs. "Let's get it over with."
They slipped out of school grounds before anyone noticed. It was starting to become a pattern—disappear, fight, come back wounded. It would catch up to them eventually. But right now, there was no choice. If another Mamodo had shown up, it was their responsibility.
As they walked toward the outskirts of town, Zayn finally spoke.
"You've gotten stronger."
Kai scoffed. "I still feel like I'm going to pass out every time I use the book."
"That's not weakness," Zayn said. "That's cost."
Kai glanced at him. "Is that your cryptic way of saying 'suck it up'?"
Zayn didn't smile, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "More or less."
The path to the old quarry was quiet, filled only with the crunch of gravel beneath their shoes and the distant chirping of birds. But the moment they reached the ridge and looked down into the scarred earth below, they both froze.
There, standing in the center of the quarry floor, was a massive boy—more like a man—with forearms the size of Kai's torso and a body that looked carved from granite. Beside him stood a Mamodo—short, wide, and armored in jagged brown rock. His eyes glowed like embers beneath his stone helmet.
Kai frowned. "Is that… stone armor?"
Zayn's eyes narrowed. "That Mamodo's entire body is a defense system."
Before they could say anything more, the man below raised his hand. "We see you!"
His voice echoed across the quarry like a cannon blast. "Don't be shy! I haven't had a good climb or fight in years!"
Zayn stepped in front of Kai instinctively. "That's the human partner."
Kai blinked. "Wait—he looks… old."
"Retired," Zayn corrected. "But experienced."
The Mamodo turned, his voice gravelly and deep. "We came looking for strong opponents. Looks like we found a warm-up."
"Careful," Zayn said lowly. "He's not joking. That Mamodo's spells are going to be physically devastating."
The enemy human opened his book with a grin. "Ready, Slam?"
The Mamodo pounded his fists together, sending out a shockwave that cracked the quarry floor. "Born ready."
Kai flipped open his own book and nodded. "Then let's go."
Zayn launched forward as the enemy Mamodo shouted: "Ragusdo!"
A ring of jagged earth erupted around them. Huge stone spikes jutted from the ground, boxing Kai and Zayn into a fighting ring of rock. Zayn dodged a flying boulder and retaliated with a fierce punch—but it landed with a hollow thud. The Mamodo barely flinched.
Kai read quickly. "Zaker!"
The spell flared from the book, and Zayn released a bolt of lightning—crackling, fierce—but as it hit the enemy, the electricity scattered like water hitting a cliff.
"It's grounding out!" Kai shouted.
"His body's a conductor," Zayn said. "We'll need something that disrupts his core—not just impact."
Another spell from the enemy. "Gorunag!"
Stone pillars shot upward, throwing Zayn into the air. He slammed into a ridge, coughing as dust exploded around him.
Kai ducked behind a rock, breath ragged. "Okay… okay… think."
He flipped through the book. One spell, maybe two at most before he collapsed again. They needed a plan—fast.
And that's when the idea hit him.
"Zayn!" he called. "Distract him! Keep him in the open!"
Zayn, bruised and bleeding, gave a sharp nod. He dashed forward again, slipping between stone strikes and launching low jabs at the Mamodo's legs. It wasn't enough to damage him—but it was enough to hold his attention.
Kai stood and shouted: "Jikerdon!"
The spell lit up the book with a new, eerie blue glow. Zayn leapt away just as the electromagnetic wave pulsed outward from his body.
The enemy Mamodo staggered, his form crackling. Sparks danced across his rocky skin. The armor didn't conduct the same way as metal—but the jolt disoriented his inner balance. He stumbled, nearly falling over.
"What the hell?!" the retired climber shouted. "Slam!"
Zayn didn't wait. He charged forward and landed a clean hit to the Mamodo's exposed underarm, cracking part of his armor and sending him skidding back.
Kai nearly collapsed from the effort. The new spell had taken more out of him than he thought—but it worked.
And the battle wasn't over.
The alleyway crumbled beneath their feet.
Chunks of debris shot into the air as the Mamodo opponent, a hulking boy with granite-like skin and glowing orange cracks along his arms, slammed his fist into the pavement. The impact launched a shockwave, sending Kai and Zayn flying back into the alley wall.
"Zayn!" Kai shouted, skidding on his side, knees scraping asphalt.
"I'm fine," Zayn grunted, rolling to his feet just in time to see their opponent crouch low again, his legs flexing.
"You sure about that?" the human partner—tall, wiry, and sun-weathered, dressed like a man who lived on cliffsides—grinned from atop a dumpster. "You kids really thought you were ready for this?"
Kai scrambled up, ignoring the throb in his shoulder. The air around them felt thick, almost buzzing, filled with swirling dust and static. His fingers closed tightly around the spellbook, still glowing faintly in his hands.
"He's going to charge again!" Zayn called out.
The Mamodo roared, barreling forward. Each step cracked the ground. Zayn dove aside just before a massive stone fist pulverized the wall where he'd been.
Kai's heart pounded. He needed a spell. He needed to think.
The man flipped the page in his weathered book. "Radoran!"
The Mamodo lifted both arms, and a surge of jagged stone columns erupted from the earth beneath Kai. He barely had time to leap between them, narrowly avoiding being skewered.
Zayn raced up one of the stone pillars and leapt high, aiming for a downward strike. "Kai!"
Kai snapped the book open. "Zaker!"
Electricity surged. Zayn's hand lit with gold lightning and slammed forward. The arc crackled through the air—but the Mamodo raised his arm, now coated in thick stone armor, and blocked the blast.
The lightning fizzled harmlessly.
"No way…" Kai breathed.
The enemy Mamodo growled, unharmed. "I eat lightning for breakfast."
Zayn dropped to the ground and rolled back beside Kai. "He's building resistance," he said, panting. "The armor… it's getting stronger."
"We'll just go harder," Kai said through gritted teeth. "Ready?"
Zayn nodded. "Always."
The human grinned. "You two are feisty. But that spell's not going to cut it."
He flipped another page. "Granidor!"
The Mamodo slammed both fists into the ground.
From the cracked concrete, massive boulders exploded upward, each one spinning through the air with terrifying velocity. One narrowly missed Kai, hitting a car behind him and flipping it on its side.
Another grazed Zayn's arm, sending him stumbling with a grunt.
"Zayn!" Kai yelled, eyes wide.
"I'm okay—just a scratch," Zayn hissed, holding his arm. His jacket sleeve was torn, blood beginning to seep through.
The Mamodo wasn't done.
He leapt, midair now, bringing a stone-covered foot down toward them like a hammer.
"Kai—!"
Kai's brain screamed for action. He threw open the book. "Zaker!"
Zayn's hand lit again, this time firing a tighter, focused blast at the descending Mamodo.
The bolt struck dead-on.
A burst of light, crackling thunder, and then—
The Mamodo crashed to the side, skidding through debris but not stopping. He stood, smoking slightly, a chunk of armor broken from his shoulder.
He looked… mad.
Kai's chest rose and fell with every ragged breath. "We need something stronger."
"There is no stronger—yet," Zayn said, his voice tense. "You haven't unlocked it."
"Then we buy time," Kai said.
The Mamodo slammed his fists together. The ground vibrated.
"Oh, you're not buying anything," the man said. "You've already lost."
Zayn stepped forward despite the limp in his leg. "We'll see."
Another Radoran burst toward them—Kai barely managed to pull Zayn away, but they were getting slower. Worn. They weren't going to last much longer like this.
And Zayn knew it.
His breath was short. His eyes darted to Kai. "If he lands one more good hit—"
"I know," Kai muttered. "But I'm not giving up."
Zayn's lips curled faintly. "Good."
Another boulder shot toward them—Zayn deflected it with his bare arm, grunting in pain. Sparks flickered along his skin but didn't form into a spell. He was out of rhythm. Shaken.
"We have to break his footing," Kai thought aloud. "He's too powerful on stable ground."
Zayn nodded. "Then let's shake the earth ourselves."
Kai blinked. "How—"
But Zayn had already moved. He darted forward again, drawing the Mamodo's attention.
"Hey, rock brain!" Zayn yelled. "Try catching this!"
He pivoted, spun, and kicked a loose chunk of debris at the Mamodo's face. It bounced harmlessly, but the momentary distraction gave Kai just enough time to climb to higher ground—an old fire escape above the alley.
From there, he could see everything.
The Mamodo noticed too late.
"Zaker!" Kai shouted, holding the spellbook high.
The lightning bolt shot from Zayn's hand upward—straight into the fire escape.
Electricity coursed through the metal structure.
With a shriek of twisted steel, the bolts snapped a water pipe—sending a burst of water down into the alley.
The Mamodo stepped back, stone armor fizzling as the water soaked him.
Then came the second Zaker.
Zayn fired it straight into the puddle at the Mamodo's feet.
The electricity surged up.
The Mamodo screamed, convulsing, sparks dancing across his stone armor. For the first time… he staggered.
Kai saw it in his eyes.
Fear.
They were close.
But not close enough.
The enemy's partner flipped another page. "Granidor Max!"
The ground cracked—this time wider. A massive stone spike erupted straight under Zayn, hitting him midair and sending him crashing into a brick wall.
"ZAYN!" Kai screamed.
Zayn collapsed, unmoving.
Kai's heart dropped. "No. No no no—"
The Mamodo lumbered forward, panting, still smoking from the earlier hit but now smiling again.
"This is your limit," the partner said. "It's over."
Kai stepped down from the fire escape, blood thudding in his ears.
His fingers trembled around the spellbook. But his eyes were clear.
"No," he whispered. "It's not over yet."
Zayn's body slumped against the wall, limp, smoke rising faintly from his back.
"Kai…" he groaned, his voice weak.
Kai stood still, eyes locked on the enemy Mamodo stomping toward him. Everything else — the sounds of the crumbling alley, the echo of Zayn's fall, the tight ache in his chest — faded beneath the thunderous beat of his heart.
"I have to protect him," he whispered.
But how? His legs felt stiff. His lungs burned. His body screamed to run.
The human partner — the rugged man with calloused hands and mountain-shaped patience — called out coldly, "Stay down, kid. You fought well. But this is the part where you quit."
"I don't quit," Kai muttered.
The Mamodo kept advancing, heavy stone footsteps slamming against the pavement.
Kai's hands curled tightly around the spellbook, knuckles white. "I won't let you hurt him again."
The man gave a low whistle. "You're limping, sweating, out of breath. That book won't save you."
"You're wrong," Kai said, flipping to a page slick with dust and blood. "This book… is just the start."
He shouted, "Zaker!"
Zayn didn't move.
For a split second, Kai panicked—then a flash of light surged from Zayn's hand as he forced himself upright.
The bolt crackled toward the approaching Mamodo.
But this time, the enemy didn't block. He lunged into it.
The lightning arced across his armor, burning cracks into the stone—but he kept going. Enduring it. Pushing through.
He reached Kai in seconds.
One stone-plated fist flew forward—
—and struck Kai squarely in the side.
"Gah!"
Pain exploded through him. His ribs screamed. The world tilted, and he hit the ground, rolling.
"Kai!!" Zayn's voice broke as he struggled toward him.
Kai clutched his side. Breathing was hard. He couldn't tell if anything was broken, but it didn't matter. His vision blurred, but he forced himself to stay conscious.
The Mamodo walked toward him, looming like a granite god.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that," the man muttered from behind. "But guts can only take you so far."
Kai forced himself to one knee, panting.
He looked up at Zayn, who had dragged himself to a crouch, bruised and battered, arms trembling from effort.
"We're not done," Kai growled.
Zayn met his eyes, and for a second, something passed between them — not just desperation, but determination.
Their bond flared. Not in magic, but in resolve.
The man raised the spellbook. "One more should do it. Radoran!"
The ground beneath Kai cracked again as stone spikes erupted upward.
Kai dove — pain lancing through his ribs — and barely avoided being impaled.
Zayn was already on his feet, moving with a limp but faster than before. He grabbed one of the shattered stone slabs and hurled it toward the Mamodo.
It struck him in the chest — barely enough to make him grunt.
Kai grit his teeth. "We need a real plan."
"I've got an idea," Zayn said between shallow breaths. "But you'll have to trust me."
"Do it."
Zayn ran.
Straight toward the enemy.
The Mamodo raised his arms, ready to slam him again.
Kai's eyes widened. "Zayn!"
Then Zayn shouted, "NOW!"
Kai threw open the book. "Zaker!"
The spell surged — but not at the Mamodo. This time, it hit a nearby metal lamppost, which Zayn was now running past.
Electricity surged down the post and into the puddle below.
Zayn leapt forward — just as the Mamodo stepped into the water again.
The charge struck the Mamodo full force from the side, amplified by the grounded current. The energy cracked his armor, shattering chunks of stone across the alley. He howled.
Zayn landed beside him and swung a fist glowing with the remnants of Zaker, smashing it into the exposed spot on the Mamodo's side.
The enemy staggered.
A pause.
A breath.
Zayn fell to one knee again, coughing.
The Mamodo dropped to one knee too.
Even the climber-man looked startled. "Get up! We're not finished!"
The Mamodo struggled to rise.
So did Kai.
His knees shook. His ribs ached. But his hand was steady on the spellbook.
"This is it," Kai whispered. "The next spell… it's coming."
He could feel it — the book pulsing faintly in his hand, a low hum rising in his bones, as though something powerful lay just beyond the page.
But it wasn't time yet.
And they weren't out of danger.
The man growled. "Time to end it. Granidor Max!"
Another massive boulder shot from the ground — this time directly at Zayn.
Kai yelled, "Zaker!" and fired again — but this one was different. Weak. Shaky. The lightning fizzled and splashed against the rock, barely altering its course.
Zayn saw it coming — too fast to dodge.
The boulder crashed into him, knocking him back through a chain-link fence.
Dust clouded the air.
Kai's hands trembled. "Zayn…?"
No response.
He tried to move but collapsed, gasping.
The climber-man lowered his book. "Now it's really over."
The enemy Mamodo walked forward again — limping, scorched, armor cracked… but still standing.
Kai crawled forward, trying to reach Zayn.
His body wouldn't obey. His limbs were heavy. But his spirit — that burned hotter than ever.
"I have to… protect him…"
The book shimmered faintly.
Not enough to unlock.
But enough to hold on.
And in that moment, Zayn stirred from the rubble.
He didn't rise.
But he smiled weakly.
"I'm not done yet," he whispered.
The dust hadn't even settled when the enemy Mamodo took another step forward.
His cracked stone armor glinted under the faint light, chips falling from his shoulders like shattered pride. He bled from a wound near his temple — Mamodo blood, faintly glowing, dripping down the side of his face. But his eyes were locked on Zayn.
Zayn, still buried in the broken fence.
Zayn, too weak to stand.
Kai crawled to him, every inch of movement sending fire up his side. His fingers dug into the gravel, raw and trembling, until he reached Zayn and collapsed beside him.
He didn't speak right away.
Couldn't.
Only managed a whisper.
"You okay?"
Zayn gave a pained grin, one eye half-closed from swelling. "I think… I dislocated something. Or everything."
Kai coughed — a dry, painful rasp. "Can't believe you tried to tank that…"
"We're still alive, aren't we?"
"Barely."
A boom echoed behind them. Another step.
They turned slowly.
The enemy Mamodo stood ten feet away.
The human partner — arms crossed, cold eyes unreadable — nodded once. "One more spell. That's all it'll take."
Kai forced himself to sit up, positioning his body between Zayn and the enemy. "You'll have to go through me first."
"Gladly," the Mamodo rumbled.
Then he charged.
Kai opened the book — but no spell came.
The pages shimmered. The air buzzed with energy, but it was chaotic, unfocused. His body and mind weren't aligned. He needed to be calm, synced with Zayn. But they were both in pieces.
Still, Kai refused to close the book.
He gritted his teeth. "Zaker!"
Nothing.
The Mamodo closed the gap — arm raised, stone-covered hand ready to crush.
Zayn's voice rasped behind him. "Move, Kai!!"
But Kai didn't.
Instead, he planted his knees into the ground, anchored by sheer will. If this was where he'd fall, then so be it — he wouldn't back down.
The fist came down.
Suddenly — BOOM — it stopped, crashing into something invisible just inches above Kai's head.
Lightning sparked outward — not from a spell, but from the residual bond between the two.
Zayn, with the last of his strength, had raised his hand — shielding Kai with a fragment of electric energy.
It wasn't a real spell. It wasn't Rashield, or Zaker, or anything written.
It was raw.
Unformed.
But it was enough.
Kai turned back, wide-eyed. "You… blocked it."
"Not for long," Zayn croaked. "Do something!"
Kai gripped the book tighter. The pages glowed again, brighter this time. A hum vibrated through his hands.
He could feel it.
The new spell. It was right there.
But something held it back — like a door only partially open. He wasn't ready yet. Not fully.
His heart pounded.
The Mamodo took a step back, looking stunned. He hadn't expected resistance.
The human narrowed his eyes. "What… was that?"
Kai slowly stood, staggering to his feet.
He stared at the enemy — exhausted, bleeding, ribs screaming.
Then he opened the book again.
"No more running," he said. "We fight."
He pointed forward. "Zaker!"
The lightning arced again — more stable this time. It struck the Mamodo in the shoulder, spinning him halfway around.
Zayn pushed himself to a knee, then to both feet. "Still with me?"
Kai grinned despite the blood on his lip. "Let's finish this."
Zayn cracked his neck. "One more push."
The enemy growled — now fully angry.
His stone armor reformed slightly, covering up the cracks with new, jagged plates. The ground beneath him churned as he called out again.
"Granidor Max!"
A massive stone spike burst from the ground — bigger than any before, its tip sharpened like a spear.
Zayn leapt aside, barely dodging.
Kai dodged the opposite way, slamming into a dumpster and sliding down.
The Mamodo was already on Zayn before he could recover.
A punch collided with Zayn's gut — another with his jaw — each one pounding him deeper into the alley wall.
Kai rose shakily. "Zaker!"
He fired — but it hit a nearby pile of debris instead.
"Damn it—"
Zayn caught one of the Mamodo's arms and twisted — but he was too weak.
The Mamodo flung him across the alley like a broken toy.
He crashed near Kai's feet, barely breathing.
Kai dropped to his knees.
Everything hurt. His arms wouldn't lift anymore. His vision swam.
And the book… pulsed again.
This time, different.
A new page began to flicker, words etching across it in glowing gold script.
Kai stared, breath caught in his throat.
Jikerdon.
The spell was finally here.
He looked up at Zayn — too hurt to move — and at the Mamodo, stomping toward them for the final blow.
He hesitated.
If he used Jikerdon now… when he could barely stay conscious… what would happen?
Zayn opened one swollen eye and murmured, "Do it…"
But Kai didn't speak yet.
He held the spell.
Held it on the tip of his tongue.
Not yet, he thought.
One more moment.
One more second.
Let the enemy draw closer.
Let them think they've won.
Then we'll show them who we really are.
The enemy Mamodo was nearly upon them. His stone-coated fists crackled as he flexed them, each step thudding like a war drum. Kai tried to raise the book again, but his arms felt like they were underwater. His side throbbed from where he'd slammed into the dumpster, and blood had started to soak through his hoodie.
He was barely upright.
Zayn, on the other hand, had already begun to stir.
The Mamodo had taken a serious beating — thrown into walls, slammed by spells — yet here he was, pushing up off the gravel, wincing only slightly. His body, bruised and dust-covered, showed signs of damage but not the fatigue Kai was drowning in.
Zayn spat blood to the side and rolled his shoulders. "That… sucked."
Kai gave a shaky laugh. "You're standing?"
"Barely. But yeah."
Kai tried to move, but his leg almost gave out. "God, I think something's broken."
"Maybe two somethings," Zayn said, his eyes scanning Kai's hunched posture. "You look like hell."
"Feel like it."
The enemy Mamodo didn't wait. He stepped forward, preparing for one final blow. Behind him, his human partner barked a command.
"One more spell. End them!"
Kai braced the spellbook with both trembling hands. He knew he wouldn't be able to cast much more. His vision blurred every few seconds, and the pain in his ribs was making it hard to breathe.
He flipped to the next page—and froze.
There it was.
A glowing line of text, slowly forming as if being etched by lightning itself:
Jikerdon.
Kai's heart thundered in his ears. His fingers trembled as he ran over the glowing letters. This wasn't just another bolt or shield.
It was different.
Stronger.
Zayn looked at him, eyebrows raised. "You okay?"
"No," Kai said, voice hoarse. "But I think the next spell's ready."
Zayn tilted his head. "Then let's do it."
The Mamodo barreled toward them like a living avalanche, his fists glowing with raw earthen power.
Kai's legs shook. His body screamed for rest.
But he stood his ground.
He raised the book, forcing the words out with all the strength he had left.
"JIKERDON!!"
The air split.
A pulsing wave exploded from Zayn, rippling outward in a shimmering dome of electromagnetic force. For a split second, the alley filled with a distorted hum, like the air itself had been bent out of shape.
The enemy Mamodo stumbled, his stone armor beginning to crack and flake away. His spell energy fizzled, collapsing mid-charge.
The human partner tried to issue another command, but the book sparked in his hands — then shorted out entirely.
The Mamodo staggered, swaying.
"What… what did you—?!"
Zayn stood upright, his eyes wide. "That felt… different."
Kai didn't answer.
He dropped to one knee, panting. His hands wouldn't stop shaking. He tasted blood in his mouth. His ears rang.
The spell had worked — but it had drained him completely.
Zayn, by contrast, took a step forward, energized. "That was like… a bomb of static. Felt like a shockwave in my chest."
Kai laughed dryly. "Because it was."
The enemy Mamodo tried to lunge again — but his balance was gone. His armor wouldn't hold. He stumbled forward like a puppet with its strings cut.
Kai raised the book one last time.
"Zaker!"
The lightning bolt launched from Zayn's hand, crackling through the broken air. It slammed into the enemy's chest and hurled him backward. He hit the wall with a thunderous crash, then collapsed, motionless.
His human partner, still wide-eyed, stared at the spellbook in his hand. The cover was smoking.
He took one look at Kai and Zayn — and ran.
Neither of them followed.
They didn't have the strength.
Kai dropped fully to the ground, gasping for air. "I can't… move."
Zayn knelt beside him, brushing debris from his partner's shoulders. "You don't need to. We won."
Kai coughed. "At what cost…"
Zayn studied him carefully, his expression shifting from relief to concern. "Your ribs are messed up. And your leg's not right either."
"No kidding," Kai muttered. "I felt something crack when I got thrown."
"I barely feel bruised anymore. Guess Mamodos bounce back faster."
Kai gave a small, tired grin. "Good for you. I think I'm gonna be stuck in bed for a week."
Zayn chuckled — then winced and held his side. "Okay, not that fast. But yeah. We heal quicker."
Kai leaned back against the brick wall, head tilted toward the sky. "That's not fair."
"Life's not fair. But you've got the brain. I've got the lightning fists."
"I'm gonna need more than brains next time…"
Zayn looked at him curiously. "You thinking about something?"
Kai nodded slowly. "Yeah. That spell... it saved us. But I could barely cast it. I was too slow. Too weak."
"You weren't weak. You were hurt."
"And next time I'll be hurt again. And maybe I won't be able to cast anything."
Zayn said nothing.
Kai's eyes narrowed. "I need to train. I need to be stronger. If I don't keep up with you, we're both dead."
Zayn stared for a long moment. Then nodded. "Fair."
Silence fell again.
The alley was still. The only sound was the occasional creak of a shifting dumpster or the distant echo of sirens.
Kai slowly reached for the spellbook again. He didn't open it — just rested his hand on the cover.
"Jikerdon," he murmured. "What else are we capable of?"
Zayn smiled. "Let's find out."
They didn't walk home that night.
They limped.
Kai leaning heavily on Zayn, both covered in dirt and blood and sweat, with the new spell glowing faintly in their memory.
They were still in the early chapters of this war.
But tonight had changed them.
And the storm was only beginning.