Thorne’s eyes fluttered open, a wave of pain crashing over him like a tidal wave. His body felt like it had been shattered from the inside out—everything hurt. His vision blurred as he tried to focus, his mind a foggy mess. The world around him slowly came into focus, and he struggled to move, his muscles screaming in protest.

  With a groan, Thorne pushed himself into a half-sitting position, wincing as sharp pain shot through his side. What the hell hit me? He glanced down at his stat display, his breath catching in his throat. His Health Points were dangerously low: 72/950. His Aether reserves had taken a hit, sitting at 302/570, and his Stamina had nearly depleted: 240/900.

  “How am I still alive?” he muttered, wiping the blood from his brow. The attack had nearly killed him outright, and it was a miracle he wasn’t a broken, lifeless heap in the street. He winced, feeling his ribs, knowing something inside was damaged. Lunar Regeneration worked only during the night, and for the moment he was left helpless.

  Thorne’s thoughts snapped back into focus as he became more aware of the sounds of battle surrounding him—the clang of metal, the guttural roars of the golem, and the cries of men fighting for their lives. With a grimace, he pushed himself to his feet, his legs trembling under his weight. He looked up and saw the golem. The monstrous construct was in the middle of the street, towering over the dozen or so guards that had arrived to face it.

  His stomach lurched as he took in the scene. The street was in ruins, completely transformed from the bustling marketplace it had been. Crumbled shops, craters that tore through the cobblestones, and debris littered every inch of the once vibrant road. But worse than the destruction were the bodies. Broken, twisted forms lay in the rubble—guards who hadn’t been fast enough, civilians caught in the crossfire.

  Thorne didn’t know how long he had been unconscious, but the battle had ravaged the street while he was out. And from the looks of things, the guards didn’t stand much of a chance. They fought valiantly, but it was like watching children trying to bring down a giant. The golem swung its massive arms with little care, smashing into buildings and the ground with devastating force, almost toying with them.

  His eyes locked onto one guard in particular—a man caught in the golem’s grasp. Thorne could hear the sickening crunch of bones and metal as the golem’s fist tightened around the man’s body. The guard let out a choking gasp before the golem unclenched its hand, letting the mangled form drop to the ground, a formless heap of flesh and shattered armor.

  Thorne swallowed hard. He had to act. If he didn’t, more men would die. The guards were stronger than before—no doubt thanks to the strange, frequent aether occurrences that had brought creatures into the city, forcing them to adapt. But even with their newfound strength, they were unprepared for something of this magnitude.

  He watched as the other guards sprang into action, their faces twisted with rage and determination. Skills activated in flashes of light—one man charged forward, his sword glowing bright with a skill-enhanced strike. Another guard raised a shield, light shimmering around its edges as he used a defensive ability to protect his comrades from the golem’s crushing blows. Despite their valiant efforts, the golem was barely phased.

  Thorne activated Aether Vision with a shaky breath, hoping to assess the damage. His heart sank. The wounds he had inflicted earlier—the ones he had fought so hard to create—were nearly gone. The glowing veins of aether that he had torn open had closed, leaving only shallow cuts that barely leaked any energy.

  Damn it, he thought, his mind racing. It was healing, just like before. But if he could tear it open again—wound it deeply enough—he could drain its aether. He just needed to get back into the fight.

  He steeled himself, trying to push through the pain. His body screamed at him to stay down, to give in to the agony, but he didn’t have a choice. These men would die without his help.

  Suddenly, a familiar scream pierced the chaos, freezing Thorne in place.

  His head snapped toward the sound, his eyes widening in horror as he spotted Darius. The golem was bearing down on him, its massive fist swinging downward with deadly intent. Darius raised his sword, a golden light flaring around the blade, and for a split second, it looked like the blow had been stopped. The golem’s hand halted in mid-air, and a shimmering golden shield flickered into existence above Darius.

  But it was clear Darius couldn’t hold it for long. The veins in his neck bulged, his face turning a deep red as his body shook under the immense pressure. His eyes darted wildly as the light flickered and dimmed, the shield starting to crack. He was moments away from being crushed.

  Thorne’s heart pounded in his chest, his body moving on instinct to help, but before he could react, another guard rushed forward. The man clutched his shield in front of him, his body accelerating with a sudden burst of speed. Dust and rocks flew into the air as he launched himself like a cannonball into the golem’s fist, using a skill to enhance his charge.

  The impact was massive. The guard crashed into the golem’s hand with a thunderous boom, sending the creature’s massive arm flying away from Darius. The force of the collision was so intense that the brave guard was launched across the street, crashing into the rubble with bone-rattling force. But his sacrifice was enough. Darius staggered back, gasping for air as he retreated behind the wall of his fellow guards.

  Thorne exhaled in relief, but the reprieve wouldn’t last long. More guards rushed to reinforce Darius, their skills flaring as they pressed the attack. But Thorne knew the truth. Even with their newfound strength, even with their enhanced abilities, they weren’t ready for something like this. Not yet.

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  His body trembled as he tried to move, his legs shaky beneath him. He glanced down at his hands, still covered in dust and blood. He was running on fumes, barely hanging on, but he couldn’t sit by and watch any longer. The guards wouldn’t hold out for much longer, and the cost would be too high.

  He had to finish this.

  Thorne stood amidst the chaos, his battered body protesting with every breath. His ribs ached, and his limbs felt heavy, but his mind was sharp, focused. The golem continued to wreak havoc, the guards pressing their attack, but Thorne knew it wasn’t enough. Not yet.

  He glanced at the swirling mass of guards engaging the creature. The golem was distracted, focused on the more visible threat in front of it. That was all Thorne needed.

  His mind raced. The situation was different now. He didn’t need to confront the golem head-on anymore. Stealth had always been his greatest advantage, and now that the guards had the golem’s attention, he could use the shadows to his advantage.

  With a thought, Thorne activated Veil of Light and Shadow, his evolved stealth skill. Even in the bright daylight, he seemed to fade, his form blending seamlessly into his surroundings. It was a strange feeling, moving unseen in such an open space, but it was his element. It gave him the edge.

  He drew his last two knives from his boots and sprinted toward the golem, his feet silent on the rubble-strewn ground. The creature loomed above, unaware of his approach, its focus locked on the wave of guards swarming around it. Thorne’s heart pounded in his chest as he got closer, his mind zeroing in on his target. This time, he wasn’t going for shallow cuts. He needed something deeper, something that would cause real damage.

  In a fluid motion, he leapt from a pile of debris and landed behind the golem, activating Backstab. His blade found its mark, sinking deep into the golem’s semi-translucent body. His Aether Vision flickered on, showing him the raw energy destabilizing inside the creature. He had caused massive damage.

  The golem shuddered violently, its form flickering as the aether inside it grew unstable. For a moment, it paused, the energy inside it rippling in erratic patterns. The guards noticed the shift, their attacks faltering as they looked around, confused by the sudden change in the golem’s behavior.

  But Thorne was already gone, vanishing back into the shadows before anyone could spot him.

  The golem, unable to find its hidden attacker, roared in frustration and turned back toward the guards. It swung its massive arms, but Thorne didn’t give it time to regain its balance. He charged again, slipping through the debris-laden street like a shadow. He darted between the ruined shops and crumbling walls, his eyes locked on the creature’s weak spots.

  Stealth Strike.

  He moved in and out, striking the golem’s legs and torso, retreating before the creature could even register his presence. Each strike added another wound, another point of vulnerability. Thorne’s Bloodletting skill took effect, his blades leaving long, shallow cuts that bled raw aether.

  He repeated the process, again and again. Strike. Retreat. Wait. Strike. The golem’s movements grew more sluggish, its form flickering as it struggled to maintain its integrity. Each time Thorne struck, a bit more aether leaked out, destabilizing the creature further.

  As Thorne leapt onto the awning of a building, preparing for another strike, he caught sight of Darius, his eyes wide with shock. The guardsman had seen him. Thorne didn’t let it distract him. He jumped from the awning, landing squarely on the golem’s back, plunging his blade into the creature’s core with another Stealth Strike.

  The golem roared in pain, its massive frame shaking as it tried to dislodge him. Thorne leapt backward in a graceful arc, landing out of reach just as the golem turned toward him. His eyes met Darius’s, who stood frozen, shock still etched across his face.

  “What the hell are you looking at, you idiot!” Thorne shouted, glaring at his friend. “Attack it! Cause as many wounds as you can, no matter how small!”

  Darius blinked, confusion clouding his face. “Trust me!” Thorne barked, fading back into the shadows just as the golem turned to face him.

  Darius snapped out of his daze, turning to the other guards. “You heard him!” he shouted. “Focus on landing hits, doesn’t matter if they’re high damage!”

  One of the other guards, panting heavily, glanced at Darius with a skeptical look. “Who the hell is that guy? Why should we listen to him?”

  Darius hesitated for a second before answering. “Trust me,” he said firmly. “He’s been fighting aether beasts for years. He can help us.”

  Thorne, hidden in the shadows, felt a small smile tug at his lips. Lethal Flurry activated, and he darted forward once more, his blades moving in a blur as he tore into the golem’s side. The other guards, emboldened by Darius’s words, rushed in. They swarmed the golem, landing blow after blow, chipping away at its form. Small cuts, shallow strikes—but each one contributed to the golem’s growing instability.

  Thorne watched from a small ledge, his eyes tracking the rivers of aether leaking from the creature’s body. It was time.

  He steeled himself. Manipulating raw aether was always dangerous, and doing so openly could expose him in ways he wasn’t ready for. But this wasn’t the time for caution. If he didn’t act now, the guards would lose too many men.

  His Primal Aether Manipulation skill surged to life, his arms raising as he called to the wild aether leaking from the golem. His senses sharpened, his world narrowing to the raw energy around him. The aether flowed like rivers, pouring from the golem’s open wounds, shimmering and glowing in the air.

  This is it.

  Thorne reached out, his will connecting with the aether. He could feel it resisting him at first, the energy too wild and untamed. It had a different flavor than the raw aether he was used to—like something ancient, alien. But it was still aether, and that meant he could control it.

  His mind focused, his instincts guiding him as he willed the energy to obey. Slowly, ever so slowly, the aether responded. It flowed toward him in shimmering streams, leaving the golem’s form as it weakened further. The creature shuddered, its body hollowing out as the energy drained from it.

  Thorne’s world became one of swirling colors and shining stars, the aether filling the air around him. He called to the stars, commanding the energy to leave the golem and come to him. The flood of energy rushed toward him, and he felt a hunger rise within, a primal need to consume it.

  He didn’t resist.

  The aether flowed into his core, filling him with a wondrous, refreshing energy. For a moment, his pain melted away, replaced by the intoxicating feeling of power. His body, bruised and battered as it was, felt invigorated, renewed by the raw aether flowing into him.

  The aether surged around him, circling like a storm. The golem’s form flickered, growing more unstable by the second. The last of its aether drained away, leaving behind nothing but an empty husk.

  And then it exploded.

  The shockwave hit like a tidal wave, flinging Thorne and the guards backward as the golem’s remains disintegrated in a blinding flash of light. Dust and debris filled the air, and Thorne crashed into the ground, his body aching from the force of the blast.

  A small, contented sigh escaped his lips. He felt... lighter. Stronger. And then the flood of notifications filled his vision, confirming what he already knew.

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