The Last Nightmare

The wind howled through the empty battlefield, sweeping over the smoldering remains of their earlier fight. Blood, steel, and charred flesh lingered in the air, carried by the midnight breeze. The once chaotic clash of weapons had faded, replaced by an eerie silence.

But the night was not over.

Not for him.

Nate wiped the sweat from his brow, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his katana. His body throbbed from exhaustion, his muscles screaming for rest. Every breath felt like inhaling fire, yet his grip refused to loosen.

Across from him, Kai stood with the casual ease of a predator who had already won.

A dagger spun effortlessly between his fingers, catching the faint moonlight. His golden eyes flickered with something between amusement and cold calculation.

"You sure about this?" Kai asked, tilting his head. "You already look half-dead. One more hit and you might not get up."

Nate exhaled slowly, his heartbeat drumming against his ribs. Fear clawed at him, whispering that he should quit, that he should take the out while he still could.

But something inside him refused.

"I'll manage," Nate muttered, his voice steadier than he expected.

Darius, leaning on his battle axe, let out a low whistle. "Kid's got guts. Dumb guts, but still—guts."

Elena, arms crossed, frowned. "Just don't kill him, Kai."

Kai chuckled. "No promises."

Then—he moved.

Nate saw nothing.

No shift, no warning, no blur—just an explosion of pain.

Something struck his ribs.

Hard.

Kai tapped his dagger against his palm. "Lesson one—"

Nate's breath ripped from his lungs as he stumbled backward, his vision flashing white. His grip loosened, his knees nearly buckling, but he forced himself to stay upright.

The attack had landed in an instant. He hadn't even seen it coming.

Kai exhaled in disappointment. "Too slow."

Nate gritted his teeth, shoving the pain aside. His body screamed at him to stop, but he adjusted his stance, tightening his grip on his sword.

Kai sighed, rolling his shoulders. "Alright, let's try this again."

Then—he vanished.

This time, Nate saw something.

A subtle flicker, a shift in Kai's stance before he disappeared.

Left. He's coming from the left.

Nate ducked on instinct—just in time.

A blade whistled past his ear.

The wind pressure alone made his skin prickle.

He rolled away, kicking up dirt, and scrambled to his feet.

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Darius smirked. "He dodged."

Elena's lips parted slightly. "Nate…"

Nate didn't celebrate. His breathing was still heavy, his muscles still burning, but for the first time—he had reacted in time.

It wasn't enough.

But it was something.

Kai clicked his tongue. "Not bad. But dodging isn't enough."

He spun his dagger once before—

He closed the distance instantly.

A blur of motion.

A flash of steel.

Pain.

Something cold slid across Nate's shoulder, followed by the warm, wet sensation of blood dripping down his arm.

He hissed, stepping back.

Kai's dagger was already dripping red.

"Lesson two—" Kai smirked. "Hesitation gets you killed."

The Struggle to Stand

Blood dripped onto the dirt.

Nate forced himself to breathe, clamping his free hand over the shallow wound. The pain sharpened his senses, the sting keeping him alert.

Kai wasn't playing around.

This wasn't just a sparring match.

This was a lesson in survival.

And right now—he was failing.

"You're thinking too much," Kai said casually. "Waiting. Reacting." He spun the dagger between his fingers. "That's not how you win a fight."

His golden eyes pierced into Nate's very soul.

"Out there, against real killers?" Kai's voice was softer now, but heavier. "They won't wait for you to figure it out."

Nate swallowed hard.

His arms were shaking. His mind was screaming at him to stop.

But something deep in his gut refused to back down.

He lifted his sword again.

Kai exhaled through his nose. "Again?"

"Again," Nate rasped.

Darius muttered, "Kid's insane."

Elena looked like she wanted to step in.

But no one did.

Because Nate had already moved.

Lesson Three: Find the Opening

This time, Nate struck first.

He swung his katana—fast and reckless—a desperate attempt to keep Kai on the defensive.

Kai dodged with ease.

A flicker of movement. A twist of his wrist.

Steel met empty air.

Nate barely had time to react before—

CRACK!

A knee slammed into his stomach.

His body folded inward, his breath ripped away in a choked wheeze.

Kai grabbed his collar—

And threw him down.

THUD!

The impact jarred every bone in his body.

The world blurred.

The dirt beneath him was warm. The pain in his ribs flared. His lungs refused to work properly.

Move. Get up. MOVE.

Kai crouched beside him, pressing his dagger lightly against Nate's throat.

"Lesson three—"

His voice was calm. Cruel.

"Your enemies won't wait for you to catch your breath."

Silence.

The blade lingered against his skin.

It wasn't deep, but it was enough. Enough to remind him—

He had lost. Again.

Darius shook his head. "Damn. That was rough."

Elena took a step forward, eyes filled with concern. "Kai, that's enough."

Kai didn't move.

He just watched Nate.

Studied him.

Then—he pulled the dagger away.

"Get up."

Nate's body screamed in protest. His arms shook, his ribs ached, his vision spun.

Everything inside him told him to stay down.

But he refused.

His fingers dug into the dirt.

And he forced himself to stand.

Slowly.

Painfully.

He met Kai's gaze.

"Again," Nate whispered.

Darius blinked. "Wait—what?"

Elena's eyes widened. "Nate, stop. You're already—"

"Again," he repeated.

Kai stared at him for a long moment.

Then—he smirked.

"Heh."

Something in his eyes shifted.

He flipped his dagger. "Alright."

Nate raised his katana.

This time, when Kai moved—

Nate moved too.

It wasn't perfect. His reflexes were still too slow, his footwork clumsy, his stance unstable.

But he kept pushing.

He dodged. Stepped in. Countered.

Each exchange left him battered and bruised.

And then—

For the first time—

He saw it.

A flicker.

A tiny fraction of a second where Kai's balance shifted.

Nate moved on instinct.

His katana lashed out.

CLANG!

Steel met steel.

Kai's dagger stopped the blade an inch from his face.

Silence.

Then—

Kai smirked.

"Not bad."

Nate panted, sweat dripping from his chin.

And despite the pain—

He smiled.

Because this time—

He hadn't lost completely.