Fallen Lightbringers' Return

"Are you kidding me?" As those words left Lee Dojin's mouth, wings spurted on his back, lightly illuminating the darkness.

The shadow cracked its neck (a weird sight to see). Right after, on his back too, a pair of wings manifested, though they were not of light, but shrouded in total darkness. "How about you try and find out?"

"That's more like it," Lee Dojin joked. "It is no fun fighting against a being that cannot communicate. It's like beating up a sandbag, you know?"

It chuckled. "Is that so. For thee, I hope it is not the last thought you hold."

Jia-h and Hassan were dumbfounded by the exchange. The whole endeavor seemed like something straight out of a superhero film. They almost thought they were caught inside some low-budget fantasy world, was it not for the great heat scalding them.

Jia-h pulled Hassan away. "I think we should leave." The man was prone to agree. Even though he was used to hot weather, this wasn't something a human could withstand. He could not imagine what Lee Dojin was currently feeling.

The man in question licked his lips. Sweat flowed down his head, dropping off his chin. As for the emotions inside of him.. . excitement, uncertainty, curiosity.. . there were all kinds of things, but he suppressed them all, until the only thing left was tranquility.

Lee Dojin and the shadow moved together. The paths underneath them turned to ash. It took less than a second until they were at a touching distance. It was as if there had been a mirror in between them, only, who knew which of the two the reflection was?

One finger, one move, with a heat concentrated to the maximum. An art that could endanger even Earth itself.

Dojin moved his hand, and at that moment, he felt it. That shadow was the real deal. For whatever reason, it had executed the move perfectly. If the two were to collide, it would be even. No, maybe he had a bit of an upper hand? Hard to tell.

The two of them touched. Upon their collision, a ring of light shone out, basking them in a world of white. It radiated great heat, scalding any onlookers. Ji-ah grabbed her dress and jumped back, while Hassan had to hide his body, his arm blocking the fires. Their ears rang with a beep, and they felt the strain on their eyes, which had just gotten adjusted to the darkness. Even as the light subsided, they could not make out any details of the aftermath.

Ji-ah squinted her eyes. She concentrated on what was before her, until she felt someone moving her shoulder, causing her to leap out.

"Relax, it's me," a familiar voice said.

She rubbed her eyes. "Dojin, is that you?" Turning around, she saw the young Asian boy, with his hair disheveled and ash on his face. His shirt was ripped too, though that was from before. Small flames still surrounded his shoes.

Hassan approached them. "You're alive!" He smiled widely. "That's incredible, I knew you could take that monster head-on." The man was wholeheartedly impressed.

Lee Dojin shook his head. "I'm also only human, Hassan. If that thing hit me, you wouldn't even find my ashes." He crossed his fingers. "That was way too close. Thankfully, I was able to choose a node nearby, and attack it from behind." He patted the last embers of his shoulders. His wings had disappeared, as if never there.

A hollow voice resounded through the whole darkness. ".. . A shame," it muttered. "That you chose to avoid it." 

Stepping out from afar, there was the shadow again, its face unbothered. Yet, glancing at its body, one saw a giant hole, from shoulder to hip, broken off, and burned away. It was an interesting sight to see; Shadows burning. It should not be possible. And normally it would not have been. But the flames conjured by Lee Dojin were different. Pure enough to burn fire itself.

Lee Dojin cocked his head, he smiled. "If I didn't, I'd look much like you. No, maybe even worse. I can't believe you are still standing, you monster."

"I wonder. From your side, I must appear as a monster," the shadow said, as it fell to its knees, "but I may have just the same opinion about you guys."

"You should have saved the talk for when you were still healthy." Lee Dojin took off his shirt. It annoyed him how that it kept flapping around. "Maybe then we could have had a normal conversation."

"If I am healthy, you say," the shadow lifted its face and laughed. Promptly the surrounding darkness gently shook and wrapped around it. One by one, it reconstructed the shadow to its prime. The thing moved their hands—as good as new. "Then, shall we have a chat?"

Lee Dojin's eyes widened. A dry chuckle left his mouth. "That's crazy."

The shadow bowed down. "I advise you to remember this time. The world is my oyster." Its clothes flapped in the wind. "But let us keep the chitchat at bay. One does not talk with monsters."

"Is it saying we are the bad guys," Hassan muttered.

Ji-ah rubbed her head. "I mean, from another perspective, we are the ones to summon it, only to destroy it. It hadn't really done anything wrong yet. Also, it doesn't kill bystanders. Just to name a few."

"Oh lord, I hope you aren't developing sympathy for that thing."

"Of course not." She paused. No matter what, the two parties could not coexist. Either the shadow or they had to disappear. That, she understood well. "But seeing it talk and move just like a human, it's hard to dissociate myself from it."

Lee Dojin patted her shoulder. "Still, you have to try." She glanced at him. "This is a battle, and soon it will be war. If you survive long enough, you are bound to meet many people worth sympathizing. That's natural. Shedding away our abilities, goals, and ambitions, we are all beings with a story. Yet, if you choose to fight, you have chosen to destroy it." He watched the shadow. "That is the price of life." 

The shadow stared back at him. "Have the three of you concluded the talk?"

Lee Dojin tilted his head. "You waited? That's awfully nice of you."

"It's unbecoming to seize a conversation not meant for me," it explained. "Also, I wished to understand you guys more." A small smile appeared on the shadows' face. "Now, I suppose courtesy dictates I show you something from my side, right?" Suddenly, like a record that rewound itself, the shadow crossed its arms again.

Lee Dojin's had no choice but to widen. He laughed, though there was no humor in it. "Seriously?"

"Unlike you guys, I don't get tired." The shadows crossed its fingers. Dark wings appeared on their back once more. "Is that not the perfect human being?"

"Run!" Lee Dojin grabbed Ji-ah and Hassan. Without turning his back, he began bolting. This had now turned into a serious problem. Maybe it wasn't exaggerated to say, this shadow had now become a threat to humanity itself.

The thing opened its mouth. "Would you like to ring the bells of judgment?"

Lee Dojin cupped his hands over his head. He laughed while being basked in radiant heat. So this was what it felt like to be on the receiving end. "Now this is what a real apocalypse should look like!"

Hassan and Ji-ah guided themselves away. The bloodlust alone was enough to overwhelm their senses. This wasn't something they could be part of anymore. The shadow noticed them backing off. Its mouth opened. "Am I boring you?"

The two of them vehemently shook their heads.

"Good, I wouldn't want to be." As it said so, the shadows began shaking. This was, as they had experienced, not a good sign. "Still, as luck has it, I am not bound by one entity."

Next to him, two more shadows appeared. They looked similar, yet were smaller in size. Including so, their faces were less defined, almost doll-like, a far cry from the one Lee Dojin was fighting against. A dark glow surrounded them. They were like its children.

The shadow punched at Lee Dojin, incredible heat surrounding him. At the same time, its children attack Ji-ah and Hassan. The two of them soon came to realize that these kids were just as tenacious as the real one. Especially for Hassan, who had no fighting class ability.

Ji-ah sent a light pillar down. It did little damage. The child swiped its long hair. It looked like a female.

Hassan ran away. The child did not follow him. Instead, its red eyes glowed menacingly, as it gnashed their teeth. This one looked male.

As the bout was about to begin, a message appeared in front of Lee Dojin and the others:

[30 mins left until the effects from Flask of the Spaceworm wears out.]