The Last Betrayal
Kaelen’s attacks were swift and precise, each blow fueled by a strength Isla had underestimated. She parried his strikes, her sword clashing against his claws in a symphony of metal and fury. Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision, but she refused to falter.
“I didn’t want this!” Isla cried, her voice hoarse with anguish. “I wanted to save you, to bring you back to us!”
Her father’s growl was low and filled with contempt. “Save me?” he spat, circling her like a predator. “I don’t need saving. You’re the one who needs to be saved—from your own weakness.”
He lunged again, his claws aiming for her throat. Isla ducked, spinning to slash at his side, but he was too quick. His movements were fluid, a deadly combination of strength and speed. Isla’s muscles burned, her breaths coming in ragged gasps, but she refused to give up.
Draven’s voice echoed in her mind, steady and reassuring. You’re not alone. You’re never alone.
Kaelen landed a glancing blow on her shoulder, the force of it sending her stumbling backward. Pain shot through her arm, but she gritted her teeth, raising her sword once more. Her light flickered around her, a shield against the darkness her father wielded.
“You were supposed to be the future,” Kaelen snarled, his attacks relentless. “But you’ve become a failure, just like your mother.”
The words ignited something deep within Isla—a blazing fury that drowned out the pain and exhaustion. She dodged his next attack, her movements fueled by a combination of anger and grief.
“I am the future,” she said through gritted teeth, her silver eyes blazing with determination. “And my children will never inherit your darkness.”
With a cry of anguish, she saw her opening. Isla drove her blade into her father’s chest, the force of the blow sending him staggering backward. He looked down at the blade in shock, his gray eyes wide as blood blossomed across his tunic.
Kaelen collapsed to his knees, his hands trembling as he reached for the blade. “You were… supposed to carry on,” he rasped, his voice barely audible. “You were supposed to be more.”
Isla knelt before him, her tears falling freely. “The future belongs to my children,” she whispered, her voice filled with both heartbreak and resolve.
Kaelen’s body went limp, his gray eyes dulling as the life left him. Isla stared at him for a long moment, her heart heavy with the weight of what she had done.
