Well, isn't that amusing, the rough voice in his head mumbled, you really think you have the upper hand?

Daehyun growled and launched ahead, throwing yet another punch at the figure before him. His knuckles were already bruised, bloody, the bone underneath bordering on showing, but his eyes held the same fury as they did in the beginning of the fight.

His sword had been long lost in the battle, but driven by his anger, he was unstoppable.

He punched, scratched, kicked like a wild beast, his eyes full of blood and fury and something different - something dangerous. Whether it was pure anger, or just desperation—to fight, to take his revenge, to survive—he himself didn't know.

The person who he just attacked fired back - and oh, with what force.

Daehyun stumbled back forcefully, his lip rewarded with yet another deep cut. He tried to move his jaw with the mere hope it wasn't broken—he wasn't that lucky.

His chest hurt; his breathing coming out raspy, in short pants. His heart was threatening to burst and his whole body trembled with the need to just stop for a moment, his muscles burning. He had a deep wound on his left hip and if he didn't get killed while fighting, the poison in it would surely kill him if he didn't treat it properly soon.

Collecting all the strength he had left in him, he kicked his opponent in the kneecaps—the man tumbled down with a shout, pain blinding his vision.

Thank God, Daehyun thought, That was the last one.

The quiet, nagging voice in the back of his head giggled darkly.

Oh, but was it?

Light suddenly engulfed the cave and Daehyun squinted, trying to make out the forms that were quickly approaching him.

He made out the heavy armor each one of them held but before he could raise his hand for one final desperate fight, a loud explosion-like sound was heard, reverberating ominously through the walls.

Daehyun knew that sound.

Mages, he thought, But what are the chances they're on our side?

Strangely enough, he received no answer - the rough voice wasn't there.

Silence hung heavy in the hot, humid air.

Until a clear, booming voice spoke, its velvety smoothness soothing but at the same time stone hard.

aeui vara kae kreamd, ur vara aeui kae amakae?
birm em kroka imser sra amd uk sra camsirae.

Light bloomed, shadows danced on the walls, creeped on the floor and took the armored men in front of the stunned Daehyun. They dragged them God-knows-where, their haunting giggles unnerving and contrasting with their victims surprised, distressed cries.

After it all died down, Daehyun looked up only to discover that these weren't mages.

It was one mage.

How can one mage possess such power?

Before he could notice anything else, he fell down on his knees. Now that the adrenaline was losing its grip on him, his body was shutting down.

His lids were too heavy; everything hurt. He brought his hands to his face but they were trembling so hard he couldn't control them.

He his dried lips; God, he would die for some water right now.

The mage from before was now in front of him, gently pushing his shoulders to lay him on the ground.

There were hushed encouragements and promises that there was help coming; they didn't know He would be that vile, that cruel; they didn't--

"You have really pretty eyes," Was all Daehyun could remember saying before he fell into the dark abyss of unconsciousness.

He dreamt of war, betrayal, magic and coffee eyes.