» C u r š ε - - || December Missing Chapters Event?? 10/30

My eye moves on a permanent swivel as I walk down from the scorching rocks and into the misty tree line. I keep my steps light, my muscles loose, ready to move, to strike, or to dodge at any moment.

A flicker of green illuminates the trunks of the pines to my left. I turn, my eye widening as that illumination becomes a giant fireball headed straight for me.

I dash to my right, ducking behind a tree trunk just as the fireball goes flying past. I peer around the tree, spotting Lionshadow stalking towards me several fox-lengths away. Only a heartbeat later does the ground shudder as his fireball hits the side of a boulder sitting behind me.

My whole body shivers with that impact, and I have to shake my head to remove the creeping thoughts of doubt and fear. He is strong, but so am I, I remind myself.

Taking a deep breath, I sprint around the trunk, flanking him on his right side, using the boulders and trees to hide myself from a clear attack. His ears swivel towards me, his green eyes narrowing as he tracks my movements through the pines.

I find a sturdy looking evergreen to hide behind. There, I gather my inner fire into my right paw, funneling as much cursed power as I can into it. I am much too nervous to try doing this while I’m watching out for another one of his attacks.

The sound of screeching birds echo in the forest, and then the rainy gloom around me lights up with an evergreen glow. I flatten myself to the ground, wincing as another fireball blasts through the pine I am sheltering behind, utterly demolishing it. I roll to the side as the top half of the pine comes toppling down, the wood smoldering from the impact.

Then, with Lionshadow in my direct line of fire, I turn and unleash my own attack.

It’s no fireball, but a clean crescent that sweeps from the sideways slash of my paw. It races towards Lionshadow, slicing into the surrounding trees, taking a few branches with it.

But Lionshadow does not look even a bit ruffled as it approaches him, and then shatters upon some invisible barrier around him.

I hiss in shock, willing my fear into control as I dive for another pine, only for it to be blown apart by another fiery attack.

My mind races as I reel in my panic. Why? How? I’ve hurt him before, why not now?

“Your curse has been cultivated well, Shadowface,” Lionshadow calls, his deep voice a near growl. “But it is not your own. It is my soul that you wield. Do you really think it could ever harm me?”