Why was it happening to him?

Why was Yexuan so hell-bent on killing him?

Samrath had these questions running through his head as they fought for their life against a boy who was even younger than him, and yet, he was ridiculously powerful. 

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Samrath guessed that it was because of the Treasure he possessed, and he was even ready to sacrifice it if it was possible and could save their lives. 

However, the Treasure he possessed was bound to his Life Force, and giving it up meant that he would have to die. 

And dying was not an option as he was smart enough to understand that his enemy would still kill his Shadow Guards even if he sacrificed himself for them. 

Why would the enemy leave behind anything that would come haunting him later? 

Besides, he knew that if he died, his Shadow Guards would die with him as well. They would commit suicide out of shame for failing to protect him and making him sacrifice his life for their sake. 

The only thing he could do was fight for all their lives, no matter how bleak the chances might be. 

There was no point in keeping secrets anymore if they were not going to see the next day. 

And their chances were not bleak at all.

No matter how powerful this young man might be, his Aura Reserves would eventually run out. 

"Persevere!" He commanded, forbidding them to leave the formation and try to go on the offence, and his four remaining Shadow Guards complied. 

Their Aura's clashed, resulting in colourful sparks, and their surrounding were ruined by now. 

Samrath was confident that if they held on, someone would notice the signs of the battle and people will come there to investigate. 

He was hoping that one of the Blood Guards of Keith would pick up on it, as they were not too far from the Mourntale Territory, or even the Aurors of Mondini, whose Territory they were on right now. 

His heart sank a little when Yexuan smashed a powerful fist on the Aura Shield they were reinforcing together, forcing cracks to appear on it. And the sinking feeling only grew stronger when the enemy's eyes turned grim. 

Suddenly, the Aura around Yexuan's body burst out, and then it took the form of a Winged-Dragon that menacingly stared at them. 

Even Yexuan's eyes changed their colour to a mustard shade with slits in them. 

"He's not human..." One of the Shadow Guards alarmingly said, and the fear in his voice was shared by all of them. 

"Die already!" Yexuan rushed again at them, and his Dragon Avatar smashed its claw on their shield, spreading web-like cracks on it, and eventually shattering it. 

Samrath was pushed away by Vidya, and the Gaurd who had earlier spoken, jumped in to take the full brunt of the remaining force, whilst his comrades attacked the enemy to force him back. 

"Banu!" The Young Arya caught his Shadow Guard when he was flung away, and without hesitating, he unleashed the Ace he had up his sleeve, where a beautiful red light burst out of his body and covered him and Banu in it, healing him at a speed that one could never even imagine. 

In just a matter of seconds, Banu was fine again, and his depleted Aura Reserves had recovered as well. 

"Master..." 

"No question..." Samrath told him and then rushed forward to meet the enemy, which snapped the Shadow Guard out of his trance. 

Banu followed his Young Master into the battle. 

"So, this is what you have been hiding." Yexuan, who had witnessed what happened has a strange gleam in his eyes, and his lips were now curved in a terrifying grin. "It can not be allowed to stay in your hands." 

Samrath received the affirmation to his guess that Yexuan was indeed after the mysterious treasure, but it did not really matter. 

There was just no room for negotiations. 

"Curse you!" He spat those words and poured the Aura into the Flame Dagger, which made it erupt into red flames, and then he slashed across the face of the Aura Dragon, managing to break past it. 

"You are faster, and stronger as well." Yexuan narrowed his eyes as he protected himself by raising his Aura Sword. 

Samrath took the opportunity and poured more Aura into the Dagger, which made it unleash flames that soon engulfed the younger boy, and then he pulled back, joining his Shadow Guards again in a defensive formation. 

The flames subsided, revealing an unharmed Yexuan, who smiled at him when their eyes met. 

"You can not stay in this state for long if you help them heal." 

Samrath did not give away any signs of surprise from his expression and helped Old Bali and Vidya recover their Aura Reserves. 

Yes, he was going to run out of this Vitality, but thankfully, Keith has urged him to keep the Aura Stone, which he has used to feed the Treasure in his heart, and the power it contained was going to last a while.

He just hoped it would last long enough for someone to come and rescue them. 

Yexuan rushed at them again, this time, more relentless than ever, and another round of a heated battle ensued where they defended against his monstrous strength. 

He was determined to not drag the battle and poured all his power into it, which whispered despair in the hearts of his enemies. 

Time passed, and as Yexuan had said, weakness started creeping in, making Samrath feel a little dizzy. 

They fought hard and fought valiantly, but then his Shadow Guards started falling one after the other. 

By the time Old Bali fell, Samrath was on his knees, panting heavily, and Old Vidya, who was soaked in her own blood, stood in front of him, her body shaking, but her resolve still strong. 

"Die now, girl. You have fought enough." 

Blood splashed across his face, and Samrath regained some clarity. He slowly and fearfully raised his head.

Fresh tears poured out of his eyes as he watched Vidya fall back, and mustering up some strength, he caught her. 

Samrath desperately tried to heal her, trying to utilise the treasure in his Heart, but it did not respond, and then he watched one of the most important people in his life breathe her last. 

"I f-failed... you, Samrath..." 

He heard her last words, and then a heart-wrenching wail escaped his throat that even stilled Yexuan. 

Something snapped inside of Samrath at that moment, and he felt the treasure respond again, brimming him with the power he had never felt before. 

He did not even care that it was at the cost of his Life-Force because now, Samrath only wanted to make his enemy suffer even if it cost him his life. 

Yexuan, for the first time tonight, felt chills run up his spine. 

The Aura around Samrath's body was bursting with vitality and that beautiful green Aura Stag looked at him so menacingly that even a Dragon like him hesitated. 

He had expended a lot of his Aura tonight, and he was no longer at his best. 

When Samrath rushed at him, letting out a maddening battle cry, he could not help but feel like he had made a terrible mistake. 

However, there was no going back for him now. 

The Emerald Stag and the Yellow Dragon clashed against each other, spreading shockwaves all around them, and destroying the flora in the vicinity. 

"I will kill you!" Samrath bellowed as the rage he had been holding back finally erupted, clouding his mind, and the horns of the Stags pierced into the claw and the chest of the Dragon, opening a passageway for him to get his hands on his enemy. 

Yexuan was forced back when the Flame Dagger clashed with his Aura Sword, making him wince, but he saw the opportunity and grabbed it, smashing his claw into Samrath's chest, and managing to pierce into his skin. But then a dreadful feeling hit him. 

Samrath did not ever bother guarding against it, and before Yexuan could pull back, a green Aura Sword diagonally slashed his torso from his waist to his right shoulder. 

The unexpected pain caught him off guard, and then a powerful knee buried itself in his abdomen, sending him flying back. 

Samrath coughed some blood, and more blood poured out of his body from the hole in his chest. However, he did not waste any time and rushed at his enemy again, knowing well that his end was only a few breaths away. However, the moment the two Aura Souls were about to clash again, Yexuan disappeared from the place. 

Having already witnessed it happen before, the young Arya immediately pulled back, and a wave of dizziness hit him. 

His Life-Force was running out, and he did not have a lot of time left. 

"Come out, Coward!" He bellowed, and his cry travelled far into the surroundings. "Come out!" 

The pain in his voice would have constricted even the coldest of hearts, but no one answered him. 

Seconds passed, and just when it was about to hit a minute, Yexuan appeared again, the cut on his torso no longer bleeding, but still open. 

 

"Die already!" 

The enraged Drgaon rushed at him, and Samrath gritted his teeth as he lunged forward as well, having made peace with his death. 

They clashed again, and blows were exchanged, but then the inevitable happened and his power started leaving him. 

 

He fell on his knees after he managed to push away Yexuan in the last ditch effort, and numbness started dragging his senses away. 

"I told you... I am your death." Yexuan panted heavily, now bearing several wounds on his body. "But I will give it to you, Boy. You are one of the most valiant men I have had the honour of seeing in my life," He sighed as he created an Aura Blade, "Sadly, we are not on the same side." 

"Curse you..." Samrath coughed up some blood and his words irritated Yexuan, who stepped forward to swing his sword. 

The blade was just about to reach Samrath's neck when suddenly an irresistible pressure descended on him, briefly locking him in his place. 

"No, no, no..." 

Samrath heard Yexuan freely speak, his voice getting lighter and lighter, and then he raised his heavy head and witnessed with his blurred vision that his enemy was running away as fast as he could. 

He took a deep breath, and then his body swayed as he fell forward, but someone gently caught his shoulder and helped him stay up. 

"You are late..." Even though his mind was not clear, he could tell who had arrived. 

"My apologies." 

He heard Keith say, and a sad smile curved on his once handsome face that was now covered in wrinkles and was pale as a corpse. 

Samrath had lost everything, but he still did not blame an innocent for it. All he blamed was his weakness and the cursed life he had to live.

"I will meet them again... right?" He managed to ask with the last bit of strength, and the faces of Sunaina, Samantha, and Vidya flashed in his mind. 

"Yes." 

He heard the Lord of Darkness' answer, and he felt immense peace in his heart and mind. 

And just like that, he fell into the Death's embrace.