I stared at Adrian across the dining table, watching his mask ofposure crumbling. Conrad sat trembling nearby, the shattered water pitcher still in pieces at his feet.


    "I know you''re not Aidan Ortega," I said, my voice cutting through the silence. "The real question is, who exactly are you, Adrian Bauer?"


    Adrian''s eyes darted between me and the exits. His fingers twitched slightly, clearly itching to reach for a weapon.


    "You''ve failed three times to kill me tonight," I continued, rising slowly from my chair. "I think I deserve to know why."


    Adrian''s lips curved into a cold smile. "Very perceptive, Liam Knight. I must say, you''ve exceeded my expectations. Most men would be dead by now."


    "Most men aren''t me." I moved away from the table, positioning myself between Adrian and the door. "Tell me, how long have you been masquerading as Aidan Ortega? Weeks? Months?"


    A flicker of surprise crossed his face.


    "Your act is good," I said, "but not perfect. The real Aidan would never use his left hand to wield a knife. And your ent slips when you''re agitated."


    Adrian stiffened. "How could you possibly—"


    "Know?" I finished for him. "I make it my business to know my enemies. And you, with your twitchy hands and poorly disguised killing intent, are definitely my enemy."


    Something in my words hit a nerve. Adrian''s polite facade suddenly copsedpletely, his expression twisting into something inhuman.


    "You..." he hissed. "You''re not supposed to see through me. No one has ever seen through me!"


    Conrad gasped, shrinking back in his chair as dark energy began seeping from Adrian''s pores.


    "I see a lot of things," I said calmly. "Including the fact that you''re from Earth Fiend Valley."


    Adrian''s eyes widened in shock. "Impossible! How could a mere—"


    "The energy signature is distinctive," I cut him off. "And your techniques have their trademark. Earth Fiend Valley has been trying to kill me for weeks now. At least send someonepetent next time."


    That did it. Adrian''s face contorted with rage as he abandoned all pretense.


    "Yes," he snarled, "I am from Earth Fiend Valley. And you will not leave this room alive, Liam Knight."


    He pped his hands together, and the room''s atmosphere instantly shifted. The temperature plummeted, and shadows seemed to move of their own ord.


    "Conrad," I said without taking my eyes off Adrian, "leave now."


    The older man didn''t need to be told twice. He scrambled to his feet and fled the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway.


    "Just you and me now," I said, watching as Adrian began aplex series of hand movements.


    "Your arrogance will be your downfall," Adrian growled. "Earth Fiend Valley has existed for thousands of years. We''ve perfected arts you cannot begin toprehend."


    Iughed, which only infuriated him more. "Arts like kidnapping and poisoning innocent people? Very impressive."


    "Mock us at your peril!" Adrian''s hands finished their sequence, and dark energy coalesced around him, forming a swirling barrier. "Your chaotic body is the key we''ve been seeking for centuries!"


    I raised my hand, gathering my own energy. Golden light red between my fingers. "Let''s test these iprehensible arts of yours, shall we?"


    I struck first,unching a bolt of pure energy at his chest. Adrian deflected it with a wave of his hand, but the force sent him sliding back several feet. <cite ss="in-imprint-b">Your support on * keeps this series going.</cite>


    "Stronger than expected," he conceded, "but futile."


    He retaliated with a barrage of dark energy spikes that tore through the air toward me. I dodged most, deflected two, but one caught me in the shoulder, drawing blood.


    "First blood to me," Adrian smirked.


    I wiped the wound, unimpressed. "Is that all Earth Fiend Valley can manage? I''ve faced novices with more skill."


    His face darkened. "You know nothing of our power!"


    Adrian lunged forward with inhuman speed, his fingers extended like ws. I barely had time to raise my arm in defense before he was upon me, his nails raking across my forearm.


    The pain was immediate and intense – not just physical but spiritual, as if he''d struck at my very essence. I stumbled back, shaking my arm to rid it of the burning sensation.


    "Soul-rending technique," he exined with obvious pleasure. "Your body will heal, but your spirit? That wound will fester."


    I steadied myself against the wall. "Interesting trick. Here''s one of mine."


    I channeled energy into my palm and mmed it into the floor. Golden light spread in a rippling wave, catching Adrian off guard. When it reached him, the energy erupted upward in a pir of blinding light.


    His scream was satisfying. When the light faded, Adrian stood swaying, his expensive suit smoldering.


    "Direct hit," I observed. "That should have incapacitated youpletely."


    To my surprise, Adrian straightened up and began tough. Before my eyes, his burned skin began to heal, the charred flesh knitting itself back together.


    "Impressive regeneration," I muttered.


    "Now you begin to understand," he said, rolling his shoulders as thest of his wounds closed. "I cannot be killed by conventional means."


    "Every technique has a weakness," I countered.


    Adrian''s smile was predatory. "Perhaps. But you won''t live long enough to find mine."


    He raised both hands, and the shadows around the room responded to his call, twisting into spears thatunched toward me from all angles.


    I spun in ce, creating a shield of golden energy that deflected the shadow spears, but the effort cost me. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I maintained the barrier.


    "Growing tired?" Adrian taunted, intensifying his assault. "Your chaotic body is wasted on you. Do you even understand what you possess?"


    I gritted my teeth, pushing more power into my shield. "Enlighten me."


    "We don''t want to possess you, fool," Adrian revealed, his voice taking on an almost reverent quality. "We want your body as a vessel for resurrection!"


    The revtion hit me harder than any physical blow. "Resurrection? Of what?"


    "Not what," Adrian''s eyes gleamed with fanatical light. "Who. Our ancestor, the greatest practitioner of Earth Fiend Valley''s arts! With your chaotic body as his vessel, he will return to this world and lead us to dominance!"


    I forced augh despite the gravity of his words. "Sorry to disappoint, but I''m rather attached to my body."


    "Your preferences are irrelevant," Adrian snarled. "You will die, and from your death, our master will rise!"


    Heunched another attack, more vicious than before. I deflected it but felt my energy reserves depleting rapidly.


    "You know," I said, trying to buy time to recover, "I paid a visit to your ancestor''s statue yesterday."


    Adrian froze mid-attack, his face suddenly pale. "What did you say?"


    "Tall stone figure, hidden chamber beneath the old temple?" I continued, noting his reaction. "Interesting energy signature. Dark, ancient... and now partially absorbed by me."


    "YOU LIE!" Adrian''sposure shatteredpletely. His eyes bulged with fury and fear. "No one can absorb that energy without the proper rituals!"


    I smiled, letting a hint of dark energy flicker between my fingers alongside the golden light. "My chaotic body disagrees."


    Adrian''s face contorted with rage. "You... you''ve defiled our sacred relic! You''ve stolen what was meant for the resurrection!"


    "I''ve only just begun to understand what I''m capable of," I replied calmly. "Though I have to thank you – without your attempts on my life, I might never have sought out your little sanctuary."


    Adrian''s hands trembled with barely contained fury. "It changes nothing! I''ll tear you apart and take what remains!"


    He pped his hands together with a thunderous sound, and above his head, a massive ck sphere began to form, pulsing with malevolent energy.


    "Let''s see if your chaotic body can withstand the full might of Earth Fiend Valley''s forbidden techniques!" he roared.


    The ck sphere grewrger by the second, radiating a cold so intense that frost began forming on the windows. I gathered my own energy, preparing for his attack, knowing that the true battle was only beginning.