The wind was blowing softly, carrying with it a light mist of rain that slowly began to fall on the empty street. The city seemed like a place apart, suspended in time, each alleyway seemed darker, each corner more ominous. Ehito walked alongside Lia, who remained carefree, her light laughter and bright eyes contrasting with the atmosphere that seemed to tighten around them.
They approached the spot where it had all begun. The alley where the attackers had first struck. And once again, the familiar silhouettes of the two enemies, the man and the woman, emerged from the shadows, waiting, motionless. Their shapes were perfectly outlined against the faint light of the streetlamps, like specters.
Lia, lost in conversation, did not seem to perceive the imminent threat. Her eyes were full of life, her mind completely disconnected from the danger lurking ahead. But Ehito, on the other hand, was much more alert. A chill ran down his spine as he distinguished the figure of the man advancing toward them. He didn't need to concentrate to understand what was about to happen. He knew, he could feel the strange pressure in the air.
Their enemies were no longer the same. They were stronger, more experienced, and the rage burning in their eyes was palpable. Ehito clenched his fists, his body instantly tensing. He knew the fight was going to be difficult, perhaps more difficult than the first time. But he was ready. Tilan, who stood by his side, gave a slight nod, and without a word, they prepared. This time, there was no room for ignorance. Lia was in their sights.
Without warning, the man lunged at Ehito, his speed lightning fast. He attacked with a series of precise, powerful strikes, aiming for Ehito's vital points. But Ehito, remaining perfectly calm, dodged each blow with unsettling ease. His posture stayed straight, his gaze fixed, his reflexes honed to perfection.
The man struck again, a right hook aimed at Ehito's jaw, but he pivoted, his body almost floating, and grabbed the man's wrist in a fluid motion. Without missing a beat, he twisted his arm and used the force of the strike to unbalance the man, sending him crashing to the ground. But the enemy was no amateur. He rolled backward, immediately getting back to his feet, and attacked with renewed ferocity.
Meanwhile, the woman moved directly toward Lia, her blade drawn. Ehito lunged to protect her, but before he could react, Tilan intervened. Like a flash of light, Tilan stepped between them, his body in constant motion. He dropped quickly to avoid a vertical strike from the woman, then, with a knee to her abdomen, he pushed her back, forcing her to retreat several steps. His movement was fluid, each gesture dictated by years of training and perfect synchronization with Ehito.
Lia, still too joyful, did not yet understand the gravity of the situation. She began to scream, struggling in the woman's grip, but Tilan did not give her time to react. With a quick gesture of his head, Ehito understood what he intended. Tilan made a complete turn, a fluid pirouette, to disorient the woman and force her into a misstep. He used the momentum to throw her to the ground, but she rolled backward, narrowly avoiding the blow.
The battle grew more intense with each passing second. Ehito, always focused on the man, launched into a flurry of punches, one of which landed a direct hit to the man's abdomen, before attempting a roundhouse kick that grazed the man. But the opponent, with a swift movement, grabbed his foot, pulling him toward him and throwing him to the ground.
Ehito rolled, immediately recovering in a perfect somersault. He stood up, his eyes fixed on the man who was getting up at the same time. The exchanges were fast, but everything seemed to hinge on the smallest details. One wrong move, one misplaced blow, and everything could be lost.
The man launched an attack toward Ehito's throat, but Ehito, with a cold smile, parried the blow using his left hand, blocking the strike before delivering an elbow to the man's ribs. The man grunted in pain but immediately retaliated with a side kick that struck Ehito's shoulder. Ehito gritted his teeth. The pain was nothing compared to what he felt seeing Lia at the edge of the fight.
Lia, with a scream, made a last-ditch effort to free herself. She turned, but before Ehito could react, the man lunged at her. He grabbed her firmly and threw her violently to the ground. A scream pierced the air, and reality collapsed around Ehito.
In a flash of pain, the world seemed to slow down. Lia, her head striking the ground hard, fell, motionless. Her eyes, once sparkling, were slowly closing. Ehito could hardly believe it. Not again. Not this time. His heart clenched, a sharp pain coursing through his mind. He threw himself toward her, but the woman stood in his way, her gaze as cold as ice. Tilan rushed toward the man, but it was all too late. Lia was already dead.
A scream of rage escaped Ehito, but no sound left his mouth. He clenched his fists, his thoughts clouded by emotion. The fight raged on around him, but it no longer made sense. Lia was dead, once again. She wouldn't come back. Not this time.
He felt the pain settle inside him like poison, consuming his mind. Tilan, on his side, continued to fight with surgical precision, his movements agile and controlled, but even he couldn't understand Ehito's pain. Their synchronization, so perfect, now seemed incomplete.
But then, in a flash of light, Ehito felt the scene dissolve around him. He was no longer in the street. He was no longer in that fight. He was back, at the same place, at the same moment. The same scene. The same movements. The same pain.
The Return of Death
The repetition. Every time, Lia died, every time, he failed. He relived the scene over and over again, like an endless cycle.
After millions of repetitions, Ehito understood. He knew what was going to happen. He knew that, despite everything, he would return. But what he didn't understand was why he couldn't break the cycle. Lia died every time, and he, tirelessly, fought, but couldn't change anything.
The attackers stood there, unyielding, as Ehito watched the scene unfold once again, unable to change anything.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Ehito lowered his gaze to Lia, dead in his arms. He squeezed Tilan's hand, one last time, before whispering, broken by the pain, "Sorry… I couldn't save you."