He stopped just shy of reaching the guild.

The storm grumbled through the narrow streets behind him, threading between the buildings like a whisper too low for human ears. Rain hissed against the torches, every flame shying away from his presence, bending as though the night itself recoiled.

He raised his head.

Slowly. Turning it to the side, letting the hood slip just enough for the cold air to brush against his jaw. His eyes narrowed, not at the storm, but through it.

He shut out the thunder first.

A long, steady exhale left his chest as he forced the sound away, smothering the rumbling sky until the storm became nothing. The rain faded next, blocking out the pounding rhythm of drops on rooftops.

One by one, he silenced the noise until Eldenreach was quiet.

A faint whisper drifted through the air.

Too soft for any ordinary ear.

His head snapped in its direction

One…, two…, three…, four…

There's four around the side of the guild.

His head snapped the other direction.

One…, Two…, There's only two next to the building opposite the guild.

He pivoted sharply, eyes narrowing as he focused on the opposite end of the street. The shadows trembled with the storm, no footsteps, no breathing.

One…

Two…

There's only two next to the building opposite the guild.

He steadied himself again, holding his breath, ensuring he wasn't mistaken.

The storm roared above him, but in his mind, it was a clear night sky.

He lowered his head, his robe soaked through.

His eyes sharpened.

Six men, spread out to cut off my escape.

Gabriel rolled his shoulders back once, feeling the weight of the blades against his spine. He closed his eyes, tilting his head back, allowing splashes of rain to hit against his face.

The former Paladin planted his feet in the mud. The ground sank beneath his boots, then split as he launched forward.

Gabriel shot across the road, a blur of black and red. Rain trailing behind him. Each stride dug fresh dents into the soggy earth, kicking it up as he closed the distance.

His hands moved instinctively, reaching for the hilt of his blades.

Both blades tore free from their sheaths mid-sprint, the sound swallowed instantly by the storm.

One of the men stepped from behind the building, directly in Gabriel's path.Lightning cracked across the sky, reflecting off Gabriel's eyes with a sharp, violent glow.

The bandit's eyes widened.

A red-eyed demon stood only a few strides away, twin silver blades gleaming like fangs in the flash.

Gabriel raised his blade and slashed sideways.

The blade cracked through bone and flesh alike.

The man's head twisted through the air as his body began to slump.

Gabriel didn't watch. Movement flickered in his peripheral vision.

He spun using the forward motion.

The second man barely had time to gasp before the steel plunged through his chest.

Gabriel drove the blade through down to the hilt, the force slamming him back into the wooden building.

The planks imploded from the impact.

The man's breath hitched, caught on the metal buried deep in his chest. His fingers twitched against the blade, attempting to grab at the red-eyed demon's wrist.

A gurgling sound came from his throat.

Blood began spewing from his mouth.

Gabriel didn't move. His eyes glaring into the bandit's with no emotion.

He kept the sword pressed against him, pinning the body to the wall like a nailed-down shadow.

The gurgling stopped.

He ripped his sword out.

Gabriel turned, heading straight toward the side of the guild.

His steps barely disturbed the mud beneath him. The storm swallowed the sound of his movement, rain masking the faint drip of blood trailing from his blade.

Another whisper of movement reached him, boots shifting, men adjusting their stance, unaware their two lookouts were already gone.

He headed around the corner.

Four silhouettes waited in the narrow gap beside the guild, pressed tight to the wall, blades drawn, breathing slow and controlled.

Professionals.

One of them glanced toward the street.

"Where the hell are—"

Gabriel was already moving.

He closed the distance in a single stride.

The first man didn't even register a shape in front of him before the blade punched through his throat. The red-eyed demon ripped it free and stepped past him, letting the corpse collapse behind him.

The second turned, half-raising his blade.

Gabriel's boot thrust towards his knee. The joint folded with a crack. Before the man could scream, Gabriel pushed both blades into his neck, spraying the wall beside them.

The last two finally reacted.

Both swung at once.

Gabriel moved before either blade reached him. he slipped between their heavy strikes, dropping his weight and driving his shoulder into the third man's ribs. The impact knocked the breath from him. His guard jolted open.

Gabriel's sword punched through his sternum, the tip bursting out between his shoulder blades.

Gabriel yanked his blade free and turned toward the fourth.

The man raised his hands, backing into the wall, voice breaking.

"Please, no-"

Gabriel stepped once.

No mercy in his eyes.

The blade punched through the man's mouth and out the back of his skull, silencing the plea mid-breath. His eyes rolled upward, body twitching once before going limp.

Gabriel withdrew the sword and let the corpse slide down the wall.

He didn't look back.

Gabriel stepped past him without slowing.

His boots dragged through the mud, faint splashes swallowed by the storm as he approached the guild's front door.

The laughter inside leaked through the ajar door, forced and uneven.

Tankards clinked. Chairs scraped.

He walked through the opening.

Inhaling the mixture of scents as he crossed.

Cooked meat, mixed with old ale and sweat.

Beneath it all, a strong scent he never forgot.

He raised his hand to his hood, removing the blood-soaked cover from his head.

The sounds of his younger self screaming and begging for mercy reverberated in his head.

His irises began pulsing. He was done running.

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