Path of the Unmentioned: The Missing Piece-Chapter 102: No Safe Pace [3]

The final door slid open with a slow, heavy hiss.

And then—

They saw them.

The last car. The cargo section was next.

It was packed with corrupted.

More than in any of the cars before. Dozens of them. Maybe three times as many.

Some crouched low, others clung to the walls and ceiling like insects. Their bodies twitched and jerked with unnatural movement.

Blood dripped from their mouths. Their skin was stretched tight, black veins pulsing beneath it. Eyes glowed red like hot coals.

Every single corrupted turned toward the door.

And stared.

The air went still.

Even the sound of the train rumbling along the tracks seemed to vanish.

Kyle’s fingers clenched tightly around his tachi. His heart pounded in his chest.

Too many...

No one spoke. No one breathed.

Then—

A corrupted screamed and lunged forward.

It moved like a blur. Faster than anything they’d seen so far.

Straight at Aaron.

"Shit—!" Aaron brought his shield up just in time.

The corrupted smashed into it with a sickening force. But its jaws clamped down around Aaron’s arm before he could push it away.

"AGHH!!"

His scream echoed down the car.

The creature bit deep. Teeth crushing bone, tearing through muscle. Blood sprayed across the walls.

Aaron’s knees buckled from the pain. But he didn’t fall.

He roared. Lifted his axe with his other hand, and brought it down in one clean, savage arc.

Crack!

The corrupted’s skull split open. Dropping it in an instant.

Aaron staggered back. His bitten arm dangled uselessly, shredded beyond recognition.

Bone poked through torn flesh. His whole forearm twisted at the wrong angle.

"I’m fine!" he growled through gritted teeth. Stepping back into position.

But there was no time to breathe.

The rest of the corrupted charged like a tidal wave.

Screeching. Hissing. Crawling. Leaping.

Chaos exploded.

Kyle’s tachi. Zalrielle, surged with crackling lightning. The blade shimmered black with streaks of white-blue as he swung it wide.

CRACK!

Lightning arced across a corrupted’s body. Launching it backward.

Another came in from the side. Kyle spun, ice gathering at his palm. He thrust it forward.

BOOM!

A blast of frost erupted, freezing a group of corrupted mid-lunge. Their limbs locked in place as the floor around them glazed over with thick, jagged ice.

He darted forward. His blade slicing across frozen flesh, shattering them apart. Sparks of lightning followed every strike, dancing through their bodies.

But claws still tore at him.

A slash opened across his chest, tearing through his jacket.

Another claw cut deep into his shoulder.

His vision blurred.

He didn’t stop.

Eleanora fought just a few feet away. Her estoc dancing with clean, sharp precision.

Her shadows moved like snakes. Wrapping around corrupted limbs, yanking them down, tripping them, breaking bones with brutal jerks.

She moved like a blur. Stab, slash, twist, dodge.

Her blade stabbed through an eye. Slashed across a throat. Her breath was shaky. But her movements didn’t falter.

Then one got through.

A claw raked down her side. Tearing her coat and drawing a dark red streak of blood.

She winced. But didn’t stop moving.

"Behind you!" Kyle shouted.

She ducked just in time. Her blade slicing up and gutting the corrupted leaping at her from above.

Reo was holding the rear. His spear a blur of silver and wind. He twisted, stabbed one through the chest, and kicked another off his leg.

Wind burst from his feet, launching him into the air. He flipped. Spun his spear, and slammed it down on another corrupted’s head.

"Too many!" he yelled.

A corrupted leaped from the ceiling and tackled him mid-air. Smashing him into a row of metal crates.

"Reo!" Kyle shouted.

Reo coughed. Blood dripping from his mouth. He groaned but pushed himself back up. Wind swirling around him again.

Aaron was still fighting with only one good arm. Blood covered half his body. But the wind around him howled.

His remaining hand raised, and a slicing gust of air tore through a line of corrupted in front of him, cutting deep.

But they were slowing down.

Cuts. Scrapes. Deep wounds. Blood dripping onto the cold metal floor.

Kyle’s breathing grew heavier. His ice wasn’t forming as fast. His lightning was losing strength.

He slashed another corrupted. But his arm trembled. His legs burned.

They were being pushed back.

Kyle and Reo ended up back-to-back again, swinging, striking, dodging. But slower now.

Then—

Two corrupted dropped from above.

Right at them.

Too fast.

Too close.

Kyle tried to move.

But he was too slow.

Just then—

A voice cut through the noise.

Soft. Clear. Unshaken.

"[Umbra Devouris]"g darkne

And then—

Darkness exploded.

Not just shadows. But real, livinss.

It wasn’t just a spell.

It was a storm.

A wave of pure dark magic burst from Eleanora’s body. Sweeping through the entire car.

Thick tendrils shot out like whips.

Chains of darkness wrapped around everything they touched. The air grew cold, heavy.

The corrupted froze.

Some were mid-leap. Others were crawling, about to strike.

Now they were suspended. Held in place by cords of shadow. Trapped like broken dolls.

The whole car went silent.

No more screeches. No more footsteps.

Only the sound of rumbling magic. And their breathing.

Kyle turned slowly.

Eleanora stood in the center of it all.

Her hair whipped around her face, caught in the swirl of dark energy.

Her eyes glowed faintly. Soft black, flickering like dying candlelight.

Darkness coiled around her body. Wrapping her like armor made of night.

She had stopped them.

All of them.

An Expert Mastery. Maybe even more.

Kyle’s sword, Zalrielle, vibrated in his grip. Warning him.

She won’t be able to hold it for long.

And it was true.

Eleanora’s body was shaking.

Her arms trembled. Her legs nearly gave out under her.

Blood trickled from the corner of her lips. Her breath came in short gasps. Her hands—barely staying up.

"R-Run..." she whispered.

Her voice was thin. Barely a whisper.

She was at her limit.

And still, she stood.

Aaron moved first.

With his good arm. He slammed open the last door. The cabin beyond the cargo car.

He turned back, eyes desperate, shouting to Kyle and Reo.

"What are you doing. Run... Don’t let her sacrifice go to waste!"

Kyle’s eyes widened.

If Eleanora moved now. Or if someone pulled her away—the spell would break.

The corrupted would be free.

She knew it too.

That’s why she hadn’t moved.

She was choosing to stay.

To hold them back.

Even if it meant sacrificing herself.

Reo hesitated beside him.

They both stood frozen.

They had to choose.

Save themselves and everyone on this train.

Or save Eleanora.

Kyle looked at Reo.

"Go," he said quietly.

Reo turned, his eyes wide. "B-But—"

"Trust me."

Their eyes met.

Reo’s breath caught in his throat.

Then—slowly. He nodded.

And ran.

Eleanora saw it.

Her head turned slightly.

Her eyes widened, heart pounding. "W-What are you doing?" she asked, her voice breaking. "Run... now!"

But Kyle didn’t move.

He took one step toward her.

Her spell still held—for now—but it was weakening.

The darkness trembled. Tiny cracks formed in the tendrils. Some flickered like dying flames.

If she lost focus for even a second—

The spell would break.

Still, Kyle stepped closer.

He didn’t speak.

Just smiled.

Softly.

Like nothing else mattered.

Like there was no danger. No blood. No chaos.

Just her.

A quiet, gentle smile in the heart of hell.

And somehow—it reached her.

Her lips parted.

Her eyes shook.

Her heart stopped for a beat.

That smile—

It was warm. Calm. Real.

"Just trust me," he said.

And in that moment—

Despite everything—

She did.

———

Kyle stepped behind Eleanora. The corrupted were still frozen in place. Barely held back by the last threads of her magic.

He closed his eyes.

Took a deep breath.

The final door. The way out. Was still open, waiting.

Twenty-five meters. Just twenty-five more.

He crouched low, body tense. Like a sprinter before a race.

Time slowed.

Sparks of blue-white lightning started to crackle around his legs.

Light danced across his boots, climbing higher with each passing second.

’Not enough,’ he thought.

He poured in more mana.

More power.

The lightning grew brighter, thicker. It sizzled and snapped around him.

The air smelled of ozone. His legs trembled from the force building up in them. Muscles strained. Bones creaked.

But he didn’t care.

The pain didn’t matter.

He looked at Eleanora one last time.

Her shadows were breaking. The spell was about to collapse. Darkness flickered and cracked like glass ready to shatter.

’Now.’

Kyle jumped.

A flash of light.

He shot forward, body low, arms out.

Everything blurred.

And then—

He caught her.

His arms wrapped around Eleanora as her spell shattered completely.

The darkness vanished all at once, like smoke being blown away.

The corrupted moved again.

They screamed.

Snarled.

Rushed at them like a tidal wave of claws and teeth.

But Kyle didn’t stop.

He leaned forward. Wind rushing past his ears.

A corrupted slashed at him from the side—

Too close—

He twisted. Reached for the wind affinity inside him.

A burst of air exploded beneath his feet.

Whoosh!

His body surged forward, faster than before.

The claw swiped at empty air.

And then... They were through.

Reo grabbed the edge of the door, eyes wide.

As soon as Kyle landed inside. Reo slammed the door shut behind them with both hands.

Bang!

The sound echoed.

They were safe.

Just barely.

Kyle was still holding Eleanora. Both of them panting hard, hearts racing.

He had leaped the entire distance in one go.

And made it.

Just in time.

———