Ethan staggered down the corridor, the world tilting beneath his feet. Shadows pressed in close, and just as he reached for the cold stone wall, a flash of pain struck the back of his head. Darkness swept over him, and the corridor faded away, leaving only silence and the distant, fading clang of metal.
Blinking against the throbbing ache, Ethan awoke sprawled on the cold ground. He pushed himself up, confusion swirling in his mind, but before he could orient himself, another blow sent him tumbling back into unconsciousness. The last thing he saw was the moon’s pale beam shifting across the floor.
Ethan jolted awake, gravel biting into his palms, a dizzy void yawning at his back. He scrambled upright, heart pounding, and spotted Michael—his friend, tall and lean, with wild hair and a determined stride—walking along the narrow path. Ethan called out, but Michael seemed lost in thought, gaze fixed ahead, not noticing the figure stranded at the edge.
A second figure emerged through the mist— Kaden, sharp-eyed and quick, his wand already raised defensively. She spotted Ethan instantly, his voice sharp. "Ethan! What happened to you? Why are you here?" "I… I’m not sure. Someone attacked me. Where’s Michael going?" Kaden frowned, glancing over his shoulder as Michael paused, finally turning at the commotion.
"Stay back, kaden. Ethan… you shouldn’t have come," Michael warned, eyes narrowed. "I don’t want to fight, but you’re not making sense!" With a flick of his wrist, Ethan sent a jet of red light toward Michael, who deflected it with a hasty shield. Spells crackled in the morning air, the ground trembling with their force. Kaden tried to step between them, shouting for them to stop, but neither listened.
In desperation, Ethan shouted the forbidden words, his voice trembling—"Avada Kedavra!"—and a sickly green light spiraled toward Michael. Michael barely managed to conjure a shield, deflecting the curse at the last second. The bolt arced wildly, striking Kaden, who collapsed without a sound, his wand clattering to the rocks. Silence fell, broken only by the distant roar of the lake below.
Ethan fell to his knees, staring at Kaden’s lifeless form, anguish twisting his features. Michael dropped his wand, eyes shining with tears as he knelt beside him, his voice barely a whisper—"Why did it have to end like this?" The only answer was the wind, keening mournfully along the edge of the world Ethan fell to the ground after a tiring battle, he was baffled he could cause such thing, his voice groggy—“ i am tired”.The world covered with darkness as Ethan fainted.
