The Grand Elder struggled to rise from the crater, pain lancing through his body as he forced himself to stand. Despite his injuries, his eyes were locked on Darius with fierce determination. The Emperor, too, had recovered, his golden aura flaring even brighter as he floated back into the air. Both of them realized that this was no ordinary battle. Darius was operating on a completely different level—one that could only be described as monstrous.
"Who sent you?" the Emperor demanded, his voice filled with authority even as his mind raced for a strategy. "If it's not the Shadow Sovereign, then who could command such power?"
Darius smirked beneath his dark hood. "As I said, you wouldn't comprehend it even if I told you. The forces at play here are far more complex than your empire's narrow view of the world. But I'll give you this much—there are powers beyond even the Sovereign, and I am but a servant of one such force."
