Kael stood alone on the rocky ridge, the sunlight casting long shadows across the battlefield. Before him, the Naga army stretched out like a sea of serpents, their sinuous bodies glistening under the rising sun as their tails slithered towards him. They were all dressed in scaly armour, some were archers with bows and arrows laced with venom.
The sheer magnitude of their numbers, over ten thousand strong, would have been enough to send almost anyone fleeing in terror. But Kael stood unfazed, his white hair flowing in the wind, his eyes shifted colour from its initial blue to crimson as they fixed on the figure at the head of the horde—Veridian, the Naga King.
Veridian, adorned in golden armor, his crimson tail thrashing in anticipation, held the Eye of Naga in his right hand, high above his head. The relic pulsated with a malevolent energy that matched the rhythmic advance of his army. The ground trembled beneath their collective might, the air thick with the scent of venom and magic.
Kael's voice cut through the tension, deep and resonant, echoing across the battlefield. "Veridian, you of all people should know that the Nagas are not allowed to attack the Garudas under the watch of the guardians. Especially, when the war was instigated by the Nagas and Najas to begin with. Return with your army back to Oephidia. Your treachery and deciet will soon be revealed to your people, but you will not attack Kragnir today."
Veridian's laughter was cold and sharp, a serpent's hiss magnified tenfold. "You think you can threaten me, Kael? With what? Your demon powers or perhaps your celestial powers? You think you're a match for ten thousand nagas and I, not to mention the eye of Naga?" His voice carried with a cruel edge as he gestured to his forces. "My warriors are ready to die for our cause. They will not retreat, nor will I. Your threats are meaningless here. We march on Kragnir, and nothing will stop us, not even you."
Kael's eyes flickered with a fleeting concern as he watched the Naga army surge forward. For a moment, the weight of what he was about to do settled heavily on his shoulders. These weren't mindless creatures; they were warriors, bound by duty to their king, and he was about to unleash devastation upon them. But there was no room for hesitation now. His mission was clear, and the safety of Kragnir depended on it. As his resolve hardened, the crimson in his eyes deepened, and he reminded himself that mercy here would only lead to more bloodshed later. The stakes were too high, and he had no choice but to unleash his power.
Across the battlefield, Veridian's confidence wavered, a flicker of doubt creeping into his otherwise steely gaze. Kael noticed it, the way Veridian's grip tightened around the Eye of Naga, as if the relic alone could stave off the inevitable. But beneath the king's bravado, Kael could see the beginnings of desperation—an understanding that perhaps he had underestimated the force standing before him. Veridian's lips curled into a snarl, but the bravado rang hollow. Kael could sense it, a crack in the Naga king's iron facade, and he knew that Veridian's fear, more than any magic, could be a fatal weakness.
Kael's eyes started glowing intensely as he furrowed his brow in concentration, preparing himself for battle. "Very well then," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You leave me no choice."
With a dismissive wave of his hand, Kael deployed duplication magic. In an instant, dozens of Kaels materialized, each one identical, each one standing with the same unwavering resolve. The Naga army hesitated, confused by the sudden appearance of so many opponents.
"Attack!" Veridian roared, his voice laced with fury. "Destroy him!"
The Naga warriors surged forward, their bodies shifting and warping as they transformed into enormous serpents, some growing multiple heads as they unleashed their venomous fury. Water swirled around them, a tidal wave of Naga and Naja magic crashing towards Kael's duplicates.
Kael's duplicates moved as one, each one raising a hand to the sky. The clouds above darkened, and a torrent of rain began to pour down. But instead of empowering the Nagas, the water froze mid-air, crystallizing into jagged spears of ice. With a flick of his wrist, Kael sent the ice shards hurtling toward the advancing Nagas, countering their water magic with elemental manipulation.
As the icy shards rained down upon thousands of Naga and Naja army, their usually fluid movements became stiff and labored. The water within their bodies, which they relied on for strength and agility, began to freeze, causing their scales to harden and their muscles to lock up. The ice shards' thermal shock disrupted their control over the surrounding water, rendering their aquatic magic useless. Many of the ten thousand Naga warriors stumbled and fell, their bodies encased in a thin layer of frost, their hisses and snarls muffled by the sudden, biting cold. The once-formidable army was now faltering, their numbers dwindling as the ice shards continued to pierce their ranks, shattering their unity and leaving them vulnerable to further attack by Kael and his duplicates.
The Nagas retaliated, their venomous fangs dripping with a lethal poison. The ground beneath Kael and his duplicates rippled as the serpents struck, but Kael was ready. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed divine magic, purifying the venom and neutralizing its deadly effects. The once-toxic attacks dissolved into harmless mist as they came into contact with his purification magic.
Veridian, seeing his warriors falter, unleashed the power of the Eye of Naga. A beam of concentrated energy shot from the relic, aimed directly at Kael and his duplicates. But Kael, undeterred, conjured a shimmering shield of celestial energy. The beam collided with the shield, its power dissipating in a brilliant burst of light.
"Is that all you've got?" Kael taunted, his voice echoing through the ranks of the Nagas. But even as he spoke, his next move was already underway.
With a single thought, Kael wove a complex tapestry of powerful celestial illusions around the battlefield, manipulating reality. The air was filled with the sweet scent of stardust and the distant whisper of celestial voices. The ground trembled beneath the Nagas' feet, like the reverberation of a thousand drums.
The sky darkened with swirling stars, and their own forms appeared to multiply, blending with the phantoms created by Kael's magic. The Nagas, disoriented and confused, lashed out at shadows and mirages, their hisses turning to snarls of frustration as they struck at empty air. Kael's eyes blazed with an inner fire as he maintained the intricate web of deceptions, his hands dancing in a intricate pattern, as if conducting a symphony of illusions. His eyes glowed, his focus remained unwavering.
Veridian's eyes narrowed as he realized the tide was turning against him. Desperation crept into his voice as he bellowed to his warriors, "Do not stop! Use everything you have! The Eye will guide us to victory!" But his words lacked the confidence they once held. The Nagas, who had always prided themselves on their unyielding strength and resilience, now found themselves disoriented and outmatched.
Kael's celestial illusions played tricks on their senses, twisting the battlefield into a maze of shadows and light. Serpentine warriors lashed out at phantoms, their venomous fangs sinking into nothing but air. The ground beneath them seemed to shift and warp, adding to their confusion. The once-fierce Nagas hesitated, their confidence shaken by the overwhelming might they now faced.
Kael, sensing their confusion, pressed his advantage further. With a single thought, he unleashed a wave of elemental fury, summoning the forces of nature to his side. The earth beneath the Nagas began to crack and shatter, sending shockwaves through their ranks. Fire ignited from the cracks, dancing along the ground and forcing the serpentine soldiers to retreat in disarray. Those who attempted to counter with their own water magic found their attacks evaporating into steam before they could even reach Kael. The power of the Eye of Naga, once thought invincible, seemed insignificant in the face of Kael's mastery over the elements. Veridian's warriors, once a united front, were now scattered and vulnerable, their fear growing with each passing moment.
As the battle raged on, Kael's eyes locked onto Veridian. The Naga King, still clutching the Eye of Naga, struggled to maintain his composure. His once-confident smirk had turned into a grimace as he fought to control the chaotic energy swirling around him. Kael moved with blinding speed, appearing before Veridian in an instant.
The two clashed, the air around them crackling with energy. Veridian swung the Eye, sending a powerful blast of energy towards Kael, but Kael deflected it effortlessly with a shield of arcane light. Veridian's frustration grew as Kael remained calm and focused, his every move precise and calculated.
The Naga King's once formidable power seemed to crumble under the weight of Kael's relentless assault, each attack met with an even greater force. The battlefield around them was a testament to Kael's dominance, the Nagas retreating in fear as their king faced the full fury of the guardian.
Veridian's anger intensified as he struggled to maintain control over his forces. The Eye of Naga blazed with renewed fury as he channeled its power to bolster the Nagas' resolve. But Kael was prepared for this. With a surge of cosmic energy, he directed a concentrated blast towards Veridian, aiming to disrupt the connection between the Veridian and the relic.
The blast struck Veridian, forcing him to stagger back. For a moment, the light of the Eye dimmed, but Veridian's will was strong. He roared, unleashing a wave of serpentine magic that reformed the shattered bodies of ranks of his army that had fallen, reassembling their scales, flesh and bones and aiding their regeneration and revival.
Kael's expression hardened as he realized Veridian would not yield. He devised another plan. With a burst of speed, Kael blurred across the battlefield, moving faster than the eye could follow. The air whistled past his ears as he dodged and weaved through the chaotic melee, his time manipulation allowing him to outmaneuver the Nagas with ease.
Time seemed to slow around him, the Nagas' movements becoming sluggish and predictable. The battlefield became a blur, except for Veridian, who remained sharp and clear in Kael's focus. Veridian's eyes narrowed, sensing the sudden shift in time and space. In mere seconds, Kael was upon him, his eyes burning with an unyielding determination.
Veridian barely had time to react before Kael struck. The impact of Kael's cosmic energy sent Veridian reeling, the Eye of Naga slipping from his grasp as he lost his balance. Kael seized the opportunity, his hands glowing with power as he prepared to finish the fight.
But Veridian was not so easily defeated. Regaining his balance and grabbing the eye, he lunged at Kael, his tail whipping with deadly precision. Kael blocked the attack with a shield of arcane energy, but the force was enough to send Veridian hurling backward.
The two faced each other, the tension palpable. Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, their duel was a pocket of focused intensity. The air was heavy with the scent of ozone and smoke, the smell of magic and sweat. The sound of clashing steel as Kael's duplicates fought the Nagas, the hiss of Nagas, and the hum of celestial energy filled the air.
Kael's eyes gleamed with a fierce light, his smile a thin, confident line. His duplicates moved with precision and speed, a testament to his mastery of the battlefield. Veridian's eyes narrowed, his gaze darting between Kael and his duplicates, searching for an opening. A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face, a momentary lapse in his composure. Yet, despite their numbers, it was clear that Kael was in control.
"Last chance, Veridian," Kael said, his voice carrying the weight of his resolve. "Surrender now, or face the full extent of my power."
Veridian's eyes blazed with defiance. "Never. The Nagas will never surrender to you or the Garudas. We will take Kragnir, and with the Eye, I will—"
Before he could finish, Kael unleashed a final, overwhelming surge of cosmic energy.
As Kael unleashed his cosmic energy, a surge of raw power erupted from within him, cascading across the battlefield like a tidal wave of destruction as he aimed a blast at Veridian.
The blast struck Veridian with the force of a falling star, Veridian's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible...! No force can rival the power of the eye!" he bellowed, his voice laced with defiance. But as the energy coursed through his body, he stumbled to the ground, his connection to the elements faltering. "Aaagh! How could you be so powerful?!" he snarled, his body glowing with elemental energy as he tried to resist the cosmic force.
The ground trembled, and the very air crackled with the intensity of Kael's might. Veridian's warriors, who moments before had been relentless in their assault, now faltered. Their scales and body glistened with sweat, their eyes wide with a newfound terror. The once organized ranks of the Naga army began to break apart, warriors retreating in every direction as the sheer force of Kael's energy overwhelmed their senses.
The sky itself seemed to darken in response, as if nature itself recoiled from the battle's fierce onslaught. Kael's duplicates pressed the advantage, their movements precise and unyielding, forcing the Naga soldiers further back, their courage shattered under the weight of Kael's relentless power. Veridian's hold on them weakened, and the unspoken truth became clear: their king was no match for the force of a guardian who had faced gods and prevailed.
Despite Veridian's valiant efforts, Veridian's voice grew weaker, his words laced with desperation. "No...! My connection to the elements...! It's being torn apart! I will not be defeated! I will show you the true power of the eye!" But it was too late, his body destabilizing as his elemental energy flailed wildly, his consciousness torn asunder by the cosmic energy surge.
With a final, anguished cry, Veridian's body disintegrated, his essence ripped apart by the unforgiving power of the cosmos. Veridian had fallen. The Eye of Naga tumbled from his grasp, its glow fading as it rolled to a stop at Kael's feet.