The aftermath of the boulder's devastating impact left Voldrak standing amidst a sea of destruction. Dust hung thick in the air, and the ground beneath him still trembled from the shock. Dark energy crackled around him—not from anger, but from the sheer necessity of holding his form and controlling the chaos around him. The battlefield was a wasteland of bodies, debris, and crumbled fortifications.
Despite the devastation, Voldrak remained calm. His black eyes swept across the carnage with a cold, calculating gaze, assessing the damage without letting emotion cloud his thoughts. His dark energy wrapped around the nearest survivors, pulling them to safety from the wreckage.
Flonda, limping and bloodied but still standing, approached him cautiously. Her face was pale, fear flickering in her eyes, but she knew Voldrak well enough to trust he wouldn't lash out at her.
"Voldrak..." she whispered, her voice shaky yet steady enough to convey the gravity of the situation. "More than half of them are dead."
Voldrak turned to her, his expression impassive but not hostile. "I know," he replied, his voice low and controlled—a stark contrast to the chaos around them.
Flonda exhaled in relief at his calm response, though her body still trembled from exhaustion. "They disappeared... they left as soon as—"
"I know," Voldrak interrupted, nodding. His mind was already racing. "It was planned. They're powerful."
He glanced skyward to where the massive boulder had come from, then down at the wreckage of crushed stone and bodies. The thought of Loibart summoning a mountain-sized boulder was impressive, but Voldrak couldn't help wondering how many more times Loibart could pull off such a feat.
'Everyone's useless, aren't they?' Voldrak mused, considering if it wouldn't have been better to simply drain the survivors and raise them again under his control.
"Find the rest of the survivors," he ordered, turning back to Flonda. "Vordia will move soon."
Flonda blinked, surprised, then quickly nodded. "Wouldn't it be better if we waited—"
"He won't wait," Voldrak snapped, his eyes narrowing as they settled on Adrani, who stood a few feet behind him, unharmed. His gaze lingered on her, knowing she could strike, but confident she wouldn't.
"Gather those still alive," Voldrak continued, his tone cold. "....then Rumena and Hema in charge. Find me once you're done, there's something I need to try." satisfied to see a glint of understanding flash in Flonda's eyes coupled with a hint of shock for a split second before she bowed.
"Yes, my lord." She hurried off to carry out his orders.
Voldrak's dark energy flickered as he attempted to summon more, but it faded before he could even gather a handful. The soldiers he had raised with his power remained still, their only connection to him barely intact.
Voldrak stared at the spot where Loibart and Seraphi had appeared from. He wasn't angry. There was no room for emotion, even with the bodies littering the ground.
'I'll kill them,' he thought, just as they had intended to kill him. Realizing that trying to fight with only half of the powers he had in his grasp would sooner get him killed.
*******************************************
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Vordia stood respectfully before Seraphi and Loibart. The remnants of their portal shimmered briefly before fading into the air. Loibart, his slender frame trembling slightly, leaned against a tree, his face pale and his breath labored. He had clearly overexerted himself, using more energy than his body could handle.
"Loibart," Vordia said softly, his voice filled with deference. "You've done more than anyone could have asked. The boulder was... extraordinary."
Loibart waved his hand dismissively, though his face betrayed the exhaustion he felt. "It was necessary. But I won't be able to do something like that again for a while. The strain... it was more than I anticipated."
Seraphi stood beside him, her dark hair flowing gracefully down her back, her blue robes fluttering slightly in the wind. She was the picture of calm, her presence commanding and almost regal. Her eyes were sharp, cold, as she watched Vordia carefully.
"You owe us for this," Seraphi said softly, her voice carrying a subtle warning.
"I am in your debt," Vordia continued, his tone filled with respect. "And I will repay you tenfold. Once Voldrak falls, I will bring his body to you, and we will share in the spoils of his energy. We will all rise to heights beyond our wildest dreams."
Seraphi raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a faint smile. "We'll hold you to that, Vordia. Voldrak's energy is potent... intoxicating, even. It will be quite the feast."
Vordia chuckled, though it was a strained, almost nervous sound. "Indeed. Together, we will all benefit from his fall."
Loibart, still weary from the battle, tiredly and sluggishly pushed himself off the tree he had been leaning against. "We've done our part for now. You'll take care of the rest, won't you, Vordia?" His voice was low, his words laced with caution.
Vordia bowed his head again. "Of course. Voldrak's end is near. And when it comes, you'll have your share. You have my word."
Seraphi's eyes glittered, though something about her smile didn't reach them. "Good," she said softly. "We'll be watching, Vordia. Don't disappoint us."
Before Vordia could respond, Loibart flicked his hand, and the shimmering portal behind them began to swirl with renewed energy. With a single step, they both vanished into its depths, disappearing without a trace. The silence of the forest pressed in around Vordia, the faint hum of the portal fading into nothingness.
For a moment, Vordia stood still, staring at the spot where they had been. His face was a mask of calm, but as soon as they were gone, the tension in his body melted away, replaced by something far darker—a glee that bubbled up from deep within him.
"Fools..." Vordia whispered, his lips curling into a wicked grin. He began to chuckle softly, the sound growing louder and more unhinged as it echoed through the trees. "You think I'll share Voldrak's power? You think I'll let you bask in his energy alongside me?"
"Loibart is currently weakened!"
His laughter turned manic, his eyes gleaming with madness. "Once I have Voldrak's strength, none of you will stand in my way. I'll crush you all, and every last drop of that power will be mine."
Vordia's hands clenched into fists, the anticipation thrumming through his veins. The very thought of wielding Voldrak's dark energy, of surpassing both Seraphi and Loibart in power, sent a shiver of excitement down his spine.
He turned back toward his camp, his eyes alight with the madness of his ambition. Soon, very soon, everything he desired would be within his grasp.
*****************************************
Seraphi and Loibart emerged from the portal in a high resplendent room that seemed to have been entirely made with gold, as they stood beside a high window in what appeared to be a huge mansion, the night air quiet and cool as they stepped out.
But they had just done so when Loibart's bent back immediately straightened up. The tiredness on his face gone, almost like it had been wiped off with a piece of cloth.
Seraphi didn't even glance at him, her mind elsewhere. Her eyes were distant, calculating, as if she were already ten steps ahead of everything unfolding.
"You can do it one more time can't you?" she coolly asked, satisfied to see a grin slowly spread across Loibart's face.
"Two more times, if you want. I'm not so weak!"
Seraphi's gaze flickered over to him for a brief moment, but then she looked away, her expression unreadable. "Still, rest. The entirety of pretense is in every breath. The next part of our plan is already in motion."
Loibart frowned, but nodded falling on the ground as he began to struggle to catch his breath. "What about Vordia? Do you really think he'll keep his word? He's already drunk on ambition."
Seraphi's lips curled into a slow, knowing smile. "Of course he won't. Vordia's too predictable. He'll try to betray us the moment he feels powerful enough to challenge us."
Loibart's eyes darkened, the weight of her words sinking in. "Then why are we helping him? Why not crush him before he has the chance?"
Seraphi's smile widened, a cold, predatory gleam in her eyes. "Because, Loibart, Vordia is our distraction. He's obsessed with Voldrak, and that obsession blinds him. Let him think he's winning, let him believe that he's on the path to power."
You're so sure Vordia will fail," he began, eyes narrowing in thought. "But what if he doesn't? What if he manages to defeat Voldrak and take all his power for himself? He could easily turn on us. You know how ambitious he is..."
Seraphi turned to face him, her expression calm, almost amused. Her eyes glinted with a chilling confidence, the kind that unsettled even someone as shrewd as Loibart.
"He'll fail," she said, her voice smooth and unwavering, like she was stating a fact rather than a possibility.
Loibart studied her for a moment, his earlier concerns still lingering. "And what if your plan doesn't unfold the way you expect?"
Seraphi smiled, that same unsettling confidence radiating from her. "It will.
Loibart sighed, pushing aside his lingering doubts, trusting in Seraphi's confidence, at least for now. "Let's just make sure when the dust settles, we're the ones left standing," he muttered.
Seraphi's eyes gleamed in the moonlight, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "We will be."