Kai felt a mix of anger and disappointment, but he knew he had to act fast. "Erik, you're not thinking straight. Put the artifact down and come with us."
Erik's response was a sneer. "I don't need you telling me what to do. I'm not weak like you all think."
With a swift motion, he sent another shockwave towards Kai, knocking him off his feet. The dragon node within Kai roared to life, and he could feel its power surging through his veins. He knew he had to put an end to this, but not without trying to reach out to his friend one last time.
"Erik, think about what you're doing," Kai called out, pushing himself up from the ice. "You're not alone here."
"Don't patronize me!" Erik yelled back, his eyes ablaze with power. He lifted the artifact, its icy weight seemingly inconsequential to him. "This is my path to greatness."
