The ground shook violently beneath Kamal's feet as he swung his massive warhammer, crushing another Darkspawn into the crumbling earth. His muscles ached from the relentless combat, sweat dripping from his brow, but there was no time to stop. The remaining Darkspawns swarmed around him like a pack of rabid beasts, clawing and screeching as they tried to overwhelm him. Every second counted.
Kamal gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with resolve. He wasn't going to let them die down here—not on his watch.
"Go!" Kamal had roared earlier, his voice echoing through the crumbling cavern as Andrew and Sena had hesitated at the escape route. "I've got this! Just get out!"
Reluctantly, they had listened, disappearing into the dark tunnels leading back to the surface. Now, Kamal was alone, facing the endless tide of Darkspawns.
He ducked under a swipe from a particularly large Darkspawn, its claws blackened with abyssal corruption. With a powerful swing, Kamal's warhammer connected with its torso, sending it crashing into the stone wall with a sickening crunch.
But the real threat still stood behind the creatures—the Abyssal Anchor.
The anchor towered in the distance, a massive pillar etched with glowing, pulsing runes that radiated malevolent energy. At its peak, an artifact hovered—a pulsating sphere of dark power, the source of the Abyss's corruption that seeped into the surrounding lands. Destroying that artifact was the key.
Andrew and Sena had already made their escape, fleeing through the collapsing Abyssal plane as Kamal held the line. He had volunteered to stay behind, to buy them precious time. The mission had taken its toll on all of them, but now it was Kamal who stood alone against the twisted monstrosities of the Abyss.
His warhammer swung in wide arcs, each strike sending Darkspawns flying back with the force of a hurricane. Their bodies crumbled under the weight of his blows, but more kept coming—twisted abominations of the Abyss, drawn to the power of the Abyssal Anchor that still loomed ominously in the distance.
Kamal's breaths came in ragged gasps, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the weight of exhaustion creeping up on him, but he couldn't afford to slow down. Not yet. The Darkspawns needed to be cleared, or Andrew and Sena would never make it out alive.
Another Darkspawn lunged at him, its claws aimed for his throat. Kamal reacted instinctively, twisting to the side and bringing his hammer down in a crushing arc. The beast let out a high-pitched wail as its skull caved in, its body dissolving into the abyssal energy from whence it came. But Kamal had no time to savor the kill. More were coming, and he could see the endless waves crawling out from the cracks in the collapsing walls.
Kamal spun his warhammer with ease, the massive weapon moving with surprising speed. The impact of the hammer's head against the creature's skull was immediate and brutal, sending a sickening crack through the air. The Darkspawn's body crumpled, lifeless, before it hit the ground.
But there were more. Dozens more.
The ground seemed to writhe with the corrupted energy of the Abyss, and Darkspawns poured from every crevice, their snarls and howls reverberating through the chamber. Kamal tightened his grip on the warhammer, his jaw set as he prepared to face the onslaught.
"Come on, then," he growled. "I've got plenty of fight left."
With a battle cry that echoed through the collapsing caverns, Kamal charged forward, his warhammer swinging in wide arcs, each strike crashing down with the force of an avalanche. The first wave of Darkspawns fell under his relentless assault, their bodies crushed into the stone, but for every one he killed, another seemed to take its place.
Sweat dripped down Kamal's brow as he smashed his hammer into the ground, creating a shockwave that sent several Darkspawns flying. The power of the hammer surged through him, but he could feel the strain building. His arms ached with the sheer weight of his attacks, but he refused to slow down. He couldn't afford to.
Not with the Abyssal Anchor so close.
Kamal's eyes darted to the far end of the chamber, where the Anchor loomed. It pulsed with dark energy, a twisted monolith of black stone covered in Abyssal runes, the source of the corruption spreading through the region. Destroying it would sever the flow of Abyssal energy and prevent further damage—but getting to it wasn't going to be easy.
With a grunt, Kamal slammed his hammer into the ground again, creating a brief moment of reprieve as the Darkspawns were momentarily knocked back. Breathing heavily, he charged forward, his warhammer cutting a path through the mass of writhing creatures.
A particularly large Darkspawn, twice the size of the others, lunged at him with a guttural roar. Its massive claws swiped at Kamal, who ducked and rolled to the side. The creature's strike missed by inches, leaving deep gashes in the stone floor.
Kamal swung his hammer in a tight arc, catching the beast in the side. The blow sent the creature stumbling, but it quickly recovered, turning on Kamal with a snarl. Black tendrils of Abyssal energy coiled around the beast's claws, and Kamal knew he couldn't afford to let it land a hit.
The creature lunged again, its claws crackling with Abyssal power.
Kamal's eyes narrowed. He shifted his stance, planting his feet firmly on the ground, and with a thunderous roar, he brought his warhammer down with all his might. The head of the hammer collided with the creature's skull, shattering it in a single, devastating blow. The Darkspawn collapsed, its body dissolving into a pool of dark energy.
Panting, Kamal glanced toward the Abyssal Anchor. It pulsed ominously, the darkness around it growing thicker, more tangible. He could feel it draining the energy from the world around him, feeding on the corruption it spread.
"I'm ending this," Kamal growled, his eyes blazing with determination.
The remaining Darkspawns swarmed toward him, but Kamal didn't falter. He spun his warhammer again, sweeping them aside like leaves in a storm. Every strike was a testament to his unyielding strength, every blow hammering home his resolve. The ground beneath him cracked with each impact, the stone splintering under the force of his attacks.
As he neared the Abyssal Anchor, Kamal could feel the weight of its presence pressing down on him. The closer he got, the more it felt like the air itself was suffocating him, crushing him under the sheer force of the Abyss.
But Kamal didn't stop.
With a final surge of energy, he cleared the last of the Darkspawns from his path. His body screamed in protest, every muscle burning with exhaustion, but he forced himself forward. The Abyssal Anchor loomed before him, towering and menacing, its runes glowing with malevolent power.
Kamal raised his warhammer high, summoning every last ounce of strength he had left. His arms trembled with the effort, his vision swimming, but he pushed through the pain. This was his moment. This was what he had fought for.
With a primal roar, Kamal brought the warhammer crashing down on the Abyssal Anchor.
The impact was like a bolt of lightning. The dark stone of the Anchor cracked and splintered, Abyssal energy spilling out in a violent surge. The runes flickered and died as the Anchor collapsed, crumbling into a heap of blackened rubble.
For a moment, there was silence.
Andrew and Sena stood on the jagged surface, the ground itself vibrating with barely contained energy, the echoes of Kamal's last stand still reverberating in their ears.
Andrew's face was pale, the memory of leaving Kamal behind gnawing at him, but his determination was unshaken. Beside him, Sena's wide eyes scanned the surroundings, her breaths shallow as she fought to maintain her composure.
"Kamal… he's alive, right?" Sena's voice cracked. The question hung between them, fragile as a thread in the overwhelming silence of the Abyss.
Andrew clenched his fists, biting back the guilt that clawed at his insides. "He'll make it. He's stronger than any of us." But the words felt hollow, as if he were trying to convince himself more than her.
Before Sena could respond, a blinding flash erupted from the direction of the Abyssal Anchor. The energy rippled through the air, a shockwave of pure, raw power that sent them both staggering back. The sky itself seemed to distort, the oppressive darkness momentarily pierced by a surge of light before it faded back into calm.
"What the hell was that?" Sena gasped, her heart hammering in her chest.
Andrew's eyes narrowed, scanning the area where the Anchor had once stood. Then, from the swirling haze of Abyssal dust, a figure emerged. Kamal, dragging his colossal hammer behind him, his body battered and bruised, armor cracked and bloodied.
"I… I destroyed the Anchor," Kamal rasped, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kamal staggered back, his warhammer slipping from his hands as he fell to one knee. His body felt like it had been drained of every ounce of strength, his vision blurring as exhaustion finally caught up with him.
He took another step forward, but his legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground, utterly spent. "Now… we can only hope Kael and the others destroyed theirs."
Andrew and Sena rushed to his side, the weight of his words sinking in. The Anchor was gone, but there was no time to celebrate. The true threat still loomed—if Kael failed, everything they'd done would be for nothing.
Sena knelt beside Kamal, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Rest. We'll take it from here."
Andrew looked around, his mind racing. "We need to regroup. There's still too much we don't understand about the Abyss Cult plans. And that surge… something's not right."
Sena's gaze hardened, and she stood, nodding toward the distance. "We can't afford to stop now. Whatever's coming, we need to be ready."
Andrew glanced back at Kamal, then at the horizon where the next fight awaited. His gut told him this was far from over. He could feel the Abyss shifting around them, as though the very plane itself was reacting to the destruction of the Anchor. But there was no time for hesitation.
"We move. Now."