Meanwhile, in the heart of Ardorr, chaos reigned.
Kael moved like a shadow through the crumbling ruins, his body almost weightless as he activated Void Step, phasing in and out of the battle, avoiding Krolith's devastating attacks. Each swing of the Darkspawn lieutenant's monstrous blade cleaved through the air with terrifying power, sending shockwaves through the ancient stone structures.
Kael's muscles screamed in protest as he combined the powers of his dual classes—VoidBlade and DeathCaller—his every move precise, deadly, and exhausting. His Status Multiplier amplified his strength, speed, and reflexes by 1.5 times, but the strain was pushing him to his absolute limit.
Varin fought at his side, his own power waning, but his resolve unshaken. His Void Step allowed him to phase in and out of existence, his attacks coming from impossible angles, confusing Krolith as he weaved through the battlefield. But Kael could see the toll it was taking. Varin's once-unstoppable Rebirth Core was failing him, and every time he reappeared, his movements were slower, more labored.
"Kael, we need to end this fast!" Varin's voice rang out, strained but determined. He dodged a powerful slash from Krolith's massive sword, disappearing into a void rift before reappearing behind the creature, delivering a vicious slash with his Distortion Blade. The Darkspawn howled in pain as its form distorted, time itself bending around it.
Kael gritted his teeth, summoning every ounce of power he had left. He activated Void Step, disappearing into the shadows, his body moving faster than the eye could follow. As he re-emerged, he unleashed his Soul Summon, calling forth the spirits of the fallen, their ghostly forms rising from the ground, their hollow eyes fixed on Krolith.
With a roar, Kael directed the spirits toward the Darkspawn, their spectral blades slicing through the air as they swarmed the massive creature. Krolith bellowed in fury, swinging his sword in wide arcs, trying to fend off the spectral attackers. But the spirits were relentless, their incorporeal forms passing through his defenses, each strike weakening the lieutenant further.
Varin took the opportunity to strike. He teleported behind Krolith once more, his Phantom Strike landing a critical blow on the creature's exposed back. The Darkspawn shrieked, its corrupted blood spilling across the broken stone of Ardorr.
Jermain, the Abyssal Beastmaster, charged into the fray, his form shadowed by the towering Void Beast he had summoned—a grotesque, monstrous creature of the Abyss, all sinew and bone, bound to his will. Its jagged maw snapped at Krolith, clashing against the Darkspawn in a fierce contest of strength. Jermain's hands glowed with Void energy, his connection to the beast tangible as they moved in tandem, their assault relentless.
"About time you got here!" Kael shouted, wiping the blood from his mouth as he steadied himself.
"Had to properly make the summon beast stronger," Jermain smirked, his eyes narrowing as his beast slammed into Krolith again, causing the ground beneath them to quake. "But you're not the only one having fun."
From the side, Oslo, strode forward, his massive Void Bulwark shield raised high. With a thundering roar, he summoned the Black Aegis, a shimmering barrier of pure Void energy that enveloped him, deflecting Krolith's savage attacks. The Darkspawn's claws met the shield with a deafening crash, but the Aegis held, reflecting a portion of the damage back at their foe.
Oslo bared his teeth in a fierce grin, the Void Fortress enhancing his armor and shield as he marched forward. "Try breaking through this, monster."
The combined might of Kael, Varin, Jermain, and Oslo bore down on Krolith, but even with their combined efforts, Krolith fought back with unrelenting fury. Each strike from Krolith seemed to grow stronger, the Abyssal corruption within it swelling with every passing second.
"We're running out of time," Varin said, his voice tight with urgency as he teleported again, dodging a swipe from Krolith. "If we don't end this soon, the Nightmare Darkspawn will be summoned."
Kael's mind raced. He could feel the drain of his Status Multiplier, the amplification taking its toll on his body and soul. His muscles screamed in protest, his vision blurring at the edges. But he couldn't stop. Not yet.
"Jermain, Oslo—keep him occupied!" Kael shouted, his voice hoarse. "I need a clear shot."
Jermain's Void Beast roared in response, slamming into Krolith with renewed ferocity, pinning the Darkspawn's legs as Oslo's Void Bulwark shielded them from its retaliatory blows.
"I hope you have something good up your sleeve," Oslo grunted, blocking another bone-shattering hit.
Kael didn't respond. His mind was focused, every ounce of his will channeled into his next move. He activated Void Step, disappearing into the shadows once again, his form vanishing from sight as he circled around Krolith.
In the Void, time moved differently. Kael felt the darkness wrap around him like a cloak, his senses heightened as he searched for an opening. Krolith's attention was divided, its fury focused on Jermain and Oslo.
"Now," Kael whispered to himself, emerging from the Void just behind the beast's exposed back.
With a flash, he summoned his most powerful Deathcaller skill—Soul Summon. The air around him grew cold, and from the ground, spectral figures rose. Souls long trapped between life and death, now bound to his command. They howled as they surged forward, their ethereal weapons cutting through the Abyssal corruption surrounding Krolith.
The Darkspawn let out a guttural scream as the spirits tore into it, their very essence eroding its dark energy. But it wasn't enough. Krolith, driven by the malevolent power of the Abyss, twisted in agony but refused to fall. It reared back, unleashing a final, desperate surge of Abyssal energy that sent the spirits scattering.
"Kael!" Varin shouted, his voice strained with warning.
Too late.
Krolith's massive claws swung down, a deathblow aimed directly at Kael. His eyes widened in the split second before impact, his body frozen in place by sheer exhaustion.
But the blow never landed.
Varin appeared in a flash of Void energy, his Distortion Blade slicing through the air as he intercepted Krolith's attack once again. The strain of using his Rebirth Core at such a critical moment left him gasping for breath, his legs buckling beneath him as he fell to one knee.
"Get... up," Varin grunted, his voice a hoarse whisper. "You... have to finish this."
Kael's heart clenched as he saw the state of his mentor. Varin's Rebirth Core was failing—his very essence fraying at the edges, each use of his abilities pushing him closer to the brink.
"I'm not leaving you," Kael growled, forcing himself to his feet.
"There's no time," Varin said, his gaze fierce despite the pain etched into his features. "You're the only one who can end this."
Krolith roared in frustration, preparing another strike, but Kael knew they couldn't hold out much longer. His mind raced, searching for a solution, anything that could turn the tide. And then, in the midst of the chaos, he saw it.
The Abyssal Anchor.
It was a massive, twisted structure of dark energy, pulsing with malevolent power. It was the source of Krolith's strength—the thing keeping the Darkspawn tied to this realm.
Kael's eyes locked onto the Anchor, his resolve hardening. "Oslo, we need to destroy the Anchor. It's the only way."
Oslo nodded, his breathing labored. "I'll buy you time."
Without another word, Kael sprinted toward the Anchor, his Void Step allowing him to phase through the battlefield, dodging Krolith's attempts to stop him. The Darkspawn was desperate now, its attacks wild and uncoordinated as it realized what Kael was about to do.
Reaching the Anchor, Kael summoned every last bit of his strength, pouring his remaining energy into his VoidBlade. The dagger glowed with dark energy, and with a shout, he plunged it into the heart of the Anchor.
The reaction was immediate.
The Anchor exploded in a burst of dark energy, sending shockwaves through the ruins.
Without missing another moment Kael dash toward Krolith. His Void Daggers flared with dark energy as he activated Dark Infusion, increasing his attack speed and power. The ground trembled beneath him as he leaped forward, his body a blur of motion as he closed the distance to Krolith.
His daggers plunged deep into the Darkspawn's chest, the combined force of his VoidBlade and Deathcaller abilities tearing through its Abyssal core. Krolith let out one final, earth-shattering roar before its body convulsed, dark energy spilling from the wound as its massive form began to disintegrate.
Krolith howled in agony, his massive form beginning to disintegrate, his body collapsing into ash and shadow.
For a moment, there was silence.
Kael fell to his knees, gasping for breath, the Void energy around him dissipating as his Status Multiplier deactivated. The others, bruised and battered, gathered around him, their faces etched with exhaustion.
"It's over," Oslo muttered, lowering his shield with a heavy sigh.
Jermain wiped the blood from his brow, his Void Beast fading back into the shadows. "Barely."
But then, the ground trembled again. Not from Krolith, but from something deeper—something far more ominous.
Kael fell to his knees, utterly spent, his body trembling from the exertion. Varin collapsed beside him, his Void Shield flickering out as his strength finally gave way.
"We did it," Kael panted, his vision swimming. "We… won."
But before they could catch their breath, the ground beneath them began to tremble. A deep, ominous rumble echoed through the ruins, and Kael's heart sank.
"This… this wasn't the end," Varin whispered, his voice weak but certain. "The Anchors… they were just a distraction."
Kael's eyes widened, realization dawning on him. The Anchors weren't the true threat. Something far worse was coming.
As the ground cracked beneath them, the sky above Ardorr darkened, and a terrible, overwhelming presence began to descend upon the battlefield. Kael's breath caught in his throat as he felt the weight of it—a force so powerful it threatened to tear apart the very fabric of reality.