Noir hovered in the sky, his eyes scanning the ruin below him. The battle had torn mountains asunder and flattened trees like mere blades of grass. To the soldiers and survivors on the ground, it was as if the gods themselves were locked in a death struggle. None dared intervene; fear gripped them, making them small, insignificant before the wrath of Noir.
But Noir's thoughts were elsewhere, and his fury grew with each passing moment. His brother's aura, faint and distant, gnawed at him, feeding the rage that now consumed him. The smirk that had always danced on his lips was gone, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. His voice dripped with arrogance. **"You annoy me. I think I've had enough fun with you."**
With blinding speed, Noir blitzed toward the demon—the former Duke—with a devastating punch, sending him crashing into the earth. The impact shattered the ground, creating a massive crater. Before the dust had time to settle, Noir was on him again, another blow digging the pit deeper. He raised his fist for a third strike, but the demon was faster this time, countering with a blast of energy that knocked Noir back into the air.
Hovering above, Noir's right eye glowed a fierce crimson, fire licking from its edges. **"Yami yo, teki o nomikomi nasai: Dark Magic... Greed."**
As the demon hurled itself toward him, the darkness swallowed it whole, consuming the creature as if it had never existed. The battle ended in eerie silence.
Noir's eyes shifted toward the direction Zuka had disappeared. His rage was no longer a simmer—it was a raging inferno. **"AHHHHHHHH!"** he screamed, smashing his fists into the ground. The earth gave way beneath his wrath, crumbling under the force of his blows. He kept punching, deeper and deeper, tearing through stone and soil as though they were nothing. Below, Lucian and the others could feel it, the tremors shaking the very walls of their underground prison. The sound echoed through the chamber, halting the battle between Kiaren, Segun, and the vampires.
Lucian's face twisted in fear as he called a bat from the shadows. **"Go... tell them to send reinforcements. If they don't come, we're all dead."**
The bat flew into the darkness, but the message would come too late. Noir was already upon them.
With a final, thunderous crash, Noir descended through the shattered ceiling, landing before Lucian. His body glitched, flickering with unrestrained fury, his face a mask of darkness. **"It's been a long time, Lu,"** he said coldly, his voice echoing through the chamber like a death knell.
Lucian froze, memories of their past flashing through his mind. He could barely make out Noir's figure in the dim light, but he could see the red glow of his eye, burning like a flame in the abyss. The sight sent shivers down Lucian's spine, but he composed himself quickly.
**"Why have you come here? You are not welcome."** His words were defiant, but his voice shook.
Noir stepped out of the shadows to the light that came from the large hole he just created, revealing his tall frame, his aura suffocating the air around them. Darkness whipped around him like a storm, bending the space. He disappeared, only to reappear behind Lucian in a blink. Before Lucian could react, Noir's hand pierced through his chest, gripping his heart. Lucian's body stood upright for a breathless moment, then crumbled to the floor, lifeless.
Varyn stood frozen in disbelief, fear rooting him to the spot.
Noir turned to him, his voice as cold as death itself. **"What about you? Do you wish to join him?"**
Before Varyn could answer, Noir appeared in front of him, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him into the wall. The sound of stone cracking echoed through the room. **"I know you won't talk, vampire. But I'll get what I want."**
With a snap of his fingers, Noir's hand darkened, pulsing with raw energy. He placed it on Varyn's face, and in an instant, he saw everything—the battle, Zuka's capture, the vampires' treachery. The process drained Varyn, leaving him a lifeless husk. Noir let the body fall to the ground, a smirk returning to his lips. **"I know where he is,"** he said, his voice thick with anticipation. **"Revenge, you see, is not merely an act—it's an art. And when I paint the final stroke, it will be a masterpiece of suffering."**
Kiaren approached cautiously. **"What now, my lord?"**
Noir's eyes flicked toward him. **"We wait,"** he said, his voice dripping with malice.
As the tension thickened, Noir turned his gaze to Segun, who stood in the shadows, still reeling from the brutal scene before him. Noir studied him with keen interest. **"You there... who are you?"**
Before Segun could answer, Kiaren stepped in. **"He is an unexpected ally, my liege. A former slave, but he defended the place where Elyndris was kept."**
Noir's smirk deepened, but there was a dangerous edge to it. **"So, Kiaren, you keep an enemy by your side?"**
**"No, my lord,"** Kiaren replied, his voice steady. **"He came of his own will."**
The room fell silent for a moment. Noir's gaze lingered on Segun, his eyes piercing. **"And why, did you come to help me?"** Kiaren asked, turning to Segun.
Segun hesitated, his mind racing. **"My instincts... led me to follow you. I overheard what you and the vampires said. You spoke the truth."**
Noir looked intensely towards segun, his interest deepened. **"You intrigue me. What race are you?"**
**"I'm of Naij, sir,"** Segun replied cautiously.
**"I know. But what race is the Naij?"**
**"Mostly beastmen, and some are humans. I'm a mix of werewolf and werelion, though I don't look much like beastlike. Because I have the ability to shapeshift."**
**"Lovely,"** Noir mused, his smirk returning. **"And how long have you been here?"**
Segun's face darkened. **"Almost all my life. I was brought here when I was twelve. I remember very little of my life before this. This is the only world I've known."**
Noir's eyes narrowed, understanding dawning on him. **"I see. They wiped your memories. That's why you feel an attachment to them, these bastards. You've known nothing but their abuse, so you don't remember the life they stole from you."** His tone grew colder. **"I plan to kill everyone here, so I'll give you a choice—join me, or die with them."**
Segun's heart pounded. His entire life flashed before him, the only existence he had ever known suddenly revealed as a lie. But how could he betray them? Even now, he owed them something. His mind raced, searching for answers.
**"I... I'm sorry, but I can't,"** Segun stammered. **"You may say what they do is wicked, but it's all I've ever known. I can't betray them. Even now... they took care of me."**
Kiaren stepped forward, shaking his head. **"No..."**
Noir's smirk turned deadly. In a flash, he blitzed toward Segun, katana in hand, the blade arcing toward his throat. But before it could connect, Kiaren intercepted the blow with one of Segun's swords.
**"My lord, please reconsider!"** Kiaren's voice was strong, yet respectful. **"He doesn't have to die."**
Noir's eyes gleamed with amusement. **"You would dare defy me for a stranger?"**
**"I'm sorry, my lord, but this is rash. Aren't we becoming like the vampires we just defeated? Why kill a man who is lost and alone, with no knowledge of the life he's been denied? He's young, and all he knows is this. Do you expect him to make a choice with a blade to his throat?"** Kiaren's voice held a quiet fury. **"What if it was you, and someone told you your family was evil?"**
Noir's eyes narrowed. **"Why do you protect him?"**
**"Because I see myself in him. I will not stand by and let such potential go to waste."** Kiaren's tone was resolute.
A tense silence hung in the air. Finally, Noir stepped back, his smirk returning. **"Fine. Run along, Segun. But cross me again, and I'll kill you."**
Segun hesitated for only a moment before disappearing into the shadows.
**"Segun!"** Kiaren called, but the warlock didn't look back.
**"Leave him,"** Noir said, turning away. But then, his eyes narrowed, sensing something sinister and intriguing in the distance. **"Come. We have more pressing matters."** He glanced at Kiaren with a playful smirk.