---
Scene: Deep Forest, Midnight
The battle had begun the moment Cyras's taunting words left his lips. Mordryn's power surged as ancient energy pulsed through his veins. With a flick of his hand, the ground trembled, a fissure cracking open beneath Cyras's feet. But Cyras merely smirked, raising his own hand to counter, his magic swirling like a dark storm around him.
Cyras:
"You haven't changed, Mordryn. Still relying on brute force."
Mordryn's eyes glowed with a cold fury as he leapt forward, summoning spears of shadow from the earth itself, each one aimed directly at Cyras's chest.
Mordryn:
"And you still talk too much."
The spears shot forward, but Cyras moved faster, his form blurring as he dodged with impossible speed. The spears shattered against the trees behind him, the ground shaking as their magic collided.
For hours, the battle raged on, each strike sending shockwaves through the earth. The sky above them seemed to ripple, the very fabric of reality bending under the weight of their power. Lightning cracked across the darkened sky, though there were no clouds, and the forest around them was torn apart, trees uprooted and rocks splintered into dust.
---
Scene: City Guild Hall
Meanwhile, back in the city, Kang Wo Hu burst into the Guild Hall, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. The room was filled with guild members—Hunters of all ranks—who looked up in confusion as she stumbled in.
Guild Master:
"Kang Wo Hu? What's going on? You're supposed to be on a hunt."
Kang Wo Hu doubled over, trying to catch her breath, her heart still pounding from the overwhelming energy she had felt when she left Mordryn behind. She could feel the tremors even here, miles away from the forest.
Kang Wo Hu:
"There's... a man... named Cyras... fighting Mordryn in the forest. It's—" she struggled to get the words out "It's like nothing I've ever seen before. The ground is shaking all over the region."
The Hunters exchanged nervous glances. They had felt the tremors, but none of them had expected this. The Guild Master stepped forward, his expression darkening.
Guild Master:
"Cyras? You said Cyras?"
Kang Wo Hu nodded, her eyes wide with fear.
Kang Wo Hu:
"Yes. He... he said his name was Cyras. And Mordryn... he seemed to know him. They're fighting right now, but Mordryn didn't want me involved."
The room fell into an uneasy silence. Many of the older Hunters exchanged worried glances, but none of them spoke.
Finally, one of the senior guild members stepped forward, his face pale.
Senior Hunter:
"Cyras... There's no way. It can't be the same one. That's impossible."
Kang Wo Hu frowned, confused by the sudden tension in the room.
Kang Wo Hu:
"What are you talking about? Who is he?"
The Guild Master sighed heavily, his voice low and serious.
Guild Master:
"Cyras is a name from ancient times. He's one of the 'Gods'—one of the beings we believed had ascended long ago, after the war that destroyed Valendar. There are myths about him... that he was sealed away with the others."
Kang Wo Hu's eyes widened in disbelief. The so-called "Gods" were nothing more than stories told to children. They were legends—beings of immense power, worshipped by some, but never believed to be real.
Kang Wo Hu:
"There's no way... that can't be true. He's just a man! I saw him with my own eyes."
The Guild Master shook his head slowly, a grim expression on his face.
Guild Master:
"If it's truly him... then Mordryn is in more danger than any of us could have imagined."
The other Hunters began murmuring amongst themselves, fear spreading through the room like wildfire. The idea that one of the legendary "Gods" could be walking among them, fighting in their world, was more than any of them could comprehend.
---
Scene: Forest Battlefield
Back in the forest, Mordryn and Cyras continued their relentless duel, their power shaking the earth and sending tremors through the surrounding area. Neither showed signs of slowing down, though both were battered and bloodied from hours of combat.
Cyras:
breathing heavily
"You should've stayed buried, Mordryn. You never understood the game we were playing."
Mordryn wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his chest heaving with exertion. The ancient power that coursed through him kept him standing, but he could feel the strain. Cyras was stronger than he remembered. The centuries had not dulled his power—in fact, it seemed to have grown.
Mordryn:
"Your games... are meaningless."
With a roar, Mordryn summoned a torrent of shadow, the ground beneath them splitting open as dark tendrils shot upward, wrapping around Cyras like chains. Cyras grunted in pain as the tendrils tightened, but he wasn't finished yet.
With a sharp gesture, Cyras unleashed a pulse of energy, shattering the shadow chains and sending Mordryn stumbling back. The force of the blast tore through the ground, leaving deep craters in its wake.
The two of them stood facing each other, both breathing heavily, their once-pristine surroundings now a battlefield of destruction. The ground beneath their feet was scorched and broken, trees reduced to splinters, and the air crackled with residual magic.
Cyras:
smirking, though his voice was strained
"This is pointless, Mordryn. You can't win. You never could."
Mordryn's eyes burned with determination. He knew he couldn't stop now. Not after all this. But the toll of the battle was becoming too great. Cyras was right about one thing—this wasn't just about strength. There was something much larger at play.
Mordryn (thinking):
"Why am I still alive? What is this power that keeps me going?"
Before he could act, the ground beneath them shook once more—this time not from their battle, but from something deeper, something far below the earth. Mordryn's vision blurred for a moment, his knees threatening to give way.
Cyras noticed the shift, a satisfied grin crossing his face.
Cyras:
"It's already begun, Mordryn. The truth you've been running from all these years."
Before Mordryn could respond, Cyras moved with blinding speed, his hand reaching out and striking Mordryn across the chest. The force of the blow sent Mordryn flying, crashing into the ground with a sickening thud. Blood spilled from his mouth as he struggled to rise, his vision fading.
---
Scene: Guild Headquarters
Back at the Guild Hall, the tremors had only grown stronger. Kang Wo Hu stood in the center of the room, watching as the Hunters scrambled to understand what was happening. But she couldn't wait any longer.
Kang Wo Hu:
"I'm going back. I have to find Mordryn."
The Guild Master looked at her in surprise.
Guild Master:
"You can't go back there alone! It's too dangerous—"
Kang Wo Hu:
"I don't care. I have to."
Without waiting for a response, Kang Wo Hu turned and sprinted out of the hall, her heart pounding as she ran back toward the forest. She had to find Mordryn. She couldn't let him face this alone.
---
Scene: Forest Battlefield
By the time Kang Wo Hu returned to the clearing, it was eerily silent. The once-majestic forest was now a wasteland of broken trees and scorched earth. The moonlight cast long shadows over the destruction, and the air was thick with the scent of blood and magic.
Her heart raced as she scanned the area, her eyes searching for any sign of Mordryn.
Then she saw him.
Mordryn lay on the ground, his body battered and broken, blood staining the earth beneath him. His chest rose and fell shallowly, each breath a struggle. His once-powerful form was reduced to a shadow of its former self.
Kang Wo Hu's breath caught in her throat as she rushed to his side, dropping to her knees beside him.
Kang Wo Hu:
"Mordryn!"
His eyes fluttered open, just barely, and he looked up at her with a weak smile, his voice hoarse and strained.
Mordryn:
"Wo Hu... you shouldn't have... come back."
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she tried to lift him, her heart breaking at the sight of him like this.
Kang Wo Hu:
"I couldn't just leave you."
But before she could say anything else, a dark figure emerged from the shadows—Cyras. His smirk was gone now, replaced by something darker, more menacing. His eyes gleamed with malice as he stepped closer.
Cyras:
"Looks like you came back to say goodbye."
Kang Wo Hu's blood ran cold as she stood protectively in front of Mordryn, her hands trembling as she faced Cyras.
The battle was far from over.
---
End of Chapter 10