The clash of steel rang through the narrow passageway, drowning out the labored breathing and strained grunts of Lucien's men. Seraphine's heart pounded in her chest, her eyes locked on Cedric as he fought with a speed and precision that defied reason. His movements were unnatural, like a shadow come to life, slipping between strikes and dodging blows that should have landed.
Lucien fought with fury, his sword a blur in the dim light. But Cedric wasn't merely a man anymore—he was something else, something darker. Seraphine's mind reeled as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. How had Cedric become so powerful? What had he done?
"Lucien, we need to pull back!" Arin shouted, barely deflecting a swipe aimed at her. One of the king's men fell behind her, his throat cut clean by Cedric's blade.
"No!" Lucien's voice was filled with rage, but Seraphine could see the desperation in his eyes. He wasn't just fighting for his kingdom—he was fighting to understand the betrayal, the dark truth that had been hidden from him. "We end this now!"
Seraphine couldn't tear her eyes away from Cedric. There was something familiar about the glow in his eyes, something she had only seen in ancient texts and whispered legends. The same power she had felt stirring in the deepest corners of her own soul was now pulsing through Cedric.
This was no ordinary betrayal. Cedric had made a dark bargain.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, Cedric's voice cut through the chaos. "You don't understand, Lucien," he sneered, sidestepping another of Lucien's strikes with eerie grace. "This kingdom is already lost. You've been fighting ghosts while the true enemy rises in the shadows."
Lucien roared, slashing at Cedric with renewed fury, but Seraphine knew the truth in Cedric's words. The rebellion wasn't the only threat. Something much more sinister was at play, and it was far closer than any of them had realized.
Seraphine's eyes darted to the crate behind Cedric, the one filled with weapons meant for the rebels. But something about the way Cedric positioned himself in front of it made her uneasy. It wasn't just a shipment of weapons. There was something else in that crate—something dangerous.
"We need to destroy whatever's in that crate!" Seraphine shouted to Arin, who was fighting her own battle a few feet away. "There's more going on here than we thought."
Arin nodded, her face pale with determination. Together, they began to inch closer to the crate, dodging the chaos of the fight that raged around them. Cedric's eyes flickered toward them, his mouth curling into a dark smile.
"You think you can stop what's already been set in motion?" Cedric hissed, blocking a blow from Lucien and spinning toward Seraphine. "You're too late."
Before Seraphine could react, Cedric raised his hand, and a wave of dark energy surged through the tunnel, knocking her and Arin back against the cold stone walls. Pain shot through Seraphine's body as she hit the ground, her vision blurring from the impact.
Cedric wasn't just a traitor—he was something far worse.
---
Lucien's men struggled to their feet, but they were no match for the dark force Cedric wielded. One by one, they fell, their bodies collapsing as Cedric's power washed over them like a plague. Only Lucien, Seraphine, and Arin remained, their breaths ragged, their bodies bruised and bleeding.
Lucien rose to his feet, his eyes blazing with fury and disbelief. "What have you done, Cedric? What dark power have you sold your soul to?"
Cedric laughed, a sound that chilled Seraphine to the core. "You still don't see it, do you, Lucien? This is bigger than your throne, bigger than your kingdom. The power that flows through me is ancient, older than the bloodlines you cling to. I have become a vessel for something far greater than any king."
Seraphine's heart raced as she struggled to stand, her mind whirling with the pieces of the puzzle that were finally falling into place. Cedric hadn't just allied himself with the rebels. He had aligned himself with an ancient darkness, a force that had been long forgotten by most—but not by her.
"The Void," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Cedric's eyes snapped to her, his smile widening. "Ah, so you do know. Impressive, Seraphine. You've always been more perceptive than the others. The Void is rising, and soon, it will consume this entire kingdom."
Lucien's expression darkened. "The Void? That's a myth. A tale told to frighten children."
"Is it?" Cedric mocked. "Then why do I stand before you with its power coursing through my veins?"
Lucien tightened his grip on his sword, but Seraphine could see the uncertainty in his eyes. He had heard the stories—everyone had—but few believed them. The Void was a legend, a force of pure destruction that was said to consume everything in its path. Those who sought to control it were doomed to be devoured by it.
"We can still stop this," Seraphine said, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her insides. "You don't have to do this, Cedric. The Void will destroy you, just as it has destroyed everyone who tried to harness it before you."
But Cedric shook his head, his eyes gleaming with the madness of someone who had already given himself over to the darkness. "You're wrong, Seraphine. I've seen what lies beyond. The Void will not destroy me—it will make me a god."
Seraphine's blood ran cold. Cedric was too far gone. There was no reasoning with him now.
Lucien stepped forward, his voice low and filled with resolve. "You're not a god, Cedric. You're just a man who's lost his way."
Cedric's smile faltered, and for the first time, Seraphine saw a flicker of doubt in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a sneer of contempt.
"Enough talk," Cedric growled. "It's time to end this."
With a roar, he unleashed another wave of dark energy, and the room exploded into chaos once more. Seraphine barely had time to react as the force slammed into her, sending her crashing into the stone wall. Pain radiated through her body, but she forced herself to move, crawling toward the crate. She had to destroy whatever was inside.
Lucien and Cedric clashed in the center of the room, their swords sparking as they met with a deafening clang. Cedric's dark power surged around him, but Lucien held his ground, his fury giving him strength.
Arin stumbled to Seraphine's side, her face pale but determined. "What do we do?"
Seraphine glanced at the crate, then back at Cedric. "We destroy the source of his power. It's in there. It has to be."
Together, they pried open the crate, their hands trembling with urgency. Inside, they found what they had feared: a dark, pulsating orb, its surface swirling with shadows.
Seraphine's heart raced as she realized what it was. "This is it. This is what's fueling the Void's power."
Arin looked at her, her eyes wide. "How do we destroy it?"
Seraphine didn't hesitate. "We smash it. Now."
Grabbing a nearby weapon, Seraphine raised it above her head and brought it crashing down on the orb. The moment the blade touched its surface, the orb shattered, and a blinding light filled the room. Cedric's scream echoed through the chamber as the dark energy around him began to dissipate, unraveling like smoke in the wind.
Lucien drove his sword into Cedric's chest, his face a mask of grim determination. Cedric's eyes widened in shock as he staggered backward, his power draining from him with each passing second.
"You… you don't understand," Cedric gasped, his voice weak and broken. "The Void… it's already here…"
With a final, shuddering breath, Cedric collapsed to the ground, his body lifeless.
The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of Lucien, Seraphine, and Arin as they stood amidst the wreckage.
But as Seraphine looked down at Cedric's body, a chill crept down her spine. His last words echoed in her mind.
The Void was already here.
And the real battle had only just begun.