Maraak soared through the expanse of stars, his course set for the heart of the Blood Eternal's domain—a place known as the Abyssal Sanctum. It was here that the strongest among the Blood Eternal's followers gathered, their strength honed, their powers tested. But Maraak had no intention of serving under another's rule any longer. He was coming to take control, to prove himself more than a tool, and to show the Blood Eternal that he could rival the gods themselves.
Veilsunder hummed eagerly at his side, its pulsing light casting an eerie glow over the cockpit. The power Maraak had siphoned from Kaeros burned within him, dark and potent. This power, combined with the shard of Voraak's essence, made him more formidable than ever. He had become something beyond human, an entity woven from shadows and bloodlust, with a hunger for dominion that matched the stars' endless expanse.
Maraak could make out the menacing outline of the Abyssal Sanctum as his ship approached: a pitch-black stronghold encircled by whirling fields of energy that throbbed like veins surrounding a beating heart. The Blood Eternal had encased the Sanctum with layers of energy derived from the souls of his most devoted followers, making it impossible for any ordinary vessel to breach its defenses. Maraak didn't have to avoid punishment, though, because he was ready.
As he got closer to the fortress's perimeter, the sentry ships closed in, their weapons ready. A forceful voice sounded over the communications. Identify yourself or die. This is the home of the Blood Eternal.
Maraak's face twisted in a dark smile. "I am Maraak, Blood Reaver—and I am here for the throne."
The sentries hesitated, but their hesitation was short-lived. They closed in, lasers cutting through space as they attempted to trap him. Maraak veered sharply, his ship weaving through their formation with ruthless precision. He fired a volley of missiles at the lead ship, tearing through its hull, the explosion a brilliant blaze in the night. His unrelenting attack destroyed each ship with lethal effectiveness, one after the other.
After defeating the sentries, Maraak made his way to the main docking bay of the castle. The energy field parted reluctantly, allowing him passage, and he descended into the Sanctum's interior. Veilsunder pulsed in his hand, its hunger for souls palpable, as if sensing the countless lives within.
As Maraak emerged from his ship, his boots resonating on the chilly steel floor, the docking bay was oddly quiet. Guards appeared all around him, their faces concealed by opaque visors, weapons ready. An intimidating figure in blood-red armor stood at the front: General Zalan, the Blood Eternal's most dependable lieutenant and a notoriously ruthless ally.
Zalan's gaze flickered with recognition as his eyes narrowed at Maraak. With a tone of disdain, he spat, "The Blood Reaver." "You dare come back here after abandoning your mission? You will be broken by the Blood Eternal for your arrogance.
Maraak grinned, feeling Veilsunder's thrill merging with his own. "Then let him try. I am no servant, and you're no more than a lamb to the slaughter."
With a roar, Zalan charged, his blade blazing with crimson energy as he swung at Maraak. But Maraak was faster; he sidestepped and brought Veilsunder down in a deadly arc. The two crashed with a force that rocked the docking facility, sending sparks flying as metal contacted metal. Zalan pressed forward with his violent and relentless attacks, but Maraak easily rejected every hit with his fluid and steadfast moves.
With every clash of their blades, the air was charged with raw energy as the battle grew more intense. Zalan's face twisted with frustration as Maraak began to overpower him, his strikes driving the lieutenant back. In a final, desperate move, Zalan attempted to plunge his blade into Maraak's chest, but Maraak caught the weapon mid-swing, his grip crushing Zalan's hand with unnatural strength. He moved quickly to thrust Veilsunder into Zalan's heart, causing his body to slump as the sword drank in the lieutenant's life essence.
As they saw their leader quickly defeated, the guards stumbled, their dread taking over. Maraak looked at them, his face without emotion. "Stand your ground or suffer the same fate."
They hesitated, then dropped their weapons, stepping back as Maraak moved forward, undeterred. He strode through the fortress's dark corridors, heading toward the core where the Blood Eternal waited. He could feel the energy around him grow denser, oppressive, as if the walls themselves pulsed with dark power.
in last, he arrived in the center of the Abyssal Sanctum, a huge room covered in darkness and filled with the aroma of strength and blood. The Blood Eternal was positioned in the middle, his face hidden under an elaborate mask and his body wrapped in a dark robe. There was a terrifying calm in the room as he exuded an aura of ancient strength.
Maraak stepped forward, his voice cold and unyielding. "Blood Eternal. Your time has come."
The Blood Eternal's laughter echoed through the chamber, a sound that resonated with a dark, otherworldly timbre. With the weight of millennia in his voice, he uttered, "Foolish Maraak." "You are merely a tool and a conduit for my authority. You have come here because of your desire for strength, but you are not prepared to use it.
Then, when Maraak raised his hand, dark tendrils of energy sprang up from the floor and around him. They tightened, trying to crush him by pressing on his armor. However, Maraak clenched his jaw, using the Voraak force and Kaeros's soul within himself. Instead of giving in to the darkness that he felt seeping into his veins, he channeled it back toward the Blood Eternal and twisted it to his will.
Maraak pushed forward as the strands snapped, and Veilsunder flared with crimson fire. The room was ablaze with dazzling sparks as he and the Blood Eternal fought, their energies meeting in a maelstrom of force. Maraak was able to match the Blood Eternal's tremendous strength and relentless, well-planned attacks because Kaeros' might drove every action.
Maraak could feel Veilsunder getting stronger in the heat of combat, the blade's hunger consuming the very energy of the Blood Eternal. Maraak could tell that Veilsunder was about to devour the final prize when the murmurs inside the blade turned into a roar.
With one final ferocious strike, he swung Veilsunder into the Blood Eternal's chest, the blade's runes glowing as it began to absorb his power. Veilsunder devoured the Blood Eternal, disintegrating his shape as he staggered, his dark aura dissipating.
The remainder of the Blood Eternal's strength poured into Veilsunder, and Maraak felt a surge of pure energy beyond anything he had ever known. As his senses sharpened and his body throbbed with newly found strength, he knew that he had surpassed his former existence. Now that he had climbed above death, not even the Blood Eternal could stop him.
As Maraak stood triumphant, the room became quiet and the shadows dwindled. With terrible satisfaction, he looked down at the Blood Eternal's empty shell. Now that he had the throne, he had the ability to control the stars.
He felt the same emptiness returning even as he declared victory, an unquenchable thirst that no conqueror could completely quench. Veilsunder throbbed in his palm, its murmurs soft but constant, a constant reminder that there was always more to seize, more to eat.
His thoughts shifted to the limitless sky as he stepped outside the Sanctum. Although he had asserted his dominance, other worlds, gods, and powers remained unexplored. The universe was huge, and Maraak would not rest until he had explored every inch of it, leaving his mark on every world.
He was no longer simply a Blood Reaver; he was something more—a harbinger of oblivion, a force bound by nothing, destined to consume all that stood in his path. And he would keep going, forever driven by the endless hunger that was his curse and his strength.