Kael Draven stood atop a mountain of rubble, his silver eyes glowing with a cold, unrelenting hunger. Beneath him lay the ruins of another city, its once-thriving streets reduced to ash and silence. The air was thick with the stench of death, the last vestiges of life drained to fuel his growing power.
"I told you," Kael murmured, his voice a low growl that echoed through the desolation. "Nothing can stop me. Not gods, not their champions, and certainly not mortals."
He extended a clawed hand, drawing in the final traces of energy that lingered in the ruins. The magic coursed through him, sharp and exhilarating, sharpening his focus and stoking the flames of his obsession.
The Void would be his.
It wasn't enough to chase it, to beg for its attention. He needed to dominate it, to bind it to his will, to ensure it could never leave him again.
And he would do whatever it took to make that happen.
---
Far from the destruction, Lysara sat in front of her cracked mirror, carefully applying another layer of makeup. Her hands shook slightly as she brushed powder over her cheeks, her lungs burning from the cigarette that dangled from her lips. Smoke curled around her, mixing with the faint scent of her perfume.
Her reflection stared back at her, polished and perfect, though the cracks in her facade were growing harder to hide. Dark circles lingered beneath her expertly blended concealer, and her once-bright eyes now seemed dull and tired.
Still, she kept up the routine. Kael demanded perfection, and she had no choice but to deliver.
Another coughing fit seized her, forcing her to double over as she clutched at her chest. The cigarette fell from her lips, burning out on the wooden floor as she gasped for breath.
"Damn it," Lysara muttered, her voice raspy as she straightened. She grabbed another cigarette from her dwindling supply, lighting it with a shaking hand. The first drag calmed her slightly, though the ache in her lungs remained.
The door creaked open behind her, and she didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"You're falling apart," Kael said, his voice low and mocking as he stepped into the room.
Lysara exhaled a plume of smoke, her lips curling into a faint smirk. "You're one to talk," she shot back.
Kael chuckled, his massive form looming over her. "I'm not the one coughing up a lung every five minutes," he said.
---
The cycle between them continued, more relentless than ever. Kael's demands grew insatiable, his hunger driving him to push Lysara further and further. He took everything she could give, reveling in her defiance even as her body trembled under the strain.
But Lysara never broke.
She kept herself polished and presentable, her makeup flawless and her hair immaculate, even as her health deteriorated. The cigarettes remained her constant companion, a lifeline she clung to even as they left her gasping for breath.
"You're going to kill yourself," Kael remarked one night, watching as she lit yet another cigarette.
Lysara smirked, blowing a plume of smoke in his direction. "Maybe," she said, her voice rasping. "But at least I'll go out on my terms."
Kael's silver eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable. "You're a fool," he said.
"Guess we have that in common," Lysara replied, her tone sharp.
---
Kael's path of destruction continued, leaving a trail of ruined cities and lifeless landscapes in his wake. Each time he drained the life from a city, his power grew stronger, sharper, and more focused.
The gods, alarmed by the scale of his destruction, finally decided to intervene.
"They won't stop me," Kael growled, his silver eyes flashing as he felt the faint ripple of divine energy in the air. "Let them send their champions. I'll crush them all."
It didn't take long for the first of the champions to arrive.
The group was led by a towering figure clad in radiant armor, his sword glowing with holy light. Behind him stood three others—a lithe archer, a cloaked mage, and a fierce warrior wielding a massive axe.
"Kael Draven!" the armored man shouted, his voice resonating with divine authority. "Your crimes against the realms will not go unpunished. Surrender now, or face the wrath of the gods!"
Kael smirked, his massive form coiling like a predator preparing to strike. "Wrath of the gods?" he repeated, his tone dripping with mockery. "I've faced worse."
---
The battle was swift and brutal.
The champions fought valiantly, their divine power shining brightly against Kael's dark magic. The archer's arrows flew with deadly precision, the mage's spells crackled with elemental fury, and the warrior's axe struck with unrelenting force.
But Kael was unstoppable.
He moved with terrifying speed, his magic coiling around him like a living shield. The archer's arrows disintegrated before they could reach him, the mage's spells were absorbed into the shadows, and the warrior's axe shattered against his impenetrable armor.
Kael's laughter echoed through the battlefield as he dispatched them one by one.
The archer fell first, crushed beneath a wave of shadow. The mage followed shortly after, her screams cut short as Kael's magic consumed her. The warrior fought to the bitter end, but his strength was no match for Kael's overwhelming power.
Only the armored leader remained, his glowing sword clashing against Kael's dark tendrils in a desperate struggle.
"You can't win," Kael said, his voice low and menacing. "Not against me."
The champion's resolve faltered, and Kael struck, his magic piercing through the man's armor and draining him of life.
As the champion fell to his knees, Kael leaned closer, his silver eyes gleaming with triumph. "Tell your gods," he said softly, "that I'm coming for them next."
---
Back at their camp, Lysara watched as Kael returned, his form brimming with power. The air around him crackled with energy, his silver eyes glowing like twin stars.
"You look pleased with yourself," she said, her tone dry as she lit another cigarette.
Kael smirked, his gaze locking onto hers. "The gods thought they could stop me," he said. "They were wrong."
Lysara raised an eyebrow, blowing a stream of smoke in his direction. "And what's next on your list of conquests?" she asked.
Kael's smirk widened, his silver eyes gleaming with hunger. "The Void," he said simply.
Lysara exhaled slowly, her gaze unyielding. "You think you can actually take it?"
Kael leaned closer, his voice a low growl. "I don't think, Lysara," he said. "I know."
---
As Kael's destruction continued, Lysara found herself wondering how much longer she could endure. Each encounter with him left her weaker, her body trembling and her lungs burning from the constant smoke. Yet, she refused to break.
Kael's hunger for the Void was all-consuming, and Lysara knew that once he claimed it, her place in his world would be uncertain. But for now, she played his game, matching his intensity with her own defiance.
And as the smoke curled around her, mingling with the shadows of the forest, Lysara couldn't help but wonder how much longer they could continue this endless cycle of destruction and desire.
But one thing was certain: Neither of them would stop until one of them finally broke.
---
Kael stood atop the ruins of another city, his silver eyes blazing with triumph. The Void was within his reach, and nothing would stand in his way.
And Lysara, despite the toll it took on her, would remain by his side until the very end.