The void creatures disintegrated once more, fading into the air like dust as Kaelus unleashed a final wave of light-infused energy. Their forms were twisted beyond reason, their very existence defying the laws of physics. Each time they struck, it felt as if they were breaking through the boundaries of time and space, flickering between states of matter and non-matter, becoming intangible and reforming like echoes of nightmares.
But this time, something was different. Kaelus had tapped into the essence of his new-found ability—*Life Nullification*. A complex technique he had only just begun to grasp, it didn't merely negate physical forms but severed the link that bound their life force to the material plane. This was no mere destruction of matter—it was the obliteration of existence itself.
They won't come back this time*," he muttered, breathing heavily as the creatures faded into nonexistence.
As the void creatures dissolved into nothingness, the oppressive atmosphere in the dungeon shifted, but only slightly. The dread that clung to the air didn't disappear—it simply condensed, coiling tighter around the chamber like a living entity. Dagon stood in the centre of the room, watching the heroes, his crimson eyes gleaming with dark amusement.
The warlord hadn't moved during the fight, and yet his presence was a constant. His massive form radiated power, and the weight of his aura was suffocating. Despite the destruction of his summoned creatures, Dagon seemed unaffected—almost indifferent.
"You truly are a fascinating group," Dagon said, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. "To think that mere mortals could grasp the concept of *Life Nullification*.
His lips curled into a cruel smile as he hefted his weapon—a massive Warhammer that pulsed with a malevolent energy. The weapon itself seemed to warp the space around it, bending light and sound, as if its very presence rejected reality. It was adorned with jagged edges and dark runes, the metal surface shimmering with an unnatural glow, reminiscent of the void creatures they had just fought. The hammer was an extension of Dagon's own twisted existence, a weapon forged from the abyss itself.
Kaelus's eyes narrowed as he adjusted his grip on his sword. He could feel the power radiating from the Warhammer, like a tangible force pressing against his skin. Whatever that weapon was, it was more than just a tool—it was an embodiment of Dagon's will, his connection to the void. Its mere presence threatened to erase everything it touched.
Dagon took a step forward, his armoured boots echoing in the vast chamber. His voice was a slow, deliberate growl as he spoke. "You've done well to survive this far, but let me show you the true nature of despair."
He swung the Warhammer with terrifying speed, the weapon cleaving through the air with a force that distorted the very fabric of reality. The heroes scattered just as the hammer crashed into the ground, sending a shockwave through the dungeon. The ground beneath them cracked and split, fragments of reality itself tearing apart under the force of the blow. Where the hammer struck, reality shimmered, folding in on itself before snapping back with a sickening distortion.
Selena let out a gasp as she felt the shockwave ripple through her body, her magic faltering for a moment as she struggled to stay on her feet. "What… what is that weapon? It's distorting everything around it!"
"It's not just a physical force," Gabriel said, his voice strained as he deflected the residual energy with his sword. "That Warhammer is warping reality itself—it's bypassing physical laws entirely."
Kaelus clenched his jaw, his mind racing as he analysed the situation. Dagon was not merely attacking with brute force; he was manipulating the very threads of conception with every swing. The Warhammer tore through causality itself, creating rifts in the laws of the universe that bent time and space. It was not something they could block or counter with normal abilities.
"His power…" Elias muttered, his shield glowing as he absorbed another wave of dark energy. "It's like he's outside the rules of the world. Nothing we do seems to matter."
"No," Kaelus said, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "We can still fight this."
Dagon smiled, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent. "Oh, can you? You stand before the Warlord of the Abyss, wielding pitiful powers that mean nothing in the grand scheme of existence. Your world, your gods, your very lives… all of it is meaningless in the face of the void."
As he spoke, Dagon raised his hand, and the air around him began to shimmer once more. From the void, new creatures began to emerge—larger and more grotesque than the ones before. These beings were different, their forms more defined, more solid. They were no longer mere illusions or projections. They were fully realised manifestations of the abyss, creatures that existed outside of the world's logic.
Their bodies were twisted and elongated, their limbs ending in jagged, obsidian claws. Eyes—far too many eyes—glowed from their dark forms, each one radiating a different type of energy. They were not bound by physical laws. Some hovered in the air, while others walked on the walls or even upside down, defying gravity. Their very presence seemed to erode the space around them, and every step they took left behind cracks in reality itself.
"They're not just void creatures," selena said, her voice trembling as she conjured a protective barrier around the party. "They're tearing apart the fabric of the world… This isn't something we can't deal with using normal means."
Kaelus nodded grimly. "Then we won't use normal means."
He raised his sword, the blade glowing with a brilliant light that cut through the oppressive darkness. The power he had unlocked—the ability to nullify life itself—began to surge through him once more. But this time, it wasn't enough ---
Kaelus stood, his breath steady, eyes locked on Dagon's towering form. The oppressive weight of the abyss warlord's presence crushed down on him, but he remained unmoved. His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, a weapon that gleamed faintly with an ethereal light, forged from a power far older than the world they fought in. It was no ordinary sword, and now, its true name resonated in his mind, revealing itself in a moment of clarity: *Gramr*, the sword of fate and retribution, forged in the fires of divine judgment, wielded by those destined to cut through the threads of destiny itself.
Dagon's Warhammer, too, was no mere weapon. It radiated an ancient, malevolent energy, a force that had no place in the mortal realm. The Warhammer was called *Ancalagon*, named after the first beast of the void, a being whose existence predated the very gods themselves. The weapon embodied destruction at its purest form—capable of shattering not only physical forms but the very concept, erasing the past, present, and future with a single swing.
The two warriors stood apart, their auras clashing in the space between them like titans of old. Around them, the air warped and twisted as their powers began to rise. Time and space folded in on itself as reality struggled to contain the sheer magnitude of their abilities.
Dagon's eyes gleamed with dark amusement, his grin widening as he hefted *Ancalagon* with ease, despite its immense size. "You have a name for your sword now, little mortal. But it won't save you."
Kaelus said nothing. He knew words meant nothing in this moment. The void creatures around them had dissolved into nothingness, erased by the sheer presence of their duel. It was just him and Dagon now, the warlord's malicious laughter echoing through the shattered remnants of reality.
With a sudden movement, Dagon swung *Ancalagon*, the hammer cutting through the air with a force that seemed to bend space itself. Kaelus barely had time to react, bringing up *Gramr* in a desperate attempt to block. The two weapons clashed, and the resulting shockwave ripped through the dungeon, tearing apart the ground beneath them and sending cracks through the walls.
Kaelus grit his teeth, feeling the raw power behind the strike. Dagon wasn't holding back—not even in the slightest. *Ancalagon* pulsed with the energy of the void, and for a moment, Kaelus felt as if his very soul was being pulled into its abyssal depths. But *Gramr* held firm, its divine light pushing back against the darkness.
Dagon sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Do you feel it, mortal? The void does not care for your gods or your world's laws. All of existence bends to its will. You are nothing but a fleeting moment in time, destined to be erased."
With another powerful swing, Dagon brought *Ancalagon* down once more, aiming directly for Kaelus. This time, Kaelus didn't block. Instead, he sidestepped the attack, moving with a speed that defied human limitations. The hammer smashed into the ground, sending a shockwave of dark energy rippling through the space around them.
Kaelus seized the opening, lunging forward with *Gramr* aimed at Dagon's chest. The blade, glowing with a blinding light, seemed to cut through the air itself, leaving a trail of shimmering energy in its wake. But Dagon was no simple opponent. With a flick of his wrist, he redirected *Ancalagon*, using the hammer's absurd weight to deflect the blow with a deafening clang.
Kaelus staggered back, but he didn't let up. He pressed forward, launching a barrage of strikes with *Gramr*, each one infused with the divine power of fate. Every swing was precise, calculated—aimed not at Dagon's physical form, but at the very threads of his existence. *Gramr* was more than just a weapon; it was a tool of destiny, capable of severing the bonds that tied beings to the mortal plane.
Dagon, however, was far from helpless. Each strike Kaelus made was met with equal ferocity, the Warhammer *Ancalagon* moving with an unnatural speed that belied its massive size. Dagon's laughter echoed through the chamber as he blocked each blow with ease, his dark energy surging around him like a living entity.
"Is that all you have, mortal?" Dagon taunted, his voice booming. "You think you can defy the void with a sword of light? Foolish."
Kaelus ignored the taunts, focusing on his movements. He knew that brute force alone wouldn't be enough to defeat Dagon. The warlord's powers were too vast, too deeply rooted in the abyss. He needed a different approach.
As the two clashed, the air around them grew thicker with dark energy, distorting reality even further. Dagon's presence was overwhelming, his aura suffocating. It wasn't just fear—it was something far deeper. His very existence radiated a primal force that seemed to bypass all forms of resistance. Even Kaelus's mind, trained and hardened, felt the weight of Dagon's aura pressing down on him, threatening to break him from within.
Dagon's aura of fear wasn't merely psychological—it was metaphysical, a force that reached into the core of one's being and shattered the soul itself. Kaelus could feel his thoughts fraying at the edges, reality slipping away as Dagon's presence grew stronger.
"Your strength is admirable," Dagon said, his voice a deep, rumbling growl. "But you are fighting against a force that transcends your comprehension. I am the abyss. I am the void. And you… are nothing."