Chapter 13: The Fall of Reason
The battle raged on for what seemed like hours, each strike from Darius cutting through the dark mages like they were mere paper. His chains slithered with a mind of their own, lashing out and binding foes in unbreakable coils before ripping them apart with terrifying ease. Yet despite the carnage, something felt off.
A sudden shift in the air had Darius pausing mid-strike. A low hum filled his ears, followed by a sharp sting at the back of his neck—something pulling at his mana. His control over his chains wavered as his immense power was momentarily disrupted.
The mages, seeing this weakness, moved in, their eyes glowing with malice. They began chanting in an ancient tongue, weaving spells of debilitating magic designed to cripple even the strongest of foes.
Darius stumbled as a wave of disorienting energy swept over him. His Sovereign Chains faltered, writhing uncontrollably around him. In that moment, a thick, dark cloud of magic enveloped him, disorienting his senses.
"What's happening?" he murmured, gritting his teeth. "My chains—what are they doing?"
But before he could regain control, he saw the unthinkable. His chains began to lash out, not at the enemies surrounding him, but at his own men. Tobias, who had rushed to his side, was caught in the violent thrashing. The heavy metallic links bit into his skin, and the sound of the chain snapping his leg was like a scream in Darius's chest.
"Tobias!" Darius roared in desperation, reaching out for him, but his chains were already pulling him away, dragging him into the dark energy that surrounded him.
The world spun. Blood roared in his ears.
The mages were laughing.
"Your power is beyond your control, Darius Lionhart," one of them hissed. "This is your punishment for meddling where you don't belong."
In that moment of weakness, the whispers began—soft at first, like the distant murmur of a long-lost voice. They swirled in his mind, coaxing him with promises of vengeance and control.
"You've suffered enough," they crooned. "You could have everything you desire... if only you accept it."
Darius's heart raced, and in that single moment of intense desperation, he did what he'd never thought possible—he let go. He let go of his humanity.
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Chapter 13 ends with Darius's rage erupting violently, the Sovereign Chains mutating into monstrous shapes as he loses control and his mana bursts beyond its limits, threatening to destroy everything in his path.
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