The forest was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made the hair on the back of Lucas's neck stand on end.
He and Kael had tracked AidenTide for what felt like hours, following the trail of defeated players and scattered loot.
The bodies of defeated avatars shimmered faintly before dissolving into particles, a haunting reminder of AidenTide's rampage.
Lucas's jaw tightened as memories of his own death replayed in his mind.
The clearing opened before them, and there he was — AidenTide. The rogue player stood amid the carnage, his twin axes glinting in the dappled sunlight that broke through the canopy.
Lucas watched as Aiden dispatched another group of players with brutal efficiency, each swing of his axes calculated and deadly.
The defeated players disappeared, their equipment scattered in the aftermath, while Aiden bent to gather loot with a smirk.
Lucas's blood boiled. That smirk — it was the same one Aiden had given him after the betrayal. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his curved sword, the memory of being stabbed in the back fueling his anger.
Without warning, Lucas shot forward, his feet pounding against the forest floor.
"Wait!" Kael hissed, but Lucas didn't stop.
AidenTide barely noticed Lucas until it was too late. Lucas's sword slashed through the air, colliding with one of Aiden's axes.
The sound of metal on metal rang out, drawing Aiden's attention.
"Well, look who it is," Aiden sneered, stepping back to take in his new opponent. "You again. Didn't get enough of me last time, huh?"
Lucas didn't respond. His teeth were bared, his eyes locked on Aiden with a fiery intensity. This wasn't about the Nexus coins or the loot. This was personal.
Aiden laughed, spinning his axes in his hands. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But you're still just a weakling with a shiny sword."
Lucas moved first, his curved blade striking out with speed that surprised even Aiden.
The clash of their weapons echoed through the clearing as they exchanged blows, Aiden's taunts fading into grunts of exertion as he realized Lucas wasn't the same player he had killed the night before.
Kael arrived moments later, his twin longswords drawn and ready. He took in the scene with a quick glance, his sharp mind assessing the situation.
Lucas was holding his own, but Aiden was still a formidable opponent, his movements fluid and practiced.
"Looks like I missed the opening act," Kael muttered, before dashing into the fray.
Aiden cursed as Kael's blades joined the fight, forcing him to split his focus between the two attackers. Kael's dual swords moved in wide, sweeping arcs, complementing Lucas's more precise strikes.
Together, they pressed Aiden into a defensive stance, his cocky demeanor giving way to frustration.
"You think two-on-one will save you?" Aiden snarled, his axes spinning in a desperate attempt to push them back. "I've taken down entire groups before!"
"That was before you ran into me," Lucas growled.
And then he activated it.
[Monarch Boost]
Lucas felt the surge of power rush through him, an overwhelming energy that made every movement feel lighter, faster, stronger.
His sword moved with blinding speed, striking with enough force to send Aiden stumbling backward.
Aiden's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the — ?!"
Kael noticed the shift immediately. He stepped back, giving Lucas the space to unleash his full potential.
With the Monarch Boost active, Lucas was a whirlwind of energy, his strikes relentless and precise.
"You're not the only one who can dominate a fight," Lucas said, his voice cold and cutting.
Aiden's movements grew frantic as he tried to keep up. His axes swung in wide arcs, but Lucas dodged them with ease, his sword finding its mark again and again.
"Kael, keep him boxed in!" Lucas shouted.
Kael nodded, moving to cut off Aiden's retreat. His twin swords glinted in the sunlight as he closed the gap, forcing Aiden to fight on two fronts.
The battle was fierce, the clearing filled with the sound of clashing metal and heavy breaths. Aiden was skilled, but the combined assault from Lucas and Kael was too much.
Lucas's Monarch Boost gave him the edge, his strikes hitting with enough force to knock Aiden off balance.
"You're done!" Lucas roared, his blade slashing across Aiden's chest and sending him crashing to the ground.
Aiden coughed, his health bar reduced to a sliver. He glared up at Lucas and Kael, his face twisted in a mix of anger and disbelief.
"You think this changes anything?" he spat, his voice trembling.
Lucas pointed his sword at Aiden, his voice steady and cold. "Maybe not. But I can stop you."
Kael stepped forward, his swords at the ready. "You've got no choices right now, you're going to be killed any moment now,"
Aiden hesitated, his jaw clenched. Then, with a growl of frustration, his avatar dissolved into glowing particles, he had respawned at Nexus Haven and left his weapons behind – this would be the proof to collect their rewards.
As the clearing fell silent, Lucas exhaled deeply, the adrenaline finally leaving his body. He sheathed his sword, glancing at Kael.
"Thanks for having my back," he said.
Kael smirked, resting one of his swords on his shoulder. "You're a lot stronger than you were yesterday. I barely had to do anything."
"Let's just try and get this packed up and take it back to Nexus Haven," Lucas said.