Iffah wiped her tears and steadied herself, her voice trembling with a mix of sorrow and resolve. "The real question isn't about the past, or even the present. It's about how he will handle this news."
Her words hung heavy in the air, and the room fell into an eerie silence. A wave of confusion rippled through the gathered guild leaders and Black Dragons. Alaric's frown deepened, breaking the tension. "Who are you talking about?" he asked, his voice tight with concern, laced with a growing fear.
Iffah turned to him, her gaze sharp, yet filled with pain. "Someone who has suffered... just as much, if not more, than I have."
Before Alaric could ask another question, Sylvia stepped forward, her face pale, eyes somber. "She means his brother," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Brother?" Alaric's voice cracked with disbelief. "What are you talking about? Hakan never mentioned a brother."
The weight of Sylvia's words seemed to press down on everyone. She sighed, her breath shaky. "That's because he didn't want anyone to know. Not until the time was right. But now... I think you all deserve to understand the truth. The gravity of it."
The room was so still, it felt as if time itself had stopped. Sylvia's eyes swept over the faces of the guild leaders and the Black Dragons, each one trying to absorb what they were hearing. "Hakan's younger brother isn't just anyone. He's Soren Raihan... the Dragon Prince, leader of the White Dragons."
The silence that followed felt deafening. A collective gasp escaped from every corner of the room. Even Alaric, usually unshakable, stiffened, his jaw clenched in shock.
"Soren...?" Raedin Jin's voice, always so controlled, broke. "The Soren? The Dragon Prince who commands the White Dragons?"
Sylvia nodded solemnly. "Yes. The very same. The Soren who was broken by the loss of his brother. His grief and rage twisted him into the monster you know today. And now, one of the strongest heroes on this earth... is Hakan's brother."
The revelation struck like a thunderbolt, rattling the very core of everyone present. One of the strongest heroes, revered and feared, was bound to Hakan by blood. The room seemed to breathe, but the air felt suffocating.
Victor Steele's arms were crossed tightly, but his fists were clenched so hard his knuckles turned white. "Why didn't Hakan tell us? This... changes everything."
Sylvia's eyes softened with an aching sorrow. "Because he knew it would. He didn't want his past to overshadow who he is. Hakan wanted to be judged for who he is, not for the legacy of his brother."
Iffah stepped forward, her voice trembling, nearly breaking. "But he can't run from it forever. Soren isn't the boy Hakan left behind. The grief of losing his brother turned him into something unrecognizable—a force of destruction consumed by that pain."
Raiden shook his head, unable to process the flood of emotions and revelations. "How can he even face this? Soren... he's not just a brother anymore. He's something else entirely." His words faltered, and he fell silent, his heart heavy with the impossible weight of the truth.
Sylvia let out a long, drawn-out sigh, her expression one of shared sorrow. "That's exactly what we need to be ready for. When Soren learns the truth... it will shake him to his very soul. He'll have to confront Hakan, whether as family or as enemies."
Alaric, who rarely showed weakness, clenched his fists, his voice softer than usual. "And we'll stand by him when that moment comes. No one faces battles like this alone—not even Hakan."
The airfell into a long, oppressive silence, the weight of the revelation sinking in. For the first time, the guild leaders and the Black Dragons truly understood the depth of Hakan's past, the shadows that followed him, and the storm that was bound to rise when his brother's name was spoken.
After what felt like an eternity, Dante Cross broke the silence, his voice low and rough. "If the Dragon Prince is his brother... we'd better be prepared. When those two meet, nothing will be the same. The world will feel it."
Sylvia's gaze darkened, her voice barely a whisper. "It won't just be the world. It will be us. Hakan's journey... it was never meant to be easy. But now? It's personal. And we'll all feel the consequences."
"One more thing, Sylvia…" Iffah's hands were tightly clasped together, her voice trembling with a mix of sorrow and determination. "Where is he? I need to see him. Please, take me to him."
Sylvia's expression softened, understanding the gravity of Iffah's request. She nodded slowly. "That's exactly where we're headed. The High Tower. That's where Hakan went, along with Ezekiel and Aria."
Victor Cross, his voice steady but heavy with the weight of the situation, added, "Yes, they're strategizing there. It's where Hakan's been."
Iffah's eyes narrowed slightly, trying to process the information. Her voice wavered with a hint of disbelief. "Aria? It's a woman?" she asked, her confusion mingling with a touch of unease.
Kaede answered, her voice calm and reassuring, "Yes. Aria Lysander. She's the leader of the Guild Ethereal Blades, and she's part of Hakan's team for this mission."
Iffah's cheeks were flushed as she tried to mask her jealousy. "Well, not that I mind…" she said, her voice strained, her emotions rising. "But why didn't he go with you?" She gestured toward Dante, her eyes narrowing slightly as her feelings simmered beneath the surface. The thought of Hakan being on a mission with another woman, especially someone like Aria, was unsettling to her, and she couldn't hide it.
Mira, ever observant, raised an eyebrow, a sly smile curling on her lips. "Hmm, Iffah, I think I sense a little jealousy there," she teased, her voice dripping with mischief.
Before Iffah could respond, Sylvia, standing just behind her, caught the subtle shift in her demeanor and smiled knowingly. "Oh, it's pretty obvious," Sylvia said, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Don't worry, it's only natural. We've all seen how Aria behaves around Hakan."
Rina, who had been listening quietly, chimed in, her tone playful but full of mock seriousness. "Yeah, she seems to have an… interest in him. I remember at that one meeting, she stayed behind after everyone else left. She kept talking about how she admired his leadership style, how he carries himself. I think she's got a little thing for him."
Iffah's face turned an even deeper shade of red. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she quickly placed her hand on Rina's arm, her grip gentle but firm. "May I ask, where is this Aria now?" she asked, her voice soft but tinged with a dangerous edge.
Sylvia and Rina exchanged a quick glance, both noticing the intensity in Iffah's tone. Rina let out a small, knowing laugh. "Oh, it's not that big of a deal, Iffah. Just don't let it get to you. Aria's just… well, she's Aria."
But Iffah didn't seem reassured. Inside, she was seething, her emotions boiling like lava ready to erupt. Despite her calm exterior, she was struggling to keep the jealousy at bay. She knew Aria was strong, capable, and likely had her own reasons for staying close to Hakan, but the idea of someone—especially a woman—getting too close to him stung more than she cared to admit.
"Take me to the high tower," she said with a fake smile, though deep down, she wanted to kill Aria. "Surely I can't let a woman like that near my husband," she added with a sly tone.
Rina, a mix of confusion and fear in her voice, replied, "Right!?"
The corridor stretched before them, dark and silent, save for the flickering torches that barely held back the suffocating shadows. The stench of blood still clung to the air, thick and metallic, a grim reminder of the battle just fought. Yet Hakan's stride remained steady, his gaze locked forward as if Darius's death had already faded from memory.
Aria, her twin daggers gleaming under the dim light, matched his pace, her expression unreadable. Ezekiel and Maris walked in tandem behind them, their forms ghostlike against the stone walls, while Lucian moved with a predator's grace, his ethereal weapons shimmering faintly at his side.
"Whatever's ahead," Ezekiel murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, "it knows we're coming."
Hakan smirked. "Good. Saves us the trouble of sneaking."
A sudden tremor rumbled through the tower, dust trickling from the cracks above. The air itself seemed to hum with an unseen force—ancient, oppressive, watching.
"We're close," Aria said, her eyes narrowing. "This feeling… It's different."
Lucian slowed his pace, his fingers tightening around the spectral blade at his side. "Not just different," he muttered. "Stronger."
Hakan halted, his gaze flickering toward the massive doors at the end of the hall—tall, foreboding, and carved with intricate runes pulsing with an eerie, violet glow. The High Tower's core. Beyond those doors lay their true objective.
A whisper slithered through the air, chilling and insidious.
You have come far. But only ruin awaits.
The torches extinguished all at once, plunging the corridor into darkness. A low growl resonated from the shadows, deep and guttural.
Maris reacted first, shadows coiling around her arms as she extended them outward. "Something's moving."
Then the world erupted.
The walls shattered inward as a massive force crashed through them, a blur of twisted steel and flesh. The sheer impact sent them scattering—Maris barely evading the brunt of the strike as she melted into the darkness. Lucian spun midair, his blade flashing as he landed in a defensive stance. Aria flipped backward, landing in a crouch, her daggers raised. Ezekiel reemerged from the shadows a few feet away, his gaze locked onto the monstrous figure before them.
It was unlike anything they had faced before.
A grotesque fusion of man and machine, its body a warped amalgamation of metal plating and pulsating flesh. Spines of darkened steel jutted from its back, its face hidden beneath an angular helm that oozed a viscous black substance. Its arms—elongated, razor-edged—quivered with barely restrained energy.
Hakan cracked his neck. "Finally," he muttered, rolling his shoulders. "Something worth my time."
The creature lunged.
It moved faster than it had any right to, its blade-like limbs slicing through the air with terrifying speed. Hakan barely had time to react before the first strike came, his twin swords flashing upward just in time to parry. The force behind the blow sent him skidding back, boots grinding against stone.
Aria was already moving, phasing through the creature's guard and striking at its exposed joints. But the blades met resistance—some unseen force preventing them from digging deep. "It's armored with something unnatural," she hissed, leaping back before it could retaliate.
Lucian's spectral blade carved an arc through the air, colliding with the monster's shoulder. A shriek of tearing metal followed, but the creature did not falter.
Ezekiel disappeared into the darkness, emerging behind the beast. His dagger-like shadows lashed out, slicing toward its exposed sides.
And yet, even as the attacks landed, the creature did not slow.
It was adapting.
Hakan's grin widened. Good. Let's see how much it can take.
He surged forward, the Eclipse Fang splitting once more. The larger blade struck first, crashing against the beast's chest with enough force to shatter stone. The creature reeled back, but Hakan was relentless. The smaller blade followed—a swift, merciless slash along its midsection.
The beast stumbled, its molten blood splattering across the floor. But as quickly as the wounds formed, its body began repairing itself.
Ezekiel cursed. "It's regenerating."
Lucian's eyes narrowed. "Then we don't give it the chance."
Maris exhaled sharply and took a step forward, shadows coiling wildly around her. "You three," she said firmly. "Go."
Hakan turned his head slightly, a brow raised. "What?"
"You heard her," Lucian interjected, stepping beside Maris. His spectral blade flared with energy. "This thing isn't just here to kill us. It's here to stall us. If we all stay, we waste time. But if we go ahead…"
Hakan's gaze flicked between them, understanding dawning. His jaw tightened, but he nodded. "You're buying time."
Maris smirked. "You know me, always making the smart plays."
Aria's expression darkened. "You'll die."
Lucian turned to her, his smirk faint but resolute. "Then make it worth it."
The monster howled, its limbs splitting apart into jagged whips of metal and flesh. The tower trembled beneath its power.
Maris and Lucian moved in unison, a perfect blend of shadow and light.
Hakan turned away. "We're going."
Aria hesitated for only a fraction of a second before she followed. Ezekiel lingered just long enough to meet Maris's gaze—something unspoken passing between them—before vanishing into the darkness.
Maris let out a slow breath, her eyes blazing. "Well, Lucian," she murmured. "Shall we?"
Lucian twirled his blade. "Try to keep up."
The corridor behind them shook as they engaged, the sounds of battle fading as Hakan, Aria, and Ezekiel rushed forward.
The final battle awaited.
The battlefield still smoldered with the aftermath of relentless combat. The once-proud warriors of Kaede's team bore the scars of their brutal clash with Nyxara, their forces battered but unbroken. Raiden's team, having vanquished the dragons, now reinforced them, their combined might forming a single unstoppable force. And then, like the rising sun through the darkness, Iffah and the Silver Valkyries arrived, their radiant energy cutting through the despair like a beacon of hope.
The march toward the High Tower had begun.
The air was thick with tension, the distant echoes of war still ringing in their ears. The unified guilds—Tempest Vanguard, Obsidian Wardens, Lunar Sentinels, Infernal Aegis, Iron Dominion, Solar Legion, Crystal Vanguard—moved as one, a legion of hardened warriors tempered by fire and loss. The remaining Black Dragons—Sylvia, Torren, Rina, and Alaric—marched alongside them, their presence a silent testament to their resilience.
At the vanguard stood Iffah, the Valkyrie of Dawn, her Solar Spear glowing with pulsing golden light. She turned to the warriors behind her, her voice unwavering. "We have all faced our trials. We have bled, we have suffered, and we have endured. Now, we march forward—not for survival, but for victory. The High Tower falls today."
Kaede Arashi, leader of Tempest Vanguard, nodded, lightning crackling at her fingertips. "We've weathered the storm. Now, we become it." Beside her, Kaito Oshima, her Vice Commander, swept a hand through the air, conjuring a gust of wind that surged through the ranks. "And we strike with the fury of the skies."
Raiden Jin, the master of void energy, stood firm with the Obsidian Wardens. "The shadows of doubt are behind us," he declared. "Now, we become the darkness that consumes our enemies." Kara Voss, his Vice Commander, smirked as she absorbed the lingering energy around them. "Let them try to break us. We'll turn their power against them."
Selena Voss of the Lunar Sentinels let the moonlight shimmer in her grasp, her Celestial Veil flowing like silver mist. "They may think themselves untouchable," she said. "But illusions fade, and so will they." Lyra Fenn, her second-in-command, smiled as she conjured a nightmare illusion that flickered before dissolving. "They won't even know what's real until it's too late."
Dante Cross clenched his molten fists, the heat from his Infernal Aegis warping the air around him. "They'll learn what true fire is," he growled. Vera Cross, standing beside him, snapped her fingers, a small flame igniting before vanishing. "And we'll burn their hopes to cinders."
Victor Steele of the Iron Dominion slammed his fist into his palm, metal ringing out like a war drum. "Strength wins wars. Today, we prove it." Rex Stone cracked his neck, his arms shifting into gleaming iron. "Let's see who can withstand the storm."
Liora Ashen of the Solar Legion raised a hand, sunlight radiating from her fingertips. "We bring the dawn to their darkness." Evan Solace, her Vice Commander, mirrored her stance, a sunbeam forming between his fingers. "And we burn away every shadow."
Mira Solis, leader of the Crystal Vanguard, lifted a shimmering shard, watching light refract through it. "Our blades will cut through their last defenses." Nolan Ashford, his silver manipulation gleaming at his fingertips, smirked. "And leave nothing but dust behind."
Emaan Shah, Vice Commander of the Silver Valkyries, stepped forward, gripping her Radiant Edge as its shimmering blades pulsed with energy. "No more waiting. No more hesitation. The enemy thinks we are weakened. Let's prove them wrong."
Amara Malik smirked, her form flickering as she activated her Luminous Shroud. "I'll make sure we strike unseen. We end this war on our terms."
Sana Qureshi raised her hands, summoning her Aurora Veil, the cascading lights bending around their forces. "Speed and precision will win this battle. Let them struggle to keep up."
Naila Zafar clenched her fists, golden energy crackling between her palms. "And when they think they have a chance, we will burn them to ash."
The Black Dragons moved in sync, their formidable abilities adding to the might of the united forces. Sylvia's illusions rippled in the air, distorting reality itself, while Torren's fire crackled in anticipation of the coming destruction. Rina's energy barriers shimmered, providing their warriors with impenetrable defense, while Alaric subtly manipulated the battlefield, shifting kinetic energy to turn the tide in their favor.
The High Tower loomed ahead, an unholy monolith against the storm-darkened sky. Its jagged spires pierced the heavens, a relic of ancient power long since twisted by darker forces. Beyond its imposing gates, the enemy stirred. Though unseen, their presence was palpable—an unspoken warning to those who dared approach.
A deep, guttural growl rumbled from within the walls, low and primal, vibrating through the earth itself. It was not a sound of fear, nor pain. It was a challenge.
Iffah tightened her grip on her spear, her golden armor catching the faintest flickers of lightning from the storm above. She cast a glance at her warriors, their faces grim but resolute.
"Steady yourselves," she commanded, lifting her weapon in silent defiance. "This war ends now."
With measured steps, they advanced.
The air within the High Tower was thick with the scent of blood and decay, the stench clinging to their senses like an unseen predator. Their footsteps echoed against the cold stone floor as they entered the vast chamber.
Then they saw him.
Darius.
Or what was left of him.
The mighty orc warrior—once a towering juggernaut of strength—was now nothing more than a grotesque display of brutality. His limbs lay severed, his chest torn open, his head ripped from his shoulders. The gaping cavity where his heart should have been stood as a grim testament to the sheer savagery of his killer.
A tense silence fell over the warriors, their breath caught in their throats.
Alaric was the first to speak, his voice barely above a whisper.
"There's only one man capable of doing this."
They didn't need to ask.
As if compelled by some unspoken force, their gazes turned toward him in unison. And then, the name left their lips—a single word, heavy with realization and dread.
"Hakan."
The name alone sent a chill through them.
What had happened here?
What kind of battle had unfolded to bring even Darius—one of the strongest foes they had faced—to such an unspeakable end?
There was no time for questions. No time for hesitation.
Pushing aside their unease, the warriors pressed forward, their path winding through dimly lit corridors. The walls were cold, damp, and cracked with age, yet something about them felt wrong—as if the tower itself were watching, breathing, alive.
Shadows flickered in the corners of their vision, and an unnatural stillness hung in the air, broken only by the soft echoes of their footsteps.
And then—
Without warning—
A suffocating wave of abyssal energy flooded the chamber ahead.
Nyxara, the Abyssal Harbinger
The very air twisted, warping and bending under the sheer force of the dark presence that emerged.
From the swirling black mist, a towering figure stepped forward.
Nyxara.
The Abyssal Harbinger.
Her form was wreathed in living shadows, the darkness coiling around her like sentient tendrils. Two massive wings, feathered and abyss-black, pulsed with eerie violet light, while two smaller wings twitched, as if eager to strike.
Her armor—if it could even be called that—was midnight black, shifting and writhing as though whispering secrets of the void itself. But it was her eyes that held them still—two gleaming crimson orbs filled with twisted amusement.
She smiled, lips curling as she drank in the sight of the warriors before her.
"Well, well," she purred, her voice rich with dark amusement. "You actually made me retreat once. A rare feat. But I must commend your bravery… or rather, your foolishness."
Kaede took a slow step forward, her blade unsheathing with a whisper of steel. Her stance was poised, ready—yet her grip tightened just slightly.
"We forced you back before," she said evenly. "We'll do it again."
Nyxara laughed. A melodic, chilling sound that sent shivers through even the most battle-hardened among them.
"Oh?" She tilted her head, the shadows around her flaring. "You think this is the same battlefield? Out there, I was merely toying with you."
She lifted a hand, abyssal energy swirling like liquid night between her fingers.
"Here," she whispered, voice dropping to something sinister. "I am ten times stronger."
The air trembled. The very walls groaned.
Dark tendrils slithered across the floor like creeping veins, the temperature plummeting as abyssal energy consumed the chamber.
Iffah stepped forward.
Her Solar Spear ignited, its golden light cutting through the abyss like a beacon.
She spoke without turning.
"Raiden. Black Dragons. Go."
Raiden hesitated. His brow furrowed. "Iffah—"
"No." Her voice was firm, unwavering. Final. "This is not your fight. Find Hakan. He's somewhere in this tower."
Alaric clenched his fists, his instincts screaming at him to stay, but he knew the unspoken command for what it was.
A sacrifice.
Torren exhaled sharply, his flames flickering in protest. "You better not die here."
Iffah allowed herself a smirk.
"I don't plan to."
Raiden gave a sharp nod. "Let's move."
The Black Dragons and Raiden's team sprinted forward, their forms swallowed by the shadows of the tower.
Nyxara watched them go, her crimson eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Ah, so the cowards run."
She turned her gaze back to the remaining warriors—Kaede, Selena, Liora, Mira, and the Silver Valkyries—her lips curling into a wicked smile.
"No matter," she mused. "I'll deal with you first."
Kaede's stance tightened.
Selena's illusions began to stir.
Liora's solar flames flared.
Mira's crystalline blades shimmered.
And at the center of it all, Iffah raised her Solar Spear, its golden light burning defiantly against the encroaching abyss.
Her voice was steady.
"We end this here, Nyxara."
The Abyssal Harbinger's smile widened.
"Come, then," she purred, abyssal energy coiling like a living storm around her.
"Let's see if your light can withstand my darkness."
A few floors above where Iffah and her team now stood, Maris Dusk and Lucian Stride found themselves locked in a deadly confrontation.
Before them stood a monstrosity—a grotesque fusion of flesh and metal, its form an abomination of twisted limbs and pulsating machinery. Once human, perhaps, but whatever remained of its former self had long since been consumed by the horrors of mechanized corruption.
The creature twitched unnaturally, cables and sinew weaving through its body like living parasites. Its **eyes—one organic, one an eerie crimson glow—**focused on them with something between hunger and cold calculation.
Maris tightened her grip, the dark tendrils of Shadow Tendrils coiling around her arms. "I don't know what the hell that thing is," she muttered, "but it sure as hell shouldn't exist."
Lucian twirled his ethereal blade, his voice calm yet laced with tension. "Half-human, half-machine... this is no accident. Someone made this thing."
The abomination let out a sound—a sickening mixture of a human scream and the metallic grinding of gears. Then, without warning, it lunged.
Lucian barely sidestepped in time, his Ethereal Blade slicing through the air as he aimed for its exposed side. The blade passed through, phasing momentarily into the creature—yet instead of recoiling in pain, the machine adapted, its body shifting, absorbing the attack with unnatural resilience.
Maris reacted instantly, shadow tendrils lashing out to restrain it. The inky black coils wrapped around its limbs, tightening like a vice. "Got it!" she shouted.
But the abomination twisted its head unnaturally toward her, its cybernetic arm unfolding into a jagged, spinning saw. With an inhuman shriek, it tore through the tendrils, sending fragments of shadow dissipating into the air.
Maris' eyes widened. "Oh, that's bad."
Lucian moved in, this time shifting completely into spectral form, phasing through the creature before reappearing behind it. His blade flashed, striking precisely at the joints where flesh and machine met.
Sparks flew. The abomination staggered. But it was still standing.
And then—it spoke.
A voice, distorted and fractured, layered with mechanical tones.
"...Adaptation complete. Engaging countermeasures."
The air hummed. The monstrosity's cybernetic components began to shift, morph, evolve. Where its arm had once been a crude mechanical limb, it was now a fully formed energy blade, pulsing with abyssal light.
Lucian tensed. "You've got to be kidding me."
Then—it attacked.
A blur of metal and flesh, faster than before. The air screamed as the energy blade lashed out, barely missing Lucian by inches. Maris countered with a wall of shadows, only for the monstrosity to punch straight through it—its entire fist transforming into a cannon, firing a concentrated blast of kinetic force.
Maris barely dodged, rolling to the side.
"We can't fight this thing like a normal enemy!" she growled. "It's learning as we attack!"
Lucian's mind raced. They needed another strategy. They needed to find its weakness—
But before he could speak, the abomination took a single, heavy step forward.
Its mechanical eye focused.
And then—it spoke again.
"Target designation acquired: Lucian Stride. Data confirmed. Initiating override protocol... now."
Lucian's body seized.
A sudden, crushing force flooded his limbs—his own energy betraying him. He gasped as his Ethereal Blade flickered and his abilities faltered.
His very soul was being hacked.
Maris turned, panic flashing in her eyes. "Lucian!"
The abomination stepped closer, its energy blade poised for the kill.
Lucian's vision blurred, his very essence struggling against an unseen force.
And then—
The creature raised its blade, ready to end him.
Lucian struggled, his very soul ensnared by an unseen force. His body felt heavy, his movements sluggish—his own energy betraying him. It was as if something had latched onto his very essence, corrupting it, twisting it against him.
"Override protocol... 75% complete."
The distorted, mechanical voice rang out like a death sentence.
Maris gritted her teeth, panic flickering in her eyes as she launched a barrage of shadow tendrils, each strike aimed at disrupting the monster's core. But Abomination adapted instantly—its body shifting, twisting, reshaping itself into something even more terrifying.
With inhuman speed, it lashed out, a bladed arm ripping through the air. Maris barely managed to dodge, the metal slicing through the fabric of her cloak as she rolled away.
Lucian groaned, feeling the last of his strength fading. The darkness clawing at his soul was spreading.
He could feel himself slipping away.
No. Not like this.
A memory resurfaced—a battle long ago, when he had been captured by cybernetically-enhanced assassins who sought to replicate his phasing ability through artificial means. They had tortured him, breaking his mind, implanting a virus within his ethereal energy to force compliance.
He had almost lost himself that day.
But he had broken free—not because of strength, but because of sheer willpower. He was more than his power. He was more than the sum of his abilities.
Now, he was facing the same battle once again.
His fingers twitched.
His blades flickered.
And then, with a roar, he forced everything outward—his energy surged, raw and untamed, severing the invisible shackles that had bound him. The backlash tore through his body, but he didn't care.
He was free.
His vision snapped back into focus just in time to see Abomination lunging at him, a jagged metallic spike aimed straight for his heart.
Lucian phased.
His body flickered out of reality for a brief second, letting the attack pass through harmlessly—and then, with a violent burst of speed, he reappeared behind the monster.
His Ethereal Blades ignited, pulsing with all the pent-up rage he had just unleashed.
SLASH!
A deep gash tore through Abomination's armored plating, its grotesque mixture of flesh and machine spasming violently. Sparks and dark fluid spewed from the wound, and for the first time—
It screamed.
Maris didn't hesitate. Seizing the opening, she channeled every ounce of her power into a colossal swarm of shadows, her tendrils stretching across the chamber like writhing serpents.
They latched onto Abomination's limbs, twisting, tearing, suffocating.
The creature thrashed, shrieking in distorted agony.
"Lucian! End it!"
Lucian didn't need to be told twice.
He lunged, both Ethereal Blades raised high. The moment they struck—
They didn't just cut flesh. They tore through existence itself.
Abomination convulsed violently, its core rupturing as a flood of corrupted energy exploded outward. The walls trembled. The very air seemed to bend and break.
A final, horrifying wail escaped its mouth as its entire form collapsed inward, the fusion of metal and flesh imploding into a mass of molten ruin.
And then—
BOOM!
The explosion tore through the chamber, a shockwave of heat and force that sent Maris and Lucian flying. The impact slammed them against the far wall, the breath torn from their lungs as debris rained down around them.
For a moment, everything was silent.
Lucian lay gasping, his body screaming in protest. His vision blurred, his mind hazy from the sheer exertion.
But he was alive.
Maris groaned, pushing herself up, coughing out dust. She glanced at the smoking remains of their foe, then at Lucian, a tired grin forming on her lips.
"Hell of a fight."
Lucian let out a breathless laugh. "Yeah… Remind me never to get hacked again."
Maris smirked. "I dunno. You seemed to handle it fine this time."
Lucian exhaled, finally catching his breath. His body ached, but they had won.
Then—
A deep rumbling echoed through the tower.
Both of them froze.
They could feel it.
A shift in energy. A power even greater than what they had just fought.
Somewhere below them, Iffah and her team were already locked in battle. And if Abomination had been stationed here to stall them…
Then whatever was waiting at the heart of the tower was far beyond anything they had ever faced.
Lucian forced himself up, his legs unsteady but determined.
"We need to move."
Maris nodded, her expression grim.
They had survived hell—but the war wasn't over.
Not yet.