Nyxara's snarl tore through the battlefield, her patience unraveling. The air around her twisted violently, pulsating with pure abyssal fury as she extended both hands. The shadows responded instantly—a storm of blackened tendrils and abyssal fire erupted outward in a violent explosion.
"Enough of your worthless resistance!" she roared, her wings flaring wide as a maelstrom of darkness consumed the battlefield.
The warriors scattered.
Kaede vanished in a blur of lightning, barely dodging the tendrils that struck where she stood a moment prior. Sparks crackled around her as she flipped midair, her Stormcaller ability surging with raw energy.
Iffah slammed her sword into the ground, anchoring herself as the shockwave nearly tore her from her feet. Her muscles tensed, her grip firm. She was not backing down.
Selena raised her arms, chanting under her breath. "Lunar Veil!" A silver barrier of moonlight wrapped around the team, dulling the abyssal storm's impact—but the sheer force of Nyxara's power was relentless.
Liora, her golden armor gleaming amidst the darkness, clenched her fists. "We're not losing!" she shouted, her radiant aura intensifying as the very light itself gathered at her fingertips.
Mira Solis was already moving.
A thousand crystal shards spiraled around her, forming a barrier of lethal beauty as she sprinted toward Nyxara with breathtaking speed. Her Shardweaver ability pulsed, her crystalline blade shimmering as she launched herself forward.
Nyxara's gaze snapped to her—
Too late.
CRASH!
Mira's blade smashed against Nyxara's chest, sending the harbinger hurtling backward, her wings struggling to regain control midair. The impact sent a rippling shockwave across the battlefield, the very air vibrating from the sheer force.
Selena seized the moment—
Her silver eyes glowed. "Celestial Ray!"
A beam of concentrated lunar energy erupted from her palms, searing through the battlefield like a divine spear, slamming into Nyxara's side. The impact tore through her defenses, forcing her to retreat further.
Kaede appeared above Nyxara in a flash of lightning.
"Thunderfall!"
She brought both hands down, and from the heavens—
A bolt of pure lightning crashed onto Nyxara's position.
The ground shattered.
A deafening explosion of energy erupted.
For a moment—just a fleeting moment—it seemed like they had gained the upper hand.
Then—
The smoke cleared.
And Nyxara stood untouched.
Her laughter returned, slow and menacing. Her body was wreathed in darkness, the wounds they had inflicted vanishing as if they had never been.
Her abyssal power surged.
"You are all beneath me."
The battlefield trembled as every warrior gathered their strength.
"NOW!" Iffah roared.
In an instant, Kaede, Mira, Liora, Selena, and the entire Silver Valkyries struck in unison.
Kaede surged forward, a living tempest, her blade crackling with raw storm energy. Lightning arced from her form, her Stormcaller ability surging to its peak as she unleashed a hurricane of slashes that left trails of electricity in their wake.
Mira followed in perfect sync, Shardweaver activating at full capacity. Massive crystalline constructs formed in the air—swords, lances, jagged spears—all honing in on Nyxara with lethal precision.
Selena raised her arms, moonlight coalescing into an orb of pure radiance above her. "Lunar Judgment!" she declared, bringing her hands down. From the sky, a pillar of divine light crashed upon Nyxara, searing her flesh and sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
Liora stood her ground, golden armor blazing like the sun. She extended both hands, calling upon the power of daylight itself. "Solar Cataclysm!" she cried, summoning a radiant inferno that engulfed Nyxara, her golden energy clashing against the abyssal shadows.
The sheer force of their combined onslaught shook the heavens. The air cracked and hissed under the weight of their attacks.
But still—Nyxara endured.
Through the blinding light and the roaring storms, her laughter echoed. Mocking. Malicious. Unyielding.
"YOU THINK THIS WILL KILL ME?!" she bellowed, her abyssal energy swelling, consuming the attacks around her. "YOU HUMANS ARE NOTHING BUT—"
"NOW, NAILA!" Iffah's voice cut through the chaos.
Nyxara's laughter stopped.
A brilliant glow ignited behind her.
She turned—
Her abyssal eyes widened in shock.
Behind her, Naila stood at the heart of a massive, blinding solar vortex.
Surrounding her, every warrior's second-in-command had joined forces, channeling their energy into her. The Silver Valkyries. The Tempest Vanguard. The Crystal Guard. The Lunar Sentinels. The Solar Legion.
All of their power—their will, their belief—focused into one devastating attack.
Naila's form radiated like a miniature sun, her hands trembling with sheer force as she unleashed her ultimate technique.
"SOLAR BLOOM!"
A colossal eruption of golden fire burst forth, engulfing Nyxara completely.
The abyssal being screamed.
The fire seared through her form, her very essence burning away as she struggled to fight back. She thrashed, clawing at the inferno, but the force was too overwhelming.
And then—
Kaede, Mira, Selena, and Liora struck from behind.
Kaede's lightning ripped through Nyxara's back, sending crackling volts through her body. Mira's crystalline lances pierced deep, their jagged edges driving further into her form. Selena's moonlight carved through her wings, shattering them into dust. Liora's solar energy fused with the flames, amplifying their destruction.
Nyxara's screams turned into raw, unfiltered rage.
"YOU—INSOLENT—HUMANS!"
Her abyssal body began to break apart, piece by piece.
But before she could make a final move—
Iffah appeared beside her.
Their eyes locked—
One filled with rage and agony.
The other, with unyielding determination.
"This is what happens when humans stand together," Iffah whispered.
She raised her spear—its blade glowing with celestial energy.
"A demon like you deserves hell."
And she struck.
The spear drove through Nyxara's chest, piercing straight through her abyssal heart.
The harbinger gasped, her body jerking violently.
The last of the Solar Bloom's flames roared, engulfing her completely.
Nyxara let out one final, inhuman shriek.
And then—
She was no more.
Only embers remained.
Only silence followed.
The battlefield stood still.
And then—
A cheer erupted.
As Nyxara's form disintegrated into embers, the battlefield stood frozen in eerie silence.
Then, a wave of relief and triumph spread through the warriors.
Kaede exhaled heavily, dropping to one knee. Her body trembled from the exertion of summoning such immense power, but she looked up, her storm-filled eyes shining with pride and gratitude. She turned to Iffah, her breath still ragged.
"That was brilliant, Iffah. Using Naila's Solar Bloom to break through her defenses was the only way," Kaede admitted, nodding in respect.
Selena, standing beside her, let out a soft laugh, exhausted but relieved. "I doubted it for a moment," she confessed. "But you knew exactly how to bring her down. You led us to victory."
Iffah, catching her breath, looked over at Naila.
She lay collapsed on the ground, her body barely moving. Her face was pale, drained of every last ounce of energy. Several healers rushed to her side, their hands glowing with soothing light as they worked to stabilize her.
Despite her exhaustion, Naila gave a small smile. "Did... did we win?" she murmured weakly.
Iffah knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah. We won, Naila. You did it."
But before the feeling of victory could settle, Mira Solis stood tall, gripping her crystalline blade.
"Don't lose focus. The fight isn't over."
The warriors looked up.
The tower still loomed above them.
The battle with Nyxara had been just one step—a crucial victory, but not the end.
Iffah's gaze hardened. She stood, looking to her warriors.
"We can't celebrate yet. We still have to face Veal and Zareth."
The joy in the air quickly faded. Reality crashed down upon them.
Turning to her Silver Valkyries, Iffah issued her next command. "All of you stay here. Search for survivors and get them to safety. No one gets left behind."
Her voice was unwavering, strong even in the face of the impossible.
Liora stepped forward, her golden armor dimmed with cracks, her body still radiating heat from the Solar Flare she had unleashed.
"Iffah, I can still fight."
Iffah turned to her, her expression unreadable for a moment.
Then, she shook her head. "No, Liora. You're too injured. If you push yourself any further, you'll collapse like Naila."
Liora clenched her fists, frustration clear on her face. "I can still be useful!"
Iffah sighed, but her decision was final. "You already were. You helped bring down Nyxara, and now you have a different duty. Selena and the others need you here to lead the survivors."
Selena stepped beside Liora, placing a hand on her shoulder. "She's right. We have to make sure no one else dies today."
Liora hesitated. She hated it—but she understood.
With a reluctant sigh, she nodded.
"Alright. But don't you dare die up there."
Iffah smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."
She turned back to the warriors who were still able to fight. "Kaede, Mira—you're with me."
The two nodded, their eyes burning with determination.
Spare healers from each guild joined them, ensuring they could provide aid as needed.
With one final glance at her allies left behind, Iffah took the first step toward the tower.
Kaede followed. Mira was right behind her.
As they all ran towards the tower Iffah whispered to her self "I am coming Hakan please be safe!!"
The tower trembled with the sheer force of the battle raging within.
Explosions of energy, steel clashing against steel, and the raw fury of combatants filled the battlefield. Vael'Zyrr and Zareth'Ghul, the Abyssal Warden and the Voidborn Executioner, stood as unyielding titans—guardians who refused to fall, no matter how much force was thrown against them.
Raiden's team fought with everything they had.
On one side, Raiden, Dante, Aria, and Ezekiel clashed against Zareth'Ghul, their combined efforts barely keeping the nightmare at bay.
On the other, Victor, Alaric, Torren, Rina, and Silvia battled Vael'Zyrr, whose abyssal armor seemed impenetrable even against their strongest attacks.
For the briefest moment, it had seemed like they had gained the upper hand.
But reality proved cruel.
Raiden surged forward, void energy coursing over his form as he unleashed a flurry of relentless blows against Zareth'Ghul. His fists, empowered by the abyss, connected against the monster's shifting body, causing distortions in the air with every strike.
But Zareth'Ghul refused to be broken.
It let out a shriek of pure horror, its nightmarish voice twisting reality around them.
The darkness surrounding it surged, tendrils of black mist lashing out in all directions.
Aria barely dodged one as it shredded through stone like paper. Ezekiel countered with a wave of void daggers, but the creature phased through them, its form flickering between existence and nothingness.
Then, it retaliated.
A chain of pure shadow shot out, wrapping around Dante's leg before he could react. His eyes widened as an unbearable coldness seeped into his flesh, draining him of strength.
"Ghh—!" Dante growled, trying to break free.
Raiden turned just in time.
"Get off him!"
His body surged with void energy, and he grabbed the chain with his bare hands. A pulse of his power shattered the shadowy link, freeing Dante before Zareth could drain any more of his essence.
Dante staggered back, his breathing heavy. "Damn thing… it's like a living nightmare," he muttered.
Raiden's gaze never left Zareth'Ghul. His muscles tensed, his aura flaring even brighter.
"Then we'll drag this nightmare into the light."
Aria and Ezekiel nodded, preparing for their next attack.
Meanwhile, the battle against Vael'Zyrr was no less brutal.
Victor and Alaric, the two strongest warriors among them, fought side by side, pushing Vael'Zyrr back inch by inch.
But it wasn't enough.
Vael'Zyrr's abyssal greatsword swung in a devastating arc, colliding with Victor's blade. The impact sent a shockwave so powerful that the walls cracked, and Victor's arms buckled under the force.
"Tch—!" Victor grit his teeth, digging his feet into the shattered ground.
Alaric seized the opening, warping behind Vael'Zyrr in an instant, his blade flashing in the dim light.
He struck.
But Vael'Zyrr turned at the last second, catching Alaric's sword mid-swing with his gauntlet.
His crimson eyes flared, and with a single brutal motion, he hurled Alaric across the battlefield.
Alaric crashed against a pillar, coughing blood.
"Alaric!" Torren called, but he had no time to help—Vael'Zyrr was already moving again.
Silvia wove illusions around the battlefield, attempting to disorient the Abyssal Warden, but Vael'Zyrr's burning eyes pierced through the deception effortlessly.
Rina and Torren reinforced Victor with their barriers, creating openings where they could, but Vael'Zyrr seemed unstoppable.
A fight of pure endurance. A test of willpower.
And they were being pushed to the edge.
The battlefield was a storm of chaos—a brutal, unrelenting struggle between warriors and monsters.
Zareth'Ghul and Vael'Zyrr stood as towering obstacles, their overwhelming strength pushing the fighters to their absolute limits.
But Raiden and Victor refused to back down.
Zareth'Ghul's form shifted constantly, phasing between reality and void, its body a twisted amalgamation of writhing shadows and abyssal tendrils.
Every attack landed on it was useless.
No matter how much Raiden or the others struck, Zareth always reformed, a grotesque figure feeding on the darkness itself.
Dante launched a wave of magma, molten fury surging through the battlefield, only for Zareth to absorb it into its endless void.
Ezekiel's daggers of pure energy cut into the nightmare's form, but they passed through empty space, hitting nothing.
The creature laughed, a sound like a thousand voices screaming at once.
"Fools. Your attacks mean nothing. I am the void. I am the end."
Then, it moved.
A shadowy claw shot out, stretching across the battlefield in an instant.
It slammed into Aria, wrapping around her in an instant.
Her scream echoed through the battlefield as her form began to disintegrate, her body melting into shadow.
Zareth was devouring her.
Raiden's eyes flashed with rage.
"I won't let you take anyone else!"
He lunged forward, his body wrapped in pure void energy, his fists clenched so tight that blood dripped from his palms.
And then—he stopped.
His eyes widened as realization struck him.
Zareth was the void.
That meant he could only exist where there was darkness.
And that meant—he had a weakness.
Raiden turned to Dante.
"Dante—no shadows! We need light!"
Dante's eyes widened. "Shit—you're right!"
Ezekiel, seeing the opening, began absorbing all the shadows in the area, pulling them into himself.
Raiden moved instantly.
"Ezekiel! Keep going! Drain the darkness completely!"
Zareth'Ghul screeched, as if sensing what they were about to do.
"No. No! You cannot—"!
Raiden didn't let him finish.
With a roar, he planted his feet into the ground, channeling all of his void energy into his body—but not as an attack.
Instead, he did something that went against his very nature.
He used his void energy to absorb the surrounding darkness.
Zareth'Ghul howled in agony, its body beginning to dissolve.
Dante raised both arms, summoning a wave of fire that burned so brightly it cast no shadows.
Aria collapsed, her body exhausted, unable to continue. they claws had vanished as there was no darkness.
Ezekiel continued to siphon away every last ounce of darkness, drawing it into himself.
Zareth'Ghul thrashed violently, its form breaking apart.
"You… cannot… win…"
Its words faded into nothing.
And then—
With a final howl of agony, Zareth'Ghul collapsed into itself, vanishing into nothing.
Silence fell.
Raiden stood there, his body covered in burns and wounds, breathing heavily.
Then—
He grinned.
"One down."
Meanwhile, Victor and his team were still locked in a vicious struggle.
Vael'Zyrr was a monster unlike any other.
Even with Zareth gone, the Abyssal Warden showed no signs of weakening.
Victor's sword clashed against Vael's greatsword, shockwaves of force shaking the entire tower.
Alaric warped from shadow to shadow, striking at Vael's blind spots, but every hit barely left a mark.
Torren and Rina poured their strength into reinforcing their allies, but it was clear—Vael'Zyrr was holding them back, no matter what they threw at him.
Silvia's illusions kept the monster distracted, but its abyssal senses saw through most of them.
And Vael knew.
It knew that the warriors were reaching their limits.
"You struggle. You fight. But you will fall, just like all before you."
Victor gritted his teeth, blood dripping from his lip.
They needed a new plan.
They needed a way to break this monster.
Because if they didn't—
They would all die here.
The battle raged on, relentless and brutal. Vael'Zyrr was an unyielding force, his abyssal greatsword carving through the air with devastating precision. But the warriors refused to back down.
With a single, crushing blow, Vael'Zyrr struck Alaric square in the chest, sending him hurtling backward. He crashed into the ground, coughing up blood, his vision blurring from the sheer force of the impact.
Dante and Raedin tensed, their instincts screaming at them to move—to retaliate—but their bodies had reached their absolute limits. They could only watch as Victor surged forward, refusing to let Vael'Zyrr press the advantage. He met the Abyssal Warden head-on, intercepting the next strike as Toren, driven by unrelenting fury at the sight of Alaric's condition, unleashed every ounce of his firepower.
Flames roared, engulfing Vael'Zyrras Toren's relentless onslaught forced him onto the defensive. Meanwhile, Rina's sharp mind raced. She called out to Victor, and as soon as he paused to acknowledge her, she made her move. Four barriers materialized in perfect alignment around Vael'Zyrr and Toren. These barriers were unlike any she had conjured before—each one carried a reflective property, redirecting any attack that came into contact with them.
As Toren dodged an incoming slash from Vael, the Abyssal Warden's own attack ricocheted off a barrier and slammed back into him. A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but before he could react further, Ezekiel emerged from the shadows, his dagger poised for a killing blow. He aimed for Vael's neck—
—but Vael noticed in time, shifting just enough for the dagger to sink into his shoulder instead.
A guttural snarl escaped the Warden as dark ichor oozed from the wound. Enraged, he turned to retaliate, but Toren was already there. His entire body crackled with concentrated power as he clenched his fist, his flames condensing into a single, devastating point.
With a roar, Toren drove his fist forward, all of his fury, all of his firepower, focused into one singular strike.
BOOM!
Vael's body rocketed backward, crashing into one of Rina's barriers. The sheer force shattered the magical construct, sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. But that wasn't the end.
Before Vael could recover—
Alaric appeared behind him.
Ezekiel's ability had transported him directly into position. Blood still trickled from his lips, but his eyes burned with resolve. His sword pulsed, having absorbed every ounce of kinetic energy from the battle—the tremors, the strikes, the impacts, even the residual force from Zareth's destruction. It all gathered within his blade, coalescing into a singularity of unimaginable power.
With a final, resolute breath, Alaric plunged his sword into Vael's body.
A pulse of energy erupted from the point of impact.
Vael's body convulsed as the stored kinetic energy detonated within him. A massive shockwave blasted outward, obliterating everything in its radius. His abyssal armor cracked, his once-imposing form unraveling as his body was torn apart from the inside.
For a brief moment, silence.
Then, in a final explosion of energy—Vael was no more.
Alaric dropped to his knees, coughing up blood as he struggled to catch his breath. The battle was over, but it had exacted a heavy toll on everyone. Around him, the aftermath was clear: exhausted warriors, broken weapons, and the stench of blood and ash hanging in the air.
Raedin and Dante lay flat on the ground, staring up at the shattered ceiling above them. Their chests rose and fell heavily as they fought to recover from the grueling fight.
"Do you think he will?" Dante asked, his voice hoarse.
Raedin didn't respond immediately, his jaw clenched as he considered the question. Finally, he growled, "If the king is supposed to be stronger than these things…" He trailed off, his teeth gritting in frustration. "I don't know. But we have to trust him."
Dante let out a bitter laugh, though there was no humor in it. "Not like we have any other choice."
Sylvia ignored their conversation and rushed to Alaric's side, her hands glowing with healing energy. She reached out to tend to his wounds, but Alaric caught her wrist, shaking his head.
"Go to Aria," he rasped, his voice firm despite the pain. "She needs you more than I do."
Sylvia hesitated, her eyes filled with concern, but she knew better than to argue with him. With a nod, she turned and bolted toward the corner of the battlefield where Aria had fallen.
When Sylvia reached her, her heart sank. "Oh no!" she gasped, dropping to her knees beside Aria. The void energy had ravaged her body, leaving her pale and barely conscious. Wounds marred her skin, and her breathing was shallow the void had its effect her bones and limbs twisted and disoriented.
"Stay with me, Aria," Sylvia said, her voice trembling as she placed her hands over the worst of the injuries. A warm light emanated from her palms as she poured her healing energy into her.
The battle was over, but the cost was painfully clear. Every warrior bore the scars of what they had endured, and the shadows of the next fight loomed ever closer.
On the lower floor, Lucian's battered body lay motionless, a testament to the toll the battle had taken. Maris knelt beside him, her legs folded beneath her as she cradled his head on her lap. Her face was streaked with sweat and dirt, but her eyes were fixed solely on him.
"You know," she murmured, her voice trembling but laced with a faint smile, "you really outdid yourself today." She forced a weak grin, trying to mask the fear gnawing at her heart.
Lucian's breathing was labored, his chest rising and falling with visible effort. Maris clenched her teeth, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Lucian. There are no healers here…" Her voice broke as a sob escaped her. The bond they had formed, fragile yet unspoken, had grown stronger in the heat of battle. She gently brushed the hair from his face as her tears fell freely. "Please… stay strong. Don't die. Someone will come. I promise."
Maris herself was badly injured, her body trembling from exhaustion and pain. She knew she could barely hold herself together, but leaving Lucian was not an option. She would stay by his side, no matter what.
Their luck finally turned when Kaede, Iffah, and Mira arrived. The three warriors stopped in their tracks, their faces stricken with shock as they saw Lucian's condition.
"What happened?!" Kaede exclaimed, rushing over to them. Her gaze darted between Lucian's broken form and Maris, trying to process the scene.
Mira didn't waste a second. "Healers, now!" she barked, motioning to her team. A pair of healers immediately knelt beside Lucian, their hands glowing as they began to channel restorative magic.
Iffah, the legendary Valkyrie of Dawn, stepped forward and addressed Maris. "Young lady," she said with calm authority, "what happened here?"
Maris lifted her head, and her expression shifted from despair to disbelief. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at Iffah, her hands trembling. "What the… What are you doing here? Am I dead?" Panic flared in her voice as she struggled to comprehend the presence of the legendary warrior.
Iffah gave her a small, reassuring smile. "No, you're not dead. But it would be nice if you could tell me what happened." She extended a hand, helping Maris to her feet as one of the healers tended to her wounds.
Once she steadied herself, Maris took a deep breath and began to explain. She recounted everything—the brutal encounter with the half-human, half-machine monster, the relentless battle, and how Hakan, Aria, and Ezekiel had pressed forward to the higher floors. Her voice wavered as she relived the chaos, but she told them everything.
As she finished, a sudden movement drew their attention. Lucian stirred, his willpower refusing to give in. Despite his injuries, he sat up with difficulty, his voice hoarse but resolute. "We have to go… to the upper floors," he managed, his eyes burning with determination.
Everyone exchanged glances, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Whatever lay ahead, they knew there was no time to waste.
Coming to the top of the floor as Hakan faced the king himself.
Hakan barely had a moment to react.
The dragon—no, the entity—moved.
Faster than thought.
A crimson blur, a flicker of burning embers, and then—
A fist, like a meteor, slammed into his gut.
BOOM.
The impact was unlike anything he had ever felt.
It wasn't just strength—it was pure force, like getting struck by the weight of a collapsing mountain. His ribs groaned under the pressure, his vision blurred, and before he could even process the pain—
His body was already soaring backward.
CRACK!
He collided with the colossal abyssal gate, the entire tower quaking violently from the sheer force of impact. A shockwave erupted from the point of collision, rippling outward like an earthquake, tearing through the chamber with devastating intensity.
The ancient stone floor beneath them fractured, massive cracks splintering outward as if the very foundation of reality had been shaken.
Hakan gasped, coughing as he felt a sharp pain lance through his body. His back throbbed from the impact, his breath ragged. The blow had nearly ruptured his insides.
And the dragon…
It hadn't even used its full power.
Through blurred vision, he forced himself to look up.
The entity stood exactly where it had been, its stance relaxed, its expression amused.
Mocking.
"You're even weaker than I expected."
Hakan gritted his teeth, fury igniting in his chest. His grip on Eclipse Fang tightened, the blade thrumming with power, reacting to his growing determination.
The dragon tilted its head slightly.
"Get up, Son of Raihan. Entertain me."
And then it vanished.
Hakan's instincts screamed.
Behind!
He barely managed to twist his body before—
A clawed foot came crashing down.
BOOM!
He leapt aside just in time as the impact obliterated the stone where he once stood. A crater formed beneath the dragon's strike, a shockwave tearing through the air, sending debris flying in every direction.
Hakan landed, his muscles coiled, his heartbeat thunderous.
The king grinned.
The shockwaves were wreaking havoc on the lower floors, causing cracks to spread across the walls and debris to rain down.
"Well, it looks like it's started," Dante muttered, using every ounce of his remaining strength to push himself upright.
"Yeah, but I don't think these shockwaves are a good sign," Raedin replied, lying on his back. He, too, had borne the brunt of the battle, his body too weak to rise.
"How's Aria?!" Victor called to Sylvia, who was desperately trying to heal her.
The tremors intensified, forcing Rina to quickly summon a barrier to protect everyone. Ezekiel, ever resourceful, used his powers to teleport everyone beneath the protective shield. When a massive boulder came crashing down toward the barrier, Kaede unleashed her Stormcaller ability, directing a violent gust of wind that sent the boulder flying away.
Sylvia, alongside the other healers, worked frantically to stabilize Aria.
"We need healers now! Aria is in critical condition!" Kaede shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. She directed the remaining healers toward Aria, but as they approached, they noticed something grim—Aria wasn't the only one in dire straits.
Raedin, sprawled on the ground, gave Kaede a weak smile. "Glad you made it," he rasped.
Victor, Torren, and Dante were also gravely injured. Alaric, coughing blood, leaned against a broken column, his strength rapidly fading.
"What on earth happened here?!" Iffah exclaimed, her voice laced with fear and confusion. Mira, equally alarmed, stood beside her.
"We were fighting two unbelievably strong foes," Rina answered, her voice strained as she struggled to maintain the barrier. "They weren't like anything we've ever seen before."
Iffah's gaze sharpened. "Tell me everything."
Rina explained the battle against Vael'Zyrr and Zareth'Ghul, detailing how the two had nearly annihilated them. She also recounted Aria's collapse and the toll the fight had taken on the group.
Kaede knelt beside Raedin, her face tight with concern. "You had it rougher than we did," she murmured, looking at his weakened body.
" thank god you're still alive but ..." Mira stepped forward, her tone urgent. "Where is Hakan?"
Dante, grimacing as he clutched his side, answered, "He went to face the King. Alone."
The room fell silent as the weight of his words settled over them.
"What do you mean?" Mira snapped, her voice rising.
"How could you let him go? That's suicide!" Kaede stepped in, her tone sharp.
Standing off to the side, Iffah clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She didn't speak, but the anguish on her face was clear. It was as though the world was conspiring to take Hakan away from her.
Sylvia noticed Iffah's expression and stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry," she said softly. "That thing might be a King, but this is Hakan. He'll survive."
Iffah's tense posture eased slightly at Sylvia's reassurance, though her worry didn't completely fade.
"We should go help him," She began, her determination flaring. "We have to—"
Before she could finish, another shockwave ripped through the floor, throwing everyone off balance.
"We don't have enough time!" Victor shouted, his usual calm demeanor replaced by urgency. "We need to leave now."
"But Hakan…" Iffah began, her voice filled with concern.
"He knows how to take care of himself," Kaede interrupted, trying to sound more confident than she felt.
Ezekiel rose unsteadily to his feet, his voice firm. "If he's fighting the King, us going to him will only distract him. He'll worry about us instead of focusing on the fight."
He further added. "I have seem his strength first hand . Hakan is on a league of his own. We need to focus on getting the injured to safety."
Iffah hesitated, her heart warring against her reason, but she finally relented. "You're right," she said, her voice quieter now. "We'll leave it to him."
She carefully picked up Aria, who was still unconscious, while Dante hoisted Raedin over his shoulder. Torren moved to assist Alaric, whose injuries had left him barely able to stand.
As they began to retreat, the shockwaves continued to shake the crumbling structure. Their hearts were heavy, but they knew this was the only choice. For now, all they could do was trust in Hakan—and pray that he could triumph against the King.
Hakan was losing.
No—he wasn't just losing. He was being dismantled.
Every strike from the Dragon King carried enough force to reduce mountains to dust, and each time, Hakan found himself barely dodging, barely blocking—barely surviving.
His body was torn, battered, bruised.
The Dragon King's attacks weren't wild or reckless. They were precise, controlled, and devastating. Each blow forced Hakan into a worse position, cutting off his movement, making him react exactly how the entity wanted.
He tried to counter. Tried.
But his attacks were shrugged off like mere annoyances.
A backhand from the dragon sent him crashing through a pillar. A knee to the ribs launched him like a ragdoll into the far wall, leaving a crater in the stone.
Hakan roared, slashing with Eclipse Fang, aiming for the entity's throat—
But the Dragon King caught the blade with two fingers.
CRACK.
The sheer force of the stop sent a numbing shock through Hakan's arms. His muscles screamed in protest, but before he could react—
A tail, wreathed in crimson energy, slammed into his side.
BOOM.
Hakan was hurled across the chamber once more, slamming into the ground and rolling like a broken doll before stopping in a heap.
Blood dripped from his mouth. His breathing was ragged. His vision blurred.
And yet—
A smirk crept onto his lips.
Because something was changing.
The Adaptation
The Dragon King strode forward, gaze unreadable.
"You're still smiling?"
Hakan spat blood, pushing himself up, his arms trembling from exhaustion and pain.
"Yeah… I am."
The Dragon King raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
Hakan's smirk widened. He cracked his neck, flexing his fingers around Eclipse Fang.
"Because I'm finally seeing it."
And then—
He moved.
Not in desperation. Not in reckless aggression.
He dodged.
Perfectly.
The Dragon King's next strike—a brutal downward slash—missed by an inch.
Hakan sidestepped, pivoted, and retaliated—
BRUTALLY.
Eclipse Fang flashed, slicing toward the entity's side. The Dragon King twisted just in time, avoiding a deep cut—
But for the first time—
Hakan had landed a hit.
A thin line of crimson appeared on the Dragon King's scales.
For the first time, his expression shifted.
Hakan grinned.
"I get it now."
The Dragon King narrowed his eyes. "Explain."
Hakan exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
"You're fast. Too fast. Stronger than anything I've faced." He rotated his wrist, Eclipse Fang humming in response. "I was trying to match your pace. Trying to fight you your way."
His stance shifted—low, balanced, coiled like a predator.
"But now… I'm fighting you my way."
A heartbeat.
The Dragon King moved.
So did Hakan.
A perfect clash.
This time—Hakan countered.
The Dragon King swung—Hakan ducked.
A knee came flying toward his ribs—Hakan twisted, catching it with his forearm, redirecting the force.
The Dragon King's claw lashed out—Hakan parried with Eclipse Fang, deflecting the blow before slamming his fist into the entity's jaw.
The impact echoed through the chamber.
For the first time—
The Dragon King staggered.
Hakan didn't stop.
Didn't hesitate.
He pressed forward—tactically, brutally, relentlessly.
A feint—then a ruthless elbow to the gut.
A parried claw—then a savage kick to the ribs.
A blurred step—then Eclipse Fang carving through the air like a black comet.
The battle had changed.
Hakan was still outmatched. Still weaker.
But he was learning. Adapting.
And for the first time—
The Dragon King wasn't just attacking.
He was defending.
And his smirk was gone.
The battle was reaching its crescendo.
Hakan moved like a storm, his strikes sharp and merciless, every counter a brutal lesson learned in pain.
The Dragon King, once overwhelming in his dominance, was now being pushed back.
Hakan's relentless assault drove the entity toward the far end of the chamber, his movements perfected, his instincts honed to their absolute limit. His dual Eclipse Fang blades sang with each swing, black and silver light streaking through the air.
The Dragon King blocked, deflected, evaded—yet for the first time, he did not control the battle.
Hakan saw the opening.
His final strike.
With a roar, he lunged, both blades arcing downward, the very air around him trembling under the sheer force of his swing.
Then—
A smirk.
A deep, knowing, mocking smirk curled onto the Dragon King's lips.
And before the blow could land—
He roared.
A monstrous, abyssal sound that shattered the chamber itself.
BOOOOM.
A shockwave of pure power exploded outward.
Hakan's world blurred—his body was hurled through the air like a broken puppet, slamming into the far wall with enough force to leave a crater.
The chamber shook. No—the entire tower trembled under the sheer force of the Dragon King's unleashed might.
The entity stepped forward, his crimson aura now blazing like an inferno.
Hakan gasped for breath, his ears ringing, his muscles screaming in protest.
And then—he saw it.
The Dragon King was even faster.
It was as if he had been holding back this entire time.
Hakan barely had time to react as the entity closed the distance in a blink, his massive claws gleaming with raw destruction.
He slashed.
Hakan's instincts screamed—he crossed both blades of Eclipse Fang in a desperate block.
The clash—
SHATTERED THE WORLD.
For a second, time itself froze.
Hakan felt a foreign, unnatural sensation pierce through his gut.
His eyes widened.
The claws had gone through.
A sharp, searing pain shot through his body as crimson claws penetrated his stomach, blood dripping down in slow, dreadful drops.
But that wasn't the worst part.
The worst part—
Was what he saw next.
Eclipse Fang—the legendary weapon.
The blade he had wielded in countless battles.
The blade that had carried him through victory after victory.
The blade that was meant to be indestructible.
It was gone.
Shattered. Broken into countless fragments.
The once mighty Eclipse Fang lay in pieces—nothing more than shards of its former glory.
Hakan's breath hitched.
His hands trembled as he stared at the shattered remains, his grip tightening around the useless hilts still clutched in his fingers.
His mind screamed at him to move, to counter, to do something—anything—but his body would not listen.
The Dragon King's burning gaze never left him.
A slow, rumbling chuckle built from deep within the entity's chest.
A sound of amusement.
A sound of mockery.
A sound of pity.
"You thought you could stand against me?"
The voice was a low growl, reverberating through Hakan's bones.
He couldn't even answer.
A pool of blood formed beneath him, warm and sticky, spreading across the cold, unforgiving floor.
Move.
His instincts screamed at him.
MOVE.
But his body would not obey.
For the first time in years—
He felt powerless.
The Dragon King slowly raised his FISTS rather than his claws , the blood still fresh from piercing Hakan's flesh.
And then—
He swung.
A merciless, strike—
Straight for Hakan's face.
Sending him flying.