The towering figure stepped out of the shadows, his presence suffocating and imposing. His black armor shimmered faintly with crimson runes that pulsed like a heartbeat, exuding an aura of dark power. The glow in his crimson eyes locked onto Xander, a sinister smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Who are you?" Xander demanded, stepping forward instinctively, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword.
"I am Darius," the figure replied, his voice deep and resonant, as if it carried the weight of centuries. "You may not remember me, but I remember you, Xander. You were one of us."
"One of you?" Xander repeated, his tone skeptical. His heartbeat quickened as flashes of the vision from the sanctuary replayed in his mind. The black throne, the hollow gaze, the legions bowing before him—it all felt disturbingly real.
Aria let out a soft whistle, tilting her head as she studied Darius with interest. "I'll admit, you've got a certain flair for dramatic entrances," she said, her emerald eyes gleaming with mischief. "But if you're looking to recruit him, you're going to have to wait in line."
Darius's gaze shifted to Aria, his smile fading into a cold sneer. "Ah, the rogue shadowmancer. Still clinging to your petty schemes, I see." His tone was dismissive, but there was an undercurrent of venom in his words. "You've fallen far, Aria."
"I'm touched that you remember me," Aria shot back, her smirk unfaltering. "But I don't take kindly to people trying to poach what's mine."
"I am not yours," Xander cut in sharply, his voice laced with irritation. "Enough with the cryptic nonsense. What do you want from me?"
Darius's attention returned to Xander, his expression softening slightly. "To bring you back where you belong," he said, his voice almost persuasive. "You were a general, Xander—a leader among the shadows. We conquered worlds together. You belong by my side."
Xander's chest tightened as the words sank in. A general? Worlds conquered? It was absurd, impossible… yet deep down, something about Darius's words felt disturbingly familiar.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Xander said through gritted teeth. "I'm not the person you think I am."
Darius's crimson eyes narrowed. "Not yet," he said. "But you will be."
Before Xander could respond, Darius raised a hand, and the air around them seemed to shift. A heavy, oppressive energy filled the space, making it hard to breathe.
A Fight for Freedom
"Move!" Aria shouted, shoving Xander aside just as a blast of dark energy surged toward him. The ground where he'd been standing exploded in a shower of blackened rock, the force sending him sprawling.
Darius didn't flinch, his movements unnervingly calm as he stepped forward. The armored soldiers behind him advanced in unison, their weapons gleaming with the same dark energy.
"Stay out of this, Aria," Darius warned, his tone almost bored. "This is between me and him."
Aria twirled her dagger, a defiant grin spreading across her face. "Sorry, but I don't take orders from men in tin suits."
Xander scrambled to his feet, his sword drawn as the soldiers closed in. Celestia stepped forward then, her radiant light pushing back the oppressive darkness.
"You will not touch him," she said, her voice firm and commanding. Her golden wings flared behind her, their brilliance a stark contrast to the shadows around them.
Darius chuckled darkly. "The self-righteous angel," he mused. "How predictable. Tell me, Celestia, how long will you keep pretending that he's any different from the rest of us?"
"Enough talk!" Xander growled, charging at the nearest soldier. His blade clashed against the enemy's, sparks flying as the two forces collided. The soldier was strong, unnaturally so, but Xander held his ground, his muscles burning as he pushed back.
Aria darted through the chaos, her movements as fluid as water. Her emerald eyes gleamed with excitement as she plunged her dagger into one soldier's neck, her cloak billowing around her like a shadow.
"Not bad, stranger," she called out to Xander. "But try to keep up, will you?"
Celestia, meanwhile, radiated calm determination. With a sweep of her hand, she sent a wave of golden light crashing into the advancing soldiers, their bodies disintegrating into ash upon contact.
Darius watched the battle with an air of detached amusement, his arms crossed as if he were merely observing a sparring match.
"You're holding back, Xander," he called out, his voice carrying over the noise. "Why? Afraid of what you might become if you unleash your true power?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Xander shouted, slashing through another soldier.
Darius sighed, shaking his head. "So much potential, wasted on denial."
With a sudden burst of speed, Darius closed the distance between them, his massive blade slamming into Xander's with a force that nearly knocked him off his feet.
The Shadows Stir
The clash of blades echoed through the air as Xander struggled to hold his ground against Darius. The man was impossibly strong, each strike sending shockwaves through Xander's body.
"Do you feel it?" Darius murmured, his voice low and taunting. "The power within you, begging to be released?"
Xander gritted his teeth, refusing to answer. He swung his sword with all his strength, but Darius parried effortlessly, his movements almost lazy.
"You're weak," Darius continued, his crimson eyes glowing brighter. "But I can change that. Embrace what you are, and you'll never have to struggle again."
"Shut up!" Xander roared, pushing back with a surge of adrenaline.
For a brief moment, something inside him stirred. His blade darkened, a faint aura of black flames flickering along its edge. Darius's smile widened.
"Yes," he said softly. "That's it."
But before the power could take hold, Celestia appeared between them, her golden light flaring so brightly that both men were forced to retreat.
"Enough!" she commanded, her voice resonating like a bell. She turned to Xander, her expression filled with urgency. "You must not give in, Xander. No matter what he says, you are not bound to the darkness."
Darius sneered, but he didn't press the attack. "This isn't over," he said, his crimson eyes locking onto Xander. "You can run, but you can't escape what you are."
With that, he raised his hand, and the shadows around him surged upward, swallowing him and his remaining soldiers. When the darkness faded, they were gone.
Aftermath
The silence that followed was deafening. Xander stood in the aftermath of the battle, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.
"You're lucky he didn't take you," Aria said, her voice unusually serious. She sheathed her dagger, her emerald eyes narrowing as she studied him. "But he'll be back. And next time, he won't hold back."
Celestia stepped closer, her expression softening. "You must trust me, Xander," she said gently. "The path ahead will be dangerous, but you don't have to face it alone."
Xander didn't respond. His thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and doubt, Darius's words echoing in his mind.
What was he becoming?