It was late at night when Kaelion and his group returned to the slums of Valtherion. The black sword was now wrapped in tattered cloth, but the dark aura it emitted still lingered, making the air around them heavy.
Lira looked at Kaelion, walking ahead, her expression full of questions. Since they had left the temple, Kaelion had said little. His face remained cold, but Lira could tell something was stirring inside him.
"Kaelion," Lira finally broke the silence, "are you alright?"
Kaelion stopped and turned to face her with a sharp gaze. "I'm more than fine."
Yet his tone was unconvincing. There was something different in the way he spoke, as if he was holding something back, something he didn't fully understand himself.
---
The Hidden Betrayal
Inside their hideout, Kaelion was making plans for their next move. He instructed Orik to monitor the movements of the knights in the city, while the other bandits were to secure escape routes in case things went awry.
However, in the corner of the room, Orik appeared restless. Cold sweat trickled down his temple as he glanced at Kaelion, who was deep in conversation with Lira.
Orik took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He knew something that the others didn't—information he had received from an imperial soldier.
"The artifact..." Orik murmured to himself. "The Empire knows. They're coming."
Instead of warning Kaelion, Orik chose to remain silent. He had a plan, something he believed would save him from the impending destruction.
---
The Dark Side of the Sword
Meanwhile, in another room, Kaelion sat alone, holding the sword in his hand. He had unwrapped the cloth, allowing the black blade to radiate its dark aura.
The sword felt alive in his grasp, as if it had a will of its own. Kaelion felt the flow of energy coursing through his body, strengthening him, but at the same time, disturbing his mind.
Shadows of the past flashed in his mind—the faces of his former subordinates, as they drove their swords into his body. The betrayal he had suffered still felt fresh, as though it had happened yesterday.
"You think you can erase me from history?" he whispered to himself. "You're wrong."
But as he held the sword longer, another voice began to echo in his mind—a voice that did not belong to him.
"Raviel... return me to our glory... release me..."
Kaelion jolted, his eyes widening. He stared at the sword intently. "Who are you?"
The voice laughed softly, a haunting echo filling his thoughts. "I am your shadow, Raviel. I am the part of you that you left behind thousands of years ago. Together, we will rise again."
Kaelion furrowed his brow. He knew the sword had immense power, but he never expected it to have a consciousness of its own.
"I don't need you to rise again," Kaelion replied coldly.
"Don't be so arrogant, Kaelion. This world has changed. Your enemies have evolved, and the Empire is not what it once was. Without me, you will be nothing but a shadow of your former self."
Kaelion fell silent, but his grip on the sword tightened.
---
The Sudden Attack
Before Kaelion could respond to the voice in his head, the door to the room suddenly burst open with a loud bang. Lira rushed in, her face pale.
"We have a big problem!" she shouted.
Kaelion immediately stood up. "What happened?"
"The Empire's army. They've surrounded this area," Lira replied, panic in her voice.
Kaelion narrowed his eyes. "How could they know we're here?"
Orik, who was in another room, seemed tense. He tried to avoid Kaelion's gaze, but Lira quickly noticed something.
"You..." Lira glared at Orik. "You betrayed us!"
Orik took a step back, his hands shaking. "I... I had no choice! The Empire will slaughter us all if I don't tell them!"
Kaelion walked slowly toward Orik, his eyes burning like embers in the dark. "And you think they'll let you live after this?"
Orik recoiled, his face drained of color. "I... I just wanted to save myself..."
Before Orik could say more, Kaelion swiftly swung his sword. The black blade pierced Orik's body without a sound, leaving a dark aura that enveloped his form.
"You're of no use to my plans," Kaelion said coldly.
Orik fell to the ground, his body frozen in an expression of terror.
---
The Blaze of Darkness
Loud thuds echoed from outside, followed by shouting and the sound of imperial soldiers' footsteps approaching.
Lira grabbed Kaelion's hand. "We need to leave now!"
However, Kaelion stood still, his eyes fixed on the black sword with an increasingly cold gaze.
"Leave?" Kaelion chuckled softly, his voice full of arrogance. "No, Lira. I won't run."
Lira stared at him in shock. "You can't face them alone!"
Kaelion raised the black sword, and a dark aura began to surround him. "They want this power? Fine. I will show them what it means to face the King of Darkness."
Lira tried to pull him away, but Kaelion simply raised his hand, signaling for her to retreat.
"Stay here, Lira. This is not your battle."
As the door to the hideout was smashed open, dozens of imperial soldiers stormed in, their weapons aimed at Kaelion.
But Kaelion merely smiled coldly. "Let's see if this Empire is strong enough to challenge me."