The village had been evacuated. The once lively streets were now eerily quiet, save for the faint sound of the wind whispering through the trees. Kalen stood at the village’s edge, watching as the last few villagers made their way toward safety. Sorin stood beside him, his expression tense but focused.

**“What do you think they’re planning?”** Sorin asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kalen’s eyes remained on the horizon, scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. **“I don’t know. But whatever it is, it’s going to be big. They wouldn’t have sent that messenger unless they were confident.”**

Sorin nodded, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. **“We need to be ready. If they’re planning to strike, they’ll hit us hard and fast.”**

Kalen clenched his fists, feeling the Voidflame stir within him. The Black Sect had made their move, and he knew they wouldn’t stop until they had destroyed everything he had built. But this time, he wasn’t alone. Sorin, the villagers, and even the remnants of the Stormveil Clan stood behind him.

**“We’ll be ready,”** Kalen said firmly. **“I’m not letting them take anything else from me.”**

---

The night deepened, and the air grew colder. Kalen and Sorin remained vigilant, their senses attuned to the slightest disturbance. It was in this stillness, just before midnight, that Kalen felt it—a sudden ripple in the Void.

It was subtle at first, like a gentle tug on his consciousness. But within moments, the ripple grew stronger, spreading through the air like a wave of dark energy. Kalen’s heart raced as he realized what was happening.

**“They’re here,”** he said, his voice grim.

Sorin immediately drew his sword, the blade glowing faintly with a soft, blue light. **“Where?”**

Kalen closed his eyes, reaching out with his Void sense. He could feel them now—dozens of powerful cultivators, all wielding the same dark energy he had encountered in the Black Sect. They were closing in from all directions, surrounding the village.

**“Everywhere,”** Kalen replied. **“They’ve surrounded us.”**

Sorin’s eyes narrowed. **“Then we fight our way out.”**

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Kalen nodded. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, but he didn’t let fear cloud his judgment. Instead, he allowed the Voidflame to rise within him, its icy heat flooding his veins and sharpening his focus.

As the first of the Sect’s forces appeared in the distance, Kalen’s mind raced. He couldn’t afford to be reckless, but he couldn’t allow them to take control of the battle, either. They had to strike first, and strike hard.

**“We need to split up,”** Kalen said. **“You take the west side of the village. I’ll handle the east. We need to keep them from converging on us.”**

Sorin glanced at him, his expression resolute. **“Don’t get yourself killed, Kalen.”**

Kalen smirked. **“I could say the same to you.”**

Without another word, the two of them separated, moving swiftly toward their respective battlefronts.

---

Kalen reached the eastern edge of the village just as the first wave of enemies emerged from the shadows. There were five of them—dark-cloaked figures, each wielding a weapon infused with Void energy. Their faces were hidden behind masks, but Kalen could feel the malice radiating from them.

He didn’t hesitate. The moment they appeared, Kalen unleashed a blast of Voidflame, the icy fire roaring toward them like a tidal wave. The figures scattered, but one was too slow—he was consumed by the flames, his body disintegrating into nothingness.

The others retaliated quickly, launching dark projectiles of Void energy toward Kalen. He dodged effortlessly, weaving through the air with a speed and precision that surprised even him. It was as if the Voidflame had made him lighter, more agile.

**“Too slow,”** Kalen muttered as he closed the distance between them.

With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a tendril of Void energy, which snaked toward one of the attackers and wrapped around his weapon. With a sharp pull, Kalen yanked the sword from the man’s grasp and sent him flying backward with a burst of Frozen Flame.

The remaining two attackers hesitated, but Kalen didn’t give them a chance to regroup. He pressed the attack, his Voidflame flaring around him as he struck them down one by one.

Within moments, the eastern flank was clear.

---

Meanwhile, Sorin faced his own group of attackers on the western side of the village. Unlike Kalen, Sorin relied on precision and speed rather than raw power. His sword moved like a blur, cutting down enemies before they even had a chance to react.

But even as he fought, Sorin couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The Black Sect had sent powerful cultivators, but they didn’t seem to be fighting with the intensity he had expected. It was almost as if they were holding back.

**“This doesn’t feel right,”** Sorin muttered as he dispatched another foe.

And then it hit him.

**“They’re stalling.”**

Sorin’s eyes widened in realization. The Black Sect wasn’t trying to defeat them here—they were keeping them occupied while something else happened.

He turned sharply, scanning the horizon for any sign of what the Sect might be planning. That’s when he saw it—a dark, swirling vortex forming in the sky above the village.

**“Kalen!”** Sorin shouted, his voice echoing through the village.

---

Kalen felt the disturbance at the same moment Sorin called out to him. He looked up, his eyes widening as he saw the vortex forming above them. It was massive, a swirling mass of Void energy that crackled with dark lightning.

**“What the hell is that?”** Kalen muttered under his breath.

Before he could react, the ground beneath him began to shake violently. The air grew thick with dark energy, and Kalen could feel the pull of the vortex growing stronger. He gritted his teeth, fighting against the force that threatened to drag him toward the swirling darkness.

**“This is bad,”** Kalen said to himself, his mind racing. **“Really bad.”**

He had to act fast. If the Black Sect succeeded in whatever ritual they were performing, the entire village—and possibly the surrounding lands—could be consumed by the Void.

With a deep breath, Kalen centered himself, drawing on the full strength of his Voidflame. He could feel the power surging within him, the ice and fire swirling together in perfect harmony. This was it—the moment he had been training for, the moment when he would have to push his limits.

**“I won’t let them win,”** Kalen growled, his eyes blazing with determination.

With a fierce battle cry, Kalen launched himself into the air, heading straight for the heart of the vortex.

The storm had begun.

And Kalen was ready to face it head-on.