Elron, still caught in his rage, pounded the cobblestones with his fists repeatedly. The rest of the group watched in a mix of concern and exhaustion as he created a scene in front of the public fountain.

“I need more strength! It wasn’t enough!” the prince bellowed, frustration clear in his voice.

Slyra, busy trying to bandage herself and keep Maris conscious, snapped at him, “Shut up and help me!”

Ignoring her, Elron dug his hands into the street, dislodging one of the cobblestones and flinging it aside. His hands tore into the road, pulling more stones free as his anger grew. The ground beneath them suddenly began to tremble, shaking violently. The once curious onlookers started to panic, screaming as they stumbled, trying to keep their balance.

“Earthquake!” a passerby shouted, fear gripping the crowd as they scattered.

The fountain behind Elron erupted in a violent explosion, hurling stone, water, and debris into the air. In its place, a gaping hole formed as an undead monstrosity clawed its way out, gripping the edges of the stones with gauntlets that glistened with decay.

“Give me my sword!” the death knight howled, its voice echoing like thunder.

Elron looked up, locking eyes with the creature's cold, dead stare. He smirked, “Here,” and, with his blade ablaze, he hurled himself at the death knight.

Just as his sword was about to strike, a gust of wind slammed him to the ground. Dazed, he looked up to see a dark-haired elf standing in front of him, locked in combat with the knight.

Elron’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Lord Moon?” he gasped.

Lord Moon strained as he clashed with the knight’s wicked blade, his face twisted with effort. “Get out of here! Now!” he ordered.

Elron tried to move but realized, to his horror, that his legs wouldn’t respond. His bones were shattered, and the jagged edges of broken bone pierced through his skin. Panic flooded his mind as he glanced around, desperate for help, but all he saw was chaos.

Around him, homes were burning, people were fleeing in terror, and the sky itself seemed to darken with impending doom. Time seemed to both slow and speed up, and Elron could do nothing but watch. He watched as Lord Moon and his wife fought fiercely, their gleaming blades clashing against the nightmarish creature.

Their battle was unlike anything Elron had ever seen. They moved with near blinding speed, their silver swords flashing as they clashed against the death knight’s dark steel. Spells of immense power erupted from their hands, filling the air with lightning, fire, and crackling black energies. Every strike sent shockwaves through the battlefield, leaving destruction in its wake.

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A child knelt beside the rubble, crying uncontrollably over her dead mother. An elf, engulfed in flames, ran screaming through the chaos and accidentally set another woman ablaze as she searched for her family. The scene was pure mayhem.

In the midst of it all, Slyra dragged Maris as far from the battle as she could manage, her own injuries slowing her down. She limped over to Elron, struggling to lift him.

“Leave me,” Elron groaned, his face pale from blood loss. “I’m dead weight.”

A bolt of lightning struck nearby, and Slyra shouted, “I’m not leaving you! Now help me move you!”

Elron tried his best to shift, but his strength was fading fast. Blood loss clouded his vision, and within moments, darkness consumed him.

In a void, Elron slowly lifted his head from a kneeling position as a dim glow appeared beneath him. He was kneeling on what seemed to be a floor of blood, though the surface did not ripple as he moved. In front of him, droplets of blood fell from somewhere, causing faint ripples to spread across the crimson pool.

A sword descended from the darkness, its voice cold and familiar. “Hello, Elron.”

Elron blinked, confusion clouding his mind. “Am I dead?” he asked.

The sword hovered before him, its blade gleaming. “Not yet,” it replied.

Elron looked around, disoriented. “Where am I, then?”

“We are in a small domain of mine,” the sword said, circling him slowly. “But that doesn’t matter. I’ve pulled your spirit here to amend our contract.”

Elron’s eyes narrowed as he followed the sword’s movements. “What contract? Who are you?”

The sword stopped in front of him once more. “I am Balmer, the sword you wield.”

Recognition flickered across Elron’s face. “I remember now,” he muttered. “You gave me your hatred in exchange for… what? A simple bond between sword and master? You’re cursed. Any deal with you will lead to my demise.”

Balmer hummed, the sound low and ominous. “This is true.”

Elron flinched at the sword’s blunt admission.

“But I can give you what you want,” Balmer whispered. “Strength. More strength than you could ever imagine, and enough power to lead your people from the suffering that—”

Elron tried to push the floating sword away from him and hung his head low. “And what will it cost me?”

Balmer’s voice became darker, more insistent. “You will never know true love, your freedom will be stripped from you, and not only will you have my hate but you will have the hate of the world as well…”

Elron stared at his reflection in the pool of blood beneath him, his lip trembling. “No. I refuse.”

The sword’s size doubled, glowing with fierce green light. “You cannot hide from me, Elron. We are bound. I can peer into your soul, and you are lying to yourself.”

Tears welled in Elron’s eyes. “I— I am.”

Balmer’s laughter echoed, resonating deeply within the space, causing the pool of blood to ripple violently around them. “You will restore my divinity yet,” the sword declared, and with a sudden thrust, it plunged itself into Elron’s chest, sending him doubling over.