The battlefield still smoldered as dawn broke, bathing the carnage in a surreal golden light. Soldiers moved among the wreckage, dragging the injured to makeshift infirmaries and piling the fallen in solemn rows. The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoke and blood. Billy stood near the ruins of the barricades, his Lord Form still active, his glowing purple eyes scanning the devastation.
The Shadow Lord’s death had brought no celebration, only silence. The cost of survival weighed heavily on everyone’s shoulders.
Soria approached him, her face shadowed with exhaustion. "We need to regroup. Morale is hanging by a thread, Billy. People are scared—"
“They should be,” Billy interrupted, his voice cold. “This wasn’t a victory. It was a warning.”
She frowned. “You’re not the only one who feels the weight of this, you know.”
Billy turned to face her, his expression softening. “I know. But I need to show them strength. Fear is what the Shadow Lords thrive on.”
---
Ripples of Division
In the heart of the settlement, Garron was the center of attention. His rogues gathered around him, their expressions a mix of awe and unease.
“That was reckless,” Aelric spat as he stormed into the group. “You nearly got everyone killed!”
Garron raised an eyebrow, twirling a dagger idly. “And yet, here we are, alive. You’re welcome.”
“That explosion killed more of our people than the beast,” Aelric shot back, his hands trembling with barely contained anger.
Garron shrugged. “Sometimes you sacrifice pawns to save the king.”
Aelric stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. “These people aren’t pawns.”
The tension was palpable, drawing the attention of nearby soldiers. Whispers spread quickly, further splintering the fragile unity among the defenders.
Before the argument could escalate, Billy arrived, his Lord Form deactivating as he approached. His presence alone was enough to silence the murmurs.
“Enough,” Billy said sharply, his eyes flicking between the two men. “We don’t have time for this. If we fall apart now, the Shadow Lords win without lifting a finger.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Aelric stepped back reluctantly, but his glare didn’t waver. Garron, however, smirked, clearly unbothered.
---
Whispers of a Greater Power
That evening, Billy gathered his core team in the command center. The holographic map of their territory flickered before them, showing the extent of the damage.
“We need reinforcements,” Soria said bluntly. “And resources. We can’t survive another attack like that.”
“I agree,” Aelric said, still glaring at Garron. “But where do we find allies? The neighboring settlements won’t help us—they’re too afraid of the Shadow Lords.”
Billy’s gaze drifted to the edge of the map, where uncharted lands loomed. His mind raced, recalling fragments of lore he’d pieced together from ancient texts and the whispers of chaos.
“There’s an old ruin to the east,” he said, his voice low but steady. “If the stories are true, it holds artifacts from before the Lords’ Wars. Magic and technology that could turn the tide in our favor.”
Soria’s eyes widened. “You want to gamble everything on a ruin?”
“It’s not a gamble,” Billy replied. “It’s a necessity. We’re out of options.”
Garron leaned forward, a sly grin spreading across his face. “I like it. A treasure hunt. Dangerous, sure, but isn’t that what we’re good at?”
Soria shot him a glare but didn’t argue. Aelric, however, was less convinced.
“Even if we find something, we don’t know if it’ll work—or if it’ll even be safe,” he said.
Billy’s purple eyes glowed faintly as he looked at his team. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take. The Shadow Lords are coming, and this might be our only chance to fight back.”
---
Echoes of the Past
That night, Billy sat alone in his quarters, his chaos blade resting on the table before him. The whispers were louder now, their voices a cacophony of temptation and derision.
You are weak.
They doubt you.
Use us, and you will never have to fear again.
Billy closed his eyes, gripping the edge of the table until his knuckles turned white. Memories surfaced unbidden: the orphanage, the cold, empty halls, and the betrayal that had left him scarred.
The face of his rival flashed in his mind—a boy he had once called a brother. His closest friend, who had betrayed him for power, leaving Billy to die in the ruins of their home.
The whispers seized on his pain.
He is out there, stronger than you. He will come for you.
Unless you strike first.
Billy opened his eyes, the glow fading as he forced the chaos energy back into submission. “Not yet,” he murmured. “Not like this.”
---
The Journey Begins
By dawn, the settlement was buzzing with preparations. Billy had chosen a small team to accompany him to the ruins: Soria, Garron, Aelric, and a handful of trusted soldiers.
As they set out, the horizon stretched endlessly before them, the uncharted lands a mix of desolate plains and shadowed forests. The air was heavy with the promise of danger.
Soria walked beside Billy, her rifle slung over her shoulder. “Do you really think we’ll find something out there?”
Billy glanced at her, his expression unreadable. “I have to believe we will.”
Behind them, Garron whistled a jaunty tune, his daggers gleaming in the morning light. Aelric, ever watchful, kept a wary eye on the rogue.
As the group ventured deeper into the wilderness, the atmosphere grew tense. The shadows seemed to stretch unnaturally, and the wind carried whispers that set their nerves on edge.
But Billy pressed on, his chaos blade humming faintly at his side. He could feel it—a faint, pulsing energy in the distance, calling to him.
The ruins were out there, waiting. And with them, perhaps, the power to turn the tide of the war.
---
End of Chapter 51