Sevidon’s head throbbed as he slowly regained consciousness, the dull ache pulsing with each heartbeat. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, the world around him a blur of shadows and indistinct shapes. He turned to his side, finding Tamiron and Aderon struggling to their feet. Tamiron managed to stand upright, while Aderon spread his wings, using them for balance on his unsteady legs.
“Where are we?” he croaked, his voice barely audible over the pounding in his skull.
“I don’t know,” Tamiron replied, his eyes scanning their surroundings.
As his vision cleared, he could make out the vague outlines of a structure, its form obscured by darkness. Pillars stretched from floor to ceiling, their pointed tops vanishing into the shadows above. The eerie silence of the place pressed in on him, adding to his disorientation.
He turned and saw Everess as she stood a short distance away, her posture rigid, eyes unfocused as if she were staring straight through him. A surge of anger flared within him, and he drew his sword, pointing the blade at her neck with trembling hands.
“Everess, what did you do?!” he demanded, his voice raw with fury. She remained still, her expression blank, unmoved by his rage. She looked more like a statue than a living being, devoid of any emotion or reaction.
“Stop this, Sevidon,” Tamiron urged, as he stepped forward in an attempt to diffuse the situation.
He shot him a venomous glare. “I have heard enough, Tamiron! After all of this, we are going to have a long talk about what you ignored for you to realize what she’s doing!” His voice trembled with a mix of anger and betrayal. Turning back to Everess, he pressed the blade closer to her skin. “I know what you did. Confess now before I lose the sliver of respect I still have for you.”
Everess’ eyes finally focused on Sevidon, but they were cold, distant. “I did what needed to be done,” she said quietly, her voice devoid of any warmth. “For the greater good.”
His grip on his sword tightened. “The greater good?” he spat. “You destroyed our trust, our unity. What kind of greater good justifies that?”
Her gaze didn’t waver. “You wouldn’t understand. None of you would.”
Tamiron stepped closer, placing a hand on Sevidon’s shoulder. “We will explain later, right now cooler heads need to prevail.”
Everess only turned her head, scanning the ground as if seeking something unseen.
“Why did you raid those tombs and temples? What were you looking for?” he demanded, but she merely met his gaze with a frown.
“What is with that look? Are you mocking me? I can take you down if I wanted to. Now, confess!” he shouted, his hand trembled with barely contained fury. His rage was fueled by her attacks on sacred sites across the continent, the burning of the Grand Sulinhawi Library, and most painfully, the defiling of Azaria’s tomb.
“Confess now, Everess! I am at my wit’s end! You have undermined us ever since we stepped onto this wretched continent! Tell us what it is you are planning!” His voice echoed through the dark, oppressive space.
Everess remained silent, her face an unreadable mask.
“Why did you bring us here?” Aderon’s sudden question cut through the tension, drawing everyone’s attention but hers. He drew his swords, rage etched across his face as he flew toward Everess. “How dare you bring us here!”
“Aderon, stop! We don’t even know where we are!” Tamiron shouted, raising his large mace defensively.
“We are in the High Kingdom, deep within the Aternor mountain range! A highly guarded tomb!” Aderon’s voice was a mix of anger and disbelief.
Realization dawned on him, and his blood boiled anew. “You plan to raid this place? Again?” he growled through gritted teeth. “When will you stop?”
Everess did not respond. She raised her palms and murmured a spell, her fingers weaving through the air. He braced himself, expecting an attack, but the lightning struck behind him instead. The cavern was suddenly illuminated by a blinding explosion, and rung like a bell as the lightning jumped multiple times, revealing the grim reality that surrounded them.
Dozens of High Eagle guards lay dead, their bodies strewn across the cavern floor. The sight of the fallen warriors sent a chill down his spine. Hovering above them was a cloaked figure, its eyes glowing an ominous pink, a darker shade than Everess’—almost red. Recognition dawned on him; this was the same figure that had attacked him in the sulinhawi library and destroyed it.
Everess’ cold, empty eyes surveyed each of them, disappointment etched across her face. Her eyes began to glow with the same eerie light as the shrouded enemy, and she too lifted off the ground, hovering in the air.
Tamiron clutched his head, his face contorted in pain. He rushed to his side. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.
Tamiron struggled to speak, his body shaking with fear. “I’ve felt this presence before. I know this.”
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. As he walked forward, he stretched out his left arm. After a brief moment, a shield flew into his hand as he summoned it by his will. “Who are you?!” he shouted, but the figure remained silent.
“Do not waste your time; he will not talk,” Everess said, her voice devoid of emotion. She cast another spell, summoning multiple lethal orbs that streaked towards the enemy. The attack was intercepted by a shimmering purple orb that appeared around him, absorbing the impact.
The enemy waved his arms, and mysterious symbols flew out from him. A grumbling sound echoed through the cavern, growing louder until a massive circular slab of rock was pulled from the tomb and hurled towards them. They managed to dodge it, the slab crashing into the cavern wall. Engraved on the rock was the symbol of a black eagle.
Aderon’s rage boiled over. “How dare you raid this place! This is a forbidden tomb!” He charged the enemy, striking the invisible shield with all his might. The shield held firm until a purple flash threw Aderon back, sending him sprawling.
From the tomb, a coffin made of rock flew out, hovering in the air. The enemy waved his hand, and the coffin was immediately wrapped in a pink sheet that solidified into an orb and then disappeared.
“Now, let us begin,” the cloaked figure spoke, his voice a hoarse whisper that echoed through the cavern. With another wave of his hand, the ground buckled beneath him and Tamiron. They barely managed to steer away from the debris as the ground cracked and shifted.
Tamiron, regaining his footing, leaped towards the enemy, his mace swinging with immense force. The invisible shield shattered like glass under the blow. The enemy staggered back, then retaliated by summoning spikes of earth, which Tamiron deftly dodged.
He then charged forward. He slashed at the enemy, who parried with a conjured blade of shadows. The clash of steel and shadow sent sparks flying, illuminating the cavern in brief flashes.
“Everess, what are we dealing with here?” Tamiron asked, finding his footing amidst the debris.
“A plague!” Everess’ voice was urgent, her eyes glowing with fierce determination. “He is the embodiment of a plague! We need to stop him here and now! Do whatever you can to keep him occupied. Distract him so I can end this!”
She summoned ten glowing orbs that arched above her head, then shot towards the enemy one by one. The cloaked figure dodged each orb with unnatural speed, weaving through the air like a shadow.
The enemy reached towards the ceiling, a purple flash erupting from his hand. The cavern ceiling cracked and crumbled, sending smoke, rocks, and snow cascading down. Tamiron, Sevidon, and Everess scrambled to avoid the falling debris.
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Aderon appeared out of the chaos, striking at the enemy with rapid, precise blows. The enemy parried each of his strike effortlessly, then countered with a lightning spell that hit him squarely in the chest, sending him crashing into the crumbling cavern wall.
Tamiron emerged from the dust, leaping high into the air. He hurled his mace with all his might towards the enemy. The enemy raised his hand to deflect it, but Everess seized the moment, casting a lightning spell that struck the enemy in the back. The distraction was enough—the mace hit the enemy in the head, sending him hurtling out of the sky and down the mountainside.
The mountains howled with the winter storm’s wrath as Sevidon surged forward, finding the enemy momentarily weakened from the attack. Seizing his chance, he lunged with his sword, but the cloaked figure dodged, moving with unnatural speed.
Aderon swooped in from behind, striking at the enemy with a flurry of blows. But the enemy was too swift, evading every attack with fluid, almost inhuman grace.
The enemy leapt high into the air, hovering above them like a dark wraith. Tamiron retrieved his mace, its heavy weight comforting in his grip. “We need to take him out of the sky,” he said, breathing heavily.
“You just did,” Sevidon panted, wiping sweat and snow from his brow.
“It’s not as easy as I made it look,” Tamiron replied, catching his breath.
Sevidon glanced at him. “Maybe use your gauntlets then?”
Tamiron shook his head as he glanced at his arms, where the gauntlets were evidently missing, knowing the limitations of his gear. Before he could reply, Aderon’s voice cut through the storm.
“I’ll pluck him from the skies!” Aderon roared, his wings unfurling as he launched himself towards the enemy. “I will not let him get away from this place alive!”
Fury drove Aderon as he ascended, his heart burning with the desecration of the sacred tomb now buried beneath snow and rubble. He engaged the enemy in a mid-air battle, striking with relentless fury. Though the enemy dodged each attack, Aderon’s onslaught was unyielding, tearing at the enemy’s cloak and forcing him on the defensive.
Aderon’s relentless assault pushed the enemy to the brink. In a desperate move, the cloaked figure cast a spell, a bolt of dark energy shooting towards Aderon. But Aderon twisted in the air, dodging the attack and catching the enemy off guard.
“Catch!” Aderon shouted, delivering a powerful kick that sent the enemy plummeting to the ground.
Sevidon and Tamiron charged in, weapons ready. The duel that followed was fierce and unrelenting. Sevidon’s sword flashed in the stormy gloom, each swing aimed to end the battle. Tamiron’s mace struck with the force of a thunderbolt, each blow shattering the enemy’s hastily summoned shields.
The enemy fought back with all his might, summoning ice walls and whipping the wind against them. But each defense crumbled under the relentless assault. Tamiron’s Mace of Revereigh, imbued with ancient power, smashed through the enemy’s barriers with ease.
Sevidon’s blade danced in the storm, striking with precision. He found an opening and thrust his sword forward, forcing the enemy to step back. The figure stumbled, and Tamiron seized the moment, his mace coming down with a bone-shattering force.
Sevidon called upon his ability to summon weapons, yanking blades, spears, and axes from the buried tomb and hurling them at the enemy. Each weapon struck true, creating a storm of steel around the cloaked figure. In a blinding flash of pink, a glowing pentagram appeared at the enemy’s feet, Everess’ spell anchoring him to the cliff edge, paralyzing him.
Sevidon and Tamiron backed away, giving Everess the space she needed. Aderon descended from the sky, his sword flashing as he struck the immobilized enemy, then kicked him down onto the pentagram. Everess’ eyes blazed with an intense mixture of purple and pink, her power surging.
“Troj asbastacos!” Everess chanted. The pentagram expanded, its light shifting from pink to red as massive glowing-tentacles erupted from it, wrapping around the enemy and squeezing with relentless force.
“Klei Arnum!” she continued, and the earth responded, rising up to form a colossal hand that gripped the enemy tightly. He did not resist, trapped within the spell’s unyielding grasp.
“Icea fron Dalca!” she shouted, and numerous ice spears materialized, hovering menacingly around the enemy.
Everess raised her right arm towards the sky, her voice rising with another incantation, “Soros Xarpion Credo Qualma!” The sky darkened to a deep crimson, thunder booming as a gigantic fiery orb emerged from a gaping rift above.
Sevidon watched in horror, his eyes wide. “What is she doing?” he muttered, unable to tear his gaze from the massive fireball forming overhead. Tamiron stood frozen, and Aderon’s lips trembled with fear.
“Everess, stop this! This should be enough, he’s not moving!” Sevidon pleaded.
Everess’ gaze remained cold and unyielding. “He is too dangerous to be kept alive.”
Sevidon saw the lethal determination in her eyes, a look he had never seen before. His heart raced as he realized what was about to happen. “Everess, you’ll destroy the mountain! Stop this!” Aderon shouted.
“We need to know who he is serving, Everess! We need him alive!” Tamiron added, desperation in his voice.
“I will not waste this chance,” Everess replied, her hands shaking with the immense power she was channeling. “I will not permit the horrors that are to come! All ends here!”
The tentacles and the earthen hand tightened their grip on the immobilized enemy, while hundreds of spears hurtled towards him, striking with precision. The sky erupted as the massive fireball descended, transforming night into day.
Aderon, Tamiron, and Sevidon were thrown back by the sheer force of the explosion, but Everess’ orbs caught them gracefully. The smoke was thick, but it began to dissipate, revealing the aftermath of Everess’ devastating attack.
“Everess, the village! An avalanche!” Aderon shouted, struggling within the orb’s protective barrier.
Everess’ eyes widened in horror as she saw the impending avalanche rushing towards the small village below. With a swift gesture, she froze the cascading snow, halting the avalanche and sparing the village.
As the smoke cleared, Everess turned her attention back to where the enemy had been. Her gasp echoed through the still air. A purple orb encased the cloaked figure, completely unscathed.
All of them stood frozen in disbelief. Cold sweat trickled down their faces as they processed the unthinkable sight before them.
“How did he...” Sevidon stuttered, his voice trailing off as his mind struggled to comprehend the scene.
“All that power. It did nothing,” Tamiron murmured, equally stunned.
Aderon glanced towards where the tomb had been, but it was obliterated, reduced to rubble by the immense force they were certain should have killed their enemy.
“We will meet again, in time,” the cloaked figure’s voice echoed, cold and mocking.
Everess trembled, her face a mask of fear. For the first time, she felt the gnawing dread that her powers might not be enough. The figure, still protected by a shimmering purple orb, was enveloped in a pink sheet that solidified into another orb before vanishing into thin air.
Everess, exhausted and shaken, began her descent from the sky. Her flight grew unsteady as the toll of her immense power finally struck her. Blood trickled from her nose, ears, and eyes, and she lost control, plummeting toward the ground. Sevidon and Tamiron rushed forward, catching her just before she hit the rocky terrain.
Aderon landed on the edge of what was once the sacred mountainside tomb, now a massive, smoldering crater. He kneeled, overwhelmed by grief, tears streaming down his face. The lives of his comrades, lost in the battle, weighed heavily on him. Their bodies had been obliterated in the powerful explosion meant to vanquish their enemy.
“Everess,” Tamiron urged, gently shaking her.
“Hey,” Sevidon called, his voice edged with worry.
Despite their efforts, Everess remained unresponsive, her breath coming in labored gasps. Sevidon and Tamiron exchanged looks of disbelief and fear. When Everess finally drew a deeper breath, Sevidon leaned closer.
“What did you mean about what you said? Before you cast all those spells at him?” Sevidon asked, his voice tinged with desperation. But Everess was too weak to respond, her eyes fluttering closed as she slipped into unconsciousness.
For the first time, Sevidon felt true fear. The events of the past years, the war, the battles—none had shaken him as much as this moment. The uncertainty gnawed at him, the fear of an unknown threat looming on the horizon.
High Eagle Soldiers descended, their spears pointed menacingly at the group. One soldier landed in front of Sevidon, his posture rigid with authority.
“Raise your hands!” the guard ordered, his voice firm and unyielding.
Tamiron shielded the barely conscious Everess, carefully wiping the blood from her face. Sevidon, his mind racing, slowly raised his hands, motioning for Tamiron to do the same.
“She’s injured,” Sevidon explained, his voice calm but urgent. “We need to get her medical attention.” “We mean you no harm,” he explained to the guard.
The soldier’s sword pressed against Sevidon’s neck, the cold steel a stark contrast to the searing tension in the air. “Then explain what happened here,” the soldier demanded.
Sevidon’s mind raced, struggling to find words to encapsulate the chaos and destruction around them. His hand trembled, partly from the cold, partly from fear. The crater, the avalanche barely halted above the village—how could he make sense of it all?
“Stop,” Aderon’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.
Both Sevidon and the guard turned to look at him. Aderon, still kneeling at the crater’s edge, seemed a figure of desolation and authority combined.
“Prince Aderon!” the soldier exclaimed, his posture immediately shifting to one of respect. “What are you doing here?”
“There’s no time to explain,” Aderon said, his voice heavy with grief and urgency. He remained where he was, staring into the devastation that had claimed the lives of his comrades.
The soldier hesitated, glancing between Aderon and the rest of the group. Finally, he said, “Then I am afraid we have to go to the High King, your Grace.”
Sevidon and Tamiron exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes reflecting the confusion of emotions swirling within them. The prospect of presenting their fragmented narrative before the High King loomed like a shadow over their resolve. Each shared glance conveyed the weight of their shared burden, the gravity of the task ahead pressing down upon them with relentless force. But as they turned to Aderon, they found in him a mirror of their own apprehension. His expression spoke volumes, revealing the reluctance that gnawed at his own heart.
In that moment, they understood that this journey was not just theirs alone; it was a collective struggle, bound by duty and fate. And with a silent nod, they steeled themselves for the trials that lay ahead, knowing that together, they would face whatever awaited them in the hallowed halls of the High King.
End of Chapter XXIX