The flames licked at the wooden structures, casting an eerie orange glow that illuminated the night sky. The once peaceful village was now ablaze, a testament to the human army's unwavering hatred towards the dark elves.

I watched in horror as my new home, the place where I had found solace and love, was reduced to smoldering ashes. My powers were exhausted, my mana drained from the battle against the heroes. I was helpless, a prisoner of the very army that had destroyed my home and my life.

As I lay there, bound and defeated, I witnessed the last moments of Eris's life. Her eyes, once filled with life and fierce determination, were now clouded with pain and acceptance. She looked at me, her lips trembling as she spoke her final words.

"I love you, Caleb," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the crackling flames.

Why did Eris and the entire village not leave at my warning? Why did they choose to stand and fight, knowing that the odds were stacked against them?

The sight of Eris's lifeless body triggered a primal rage within me, a tempest of emotions that threatened to consume me entirely. The spark of divinity that resided within me, the same spark that all heroes possess, began to ignite, fueled by the overwhelming grief and fury coursing through my veins.

My restraints, the magical barriers that had prevented me from accessing my true power, disintegrated under the relentless onslaught of my divinity. I summoned my shadow wolf, its form looming larger than ever before, ready to unleash its fury upon the enemy forces.

With a newfound clarity of mind, I engaged the human army.

[ congratulation you awake your hero skill, amplifications]

My stat multiple x10. Their attacks, once relentless and overwhelming, now appeared slow and weak

“This is for you, Eris!" I howled, my voice echoing through the ravaged battlefield. "For the love we shared, for the life we were denied, for the injustice that has been inflicted upon us!”

The heroes, sensing my newfound power and the threat I posed, joined the fray. I faced them with unwavering determination, my shadow wolf tearing through their ranks, my movements guided by my enhanced perception.

Aric, the leader of the heroes, stood his ground, his sword gleaming in the moonlight as he prepared to face the formidable opponent who had emerged from the depths of sorrow and rage. The clash of steel echoed through the night, a symphony of violence and vengeance.

I parried his every strike, my movements a blur of shadow and light, my new skill is overwhelming . Aric, the most skilled of the heroes, found himself struggling to keep up with my newfound abilities he is unable to reach me as my Shadow wolf are suppressing him.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

But even my superhuman strength and heightened perception could not sustain the relentless onslaught of my fury. My mana reserves dwindled, my body weakened by the intense strain. The spark of divinity that had ignited within me began to wane, its flames slowly dying embers in the face of my overwhelming exhaustion.

Every muscle in my body is agonizingly restricted, held captive by the powerful binding and constraining magic woven into the heavy chains that bind me. The coarse rope chafes against my skin, causing a searing pain that shoots through my veins.

I am dragged along the uneven terrain, my naked body scraping against the unforgiving dirt and gravel. The harsh terrain tears at my flesh, leaving me with open wounds that bleed profusely.

The relentless motion of the horse, the jarring jolts and the constant friction against the ground, send waves of nausea coursing through me. I feel the world spinning around me, my vision blurring, threatening to succumb to the darkness that looms just beyond the edge of consciousness.

As the horse gallops through the wilderness, my body endures the excruciating pain of being dragged along the rough terrain. My fellow heroes, unaware of the true nature of my capture, exchange bewildered glances, their faces etched with confusion and suspicion.

My fate had already been sealed, my sentence decided by the king, death by decapitation .

Seraphina, the grand magician and vice leader of the hero party, steps forward, her piercing eyes fixed upon me. Her voice, laced with a mixture of disbelief and apprehension, breaks the silence.

"Caleb," she says, her tone demanding an explanation, "why did you betray us?"

I struggle against the restraining magic that binds me, my every muscle straining to break free. I yearn to shout out the truth, to expose the injustice that has been perpetrated against me, but my voice is silenced, my words muffled by the mana that courses through my veins.

Aric, the leader of the heroes, stands apart, his face etched with a mix of fear and determination. He knows the truth, but he is terrified of what it could mean for the future of the hero party. He fears that if the truth were to be revealed, it would shatter the fragile alliances between the human and dark elf races, plunging the world into an even greater conflict.

As Seraphina's gaze intensifies, I feel a surge of anger welling within me. How dare they accuse me of betrayal? I have done nothing but try to protect them, to prevent another war from engulfing our world.

But my words are trapped within me, held captive by the binding magic. I can only watch in silence as they condemn me, as they paint me as a traitor, a villain who deserves nothing but punishment.

The rough wooden scaffold creaked beneath me, the weight of the executioner's axe hanging heavily in the air. The crowd murmured excitedly, their voices a distant hum against the backdrop of my rapidly beating heart. I could feel the cold metal of the chains biting into my wrists, a constant reminder of my impending fate.

As I stood there, awaiting the inevitable, a flood of memories washed over me, a montage of my life flashing before my eyes. I saw my childhood home, the warmth of my family, the laughter of my friends. I saw the day I met Eris, the moment our eyes met and a spark ignited between us. I saw our journey together, our shared dreams, our unbreakable bond.

And then, there was Eris, lying lifeless in my arms, her once vibrant eyes now closed forever. The pain of her loss was a searing agony that threatened to consume me.

In the midst of this overwhelming grief, a voice echoed in my mind, clear and unyielding. "Do you want to live?"

The voice was soft, almost imperceptible, yet it pierced through the cacophony of the crowd, echoing in my ears like a siren's call. I turned my head, searching for the source of the voice, but saw noth