The Underlayer trembled beneath the weight of their battle. The Forsaken King stood at the heart of the storm, his shadowy form stretching unnaturally, tendrils of darkness swirling around him. His violet eyes burned with something beyond hatred—beyond malice.
An inevitability.
Kael was the first to strike, his celestial blade radiating golden fire as he clashed with the dark monarch. Their blades met in a violent explosion, raw energy crackling outward. Light against shadow. Life against the abyss.
Mary, still gasping from the King's earlier strike, didn't hesitate. She pushed through the pain, her Mist Blade shimmering in her grasp as she leapt into battle. Lela followed, her spear Gáe Bolg humming with divine energy.
Loosie vanished into the darkness, his twin daggers gleaming, ready to strike from the shadows.
This was it. The final stand.
Kael vs. The Forsaken King
Kael's strikes came fast and relentless. Each swing of his blade sent arcs of golden fire slashing through the air. He moved like a storm—unpredictable, violent, and unstoppable.
But the Forsaken King was faster.
With inhuman grace, the King twisted his body, dodging the incoming strikes. His long, clawed fingers lashed out, each swipe carrying the weight of absolute destruction.
Kael barely managed to parry the attacks, but each impact sent shockwaves through his body. The sheer force of the King's strikes threatened to shatter his bones.
And then—a flicker of movement.
The King vanished.
Kael's eyes widened. He's behind me.
He twisted at the last second, just in time to see a clawed hand descending toward his heart.
A blinding silver arc intercepted the attack.
Mary.
Her Mist Blade met the King's clawed strike, the impact sending both warriors skidding backward. She gasped for breath, but refused to fall.
Kael steadied himself, nodding. "Thanks."
Mary grinned through the pain. "Don't mention it."
They had no time for words.
The Forsaken King attacked again.
Lela's Wrath
Lela saw her opening.
While the King was occupied with Kael and Mary, she raised Gáe Bolg, her spear pulsing with divine energy. The runes along its surface burned red, the power within surging to life.
She focused.
She called upon the heavens.
And then—she threw.
The spear became a streak of light, a divine projectile aimed for the Forsaken King's heart.
The King turned—too late.
Gáe Bolg struck.
A shockwave of divine energy erupted upon impact, a blinding white light swallowing the battlefield. The King's form twisted, a deafening shriek of agony splitting the air.
For a moment, Lela allowed herself hope.
Then—
The shadows around the King shifted.
His form rippled—and the spear passed through.
Lela's eyes widened in horror. "No—"
The King was already moving.
With impossible speed, he was before her.
A clawed hand struck out.
A burst of pure darkness exploded against her chest, sending her flying across the battlefield.
She crashed into the obsidian pillars, blood spilling from her lips. Her vision blurred, her grip on Gáe Bolg weakening.
The Forsaken King loomed over her.
"Foolish child." His voice was a whisper, yet it carried the weight of death itself.
He raised his hand for the killing blow.
Loosie's Gamble
Before the Forsaken King could strike—Loosie moved.
He emerged from the shadows, twin daggers gleaming with enchanted runes. His body blurred as he darted through the darkness, a ghost moving unseen.
Then—he struck.
A flash of steel. A whispered incantation.
His dagger found its mark—plunging deep into the King's side.
The Forsaken King staggered.
For the first time, he had been wounded.
A moment of silence.
Then—a scream.
It wasn't pain.
It was fury.
The Forsaken King exploded outward, his darkness consuming everything.
Loosie barely had time to retreat before the void swallowed him whole.
The Turning Point
Kael saw their chance.
The Forsaken King was vulnerable.
He raised his celestial blade, golden energy surging through his veins. His eyes burned with resolve.
Mary steadied herself beside him, her Mist Blade glowing.
Lela, despite the blood trickling down her forehead, stood tall, raising Gáe Bolg once more.
Loosie, coughing from the shadows, grinned. "Alright. Let's end this."
The four warriors stood together, their weapons glowing with power.
The Forsaken King rose from the darkness, his violet eyes burning with rage.
The final clash was about to begin.
One last fight.
One last stand.
The fate of the world would be decided here.