Vardy was ready.
He wasn't going to let Dean's power overwhelm him. He reached into the artifact, pulling its energy toward him in a controlled explosion that shattered Dean's attack.
The force of the explosion sent shockwaves through the room, and for a brief moment, they were both thrown off balance.
The artifacts cracked.
The longer it was left unchecked, the more dangerous it would become. Dean's time was running out.
"You're finished, Dean," Vardy said, his voice low. "You've played your hand, and now, it's time for you to pay."
Vardy stood tall, his face tilted up toward the ceiling of the fortress.
His heart thudded in his chest, each beat louder than the last. His body was battered, bruised, and weary from the intensity of the fight, but there was something more powerful surging through him now.
The artifact, glowing with an ominous light, pulsed in Vardy's chest.
