Author: [writers hub]
Ragnar's presence was a shockwave. He landed with the force of a falling meteor, sending fragments of ancient stone scattering. His gaze, an inferno of rage, swept over the cloaked figures, locking onto the Keeper leader, then to Zara, slumped and bound, her face pale. The fury in his eyes was absolute, terrifying.
"Keepers of the Ancient Way," Ragnar growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that seemed to vibrate the very air. "You trespass where you do not belong. And you touch what is mine."
The Keeper leader, unmoved by Ragnar's terrifying display, merely tilted his head. "Ragnar Botermet. Your defiance is as expected. But you are outnumbered. And your wife has already revealed much." He gestured with a subtle flick of his wrist. "Secure them."
The cloaked figures moved with astonishing speed and coordination, fluid and silent. They didn't engage in wild attacks; instead, they formed a disciplined crescent, closing in on Ragnar with an unnerving grace. Their movements were a strange, ancient martial art, efficient and brutal, aiming to neutralize rather than simply overpower.
Ragnar met them head-on, a force of nature unleashed. He moved with a speed that belied his powerful build, a blur of controlled violence. His fists became weapons, each strike delivered with bone-shattering impact. He blocked a precise kick with his forearm, the thud echoing, and retaliated with a brutal elbow strike that sent one Keeper reeling into the wall with a sickening crunch.
But for every Keeper Ragnar sent flying, another would take its place, their silent movements like a deadly dance. They moved as one, a single, interconnected unit, designed to overwhelm through relentless, synchronized pressure. Zara, her body heavy and unresponsive under the serum's influence, watched, horrified, as Ragnar fought with a desperate ferocity she hadn't known he possessed. He wasn't fighting like a Chairman; he was fighting like a predator, a cornered beast protecting its territory.
"He fears chaos!" she heard herself blurt out, the truth serum still forcing words from her lips, an agonizing betrayal. "He fears vulnerability! He fears his past!"
The Keeper leader's eyes, even through the cowl, seemed to sharpen at Zara's involuntary revelations. He made a subtle hand gesture, and two Keepers, separating from the main group fighting Ragnar, moved swiftly towards Zara. Their purpose was clear: to silence her, or to extract more.
Ragnar saw it. He roared, a primal sound of rage, breaking through the disciplined formation of the Keepers. He launched himself towards Zara, desperate to reach her, to protect her. But the Keepers were too many, too coordinated. They swarmed him, creating a human barrier.
The two Keepers reached Zara. One seized her, immobilizing her. The other raised a hand, a small, wickedly sharp instrument gleaming in the gloom, clearly intending to inject something new, something that would ensure complete compliance.
Suddenly, from above, a furious roar ripped through the sub-level. The ceiling directly over the Keepers fighting Ragnar exploded inwards as Director Ahn, followed by a contingent of Shadow Wolves, dropped through the newly created opening. They had followed Ragnar, breaking through the convention hall's floor.
"Chairman!" Director Ahn bellowed, his voice filled with grim determination. He and his men immediately engaged the Keepers, turning the cramped space into a brutal melee. The fight intensified tenfold, the clanging of metal, the grunt of impacts, the shouts of the Shadow Wolves filling the air.
Taking advantage of the sudden chaos, Ragnar, now with backup, fought with renewed ferocity, his eyes constantly darting to Zara. He saw the Keeper raising the needle, moving towards her.
With a final, desperate burst of strength, Ragnar disarmed two Keepers, sending their weapons clattering. He hurled himself towards Zara, a primal cry tearing from his throat. But the Keeper holding Zara moved faster. He twisted, using Zara as a shield, pressing the needle against her neck.
"Move and she dies!" the Keeper barked, his voice cold, devoid of emotion.
Ragnar froze, his eyes locked on Zara, the rage in his face momentarily eclipsed by a terrifying despair. He was trapped. Zara, her body still heavy from the serum, met his gaze, a silent apology in her eyes for the revelations she had just made, knowing that his inability to move now placed her, and the entire fate of his empire, at the mercy of Mae-Yeon's ancient, ruthless cult. The Keeper holding her twisted, pulling her deeper into the shadows, a hostage in a war older than time, as the sounds of the battle above them seemed to draw closer, indicating Mae-Yeon herself might soon descend to witness her ultimate triumph.