The world became a blur of steel, fire, and shadow.
Kaelen's blade met the Abyss Sovereign's claw in a clash that split the air like thunder. Sparks erupted, but these sparks were not of fire—they were fragments of pure void, each one leaving black burns where it touched the earth.
The Sovereign's voice rolled like an earthquake.
> "Child of the Rift… you carry my mark. Return it, and I will let your world rot in peace."
Kaelen's eyes blazed violet. "You'll have to carve it from my corpse."
Liora unleashed a storm of runic lightning, each bolt striking the creature's chest. The Sovereign staggered, but its wounds healed instantly, shadows knitting back together. The beast roared and swung its massive arm, sending Kaelen crashing into a jagged pillar of obsidian.
Pain lanced through his body, but he forced himself up, blood dripping from his lip. The mark on his arm pulsed with desperate intensity, and for a heartbeat, the world slowed. He saw every shadow, every flicker of movement.
"This power…" Kaelen thought, "It's not just a weapon. It's alive."
The Abyss Sovereign charged again, but Kaelen met it head-on, channeling the mark's energy into a single devastating slash. The impact lit the battlefield with blinding crimson light, forcing even the shadows to recoil.
When the brilliance faded, both warrior and monster stood, panting—neither willing to fall first.
The battle had only just begun.
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