[Kara] Chapter 26: The Dark Lord (Patreon)

Soraan walked forward in a daze. He hadn’t even known when the fighting had stopped. He didn’t realize when he had left the walls of the city. All he knew was that he was drenched in the blood of his allies. And not a single corpse remained of his enemies.

He didn’t even carry a weapon on him. He didn’t have the strength to pick up a spear. He didn’t understand what was going on, but whenever a nightmare simply touched him, he felt his manacore being emptied.

And that was only from a touch. If he had been cut, he was certain he would have been killed. He looked down at all the bodies at his feet. So many deaths, and they had been killed so easily.

He strode back as his head spun. Before he paused before a corpse.

A familiar face stared at him. Soraan couldn’t place the name of the man. But the two knew each other. The two had spent every single day of the last few months together. And yet, he never even learned the man’s name.

He tried to remember it. He tried his best to recall their very first interaction with one another. But he couldn’t even remember if they had even introduced themselves to each other. He truly didn’t know his partner’s name, just like how he hadn’t even known his partner had died.

Soraan bent over and closed his dead partner’s eyes as tears streamed down his face.

He would have wept. He would have cried. But then the barrier collapsed.

His head snapped up as he saw the nightmares pouring through the sky once again. He heard Captain Hayder shouting for everyone to evacuate.

And Soraan turned and ran.

—--

Koros stood before the bandaged man and the little girl. Adam and Eve. Those were their names. Koros knew of Adam, but he had never heard of Eve before. However, considering they were together, he knew he was faced with all of the Dreamers.

He didn’t know what to expect from them. Neither of the two figures across from him moved, even as he raised his helmet to his head. It was the Helmet of Alyona. It had been worn by Dark Lady Alyona herself, over a thousand years ago.

And with it, the Dark Lord was able to peer into the soul of a person.

He didn’t exactly know how the enchantment worked. No enchanter he had spoken to had ever been able to replicate it. And with it, he could decipher the full depths of an individual’s power. If they had a manacore, he could see the full extent of its tier and its abilities. If they had a monstersoul, she could see what stage of evolution it had undergone. And if they were a human with the System, he was able to see their skills and their levels.

Although… it did have its limitations too. When he met Zarkoth nearly ten years ago, he wasn’t able to comprehend the depths of the dragonsoul. The same thing happened when he looked into Kara’s dragonsoul.

But the fact that he was even able to perceive a dragonsoul showed just how powerful the enchantment was supposed to be. So it should have shown him everything.

However, as he looked between the two figures standing before him, he saw nothing there. His eyes narrowed as he tried to focus, but there was only a blur where their souls should be. Like their very souls had been taken from them, and all that remained were two lifeless puppets that destroyed everything.

Koros raised his head and faced the bandaged man. “So we finally meet, Dark Lord Adam. Or do you prefer not to be called by your title any longer?”

Adam ignored the question and started to walk forward. He began to conjure up more nightmares from the corpses scattered across the ground, turning them into mere desiccated husks.

Koros frowned, watching as the manacores of the dead bodies were emptied. But as the mana poured out, it was twisted and tainted by something. A kind of depravity that turned the mana into something else, before a nightmare was born.

Cursed souls, what is that? the Dark Lord of Alyona wondered as Adam continued to walk forward.

And Koros realized that he was being ignored. Adam started to walk down the main street apathetically, before Koros moved. He drew his blade—

But the little girl appeared behind him, giggling. “Sorry, but I will be your playpal!”

She reached out to touch the Dark Lord, and he narrowly stepped out of the way. Even though she missed him, he could feel the mana within his manacore tremble, like it wanted to leave his body, just from standing close to her.

He wondered if that was how she destroyed the barrier and broke Azad.

However, he didn’t ask any questions. All he did was act. He swung for her head as his blade flashed. But she backflipped out of range.

“You are fast, huh?” she chuckled, coming to a halt.

Koros narrowed his eyes as he glanced back at Adam walking further into the city. I can’t waste my time with her—

“And you’re too obsessed with Adam,” Eve continued. “Just like that other lady. She only wanted to play with Adam. She kept trying to ignore me.”

That immediately drew the Dark Lord’s attention back to the little girl. “You— what did you say?”

“I’m just saying—” she said, shrugging casually. “That other lady… what was her name? I think it was Orvana? That’s right, her name was Orvana. She only paid attention to Adam.”

“Orvana?” Koros stared at her, his blood running cold. “Do you mean Dark Lady Orvana?”

And Eve snapped her fingers together as she nodded. “That’s her! Do you know her? She was fun to play with for a bit.”

The Dark Lord tightened his grip around his blackened blade. He tried to calm himself down. Even though he knew what the little girl was going to say. He prepared himself for it, so that his emotions wouldn’t get the better of him.

But she continued with a smile on her face, “But unfortunately, I broke Orvana. Just like I do with all my toys—”

And Koros snapped.

He dashed forward and swung at Eve’s head as she blinked. She ducked under his attack as she laughed.

“Oh, yay! You’re finally going to play—” But she froze when she saw him raise a palm to her head.

Black flames began to wisp off his skin. And his voice boomed.

“Fortieth Core: Black Fireblast.”

And Eve was engulfed in his attack.

—--

Kara stared at the Soulmaster’s machine as it blocked her path. The world all around her almost seemed to slow. The echoing screeches and blood-curdling screams grew muffled as she focused only on what was in front of her. Nothing else mattered to her at this moment.

All she could remember was her encounter with the last machine back when she was alone with Angel. It stared at her, no different from the last. It wore the same hooded cloak, and it was made from the same metal body. It carried a similar staff, but the crystal at its tip was like an emerald rather than like a ruby.

She stood there silently as she stared only at the Soulmaster’s machine. She didn’t see the nightmares blanketing the ceiling. She didn’t even hear the elf on her back pleading for her to move. She stood there as her gaze bore into the machine’s lifeless face.

And it took a step forward.

“Shit—” Kara cursed as she spun around, returning to reality.

“Kara, what are you doing?” Caius asked, practically screaming into her ear. “We need to get out of here!”

“We’re not getting out of here if that thing gets to me,” she replied as she sprinted down a nearby alley.

Without even looking back, she could tell that it was giving chase to her. She could almost hear its heavy metal footsteps echoing down the street. But the sound of its footsteps was suddenly drowned out by the rumbling of a stampede.

Kara turned a corner then paused as she saw a horde of dark elves and orcs alike rushing their way down the main street up ahead. They screamed and shouted, sending spells and arrows into the air as nightmares gave chase to them.

She blinked a few times. “What is going on over there?”

“They’re evacuating,” the elf whispered. “The dome is down. So Koros must be sending everyone to the evacuation tunnels.”

Kara’s brows snapped together. “Evacuation tunnels? What is that?”

“It’s Koros’s secret project. You saw it, remember?”

She pursed her lips as she tried to remember. “I think I do.”

“It’s towards the end of the upper tunnels,” Caius continued, pointing down a side street. “We need to get there.”

“Right—”

She nodded as she sprinted down the side street, before nearly running face-first into the Soulmaster’s machine.

“Fuck!” she cursed and spun around.

Kara ran in the opposite direction as it strode slowly in her direction. She ran down the street, heading in the direction of another crowd of fleeing soldiers. But she didn’t care. She ran straight into them, shoving past dark elves and orcs alike as she glanced over her shoulder.

Behind her, she saw the Soulmaster’s machine giving chase. It walked through the stampede without even slowing, its crimson eyes fixed on her back. She closed her eyes for a brief moment as she turned another corner.

“Why are you so scared of that thing?” Caius asked as she continued to wade her way through the crowd in a panic.

“Because it wants to kill me,” she explained simply. “And it’s strong, too. I just have to lose it first, and then we’ll be safe.”

She turned another corner as the elf chewed on his lower lip. He took in a deep breath, and she ran down a side street.

“I get that. But you’re not the only one being pursued—” he started.

And Kara stepped out into Sentinel Square. She blinked as she swept her gaze over the mostly emptied courtyard. She recognized a few figures still standing there, looking up at the nightmares swarming over the ceiling.

Zlo’tan, Warlord Dhofruid, High Magus Xhrkr. A small group of burly orcs. A pair of dark elf captains. They were looking around at the unfolding chaos in sheer confusion as to what was happening. But they seemed to help facilitate the evacuation as they cut down the nightmares flying overhead in droves.

Kara paused when she saw the minotaur and the dwarf up ahead. They were strong. She had seen the two of them in battle. And she knew they were stronger than her. So she dashed up to them as she waved her hands in the air.

“Zlo’tan!” she called out to the minotaur.

And he turned his head towards her in shock. He opened his mouth. “Ms Kara. This one believes you should not be—”

But then he paused as he snapped his head back. She slowed too when she saw what he was looking at.

A lone figure stepped out ahead from the main street. Everyone’s gazes immediately turned in the direction of this man. At first, Kara had thought that the Soulmaster’s machine had somehow circled around to cut her off.

However, she saw the way the figure walked out underneath the vast shadow cast by the swarm of nightmares. She saw the way they ignored him. She took in the bandages covering his body. He met her gaze with only his right eye, but there was nothing there to see but an empty void.

Her stomach twisted, and her breathing quickened. She didn’t understand why. His mere gaze alone made her sick. But everyone else gathered here must have picked up on the same nauseating feeling he emanated, because they all tensed up and raised their weapons at him.

But he didn’t pay them any mind. All he did was walk forward, his gaze fixed on Kara.

Why is he coming after me? she asked as she felt a bead of sweat run down the back of her neck. Is he with the Soulmaster too—

“Kara,” Caius said, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Listen carefully to me.”

She glanced back at the elf as he held the bandaged man’s gaze.

“Do not engage. No matter what you do. You cannot win this battle.”

“Who is he?” Kara asked, feeling her heart hammering in her chest. “And what should I do?”

Caius took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. “That is Dark Lord Adam— the man responsible for the destruction of Catherine, Vera, and now, Alyona.”

Kara felt her heart leap in her chest when she heard the elf’s words. And she wasn’t the only one to process that. The other figures gathered in Sentinel Square backed up warily as Adam continued to slowly walk towards her.

“And as for what you should do,” the elf continued, “you should put me down on the ground, turn around, and run for your life.”

That made her blink at him. “But why?”

“Because—” he started.

And Adam spoke up in a muffled voice. “Hello, Caius.”

He came to a halt about a dozen feet away from Kara, standing in the middle of Sentinel Square. Kara took on a defensive stance, but Adam simply continued.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve last seen each other, my son.”

—--

“Keep it moving!”

Angel heard the voice shouting. He saw Tashia standing to the side atop an elevated platform as she ushered the fleeing crowds down the evacuation tunnel. After the barrier had fallen, she had been there to funnel the hundreds of thousands of people gathered at the back of the upper tunnels in the right direction.

But even as Angel accompanied Arjin and Dammir further away from the Sanctuary City, he couldn’t help but pause and glance back. He watched as soldiers and refugees alike fled from the battlefield, and tens of thousands of nightmares swarmed through the streets like an approaching wall of storm.

Some soldiers, civilians, and refugees stayed behind. They tried to hold off this deluge of death. But their spells and arrows could only slow the black mass that converged over all of Alyona. And they were quickly overrun.

And seeing this, Angel wanted to go back. While he was safe with Arjin and Dammir, he couldn’t help but wonder about Zlo’tan— about where the minotaur could have been. The utlas bear had scanned through the many faces fleeing, but he didn’t recognize anyone he truly knew.

He thought about Issa’s food stand, and he wondered if she stayed behind to protect her food. His worry continued to run wild as he thought about the city that he had spent the last few months getting to know.

It was a Sanctuary City. It should have been safe. That was what Angel had always thought. But when he saw the state of it— the ruined buildings and the sea of corpses strewn about— he knew that there was no point fighting any longer.

Even though it seemed like the city had triumphed over this invasion of monsters not too long ago, now it was certain: the Sanctuary City was going to be destroyed.

Despite that, he felt an urge to return. He wanted to go back. Not for the city that had fallen. But because he wanted to find Kara— he wanted to help her.

However, he stopped. He turned to Arjin and Dammir as he remembered what Kara told him. He recalled her reassurances. That she would find him after this was all over.

So he trusted her. Just like he did when she had gone off to face the Soulmaster’s machine all those moons ago. He knew that she would return. Or at least, that was what he told himself. Because despite trying his best to have faith in her, he still couldn’t help but worry about Kara.

Angel couldn’t help but wonder if he would even see Kara again.

—--

“It’s been a long time since we’ve last seen each other, my son.”

Kara’s eyes widened when she heard what Adam said. Most of the others gathered also seemed to pause as they processed it. Zlo’tan and the orcs frowned as they looked towards the elf. But Dhofruid, Xhrkr, and the two captains didn’t even react. They just slowly circled around the former Dark Lord, prepared for battle.

“Adam,” Caius said simply, still on Kara’s back. “It is me that you want. Leave the people of this city alone.”

“Is that so?” Adam replied as he tilted his head back. He stared at his swarms of nightmares swarming overhead. And finally, he met the elf’s gaze once again. “No.You are wrong.”

Kara glanced between the father and the son. They remained at a tense stand-off for a long moment.

And Adam spread his arms wide. “I want you, and the people of this city.”

Kara’s eyes flickered as she saw the swarming nightmares around them suddenly shoot towards Sentinel Square. They converged in a massive circle like they were about to strike, and she tried to leap back. But they didn’t attack.

Instead, they moved to stop her from escaping. She watched in shock as thousands upon thousands of nightmares formed a black sphere around everyone who was standing here. She cursed as she sent a blast of flames at them to break out. But even as dozens of nightmares died, hundreds more moved to fill the gap that took its place.

“Dead scales, we’re trapped…” Dhofruid cursed as he saw the wall of nightmares keeping them in.

“Do not get close to them!” one of the orcs— a familiar-looking guy with spiked knuckles— called out. “Even if you let them touch you once, it can cripple you.”

“And with this many nightmares, we’ll die in an instant if they touch us,” one of the captains said, nodding in understanding.

Caius gritted his teeth as he saw this. “Adam, you’re really…”

But the former Dark Lord just smiled. “Why do you think I brought my creations, imperfect as they are, here to this Sanctuary City?” Adam continued as he walked forward. “I brought them here to feast on these people—”

He started, and a voice roared.

“You!”

One of the orcs strode forward. He was fat and familiar, carrying a sword at his side.

“Elder Golag, don’t—” The orc that spoke up earlier tried to stop him.

But Golag didn’t listen as he walked up right to Adam.

“Are you telling me you’re the bloody bastard responsible for this? Even though you are a former Dark Lord, you created these creatures that have slaughtered my people?” Golag’s voice boomed.

And Adam nodded simply. “That is correct.”

Golag gritted his teeth, before a crimson aura engulfed him. He roared as he raised his blade and swung down at the former Dark Lord.

“You will pay for what you have done— Twenty-Eight Core: Savage Slash!”

Kara watched with round eyes as the orc swung down with his full might. But Adam brought a hand up and casually caught the attack. The ground cracked beneath his feet.

He craned his neck up to face the angry orc. And everyone moved.

The other orc from earlier rushed forward, shouting as he reached for Golag. “Elder Golag, come back—”

But he was too late. Adam thrust a hand out and pierced Golag through the chest. Bringing his hand back, Adam almost seemed to pull a dark shadow from the fat orc’s body, and the corpse turned into a desiccated husk in an instant.

Adam pointed at the other rushing orc and flicked a finger, and a rift opened up at his side, before a dark tendril lashed out.

But an older orc dashed forward and knocked the other orc to the side, protecting him. “My son, you bloody fool—”

Kara watched with wide eyes as both the orcs were struck down by the attack. But before she could even fully process what just happened, she turned to the side and caught a glimpse of a glinting object flying through the air. Dhofruid was already circling past Kara as his battleaxe flung through the air at Adam.

At the same time, Zlo’tan raised his red pole and unleashed a hail of needles. But Adam simply stood there as the battleaxe cleaved through him, before the hundreds of tiny needles riddled his body with holes.

Or at least, that was what Kara thought happened. But as the battleaxe returned to Dhofruid’s hand, and the needles swarmed back around Zlo’tan, Adam remained standing like the attack had just passed through him.

They all blinked in shock at that.

High Magus Xhrkr brought her wand up and aimed at the former Dark Lord. “Thir. Ty. Fifth. Core. Light. Ning. Storm.”

Her voice clicked with each syllable she spoke. And Adam raised his head as he saw the electricity in the air begin to flicker. He brought a hand up, and a handful of the nearby nightmares shot towards him. They formed a shield as the blast of lightning crashed down his way.

And a sphere of darkness protected him completely from the blast. It receded as he looked up towards the woman with a spider’s body. He pointed at her as she erected a barrier of ice all around her.

The swarm of nightmares that had protected him charged at her. They surrounded her ice barrier, trying to break through as she hurled her spells at them, keeping them back.

The two captains rushed forward alongside Dhofruid as they saw their opportunity. They surrounded Adam and struck out with their weapons at the exact same time. But as their attacks connected, something strange happened.

The first captain struck Adam’s leg, and Dhofruid’s leg was cut open. The second captain struck Adam’s waist, which in turn opened up a massive gash across the first captain’s waist. And lastly, Dhofruid aimed for Adam’s head—

Kara flinched as the first captain’s head went flying into the sky.

Dhofruid leapt back as the second captain stumbled forward. Adam grabbed the second captain by the throat. Kara watched as the second captain screamed and squirmed, trying to break free. He reached for a potion at his waist as his legs kicked out more and more violently.

Adam tilted his head back as the second captain threw the potion into the ground. An explosion of acid engulfed the two of them, eating away at both flesh and armor. But even as the second captain gargled and melted away, the former Dark Lord stood there, sizzling, but otherwise completely unaffected.

Dhofruid cursed under his breath as he stumbled back next to Kara. Zlo’tan pointed at Adam, unleashing another hail of needles. But once again, the attack passed through without harm. Adam took a step forward, but an explosion of frost engulfed him.

He was trapped in a pillar of ice. Xhrkr emerged from her barrier, having dealt with the nightmares that had been hounding her. She stared at the unmoving figure trapped in the ice as she kept her wand held up.

“This. Will. Not. Hold. Him. For. Long—” she started.

And he craned his neck to face her like he wasn’t trapped in ice. His right eye flashed, and her eyes widened. She tried to conjure up the same barrier as before. But this time, instead of being assailed by nightmares, the space itself distorted where she stood.

She made a clicking sound, before her spider-like body was forcibly twisted into itself into a mangled mess. The ice barrier receded as nothing but blood and gore remained.

The High Magus was killed, just like that.

“How…?” Kara reeled at that sight.

Elder Golag was dead. The two captains were dead. High Magus Xhrkr was dead. The other two orcs were injured, lying on the ground as they bled out. Dhofruid was limping, and Zlo’tan’s attacks had no effect.

Kara stared at this all. And she broke out of her stupor.

Caius blinked as he watched her take a step forward. “What are you doing? Did you not hear what I said?”

“This madman is going to kill us all anyways.” Kara clenched her jaw as she placed the injured elf on the ground.

She turned around and saw the wall of swarming nightmares keeping her trapped. Then she faced Adam as he pointed at Dhofruid. A black tendril whipped out at him, but he dashed out of the way.

Kara continued, “I can’t run anyways, so I may as well fight.”

She strode forward as her body was lit ablaze with her Dragon’s Scales and her Dragon’s Claws. Adam’s single eye darted towards her curiously, and she brought a ball of flames up to her mouth.

“Dragon’s Breath!” she shouted.

And the blast of golden flames engulfed the former Dark Lord, erupting across Sentinel Square. But as the explosion faded away, Adam remained standing, a swarm of nightmares having formed a sphere around him once again.

He strode up to Kara as he tilted his head curiously.

“Now… what is that power?” he asked, his gaze boring into her. “I have never seen something like that before.”

Kara backed away as Adam brought his arms to his side, aiming at the corpses of the two captains. Their bodies shriveled up as he swung out at her. And a pair of black tendrils shot out of the ground, grabbing her ankles before she could leap away. He kept her in place as he slowly walked up her way.

“This is—”

She cursed and swiped her flaming claws at the tendrils, but couldn’t break herself free. Then she felt the same sensation from those tendrils as she did when a nightmare touched her. Her dragon soul flickered slowly at first, before flickering wildly.

Adam continued to stride forward slowly as both Zlo’tan’s needles and Dhofruid’s battleaxe phased through him. He pointed towards Xhrkr’s corpse, and he created another tendril. It whipped forward and caught her neck as she felt her dragonsoul flicker even more violently. Like something was trying to yank it out of her.

“Interesting,” Adam said, his single eye blinking. “Somehow, you are able to resist their purifying touch.”

Dhofruid leapt forward and swung down with his battleaxe as it grew in size. “Thirty-Seventh Core: Mighty Cleave!”

The entirety of Sentinel Square shook. His attack shredded the brickstone tiles like they were nothing. It sliced apart the earth, striking out to dig into the dome of nightmares. A hundred of them screeched as they were wiped out from a single blow, but the gap in their numbers were quickly filled. It was the same attack he used to help hold back the sleepwalker. But once again, it failed to connect to its target, doing nothing to the former Dark Lord.

Adam waved a hand dismissively, sending a thousand nightmares towards the dwarven warlord. Dhofruid cursed as he ran back, and former Dark Lord came to a halt before Kara.

“Just what are you?” Adam asked in his muffled voice as he reached forward for her chest. “Let’s open you up and find out, shall we?”

Kara watched him draw even closer, before she gritted her teeth and swung up for his head. “God Strike!”

The attack connected. It was something she had noticed earlier— when he had been blocking Xhrkr’s attacks, but didn’t even bother to dodge anyone else’s. He was able to let physical attacks phase through him, while he had to actually defend against magical blasts. The vial of acid must have also had some magical properties, but it simply hadn’t been powerful enough to hurt Adam.

Kara officially confirmed her suspicions with her Dragon’s Breath, and now that Adam was close enough that he couldn’t react, she struck. The streak of golden flames swiping up and tearing through even his bandages. It cut his face, revealing a sliver of his mouth as blood poured down from his lips. He recoiled back.

And when he looked to face Kara, she saw his blemished skin. It was blotched with purple marks, just like the color of the blood leaking down his cheek. The tendrils receded as Kara leapt back, while he simply inspected the wound on his face.

“This is… pain?” he asked, his voice no longer muffled, and his tone almost confused.

Kara took on a wide stance as she felt her dragonsoul calm. She spat and pointed at him. “There’s more where that came from, asshole.”

“You are an interesting human,” Adam said as he gave her a crooked smile. “Now I can see why my son took an interest in you.”

“And I can see why Caius never told me you’re his father. You’re despicable.” Kara spat.

Adam just took another casual step forward. “There is nothing despicable about my actions. Just as He Who Stole Magic From the Gods rose to rule Xantos from the ashes of the dragons, I too shall do what I must to become a god.”

Even though Kara had spoken confidently, she couldn’t lie and say she wasn’t disheartened by the fact that one of her strongest attacks had only scratched Adam, even from point-black. She swept her gaze over her surroundings as she looked for help.

Caius could only lie on the ground as he watched, and Dhofruid was preoccupied with the nightmares attacking him. One of the two orcs looked like he was getting back to his feet, but he wasn’t in any shape to help. And for whatever reason, Zlo’tan had dropped to one knee and placed a hand on his chest.

Kara was alone right now. Even if anyone could fight alongside her, they wouldn’t be able to land a hit regardless. So she steeled herself and faced Adam once again. He was about ten feet away from her when he pointed at her.

“You—” he started.

But then there was a flicker of light. Both Adam and Kara glanced to the side as a green glow began to shine brighter in the wall of nightmares that had surrounded them.

“What is that…?” Kara asked.

And as if in response, the wall of nightmares was blasted open as the shadowed creatures screeched and evaporated. Hundreds of them were killed from a single green explosion as a figure emerged from the other side.

Kara didn’t know what to expect. She hadn’t known who she hoped to see. But when she saw the familiar hooded figure standing there, she could only blink.

It was the Soulmaster’s machine. The man made of metal that was seemingly invincible. And it was here to—

“The Soulmaster has requested Kara’s presence alive,” it said monotonously, raising its staff at the former Dark Lord’s direction. “No harm shall be allowed to befall her.”

And it was here to save her.

“Uh, what?” Kara blinked, trying to process what it heard.

But the soulrock at the tip of the machine’s staff glinted, and a green beam shot out, engulfing Adam.

—--

Koros sprinted back as he watched Eve skip up towards him. Even though she looked and acted like a little girl, she moved nearly as fast as even he did. The two of them traded attacks. But at their matching speed, they avoided each other with relative ease.

And whatever blasts of flame he sent her way dealt no damage. Somehow, Eve would always escape his magical attacks unscathed. So Koros had no choice but to get close to fight her. But that proved to be a massive risk.

Because of what he knew she was capable of.

Certainly, she did not demonstrate any great feats of strength or unleash any flashy magic. All she did when she got close was reach out with her hand to grab him. And that seemed almost harmless— just a touch wouldn’t have killed him, right?

However, the Dark Lord had seen what she could do to Azad. He sensed his manacore trembling as she got close. And he knew he wasn’t going to let her touch him no matter what. He brought up a hand and whispered softly as an opaque black barrier formed in front of him.

“Forty-First Core: Darkshield.”

Somehow, Eve easily tore through it like it was merely a curtain, barely even slowing as she stepped through with a laugh. But he already knew what she was capable of at this point, and that was just a distraction.

She blinked as she realized Koros had vanished, before he appeared behind her.

“I’ve finally got you—” He swung down with his black blade.

The attack landed. It cut her across her back as she screamed. She stumbled forward, trying to grab him. But he spun around and followed up with a stab, piercing her chest.

Eve coughed up a mouthful of black blood as he twisted the weapon.

“I have won,” Koros said simply.

And the agonized look on her face… morphed into a sadistic grin. “But I’m not done playing yet.”

His eyes widened as he tried to leap back, but she grabbed onto the blade. She reached out for his face, her laughter echoing amongst the screeches of the nightmares as he could only stare in shock.

“So let’s play!” she exclaimed.

—--

The Soulmaster’s machine was here to save Kara.

It was the last thing she had expected to come to her rescue. Even though she had assumed it would be no different than the last one she encountered, it was actually protecting her. This confused her. But she didn’t waste any time questioning it.

She immediately took her opportunity and ran up to Caius as the machine unleashed its powerful beam into Adam. It was a blast that could still kill her, even now. And the former Dark Lord seemed to pick up on its destructive capabilities too as he conjured up a barrier of nightmares.

The blast tore through the barrier, killing the nightmares and reaching Adam. His single eye narrowed as tendrils shot out around him and protected him from the bulk of the attack. When the smoke cleared, he was eyeing the machine almost curiously.

“Now what exactly are you?” he asked, cocking his head.

But the machine repeated itself robotically as usual. “The Soulmaster has requested Kara’s presence alive. No harm shall be—”

And Adam’s eyes glinted as space twisted around the machine. It must have sensed what was happening as it reacted by leaping forward and crashing into the former Dark Lord.

As the two of them fought, Kara reached Caius. Picking up the elf, she hefted him onto her back and turned towards the hole that had been open up in the wall of nightmares.

“Leave me—” he started.

But she ignored him. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

She took a step forward, then paused. Her brows snapped together as she saw the swarm of nightmares already filling in the gap that had been opened through the black wall. She clicked her tongue and cursed under her breath.

“What do we do?”

Glancing back, she watched as Adam picked up the machine and threw it across the black dome. He pointed at it, and three tendrils lashed out, easily cutting through its metallic body. But even as the machine recoiled, it didn’t stop fighting. It sent another green beam straight at the former Dark Lord.

Kara backed up hesitantly when she saw that.

The Soulmaster’s machine was strong. Kara had witnessed its power firsthand. But despite that, Adam was evidently in a whole different league. The machine could barely even fight back against him. No— all it could do was distract him.

That should have been expected. After all, he was a former Dark Lord. So he had already been at least as strong as Dark Lord Koros. And that was before he obtained these strange powers of his that were unlike anything Kara had ever seen.

She focused on escaping, looking towards the black wall.

“I just have to burn my way through to get out of here,” she said as she pointed at the swarming nightmares keeping her trapped.

Her golden flames shot out, but it could barely pierce through the first layer of the nightmares before more replaced them. She continued trying to burn away the shadowed creatures as Adam walked up to the restrained machine. It swung a fist at his head, and he caught it. He wasn’t able to let its physical attacks phase through him for whatever reason.

But he was still physically stronger than the machine was. So he ripped off its right arm. And as it looked like he was about to finish it off, Dhofruid charged back into the battle, having finally dealt with the nightmares assailing him.

“Kara,” Caius said as he whispered into her ear. “If you leave me, you’ll be able to escape through the nightmares on your own. Your dragonsoul will protect you from their depravity.”

“How many times have I told you—” she started.

And she felt a hand rest upon her shoulder. Kara glanced back to see a minotaur towering over her.

“Do you trust this one, Ms Kara?” Zlo’tan asked as he tilted his head at her.

“Zlo’tan?” She blinked back at him. It was a strange question to ask at this time, but she answered honestly regardless. “You’ve helped me so much— so of course I do.”

He smiled back at her as he took a step forward, before lowering her arm and stopping her outpouring of flames. “This one had figured out a way to escape. But this one was uncertain if it would work. So this one needed to know if you trust him. Now that he knows you trust him… this one will guide you to safety.”

Kara frowned. She wanted to ask him how he was going to do that. But another explosion resounded as the Soulmaster’s machine blasted Adam once again, still fighting valiantly even though it was now missing a leg too. He looked like he was starting to get annoyed by its pestering, but with Dhofruid also there, dealing with it wasn’t going to be so easy.

“If you’re going to escape—” a gravelly voice piped up from the side.

And Kara turned to face one of the two orcs walking up to her. He was the older orc. But despite his more grievous injuries, he was still carrying the unconscious younger orc in his arms.

“Take my son too,” he continued as he bowed his head.

“That’s Elder Klogg…” Caius whispered, staring at the orc with wide eyes. “The leader of the Swordtooth Clan.”

Klogg spoke weakly as he offered his son to Kara. “He is only a boy, but he is the heir to my clan. If he lives, he will be forever indebted to you, and you will have a powerful ally at your side.”

Kara didn’t know this orc. But she saw the look in his eyes. And she nodded, taking Klogg’s son into her arms.

“I will do what I can.”

“Thank you.”

The Elder of the Swordtooth Clan bowed his head, before he turned to face Adam. Even though he was dying, he still forced himself forward to face the former Dark Lord.

Kara looked at the fighting one last time. The Soulmaster’s machine lay on the ground, its one remaining arm desperately clutching onto Adam’s leg. It wouldn’t stop fighting until it was completely torn apart into a pile of junk. Warlord Dhofruid leapt up into the air and swung down at the former Dark Lord from behind as his battleaxe crackled with electricity.

“I’ve got ye now! I’ve figured out yer little trick—”

Adam glanced back as he was forced to block the attack with a tendril. The impact of the attack broke the nearby ground. But before he could counter the dwarf’s swing, Elder Klogg roared and charged into the fray, crashing into the former Dark Lord from behind.

They were actually able to harm Adam now. He was surrounded by all three of his opponents as their attacks shook all of Sentinel Square.

Kara turned away from this scene and back to Zlo’tan who was standing before the swarm of nightmares. His body shimmered with golden lines, forming strange patterns around his back, concentrating on his chest. He urged her forward, and she walked up to him. He raised his pole as his needles shot out at the nightmares, creating a divot in the black wall as he stepped through.

“This one will guide us out,” the minotaur said as he covered Kara with his body and began walking forward.

She didn’t know what he was doing at first. But she followed his directions as he covered her, protecting her from the screeching nightmares as they struck out. Some of them were killed by his needles, however, most of them reached him and scratched his body.

But he continued to shield her anyways.

“Zlo’tan, how are you doing this?” Kara asked, looking up at his pained face with wide eyes.

He lowered his head as he continued to guide her through the swarm of nightmares. “This one realized that fighting was pointless, so this one forced himself to figure out how to reinforce his soul so that this one is more resilient against the nightmare’s attacks.”

“Wait, Zlo’tan, do you mean…?” Her brows snapped together as the realization settled in.

A muffled explosion echoed from back behind the wall of nightmares. Kara felt the ground shake, but she ignored it, focusing only on the minotaur.

He smiled at her as he continued using his body as a shield. Even as his muscles began to shrink. He pushed on, heading towards the vague outline of an opening at the other side.

“This one has a humble request for you, Ms Kara.”

“Zlo’tan—” She opened her mouth, but then paused. She saw the way he breathed. She saw the suffering he was enduring. And she realized there was no point in arguing any longer. Slowly, she nodded. “What is it?”

They made their way closer towards the end of the swarm of nightmares. Zlo’tan’s body was shriveling up now, and the glowing lines covering his body began to blink out. Still, he continued.

“This one wishes for you to find the Soulmaster,” the minotaur said as he bowed his head. He took in a deep breath as he looked like a skeleton now. But still, he found the strength to continue. “So that you can tell him that this one managed to manifest the power of his soul at the last moments of his life.”

He closed his eyes as they stepped out of the swarm of nightmares.

“So that you can tell the Soulmaster—”

Kara stumbled forward out of the black dome, before glancing back at the minotaur as his needles clattered all around him. He smiled at her as he finished.

“That I wasn’t a failure.”

She watched as Zlo’tan withered away. His crimson pole dropped to the ground and rolled to her feet. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her vision blurred, but she forced herself to blink them away.

Kara picked up the minotaur’s pole and turned away from the black dome. She carried her friend on her back, an orc she didn’t know in her arms, and Zlo’tan’s weapon as she sprinted away from what remained of Sentinel Square.

She ran and didn’t look back. Alyona was in ruins. There was nothing for her to see.

“Kara,” Caius eventually said.

And she didn’t even respond.

His eyes fluttered shut as he whispered, “There is no point.”

Kara clenched her jaw. And behind her, in the far distance, the dome of nightmares dissipated like an explosion.

“Adam will catch us. And we will die.”

“I know that,” Kara said as she turned a corner. “But still, we have to try—”

And she came to a halt as she saw the former Dark Lord standing atop a broken building. He held up a pair of corpses. In his right hand was Dhofruid, and in his left hand was Klogg. He tossed them aside as he seemed to pull something out of the lifeless bodies, creating even more tendrils.

They shot out towards Kara as she dodged to the side, barely avoiding them.

“I will not let you leave this city alive,” Adam said as he flicked his fingers.

And the tendrils whipped towards her, slicing through dozens of buildings. She leapt into the air and continued to run as he pointed. But as the nightmares coalesced around him to obey his command, a blast of black flames crashed down into him as a voice spoke up.

“That is what I should be saying to you.”

Kara glanced up as she stumbled past the broken wreckage of the fallen buildings. She saw a familiar figure landing in the middle of the street..

“That’s— Koros?” Caius gaped at the Dark Lord of Alyona standing across from Adam.

Adam’s nightmares shielded him from the blast of black flames. But even though he emerged unscathed, for the first time since he showed up, he looked surprised.

“Where is Eve?” he asked, his right eye narrowing.

Koros shrugged and tossed a ball he was carrying under his arm. “She wouldn’t die. So I sliced her up into a dozen parts, hoping that she’d stay dead for good this time.”

Kara blinked as she saw the head of a little girl land and roll on the street. The sight would have made her numb if she hadn’t experienced everything she had so far tonight. So she just shook her head and turned to the Dark Lord of Alyona.

“Koros—” she started.

And he nodded back at her as he removed his helmet. He tossed it at her, but she couldn’t catch it. It would have landed on the ground and tumbled away. However, Caius weakly raised a hand and caught the Dark Lord’s helmet out of the air.

“The Helmet of Alyona. As long as there is someone to wear it, the Sanctuary City of Alyona will live on. Even if the city itself is gone.” The Dark Lord of Alyona lowered his head as he spoke simply.

“That’s…?” Caius stared for a moment, and Kara also realized what that meant.

“Go,” Koros said as he cracked his neck and started forward. “This is a matter to settle between Dark Lords. You two don’t belong here.”

Caius pursed his lips. “Adam’s too strong, even for you, Koros. It would be smarter for you to escape with the rest of the army. You shouldn’t sacrifice yourself for me—”

“Well, we aren’t even friends,” the Dark Lord cutt off the elf. “So I’m not doing this for you.”

“I… what?” Caius blinked a few times.

Koros swept his gaze over the rubble and debris spreading out all around him, before looking towards Adam. “I’m doing this because it is my duty as the Dark Lord of Alyona. Because a Sanctuary City is a place of refuge. And I will protect this city even if it costs me my life.”

He took in a deep breath as he raised his black blade to his chest. He glanced towards Kara and pointed into the distance.

“So go already. The evacuation tunnel is that way.”

Kara hesitated, before she nodded. Caius tried to protest, however she sprinted further away into the upper tunnels.

“Koros!” the elf called out and raised a hand.

But they left the two Dark Lords behind to confront each other.

—--

Koros glanced back one last time as he watched the human go. And then he turned back to face his opponent standing before him. Adam picked up Eve’s head, before nodding approvingly.

“You are far greater of a Dark Lord than I took you to be. I apologize for underestimating your abilities, Dark Lord Koros.”

“You don’t seem too upset about your friend’s death,” Koros said simply as circled Adam. “But I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised by your callousness, considering you had no qualms about destroying your own home and killing all your people.”

Adam tilted his head back. “I presume you are talking about Catherine. But you must understand, that city I laid waste to was no longer my home. Even so, I was immensely pained by its destruction. Just as I am pained by the destruction of your city, Dark Lord Koros.”

“You must be better at hiding your emotions than even I. Storms above, I was barely able to hold back my tears when I said goodbye to Caius just earlier. So you must be a phenomenal actor.” Koros chuckled as his eyes flickered in the direction Kara had gone.

“I do not mourn the destruction of your city just as I do not mourn Eve’s passing.” Adam dropped Eve’s head to the ground and spread his arms wide. “For you see, what is there to mourn about when I know that just like her, this city will wake up tomorrow morning, renewed and more powerful than before?”

Koros clicked his tongue. “So that bitch is still alive.”

“She is only temporarily disabled.” The former Dark Lord gave a crooked smile.

“Figures.”

“I must commend your efforts, Dark Lord Koros. I did not anticipate the destruction of Alyona to prove so… difficult.” Adam licked his lips as he spoke.

Koros shrugged and stepped forward. “I’d have preferred if you didn’t destroy my city at all.”

“I find your strength most impressive, Dark Lord Koros. That is why—” Adam continued, proffering a hand. “I would like to extend an offer for you to join the Dreamers.”

“To join you two insane idiots?” Koros asked, narrowing his eyes.

“To join on our quest to find a power that exceeds even beyond dragons— a power that even He Who Stole Magic From The Gods could never comprehend,” Adam said as he spread his arms wide.

“And how exactly are you going to do that?” The Dark Lord of Alyona raised a brow. “Other than by taking millions of innocent lives, of course.”

Adam replied as he bowed his head, “Through the guidance of the Visioner, all dreams are possible.”

“Now who is this Visioner?” Koros prodded for more answers.

But that was where the responses came to an end. The former Dark Lord lowered his arms and spoke dangerously. “That is a question you will only know the answer to if you agree to join our cause. Otherwise…”

“Well, then I guess I have made up my mind,” Koros said, crossing his arms. “My answer is no.”

“I see.” Adam didn’t give a visible reaction.

He lowered his head as his swarms of nightmares circled around the ruins of the Sanctuary City. Koros’s eyes darted around, seeing them gather. They were preparing to aid Adam in battle.

“Dark Lord Koros, you are truly as honest as you are foolish, are you not?” Adam finally spoke up as he lowered his head. “After all, you are as terrible an actor as you say you are.”

The Dark Lord of Alyona gritted his teeth when he heard that.

Adam continued as he raised his head once again. “Because, honestly, did you really think you could win when you have no mana and no strength left to fight?”

Again, Koros said nothing. But Adam continued as he began to laugh, showing his first sign of real emotion since he arrived.

“Did you really think you stood a chance of winning after you’ve been touched by Eve?”

Adam cackled as he hopped off the roof of the building. He strode forward, and Koros stood steadfast.

“Somehow, you survived,” Adam said as he raised a hand. All around him, rifts open up as dozens of tendrils slithered out. “And while I do not know how you did it, I will enjoy figuring that out once I make you anew.”

The tendrils lashed out, and Koros dashed forward. Even as the swarms of nightmares surrounded him, he cut through them. He leapt over the tendrils and sliced apart those that got close. He was tired. He was exhausted. But still, he fought on.

He could have lied to himself and said he would have stood a chance if he had been at full strength. However, the truth was, he knew he would have lost this fight no matter what. He knew he couldn’t win.

He knew that he would lose.

But even in the face of great adversity, he showed courage. He showed strength. He showed bravery.

All around the two Dark Lords, buildings collapsed. Explosions resounded. The streets of Alyona were ripped apart. The fighting tore its way through the remains of the Sanctuary City as thousands of nightmares were killed. Until, finally, blood splattered across the broken brickstone ground.

But it was not just blood from one person.

Koros panted as he stared at his black blade thrust through Adam’s chest. The former Dark Lord looked down at the purple blood painting his bandages from the deadly blow, before he looked up at his arm piercing the Dark Lord of Alyona’s heart.

“To think you don’t even have a heart…. y-you really have become… a monster…” Koros panted, before letting go of his weapon and dropping to the ground.

Adam removed the blade from his chest and flicked the blood off it. He looked down at his wound, then he shook his head. “Not a monster. But you are correct, I am not a mortal like you either.”

Koros lay there as he looked up. He saw the tens of thousands of nightmares swarming through the ceiling of the cavern. He saw the former Dark Lord standing over him with a look of disappointment.

“There is a lot you do not know, Dark Lord Koros. There is a lot you could have learned if you joined me. But you are no different to the other Dark Lords and Dark Ladies who have shunned me. I could have shown you the truth. I could have freed you from this reality.”

Adam raised his head as he stared at the shadowed creatures he created eddying above him. Koros narrowed his eyes as he reached for something at his back. A scroll that he had kept prepared.

The Dark Lord of Alyona remembered what Kara told him when they first met— about a world with one moon and no magic. A planet populated only by humans.

“Y-you pretend as though you know everything that there is to know, but there are still secrets which elude you,” Koros sputtered out as he tightly clutched onto the scroll. “You are a fool who has had his heart clouded in darkness. But I know there is still good in you— good you can do. This does not have to be your path.”

“Then I shall do you a great favor and kill you with your own sword. That is the greatest respect I can show you, Dark Lord Koros,” Adam said as he raised the black blade. “But while you may talk about the goodness of my heart, you must know this: even the likes of dragons did not achieve godhood without shedding blood.”

“F-fine, if you really want to join the dragons so much—” Koros gasped.

He took in a deep breath, before focusing his magic on the scroll in his hand. He lit it ablaze, and it quickly burned.

“Why don’t you go and kill yourself?” he finished.

And suddenly, the ground shook. The spell was activated as Adam looked up with a frown. The former Dark Lord swept his gaze around the Sanctuary City as his one eye went wide.

“You—”

And the mountain itself collapsed on the two of them.

—---

Caius looked back towards the city as they reached the edge of the evacuation tunnel. He saw the walls of the upper tunnels detonating. He saw the explosions rip apart the ceiling of the main city. Rock and rubble began to collapse from above, crushing the tens of thousands of nightmares in the air.

“So this was the full extent of your secret project, Koros?” the elf whispered softly.

He closed his eyes as the Sanctuary City of Alyona was slowly buried in rubble, and the walls of the upper tunnel began to close. Even the evacuation tunnel wasn’t completely left unscathed. Kara sped up, running even faster as all around them, the walls fell apart.

“What a shrewd man…”

—--

The mountain itself collapsed onto the Sanctuary City of Alyona. Everything was destroyed, crushed under the falling rubble. Even the swarm of nightmares— they were all killed when the mountain fell.

Or at least, that was what Adam told Eve when she regenerated from a head. She didn’t know how long it took her to return. And she didn’t know how long he had been waiting down here amongst the collapsed mountain. All she knew was that she now stood there with him, surrounded by nothing but rock and debris.

A small light glimmered faintly, illuminating the darkness as Adam worked on something he wouldn’t tell her about. Instead, he had told her to wait. Because he was almost finished.

“A hero,” Adam said as he wove the pool of mana into itself. “That’s what Dark Lord Koros was.”

Eve frowned, looking around their surroundings. “But how is he a hero? He didn’t believe he could beat you, right? That’s why he did all this.”

“He might not have believed in his own strength, but he believed in the people of his city,” Adam answered simply. He tilted his head back as he was almost finished. “Dark Lord Koros believed that the people of his city could survive.”

“That’s stupid.” Eve pouted, crossing her arms. “I can’t believe I lost to him. That’s so dumb.”

Adam nodded as he took a step back. He began to wrap his bandages over his mouth. “I agree with you, Eve. It is such a mortal thing to believe in. Even still, a part of me admires it. Perhaps because I used to be a mortal too.”

Eve placed her chin on the palm of her hand. “I don’t understand that at all.”

“Because you are no mortal. You are the perfect creation— made by the Visioner Themselves.” Adam patted her on the head, before he turned to what he was working on. “And while I may still be a student of Their ways, it is time for the Dreamers to expand.”

Blinking, Eve looked up as she saw the pool of mana ripple, before finally taking the shape of a person her size. She perked up and stared at a boy who had the body of the night sky.

“Meet your second brother, Eve,” Adam said, gesturing at her to step forward. “Meet Abel.”

Eve hopped up and down excitedly, before she took the boy’s hand. He didn’t speak, simply looking at her with the stars in his face.

“Abel? I am finally going to have a brother! But how did you make him?” She turned to Adam with round eyes.

“Just as I thought, the essence Dark Lord Koros left behind in his death was immense. All I had to do was purify it and mold it into the child I envisioned. Now, I have created my first real child with my own two hands. He may not be my first child, nor is he my second, but he is the first one I have made on my own.”

Adam seemed to smile as he nodded at Abel. Eve smiled too. But then she paused.

“Wait, you said Abel is my second brother.” She looked towards Adam quizzically. “Who is my first brother?”

And Adam just chuckled. “You will meet him one day. I promise you, Eve. But not today.”

“Oh, I see.” Eve nodded hesitantly, before crossing her arms in thought. “By the way, since all our nightmares are dead, what are we going to do? How are we going to restore our army?

She asked the question. And Adam smiled as a nearby rock shifted. A group of giant centipedes crawled out and hissed as the three figures in the darkness.

The former Dark Lord of Catherine rose to his feet. “It will take some time. But we will return, Eve. Do not worry about that.”

And he turned to the giant centipedes as they lashed out his way.

—--

They escaped.

Kara didn’t know how, but she managed to escape the collapsing mountain. All she did was run until she had no strength left in her legs. And even still, she kept running. Until she found the survivors of Alyona.

She brought Caius to Hayder, then she brought the injured orc— Kurg— to the Swordtooth Clan. Whether or not Kurg would survive, she didn’t know. But she fulfilled her duties, before she finally found her friends.

Angel threw himself at her excitedly. Arjin and Dammir both let out massive sighs of relief. They were glad to see Kara was alive. But when they saw the look on her face, they didn’t celebrate.

No one did.

Kara handed Zlo’tan’s pole to Angel with her head bowed low. At first, the utlas bear didn’t understand what had happened. But when she spoke, tears began to stream down his two faces. He had known the minotaur far better than even Kara did. So he growled and whined and he cried.

Angel clutched the crimson pole tightly as he curled up into a ball. Arjin and Dammir left them alone for a while, letting them grieve. And even though Kara tried to comfort the utlas bear, sitting next to him as she stroked his back gently, she was still reeling from it all too. The realization of what had happened simmered in her mind.

“This world really does suck…” she whispered.

The Sanctuary City of Alyona was destroyed in a matter of hours. Tens of thousands— maybe even hundreds of thousands— of people died that day. Some were strangers, some were acquaintances, but many were friends too.

When Angel fell asleep and Kara could finally rest, she didn’t cry.

Her eyes were dry, having cried enough when Zlo’tan died. Instead, she resolved herself. She had been too weak today. That was why she hadn’t been able to defeat Adam. So she knew what needed to be done.

“And that’s why—”

Kara needed to become stronger.

Author's Notes:

10.4k words. Thanks for reading :) What do you guys think of the story so far?

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