The Sealed One staggered, its form shuddering with a mixture of anger and something that almost resembled fear. It had seen the power of the Crimson King before, or at least heard the legends. But nothing could have prepared it for this.
Adexander's aura burned brighter, the crimson energy swirling around him like a living thing. The catacombs trembled in the wake of his power, the stone beneath his feet cracking, the air thick with the charge of raw, untamed strength.
Yet, despite the overwhelming power he now wielded, Adexander felt the weight of his past pressing on him. The memories of his betrayal, of his death, of the void that had swallowed him whole before he had returned to this new life—they were all present in this moment.
But this time, it was different. This time, he was not just the fallen king. He was the one who would rise again.
The Sealed One hissed from the shadows, its form flickering like a dying flame. But there was no hiding from the crimson light now flooding the catacombs. It was a stark contrast to the cold, suffocating darkness that the Sealed One embodied.
> "You think this will save you?" the Sealed One spat, its voice twisted with venom. "You think your power can stand against the end of all things?"
Adexander didn't answer. He didn't need to. He was beyond words now. He was the reckoning.
With a fluid motion, he surged forward, his blade slicing through the air. It was a strike made with the intent to end it all—to sever the Sealed One's existence from the world once and for all.
But the Sealed One reacted faster than he anticipated. It twisted, its form unraveling into tendrils of shadow that lashed out at Adexander, trying to wrap around him, to bind him in its ancient, suffocating grip.
The tendrils struck, but Adexander was quicker. He moved like lightning, his sword cutting through the shadows with ease, scattering the tendrils into nothingness.
> "I'm not afraid of you," Adexander growled, his voice like the rumble of thunder before a storm.
The Sealed One's golden eyes glowed brighter, and for a brief moment, something in its expression flickered—something that hinted at a deeper understanding of the stakes at play.
> "You are... more than I expected," it murmured. "But power comes at a price, Crimson King."
The words were like a whisper, but they carried weight. Adexander's grip tightened on his blade, but his heart skipped a beat. Power had always come at a price. He knew this better than anyone.
> "I'll pay it," he answered without hesitation.
The Sealed One's laughter echoed, deep and hollow, reverberating in the dark catacombs like the toll of a bell.
> "Then prepare yourself," it hissed. "For the true test has only just begun."
Before Adexander could react, the Sealed One's form exploded into a mass of tendrils and shadows, swirling around him. He slashed through them, but they regenerated faster than he could cut them down. The darkness began to close in, the weight of it pressing down on him.
Suddenly, he felt a tug at the edges of his consciousness. It was as if something was calling to him—something deep within, something ancient.
Adexander's vision blurred, and for a moment, he felt a sensation like being pulled beneath the surface of water. The shadows seemed to recede, and in their place, an unfamiliar presence made itself known.
It was the System.
A voice—calm, detached—whispered into his mind, cutting through the chaos like a knife.
> "System initializing… Crimson King detected… Bloodforge active."
Adexander froze, his sword halting mid-swing as the words echoed in his mind. The system felt foreign, like an intruder in his thoughts, but there was an undeniable pull to it, a promise of something more.
> "Bloodforge active? What is this?" Adexander thought, instinctively reaching for the voice.
The words answered him before he could form the question.
> "The Bloodforge grants you access to the power of your past life. It will evolve with you, growing stronger as you do. Choose your path, and the forge will shape it."
Adexander's heart thundered in his chest. This was more than just power—it was a connection to something greater than himself, something that could propel him beyond even his past glory. But at what cost? What was this system asking of him? What price would he have to pay?
Before he could ponder further, the Sealed One's tendrils lashed out again, striking him in the chest. Adexander grunted, the force knocking him back, but the voice in his mind continued, relentless.
> "Choose your path, Crimson King. Unlock your potential. Destroy the Sealed One… or let it destroy you."
Adexander's eyes glowed with a mix of fury and resolve. He was not going to let anything stand in his way. Not now. Not ever.
The Sealed One roared, its shadows writhing around him, but this time, Adexander was ready. He didn't just feel the power. He understood it. The crimson energy flowed through him like a river breaking free of its dam, a torrent that surged up to meet the Sealed One head-on.
The Sealed One screamed, its form faltering as Adexander's energy crashed into it. For the first time, the ancient being recoiled in genuine fear. But it wasn't enough. Not yet.
With a roar, Adexander activated the power of the Bloodforge, his sword glowing with an ethereal light as he drove it deep into the heart of the Sealed One.
And for the first time in ages, the catacombs fell silent.
---
Adexander stood over the broken remains of the Sealed One, his body trembling with the aftershocks of battle. The power that had surged through him felt both exhilarating and terrifying, like a flame that could either burn everything to ash or forge something new.
The voice in his mind spoke again, calm and neutral.
> "Bloodforge activated. Power increased. New skills unlocked."
Adexander didn't know what to make of it yet, but he knew this: the game had changed. And the System was a part of it now.
The next step would be to understand what it truly meant.