Previously, on Sword Of Vengeance
The mysterious man who had who was formally their rival and also save Elena, broke into cold sweats as hairs on his skin rose in a serious warning while he fought another Golmor.
He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing as he caught sight of the ethereal bluish glow trailing behind him.
It shimmered and danced.
A persistent and unrelenting force that refused to fade, defying the passage of time. The glow seemed alive, pulsating with an energy that neither dimmed nor wavered, as though it were tethered to him, bound by some unseen will.
As it pressed forward, the world around it blurred into a vortex of motion, the boundaries of time and space bending in its wake.
The bluish ambience surged closer, collapsing the distance with an eerie inevitability.
It wasn't just following him—it was closing in, narrowing the corridor of time itself, as though seeking to engulf him in its enigmatic embrace.
The winds within the tunnel churned violently, rippling with untamed energy as they surged forward, doubling in speed. The force of the currents roared with a deafening clap, like a thunderstrike tearing through the void.
His expression darkened, a grim realization settling over him—the sheer velocity of the attack had shattered a sound barrier, a testament to its overwhelming power.
With a determined gaze and unwavering focus, he planted his feet firmly, channelling a massive surge of energy beneath him.
The ground trembled slightly under the pressure before he launched himself skyward with explosive force, ascending as high as his body would allow.
In mid-air, he twisted sharply, his body executing a flawless side twist. The manoeuvre was precise, each movement calculated and honed.
Rolling fluidly and continuously, he transformed himself into a spinning blur, his rotations building momentum with each turn.
His arms spread wide, their length carving through the air like wings, stabilizing his motion and enhancing his speed. The air around him warped from the intensity of his movements, a vortex forming in his wake as he ascended higher, preparing for the next decisive moment.
Beneath him, a furious gust tore through the air, buzzing with unbridled rage before scattering into nothingness, as though irritated by its failure to strike its target.
The near miss was so precise, that it seemed to graze him by a hair's breadth, but he remained untouched.
A deep, resonant vibration followed, rumbling through the ground like a growl from the core of the earth. The force of it ripped the vegetation clean from its roots, and entire trees and shrubs were sent spiralling skyward.
The soil erupted in chaotic bursts, thousands of tiny particles of sand and dirt spewing into the air, swirling like debris caught in the maw of a storm.
High above, a dazzling light pierced through the haze, its brilliance cutting cold and sharp across the battlefield.
The streak of light arced through the air like a blade, its edge gleaming with an unnatural chill.
Then, without warning, it detonated in an eruption of raw energy, unleashing a wild cyclone of wind that stretched out to the distant horizon, bending the very fabric of the landscape.
The shockwave triggered a chain reaction—explosions which rippled outward in violent succession. Each detonation birthed a roiling cloud of black flames that surged upward in ferocious waves.
The infernal blaze churned higher and higher, forming a massive, ominous column.
From within the black flames, an eerie shape began to emerge—a monstrous hand, shadowy and claw-like, stretching upward as though grasping for something unseen.
The fiery apparition grew larger, its fingers curling with an almost sentient hunger until the roaring inferno fully engulfed his silhouette, the light of the flames casting his form into a dark and haunting outline.
The earth quaked beneath the sheer force of the destruction, the horizon trembling under the weight of the chaos unleashed.
Austrus, on the other hand, landed on firmer ground minutes later, returning Dalbeth's sword to its sheath, and its ominous and powerful aura disappeared instantly.
"Are you okay?"
Austrus asked kneeling beside her.
But to his surprise, Elena chooses to shove him away angrily.
"Do you want to kill him ?"
She barked, getting up on her own.
Austrus on the other hand, lost his stamina and fell on his butt.
"What the hell is happening? I just saved you, Princess "
Austrus exclaimed in disappointment spreading out his arms.
"No, you didn't, Austrus, he did. "
She screamed at him, her voice cutting through the roaring inferno with a desperate edge.
Each word carried both fury and anguish, echoing across the chaotic landscape as if trying to pierce through the thick haze of destruction.
With determined strides, she moved toward the heart of the burning mist, her figure illuminated by the flickering glow of the black flames. The air around her crackled with heat, the oppressive atmosphere pressing down like an invisible weight, but she didn't falter.
Her eyes, sharp and unwavering, remained fixed ahead, searching for him through the swirling shadows and embers.
Each step she took seemed defiant, as though challenging the very chaos that threatened to consume everything in its path.
Despite the choking heat and the ominous mist swirling like a living entity, she pushed forward, her resolve unbroken.
The flames licked at the edges of her path, and the ground beneath her feet trembled with aftershocks of the explosions, but she paid them no heed.
"Hey! Are you alright ?"
She called out, with a mix of anger and determination, as if her words alone could drag him back from the abyss.
"Looking for me ?"
A mocking voice sounded out.
Which made Elena look back.
On the far side of the devastated forest, he stood, unyielding and unscathed, his silhouette framed against the smouldering remnants of the chaos he had left behind.
The air around him was heavy with ash and heat, yet he remained untouched, a figure of defiance amidst the wreckage.
He stood tall and proud, his posture unwavering, exuding an air of quiet triumph.
In his arms, cradled delicately, was Cathiana.
Her face rested against his chest, her expression softened by exhaustion, yet there was an undeniable peace in her features, as though she felt safe in his embrace.
His eyes emitted a soft, otherworldly glow, the light ebbing and flowing in faint, rhythmic pulses.
The subtle radiance seemed alive, flickering like the heartbeat of a distant star, casting delicate shadows across his sharp features. It wasn't blinding, yet it held an intensity that demanded attention, as though it carried secrets too profound for words.
The breeze that swept through the forest whispered against his armour, carrying with it the faint scent of scorched earth and the lingering hum of energy.
His eyes scanned the horizon, sharp and vigilant, as though daring any force to challenge him again.
But for now, the battlefield was silent, and the forest—though ravaged—seemed to bow to his presence. With Cathiana secure in his arms, he turned slightly, his expression a mixture of stoic determination and relief.
She looked at him in awe as to how he survived the explosion that engulfed him earlier on.
Austrus, on the other hand, was too stunned to form a single word.
Did he just render his most powerful attack useless?
It had never occurred to Austrus that all along, Cathiana might have been speaking the truth about her protector.
The thought, once dismissed as mere fantasy, now lingered with unsettling clarity.
"Princess, do you think the Protector Cathiana had longed been talking about could be him?"
Austrus asked.
Elena nodded, agreeing to what he said.
"I have thought about it, too. It's no wonder we're no match for him."
She said, got up and approached him.
"What's your name ?"
Elena asked.
"Kalus"
He replied, gently dropping Cathiana to the ground.
"I am Princess Elena and he is..."
Kalus cuts in impatient.
"I know your names, nice to meet you in advance."
Austrus rose from his seat, joining her.
"Why don't you come with us? It's getting late, and General Hough could arrive at any moment now."
He said clearing his throat.
His initial plan had never been to force Kalus to stay with them. Even though they now understood that he was Cathiana's Protector, their priority remained keeping a watchful eye on their friend.
Engaging Kalus in a fight would only be a futile waste of time.
"Oh, you mean their leader? I killed him. Didn't you see his disintegrated corpse earlier on?"
Kalus spoke as he reached down and grabbed one of the massive axes belonging to the Golmor.
With effortless strength, he lifted the heavy weapon in his hands, the metal gleaming in the dim light. In a single, powerful swing, he brought the axe down, cleaving the wood cleanly into two with precision and ease.
Austrus and Elena exchanged glances.
Did he just say he killed the notorious General Hough? The same General who had made a pact with the dark ones, surrendering his very soul to them in exchange for power and obedience.
A man who had become little more than a puppet, bound to their will, carrying out their twisted bidding without hesitation or remorse?
The implications of such a claim were staggering.
"Where's this place you're talking about?"
Kalus spoke, his voice tinged with concern.
He glanced around, fully aware of the pressing reality—he couldn't keep the Eye of Samsara's body warm in this place for much longer.
The temperature was already plummeting, the icy chill creeping in with each passing moment. The air felt heavier now, sharp and unforgiving, as the cold began to bite at his skin.
Time was running out, and he knew that staying here any longer could spell disaster.
"We're moving Princess "
Austrus took a deep breath and turned over to Elena.
"Go, I'll be right behind you."
Elena said, settling on the ground again.
And Austrus reacted by waving his hands instead.