Alaric stood there for a moment, then turned away. His eyes moved to Vivienne, still unconscious by the cart.
Then to Kelard.
Who was struggling to his feet.
He saw his brother's corpse. Saw the hooded figure standing over it.
And something inside him broke.
"YOU BASTARD!" Kelard roared and lunged forward one final time.
"Earthen Spike!"
A jagged pillar of stone erupted from the ground, aimed directly at Alaric's chest.
[Burst Step!]
Alaric flickered to the side.
Kelard was already moving, closing the distance. His fist came up, wrapped in stone gauntlets.
Alaric's hand snapped forward.
[Lightning Bolt!]
The spell struck Kelard's chest. He staggered but kept coming, teeth gritted, refusing to fall.
"For my brother!"
His stone-wrapped fist crashed toward Alaric's face.
But—
Alaric drew his blade in a single fluid motion.
[Flame Blade!]
The sword ignited. It swept upward in a diagonal slash that met Kelard's descending strike.
