Kael's boots crunched on Noctarion's cracked stone, his hand gripping the obelisk as if it could release the rage burning in his chest. Earth was a dark memory now—his team's betrayal, their bullets ripping through the night, his shouts lost in the void.
Aetherion's blood-red sky mocked him, its violet streaks like bruises on his soul, Reminding him of the betrayal he got from the ones he used to call BROTHERS. he gazed into the sky, his eyes flickering with hurt before returning to his usual cold soul less gaze.
"I will not break, or maybe i am already broken enough that i can't be more broken" he said, his eyes still looking at the sky. "this time ill make the world feel the pain, anyone who stands in my way will be destroyed, i don't need humanity. I need power, and ill make sure I WILL HAVE IT"
while Keal was lost in his thoughts, his eight knights (seven Soulbound, one Wraithblade Commander) stood like shadows across the barren plateau, their obsidian armor catching the faint glow waiting for the orders. Nearby, Elias stood clutching his staff, eyes fixed on the rival castle's glowing towers across the rift.
Kael looked at the new rival and smirked, "I wonder will u be able to give me some challenge? or just get crushed and give me your soul just like those beasts, hehe"
"System, show me the available builds" He said, his expression cool.
The panel flared, cold and sharp:
[Ding]
[Buildings that can be constructed]
{Barracks: Requires 10 Essences.}
{Wall: Requires 5 Essence.}
{Forge: Requires 8 Essence.}
[Available Essence : 0]
"I used up all the essence i had on my knights, plus this -2% vitality does hurt a bit. I need to find some solution for this otherwise ill die, killed by my own troops in a way" He laughed. "How... Poetic".
His Soul Extraction Protocol was power itself, turning blood into blades, but it demanded something more, Souls. "No kills, no progress. Huh" he muttered, a dark laugh slipping out. "Tch, who cares about a little hurt? Time to hunt."
The plateau stretched before him, its jagged cliffs perfect for ambushes, the open ground ideal for traps. Noctarion was raw, empty, but with full of potential to be the graveyard of empires and he'd make sure to make it one, a fortress of shadows.
Suddenly, his eyes caught something. A faint glimmer near the obelisk's base, a ripple in the air, like a warm breeze.
"What the hell?" Kael knelt, scraping the dirt with his longsword's tip. The ground pulsed, not like the obelisk but softer, deeper, like a vein under the skin.
His heart quickened, not with fear but greed. Betrayal had taught him to seize every edge, and this felt like one. He pressed his hand to the stone, and a chill ran through him, it felt very close to the feeling of essence when he used them.
"Yo, system, what's this?" he said, half to himself, his voice filled with curiosity. The panel flickered,
[SCANNING]
Kael's smirk grew. Maybe Aetherion wasn't all teeth and claws. Maybe it hid treasures for those who didn't play nice.
Elias shuffled closer, staff trembling. "My Lord, what are you doing? That rift's dangerous!" His voice was filled with fear.
"Don't worry about it, mage," Kael comforted, not looking up. "Haven't u heard about a saying which goes like. Risk and Reward goes hand in hand? So shut up and let me focus."
The ground pulsed again, stronger, and the system chimed, its text sharp.
[SYSTEM SCAN COMPLETED: LESSER ESSENCE VEIN (WRETCHED) HAS BEEN DETECTED]
[EXTRACT?]
TIME REQUIRED: 1 HOUR.]
Kael's grin was wide to say the least. He tapped Yes, and shadows slithered from the obelisk, burrowing into the stone.
One hour is too slow. That rival castle's lights were too close, too bright. His knights were loyal, but eight wouldn't stop a real assault. He needed an army, and he needed it now.
He glanced at Elias, "Yo, mage, you know anything about rifts?" Kael's asked not fully trusting him.
Elias shook his head, eyes wide. "N-no, My Lord. They're… unstable a-and Dangerous."
Kael snorted. "Tch, useless." His gaze locked on the rift, a shimmering tear in the plateau's edge where the Fangclaw Alpha had crawled out. It pulsed faintly, like it was breathing, whispering secrets. And Kael wanted to know ALL of them!!! only that way, he can be ready for whatever shit aetherion throws at him.
"Maybe the rift hides more than just beasts there's even a possibility that it might be hiding more essences, faster than the vein. No harm in trying". Kael said thoughtfully, "System, scan the rift," he muttered, tapping the obelisk. The panel flickered brighter this time.
[DING: RIFT SCAN INITIATED]
[WARNING: UNSTABLE ENERGY DETECTED]
[PROCEED WITH CAUTION]
Kael's smirk widened, a spark of reckless hunger in his eyes. "Caution is for suckers." He stepped closer, his black longsword drawn, its runes catching the red sky's glow. The rift shimmered, its edges rippling like water. He thrust his sword's tip into it, testing, and a low hum vibrated through the blade, stinging his hand.
The ground trembled, and Elias yelped, stumbling back. "My Lord, What are you doing? It's dangerous!"
"Shut it, mage," Kael snapped, but his heart pounded, not with fear but thrill. The rift flared, spitting violet sparks, and a guttural hiss echoed from within. Kael's knights—seven Soulbound, one Wraithblade Commander—shifted, blades ready. Something was coming and they knew it.
Three serpents slithered out, scales green and jagged, spines dripping acid. Their eyes burned, locked on Kael like he'd insulted their mother. The system flashed.
[SYSTEM ALERT: VENOMSPIKE SERPENTS.]
[TIER-2]
[HAVE BEEN TRIGGERED BY RIFT DISTURBANCE.]
[PREPARE FOR BATTLE]
Elias screamed, robes flapping, pointing wildly. "Beasts! Spiked snakes, spitting poison!" His voice cracked, eyes wide with fear.
Kael's heart pounded, not with dread but hunger. "Speak clearly mage" He ordered, fingers tightening on his black longsword, its runes flaring red.
"Three, big, green scales, venom dripping," Elias stammered, staff shaking. "They're fast, My Lord!"
"Perfect," Kael growled, his grin wide.
"Knights, crescent formation, choke them. Elias, hit from range or you're dead. And for god sake stop reminding me of a certain pink haired anime girl."
"My L-Lord, I am not t-that trash" Elias countered feeling offended.
"Your legs are shaking right now stupid. Now shut up and Work" Kael barked.
The knights formed a tight arc, blades angled to funnel. Elias's staff shook and a blue light sparked.
A fight is about to start, A bloody one maybe for beasts maybe for Kael.