The horizon shimmered with heat and light, but the air carried something heavier now—an energy that made the hair on the back of their necks rise. Lucien, Kairo, Ashveil, and Zarynth slowed, scanning the dunes. The faint pulse of void energy was unmistakable: the last Revenant had arrived.
And with him… Veythar.
Lucien's pale eyes narrowed. "He's with him?"
Ashveil's shadow tendrils flickered nervously. "Interesting. So Veythar has chosen to test them as well. Or perhaps… test us."
Kairo grinned, gripping his bloodsteel. "Then I guess it's our turn to dance."
From the distance, a figure stepped forward, the desert itself bending subtly around him. His presence was absolute, commanding—not just void energy, but an aura of authority that seemed to anchor the landscape. He was taller than the others, cloaked in silver-white void threads that shimmered like molten light.
Lucien felt the White pulse faster, a warning and an acknowledgment.
Beside him, Veythar appeared silently, his expression unreadable. The air around him seemed heavier, his presence already commanding attention. He regarded the four with faint curiosity.
The final Revenant spoke first, voice calm but sharp, carrying both arrogance and confidence. "So… the others have arrived. I've watched your growth. Now… let's see if you are truly worthy."
Zarynth smirked, violet tendrils flicking. "Finally, someone worth testing."
Ashveil's shadows flexed, curling around him like coils of living smoke. "Then we'll show you how three—or now four—can move together."
Lucien stepped forward, White energy trailing along his cloak. "We've trained. We've improved. We will not hold back."
The desert seemed to hold its breath. Then, with a sudden rush of windless force, the final Revenant moved, void energy exploding outward. Veythar followed in perfect synchronization, a silent, lethal companion.
Lucien, Kairo, Ashveil, and Zarynth reacted instantly. The air split with the soundless clash of voids, the ground cracking under their combined energy. Lucien's White coiled around him, bending subtly to anticipate and counter the sudden attacks. Kairo's bloodsteel danced like lightning, Ashveil's shadows cut like blades, and Zarynth's chaotic void flared unpredictably, striking in angles the others could not anticipate.
The first exchange was violent, a ballet of power, speed, and instinct. The final Revenant and Veythar moved in perfect harmony, testing the group, probing weaknesses, yet not fully committing to lethal force. Every strike was a question, every dodge an answer.
Lucien felt the White thrumming along his body, responding to the pressure, shaping around attacks in instinctive, fluid motions. Kairo's strikes followed perfectly, Zarynth's chaotic surges complemented them, and Ashveil's shadows cut gaps for counterattacks.
After moments that felt like hours, they paused, hovering above fractured sand.
The final Revenant's voice rang out, calm yet carrying undeniable weight. "Impressive… all of you. You have grown, but you are not yet at your peak. I fought not to destroy, but to understand. And now… I see what the six truly can become."
Veythar's gaze swept over the group, unyielding yet faintly approving. "The White and the voids… all of you have potential. But mastery requires more than skill. It requires unity."
Lucien exhaled, tightening his grip on the blade. "Then we keep moving forward. Together."
The desert sun dipped lower, casting long shadows that stretched unnaturally, the air thick with void energy. The six were almost complete. And when the final Revenant decided to join them, the storm of the Revenants would be whole.
Zarynth smirked. "I like this group already. Chaos and order… a perfect mix."
Ashveil laughed softly. "Then welcome to the family."
And far beyond the horizon, the faint tremors of the world itself seemed to pulse in response. The six Revenants were about to stand together—and the world would feel their presence.