The battlefield was a cacophony of chaos. The air was thick with the stench of blood, the acrid scent of burnt earth, and the pungent tang of Void energy that seemed to permeate everything. Ashen and Seren stood shoulder to shoulder, breathing heavily as they faced the False King and his growing army. But despite the devastation around them, a cold, bitter sense of unease settled in Seren's chest. There was something wrong—something she couldn't place.
"Stay sharp," Ashen muttered under his breath, his grip tightening on his sword as he scanned the battlefield. "We can't afford to let our guard down."
Seren nodded, but her mind was elsewhere, drifting to the nagging feeling that something—someone—was about to betray them. She glanced around, her eyes narrowing, and caught sight of one of their allies, a tall mage named Eryan, who had been fighting valiantly beside them for the past several days. He was a skilled illusionist, his magic weaving through the enemy's ranks, disorienting and blinding them. Yet now, his movements seemed off—too fluid, too calculated, as if he had been waiting for something, or someone.
Seren's instincts screamed at her to act, but before she could voice her concerns, a sudden wave of energy rippled through the air, and the ground beneath them trembled violently. The False King raised his hand, his violet eyes glowing with dark power. "Your struggle is meaningless," he sneered. "You cannot defeat me. You cannot even trust the ones standing beside you."
The moment the words left his lips, a sharp, biting pain shot through Seren's chest. She gasped, stumbling backward, her vision blurring as if someone had thrust a blade into her heart. Her hand instinctively clutched her chest, but there was no wound—just the overwhelming sensation of betrayal. A cold, dark force began to spread through her, a darkness that seemed to seep from within, like poison flooding her veins.
Her breath hitched, and she stumbled, dizzy from the assault on her senses. Ashen whirled toward her, concern written across his face. "Seren!" he shouted, rushing to her side. "What's happening?"
Before she could respond, the mage Eryan appeared before them, his features twisted in a grin that was far from reassuring. "It's true, you know," he said, his voice smooth and deceptively calm. "You never saw it coming, did you?"
Seren's eyes widened in realization. Her heart sank as she saw the telltale signs—the way Eryan's aura now shimmered with dark energy, the way his eyes glowed with the same violet hue as the False King's. He had been consumed by the Void, just like so many others before him.
"You… you were working for him all along?" Seren's voice trembled with disbelief and betrayal.
Eryan's smile widened, showing a hint of malice in the corners of his mouth. "Oh, I didn't choose to serve him, not at first," he said, his words like poison. "But the Void has its way of twisting even the most well-intentioned. I tried to resist it, tried to fight it, but in the end, I realized—there's nothing worth saving in this world. It's all destined to fall, just like everything else. The Void will consume it all, and I will be its herald."
Seren's mind raced. The reality of the situation was sinking in, but the pain in her chest made it difficult to focus. This was a friend, a comrade—a mage they had fought alongside for months. And now, he had turned his back on everything they had fought for.
"No…" Seren whispered, shaking her head as she stumbled to her feet. "You can't. You don't have to—"
"You don't understand," Eryan interrupted, his voice sharp and cruel now. "You never understood the power the Void offers. You, of all people, should know that. You've felt it inside of you—its whispers. Its pull. I'm merely the one who gave in. You'll see. In time, you'll join us, too."
His words echoed in Seren's mind, and her heart twisted painfully. She could feel the darkness crawling beneath her skin, the Void's presence trying to overtake her once again. But this time, she wasn't going to let it win. She wouldn't allow the darkness to take control of her.
But the betrayal stung deeper than any physical wound. She had trusted Eryan. They had fought side by side, shared stories, trained together. And now, everything was a lie. She felt the Void's influence starting to press on her mind, attempting to break her resolve.
Ashen's voice broke through her thoughts. "Seren, focus!" He gripped her shoulders, his eyes intense with worry. "Stay with me! You are stronger than this. We'll fight him together. We will stop the False King."
For a moment, Seren closed her eyes, focusing on Ashen's words, his presence grounding her as she fought against the overwhelming pull of the Void. The darkness that had crept into her soul receded, but the pain of betrayal still lingered like a shadow in her heart.
Her eyes snapped open, meeting Eryan's gaze. "You're wrong," she said, her voice filled with newfound strength. "I will never join you. I will fight for this world, no matter how dark it gets."
Eryan's smile faltered, replaced by an expression of growing anger. "Foolish girl," he spat. "You think you can stop me? You think you can stop the Void?"
With a flick of his wrist, Eryan conjured a wave of dark energy that surged toward them, but Seren was ready. She pushed forward, her magic flaring to life around her, a radiant shield of light forming in front of them. The clash of energies rang through the air, the Void's malevolent force crashing against her light, but Seren held her ground.
Ashen, never one to back down, charged toward Eryan, sword raised. He swung with all his might, cutting through the air in a deadly arc. Eryan was quick, dodging the blow with an agility that surprised Ashen, but the hatred in his eyes was unmistakable. Eryan was not just a mage—he was a servant of the Void, corrupted to his very core.
"You won't win, Eryan," Ashen growled, his voice low and filled with determination.
But Eryan merely laughed, the sound bitter and hollow. "We shall see, Ashen. We shall see."
The battle raged on, but Seren could feel the weight of their situation pressing down on her. The False King had been a shadow in the distance, but now, with Eryan's betrayal, it felt as though the very fabric of their world was tearing apart. They had lost an ally—someone they had once considered a friend—and with that loss, they had gained an even greater enemy.
As the battle intensified, Seren realized something crucial. The fight wasn't just against the False King anymore. It was against the very darkness that had corrupted Eryan and countless others. And if they were to win, they would need to face that darkness head-on, no matter the cost.
The Void would not take this world. Not while she and Ashen still stood.