The roar of the undead wyvern echoed through the cliffs, stirring up a whirlwind of dust in the Northern Wastes. Jax's heart raced as he gazed up at the creature, its fiery red eyes fixed on him. Atop the beast sat a silver-haired Necromancer, her staff glowing with dark energy and a malicious smile cutting through the chaos. "Thorne!" she shouted, her voice like a razor. "The master's patience runs thin!"
Beside Jax, Jane crouched, her empty pack a clear sign of their gadget shortage. "That's one massive beast," she murmured, her voice tense but steady. "Got a plan, magic boy?"
Jax felt a burn in his chest as the Construct hummed softly. "Energy reserves: 27%," it stated in its cold tone. "High-level threat detected. Suggesting strategic retreat." But retreat was out of the question—not with the wyvern's sharp claws glimmering and the narrow path trapping them.
"Working on it," Jax replied, casting a glance at Kael, the rogue mage a few steps ahead, his blond hair whipping in the wind and his hands alive with arcane energy. His unshakeable grin suggested he thrived on danger.
"Big lizard, huh?" Kael said, flashing Jax a wink. "We can take it down. You two go low, I'll take the high ground. Ready for some fun?"
Jax felt a grin creeping back. Kael's confidence was infectious, his voice playful as if they were planning a prank instead of facing death. "Fun? You're crazy," Jax said, but he gripped his knife tighter, determination building within him.
Jane scoffed, picking up a sharp rock. "Less talking, pretty boy. Let's get to work."
As the wyvern dove, its claws scraping the ground, Jax rolled to the side, mud splattering his face. "Flame Pulse!" he shouted, as a fireball erupted from his hands, singeing the creature's wing. It screeched and swooped upward, but Jax's vision blurred, energy waning. "Reserves: 20%."
Kael sprang onto a boulder, hurling arcane bolts at the wyvern. The blue streaks slammed into its side, chipping its armor. "That's right, ugly!" he taunted, dodging its tail's swipe. "Come dance with me!"
Jane threw her rock, striking the beast's leg. It faltered, but the Necromancer raised her staff, summoning dark vines that lashed towards them. Jax dove to shield Jane, a vine grazing his arm and leaving a burning welt.
"Jax!" Jane cried, yanking him behind a rock. "Are you alright?"
"Barely," he gasped, blood trickling from his nose. The Construct's hum faded, his body begging for a break. "We can't keep this up."
Kael landed next to them, his cloak singed but his grin unwavering. "Don't give up now," he said encouragingly. "I know you've got more in you, Jax. I saw that glow—Divine, right? Use it."
Jax hesitated. The Divine shield was unpredictable, and he hadn't heard the sister's voice since the shrine. But Kael's trusting eyes urged him on. It was difficult to ignore the hope that he inspired.
"Alright," Jax said, standing up. "Cover me."
Kael nodded, unleashing a barrage of arcane bolts to distract the wyvern while Jane stayed close, ready with her rock. Jax shut his eyes, searching for that previous warm glow. If I'm marked, prove it, he thought desperately.
The sister's voice returned, soft but clear. "Unite your will, marked one." His chest ignited, golden light pouring from his hands. A Divine shield erupted, blocking a vine aimed at Jane. As the wyvern dove again, Jax pushed the shield outward, its brilliance scorching the beast's wing. It roared in anger, crashing against the cliffs.
"Energy reserves: 15%."
"Nice hit!" Kael cheered, his laughter ringing out. He ensnared the wyvern's legs in an arcane net. "Jane, now!"
Jane sprang forward, bashing her rock against the pinned leg. There was a sickening crack as the creature thrashed, nearly breaking free. The Necromancer's staff glowed fiercely, her dark vines surging. "You're nothing!" she screamed, preparing to strike Jax with a dark bolt.
Kael leaped, intercepting the bolt with his barrier. "Not today, lady!" he shot back, firing his own magic. Their powers clashed, sparks flying. Jax's shield flickered with each attack, his energy dwindling. "Reserves: 10%."
"We're losing ground," Jax panted, blood trickling down his face. The wyvern broke free, its smoldering wing still a threat. The Necromancer's vines encroached, blocking their escape.
Jane's gaze scanned the area and landed on a loose boulder overhead. "Jax, Kael—let's move that rock! Drop it on the lizard!"
Jax nodded. He and Kael rushed forward, dodging the vines, and slammed their shoulders into the boulder. Kael infused their push with arcane energy, while Jax channeled his last bit of Divine power into it. The rock swayed and then fell, crashing onto the wyvern's back, pinning it down and shattering its bones.
The Necromancer shrieked, her staff sparking with fury. "You'll pay for that!" She leapt off the wyvern, unleashing a wave of dark energy that knocked Jane over. Jax threw himself to shield her, his shield obliterated. "Reserves: 5%."
Kael stepped up, his hands glowing. "My turn," he stated, voice low yet charged. He unleashed a torrent of arcane bolts, striking hard and driving the Necromancer back. She fended off his energy with her staff, but her runes flickered, revealing her weakness.
Jax struggled to rise, Jane at his side. "He's doing great," she whispered, awe coloring her tone.
"Too great," Jax replied, doubt creeping in. Kael's skill seemed unreal, his demeanor too charming. The sister's warning floated in his mind—"Beware of the traitor within"—yet he forced it down. Kael was their savior.
The Necromancer faltered, her staff cracking. "The master will bury you!" she spat, raising her hand for one last attack. A final vine shot toward Jax, but Kael's arcane net tore it apart. He fired a final bolt, piercing her chest. She gasped, collapsing as her runes faded into ash.
Silence fell in the pass, the wyvern still and lifeless, the Necromancer defeated. Jax's knees buckled, but Jane caught him, her grip strong. "You're okay," she reassured him, her voice trembling. "We made it."
Kael sauntered over, his grin back in place. "I told you this would be fun!" He extended a hand to Jax, his gaze warm yet assessing, lingering on Jax's bloody nose. "That Divine trick is impressive. You have to explain it to me."
Jax took his hand and stood, cautious. "Just… luck," he replied, wary of sharing too much. Kael's charm was disarming, but the weight of the journal reminded him to stay alert.
Jane crossed her arms, studying Kael. "You're useful, I'll admit. But why stick around with us? What's your angle?"
Kael laughed, a sound reminiscent of summer breezes. "Adventure, mainly. Plus, you both are fascinating. Not every day you meet someone who glows like a star." He winked at Jax before nodding toward the pass. "Shortcut's still good. The Spires are just a few days out. What do you say?"
Jax glanced at Jane, who shrugged. "He's handy," she acknowledged. "But I'm keeping an eye on you, pretty boy."
"Fair enough," Kael agreed, his grin widening. Yet his gaze shifted to the bulge in Jax's pocket where the journal rested. It was quick, nearly unnoticeable, but Jax felt it. A chill coursed through him, but he pushed it down. Kael had just saved their lives.
As they continued through the pass, the cliffs closed in. Jax felt his energy steadily climb—"Reserves: 10%"—but fatigue weighed heavily on him from the fight. The journal's warnings about a "master's shadow" and "sacrifice" swirled in his mind, while Kael's stories brightened the mood. Each tale of outmaneuvering mages or outsmarting bandits made Jane laugh, easing tension and drawing Jax into a sense of camaraderie, despite his reservations.
Yet the Wastes had more in store for them. As they rounded a bend, the ground trembled. A deep hum filled the air, not from the Construct, but ahead. A colossal gate towered, carved into the cliffs, its surface inscribed with glowing arcane runes.
"What the hell?" Jane muttered, her scanner beeping. "That's Alliance tech! Out here?"
Kael's grin evaporated, his expression now focused. "Not just Alliance. That's a ward gate. It only opens for mages—or blood." He looked at Jax, curiosity shining in his eyes. "Got any more tricks, star boy?"
Jax's heart raced. The journal pulsed, and the sister's voice returned, urgent yet faint. "The marked one's blood opens the way. But beware—the shadow watches."
Before Jax could respond, a silhouette shifted on the cliffs above. Red eyes glimmered—not the Master's, but something else, humanoid and cloaked in darkness. It raised a hand and the gate's runes flared to life, crackling with hostile energy.
Kael's hands glowed, tension in his voice. "Looks like we have company."
Jane grabbed Jax's arm, fear evident in her wide eyes. "Jax, whatever you're thinking, do it now!"
The figure's hand pulsed, and the gate began to open—not for them, but for something far worse. An unsettling roar echoed from beyond, deep and primal, sending tremors through the cliffs.