Aelvinar's moonlit streets were strangely quiet. The capital, famed for its grandeur and ceaseless activity, now slumbered under curfew. Lanterns flickered behind shuttered windows, and the city's famed sky-bridges—arched walkways connecting high towers—stood deserted, like ribs of a dead giant.
Raizer moved like a shadow through the alleys, Lynara close behind. Her breathing was tight, barely audible, but her fear hung thick in the air. The scent of blood still clung to him, a silent herald of what he'd done in the keep.
They passed under a bridge where a beggar stirred, then stilled, sensing Raizer's presence without opening his eyes. Something primal in the air warned beasts and men alike.
"Where to now?" Raizer asked.
Lynara paused, gathering herself. "To the Whispering Vaults… It's a place where records of forbidden magic are kept. If you want answers about the summoning ritual, or your connection to the system—"
"I do."
She nodded. "Then we go underground. Beneath the Temple of Eldwyrm. But it's warded… and guarded by the Silent Order."
Raizer smirked. "They'll learn to scream."
Suddenly—
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A bolt of light seared past Raizer's head, vaporizing part of the stone wall. He turned, his eyes flashing.
Across the plaza, five royal knights emerged from magical portals — clad in red and black armor, their swords humming with enchanted runes. Leading them stood a tall woman in crimson plate, her helm shaped like a phoenix's beak.
"Crimson Hands," Lynara whispered. "Assassins and knights… loyal only to the King."
The leader stepped forward. Her voice rang like steel. "Raizer of the Abyss. By decree of His Radiant Majesty, you are sentenced to immediate purging. Surrender the blade and your soul."
Raizer's grin widened. "You want my soul?"He reached for the Shadow Blade."Come take it."
The battle erupted.
Raizer vanished mid-step, reappearing above the knights in midair, blade descending in a spiral of darkness. Two knights blocked the strike with enchanted shields — only for those shields to corrode upon contact, their surfaces turning black and brittle.
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One knight screamed as Raizer drove a dagger of shadow through his visor. Another tried to flank him, only to find Lynara casting a binding glyph — her palms glowing with ancient light.
Raizer's blade moved with poetry and malice. He parried, countered, and struck in rhythms only a master—or a monster—could match.
But the Crimson Commander was no fool.
She raised her hand.
[Enemy Skill: Purgefire – Area Purification]Danger: High
Flames erupted in a holy circle, searing everything in a radius of ten meters. Raizer stepped back, shadows hissing away from the holy fire, his coat scorched at the edges.
Lynara screamed as she was caught in the edge of the blast, falling to the ground.
Raizer's gaze darkened.
He blurred forward—faster than light—and drove his sword straight into the commander's chest.
Only for her to shatter into flame.
[Decoy Eliminated – Real Target Undetected]
He growled. "Coward."
But the flames were dying.
The knights lay dead or broken. The commander had vanished. Lynara groaned on the ground, half-conscious.
Raizer lifted her in his arms.
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From above, church bells tolled. More enemies would come. And deeper still, beneath the earth, the abyss waited for its chosen.
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Raizer turned to the temple's looming silhouette.Stone dragons curled around its towers.
He whispered:"Let's see what secrets you've buried."
And behind him, the shadow that had watched before… began to move.
To be continued...