The sky blazed.
Golden light tore through the heavens—divine spells rained down, each one a holy curse meant to obliterate all life.
But they met a wall of darkness.
Ash's crimson dominion surged, swirling with silver runes and shadow fire. His warlocks stood behind him, each chanting forbidden spells, warping the air.
> "Brace the barrier!" Ash roared. "Focus on countering divine energy. I'll handle the rest."
Lightning struck the academy's walls. Towers shuddered. The ground quaked.
But Velmora stood.
---
Seraphis hovered above her armies, silver flames dancing around her wings. Her voice cut through the chaos.
> "Advance. Burn the outer walls. Destroy their wards."
The ground trembled as ten thousand soldiers marched forward—paladins in radiant armor, mages channeling holy light, siege golems with arcane cannons mounted on their backs.
But Ash was ready.
---
From the shadows, Arin moved like a ghost—slipping behind enemy lines, her daggers gleaming with cursed poison.
A paladin raised his sword—then crumpled, his throat slashed.
Another tried to cast a holy shield—his spell fizzled, his head severed in an instant.
Arin laughed. "Should've stayed in your temples."
---
On the eastern wall, Rhiessa summoned moonfire—waves of silver flame cascading down on the attackers. Divine shields cracked, paladins screamed.
Beside her, Lyssara wove shadows into beasts—spectral wolves that tore into the Council's mages, devouring their souls.
> "Fight!" Rhiessa shouted. "Show them why they should fear Velmora!"
The warlocks joined, twisting curses through the air. Lightning burned white-hot, turning soldiers to ash.
But the Council's forces kept pushing.
---
Ash hovered above the academy, eyes glowing like twin eclipses.
"Enough."
He raised his hands—Crimson Dominion spread, a vast vortex of dark power.
> "You come to my home. You bring holy light. Let me show you darkness."
The ground split. Shadow tendrils surged up, dragging soldiers screaming into the abyss.
The sky twisted—his warlocks wove their magic with his, and a storm of cursed fire swept across the battlefield.
But Seraphis moved.
Her silver wings blazed. She descended like a comet, her blade carving a path through Ash's magic.
With a single swing, she shattered the vortex.
Ash's eyes narrowed.
"Seraphis."
---
The two stood facing each other in midair—Ash wreathed in crimson and black, Seraphis burning with silver radiance.
> "I told them I would be the one to end you," she whispered.
Ash smiled, but there was no warmth. "You think you can?"
Her blade flashed—Ash caught it barehanded, darkness surging around his palm.
But Seraphis whispered a word—light exploded, searing his hand. He flinched.
And she struck—a dozen slashes in an instant, each one carving holy sigils across his body.
Blood sprayed.
But Ash's smile widened. "Still using borrowed light?"
Seraphis's expression didn't change. "Still hiding in shadows?"
Ash's aura flared. He shot forward—his fist met her sword, a shockwave splitting the sky.
---
Below, Elya stood in the courtyard, surrounded by the chaos of battle.
A paladin lunged at her, holy blade descending.
But before it struck, a shadow intercepted—Rhiessa, her silver flame consuming the attacker.
"Elya!" she shouted. "You can't stay here. Find shelter!"
But Elya shook her head, her eyes fixed on Ash in the sky.
> "He needs me."
Her hands trembled—silver light flickered between her fingers.
> Elira's power.
My power.
She stepped forward, staring at the burning heavens.
> "I won't let him die."
---
Back in the sky, Seraphis and Ash clashed again—each blow like thunder.
But Seraphis was relentless. Her silver flames scorched his dominion, her blade cut deeper, each strike searing his soul.
"Ash!" Lyssara screamed from below. "You can't keep taking those hits!"
But Ash's gaze was locked on Seraphis.
> "Why?" he whispered, voice strained. "Why this obsession?"
Her expression twisted. "You know why. You turned your back on everything we stood for. You became… this."
"I became free," Ash hissed. "And you became their dog."
She roared, her flames erupting.
"Better a dog of the light… than a monster in the dark!"
Her blade struck his chest, a burst of light searing through his body.
But as the smoke cleared… Ash's hand gripped her blade, his blood burning silver.
"You think light is purity?" he whispered, eyes glowing. "Light can blind. Light can burn. You think you're righteous? You're just another pawn."
Her eyes widened. "What—"
And then Elya's voice echoed.
> "Ash!"
Silver light erupted from below—Elya's magic surged, a beam of radiant power striking Seraphis.
The angel screamed, her silver flames flickering.
Ash's lips twisted into a grin.
"Your light… just met something stronger."
He raised his hand—Crimson Dominion swallowed Seraphis, a vortex of darkness and silver.
The angel fell, crashing to the earth below.
---
But the Council's forces didn't falter. More paladins surged forward. Siege golems unleashed burning rays.
Ash floated, breathing heavily, blood dripping from his wounds.
He looked down at Velmora—his fortress of monsters.
His friends.
And then… Elya.
Her silver light still shone, even as darkness surrounded her.
> "They won't stop," he whispered.
Lyssara landed beside him. "Then let's make them regret coming."
Ash's gaze hardened.
"No mercy. No survivors."
His aura blazed again—darker, wilder.
"Let them drown in despair."