[Chp 25] Steel Against Ice

The sky above the 8th Realm darkened with swirling storm clouds as two colossal figures tore through the air, their powerful wings cutting through the wind with thunderous beats; Tirion’s steel-plated wings gleamed coldly under the muted light, every motion precise and controlled, while beside him, Zero’s wings shimmered like frozen crystal, catching stray lightning bolts as they soared. Between them, the Oblivion Orb pulsed, a radiant core of chaotic energy suspended on a pedestal amidst the tempest. Neither flinched nor hesitated when their eyes met mid-flight—there was no surprise, only the silent acknowledgment of the inevitable clash. Tirion’s voice, calm but laced with steel resolve, broke the tense silence: “Here we are. Neither of us will leave without it.” Zero’s breath steamed in the cold air as his gaze sharpened. “I expected nothing less.” They circled each other above the Orb, wings slicing the turbulent winds, the storm responding to their rising fury. Tirion’s lips curled into a sinister grin as a cold, dark laugh tore through the raging storm. “You’re far too slow, Zero,” he sneered, eyes gleaming like sharpened steel. With a sudden, brutal burst of speed, Tirion dove through the turbulent air like a relentless tempest, wings cutting the sky with deadly precision. The Oblivion Orb throbbed violently atop its pedestal, its chaotic energy pulsing like a heartbeat—unstoppable, raw, and wild. In a flash, Tirion’s armored fingers closed around the Orb, his grip tightening as the seething power surged through him. “This Orb,” he growled, voice dripping with dark triumph, “the Oblivion Orb—belongs to me!” The Orb’s energy exploded outward, sending shockwaves that rippled through the clouds and fractured the very air around them. Crimson and black currents of power writhed over Tirion’s body as he began to consume the Orb’s ancient force, his form glowing with a deadly, unstoppable fury. The sky shattered into a storm of light and shadow, and the 8th Realm itself seemed to tremble beneath the weight of his awakening power. Zero’s eyes narrowed, fury igniting like a blazing storm within. This was far from over. Zero’s eyes sharpened, burning with fierce resolve. With a swift motion, he drew Shinku—the Blade of Hell’s Guardian—from its sheath, the crimson edge shimmering like molten lava. His wings beat powerfully against the stormy sky as he dove toward Tirion, who was already clutching the Oblivion Orb, its energy thrumming wildly between his fingers. Zero closed the distance in a heartbeat. With a fierce cry, he swung Shinku in a deadly arc—slicing clean through Tirion’s arm. The severed limb fell, sparks flying as molten metal and shadow coalesced. Without hesitation, Zero snatched the Orb from Tirion’s grasp. The pulsating energy in his hands was wild, almost alive. With raw determination, Zero slammed the Oblivion Orb into his own chest. The orb’s searing power exploded inside him, coursing through his veins like wildfire, awakening every fiber of his being. But Tirion wasn’t finished. The severed arm regrew rapidly, steel and shadow knitting back together in a dark swirl. Fueled by rage and desperation, Tirion lashed out, punching the very Orb lodged in Zero’s chest with brutal force. The impact shattered the Orb into two jagged halves, unleashing a blinding storm of energy that tore through the skies. Seizing his chance, Tirion snatched one fractured half and immediately consumed its volatile power, a cruel grin spreading across his face as darkness surged through him. Zero staggered, burning with the Orb’s remaining power, ready to face whatever came next. The shattered remnants of the Oblivion Orb still pulsed violently within them both, awakening a ferocious new power deep in their cores. Zero’s body ignited in a radiant blue aura, crackling with raw energy that shimmered like liquid sapphire flames. His eyes blazed brighter than ever, veins of glowing blue running beneath his skin as the Orb’s power fused with his very soul. Across from him, Tirion was enveloped in a swirling gray aura, dense and heavy like molten steel forged in shadow. It rippled across his body like a stormcloud, sparks of metallic energy sparking wildly as his form grew sharper, stronger, more relentless. Both warriors hovered, wings spread wide, the turbulent wind whipping around them in a roaring tempest. Their auras clashed like titans meeting on the battlefield — a brilliant blue fire against the steely storm of gray. With every breath, their power surged higher, their muscles tense with barely contained strength, their very presence warping the air around them. The sky darkened as the realm itself seemed to tremble beneath the sheer force of their awakening. Neither backed down. Neither blinked. Only one would emerge victorious in this clash of steel and ice. Tirion’s gray aura crackled violently as he fixed Zero with a cold, unwavering gaze. “Look, Zero...” His voice dropped low, heavy with finality. “I’m… the opposite of you.” Zero narrowed his eyes, muscles tensing. “Opposite?” Tirion nodded slowly, a grim smile curling his lips. “You’re meant to bring balance… peace… harmony to the realms.” He paused, as if weighing each word carefully. “But me? I’m meant to tear them apart. To destroy everything you protect.” Zero’s jaw clenched, disbelief flickering across his face. “You’re saying you want chaos. Destruction.” “Exactly.” Tirion’s dark aura surged, swirling around him like a storm gathering strength. “We’re like two sides of the same coin. Light and dark.” He leaned in, voice almost a whisper but razor sharp. “You… you’re the light that shines hope into the darkness.” Zero’s breath hitched. His eyes flashed with pain and determination. “And I’m the shadow that swallows that light.” Tirion’s smile turned bitter. “Where you heal, I break. Where you build, I burn.” Zero’s fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. “Then I’ll be the light that never fades.” His voice broke slightly, but his resolve only hardened. “No matter how dark your shadow gets… I’ll keep fighting.” Tirion chuckled, cold and hollow. “That’s what makes this so… inevitable. Our battle isn’t just about power—it’s fate.” Zero’s eyes burned with fierce defiance. “Then let fate come. I’m not afraid.” Tirion’s gray aura flickered, shadows dancing like whispers of doom. “You think this is just about power, Zero? About who wins or loses?” He shook his head slowly, eyes cold as ice. “No… it’s much bigger than that.” Zero steadied his breath, fists still glowing faintly with blue energy. “Then what is it?” Tirion’s voice dropped to a harsh whisper, filled with bitter conviction. “It’s about destiny. About purpose. We are not just fighters—we are the scales that tip the balance.” He took a step closer, voice low and venomous. “Without me, your light is meaningless. Without you, my darkness is aimless.” Zero’s eyes flickered, conflicted but unyielding. “So you want me to accept that one of us must fall?” “Yes.” Tirion’s laugh was cold, hollow. “Because only in destruction can creation be born anew. Only in chaos can true order emerge.” Zero shook his head, the blue fire in his eyes intensifying. “You’re wrong. True order doesn’t come from chaos. It comes from choice.” Tirion’s face darkened, voice rising with passion. “Choice? Ha! What choice does anyone have when fate is written in the stars? When power flows through veins and realms burn at our whim?” Zero’s voice was steady but fierce, like a blade forged from hope. “I choose to fight. To protect. To change that fate.” He clenched his fist, the air crackling around him. “I refuse to be your opposite. I refuse to be defined by your darkness.” Tirion’s eyes narrowed. “Then prepare yourself, light-bringer. Because the darkness isn’t giving up its place. Not without a war.” Zero’s expression hardened, glowing aura blazing brighter than ever. “Then let’s end this—here, now.” A moment of silence settled over the sky — calm before the chaos. Then—They screamed. Tirion’s voice ruptured the silence first, a guttural roar erupting from deep within his chest. His aura surged into a cyclone of molten steel and shadow. Cracks formed around him as power leaked like magma through broken stone. His flesh tore, revealing dense, obsidian-gray scales, glinting like tempered blades. Massive wings of metal burst from his back, dragging twin shockwaves across the air. His eyes glowed silver, and horns spiraled up and out like blades forged in darkness. “I am the Steel Dragon of Annihilation!” Tirion bellowed, his roar bending the sky with its weight. The ground below quaked. Storms gathered above. Zero followed a breath later — the air around him freezing, then catching flame. His aura erupted outward like a solar nova, a blend of icy serenity and untamed flame. Azure scales etched with glowing blue runes snaked across his body, and his hollow mask formed fully, blazing with energy. Twin wings unfurled from his back, one of brilliant ice, the other of sapphire fire. His hair blew upward in the rising storm of power as his eyes pulsed gold-blue. “I am the Icefire Dragon of Balance!” Zero roared, voice clear and defiant, shaking the clouds as frost lightning danced around him. Snow and flame fell like celestial ash from above. Their energies collided even before their bodies did, wind howling between them as the heavens twisted in anticipation. Two dragons. Two destinies. One realm. And the battle had only just begun. The air detonated as they surged forward—blurs of steel and icefire crashing mid-sky like warring comets. CLANG!!! Tirion’s steel fist met Zero’s burning Shinku blade in a brilliant explosion of gray sparks and blue flame. The shockwave split the clouds, hurling debris and energy in every direction, flattening the land beneath in a thunderous ring. “RRRAAHHH!” Zero twisted midair, kicking off Tirion’s shoulder and flipping over him. He brought Shinku down in an arc, trailing a line of frostfire. But Tirion spun, his tail made of sharpened metallic segments lashing out like a whip—CLANG!—catching Shinku mid-swing, forcing Zero back with a violent crash of force. “You’re faster…” Tirion muttered, eyes narrowing as he shot upward. Zero bolted after him, his wings thrumming with glowing light. “You’re slower than I thought!” They collided again—this time Zero driving his shoulder into Tirion’s gut, sending him hurtling downwards like a meteor. The earth shattered on impact, a massive crater forming with molten rock pouring up from beneath. Tirion growled, leaping back to the sky with molten steel coating his arms. “Steel Dragon Art: Vulcan Burst!” He launched a barrage of superheated steel shards, spiraling through the air like flaming spears. Zero darted through them, twirling his blade in a cyclone. “Icefire Slash!” Shinku released a wide crescent wave of blue flame and frost, disintegrating Tirion’s attack in a pulse of heat and cold. Their auras clashed again—gray against blue, rage against resolve—as their fists met in the air once more. Lightning sparked. Mountains trembled. The sky began to crackle and twist from the sheer force of their battle. Tirion’s breath heaved, eyes gleaming mad. Zero’s jaw clenched, his heart burning like wildfire. Neither willing to back down. Neither destined to survive unscathed. The next blow would decide who broke first. Their auras detonated again—blue versus gray—as the sky twisted above, warping under the sheer pressure of their unleashed power. Zero launched forward, Shinku humming with radiant, chaotic energy. “Azure Void—Third Fang!” He slashed downward with such force that the sky itself seemed to bleed blue light. The strike split the air, trailing a serpentine path of fire and frost, aimed directly at Tirion’s chest. But Tirion didn't flinch. His hands came together, steel molding into a shield-like wall around his arms. “Steel Dragon Art: Absolute Guard!” The impact shattered the ground below, sending chunks of scorched rock and molten steel raining in every direction. BOOM!!! The explosion illuminated the battlefield with blinding light. Through the dust and crackling energy, Zero erupted from the cloud of force, wings spread wide, eyes glowing with fury. “You’re not getting away again!!” Tirion’s body twisted as he reversed mid-air, spinning to meet Zero with an uppercut—“Iron Ascension!”—the steel on his arm glowing with smoldering red heat. The punch met Zero’s ribs and sent him careening through the clouds, tearing a hole in the sky. Zero wheezed, flipping backwards to recover, but blood splattered from his lips. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, smirking. “That all you’ve got?!” Tirion hovered above, metal wings flexed wide, face stone-cold. “I’ve barely started.” Zero flared his aura, and blue fire burst from his body, illuminating the sky in a celestial glow. His form flickered with translucent energy—like the spirit of a dragon roared behind his movements. Tirion clenched his fist. “Then let’s end this.” They rocketed toward each other one final time, dragon wings propelling them like cannon fire. CRAAAAAAACK!!! Fist collided with blade. Steel screamed against fire. Power surged out in a blinding nova of light. The clash carved a line through the clouds—half glowing blue, half gray—splitting the heavens as their powers battled for dominance. Shockwaves tore across the land. Mountains cracked. Rivers reversed. Lightning danced across the sky, drawn by their fury. Zero roared, voice echoing across realms. “RAAAAAHHHHH!!!” Tirion’s laughter twisted into a snarl. “FALL, ZERO!!!” Their final impact triggered a colossal pulse of pure energy—an eruption that lit the sky brighter than day. As the light began to fade… BOOOOOM! The sky split open as their final clash didn’t end—but ignited something even greater. Zero was blasted backward, spiraling through a collapsed tower of shattered stone, the remains erupting like shrapnel. Tirion slammed down after him, diving through the smoke like a meteor wrapped in molten steel. “Steel Dragon Art: Spiral Breaker!” His leg swung down like a guillotine—Zero barely crossed Shinku in time to block, but the force cratered the earth beneath them, flinging shockwaves for miles. Zero gritted his teeth, his boots digging trenches in the ground as he skidded back, the blade burning in his grip. “You’re relentless…” He raised Shinku, blue flames twisting upward like a dragon awakening. “Good.” FWOOOOOM! He vanished—flash-stepping mid-sentence—and reappeared above Tirion. “Kokai: Crimson Cross Fang!” A brutal X-shaped slash tore through the air, flames erupting in its wake. Tirion crossed his arms, armor encasing him like a cocoon just in time—KRRAAAAAAAK!!! The explosion detonated around him. But as the smoke began to settle—“Did you forget…” Tirion stepped out, steam hissing from his glowing steel skin, cracks in his armor fusing back together. “Steel sharpens under pressure.” He vanished. CLANG!! Zero was struck from behind—sent crashing through a cliffside. He stood up slowly, panting, blood leaking from his lip, one eye already starting to swell. “Damn… you weren’t this strong before.” The blue fire around him surged again, even wilder—his Nexaris form beginning to fracture under the weight of the orb’s power. “You’ve only just begun to taste the Orb’s gift,” Tirion replied, lifting his hand. The broken half of the Oblivion Orb floated behind him, its gray light now infecting his aura. “But I’ve already begun to understand it.” Zero’s eyes narrowed. And then—he laughed. “Yeah? Then let’s see who it favors.” He slammed his foot into the ground, the earth cracking with pressure, wings expanding outward. His flames turned white at the edges now—pure and unstable. Tirion grinned back, eyes glowing like steel furnaces. They both raised their weapons—Shinku vs Fist. And launched again. Midair punches. Sword slashes. Every collision was like a comet strike. Forests flattened. Rivers boiled. Even the stars seemed to dim above them. The realm wasn’t just under chaos anymore. It was on the edge of annihilation. The skies had split open, the land cracked with ruin, and above the shattered realm, two titans hovered, locked in a standoff of elemental rage—one wreathed in glowing blue flame, the other pulsing with ashen gray energy. Yet in that moment, inside the heart of it all, Zero's world went silent. His consciousness sank deep, spiraling through flame and frost until it reached a stillness… a core beyond the storm. There, in a space untouched by chaos, he stood—alone. Endless black beneath his feet, stars swirling above, until two presences emerged. From the right, Sylthara, the Iceborne Dragon, stepped forward, her body shimmering with silver-blue scales, massive wings folded elegantly behind her, eyes sharp and compassionate, her breath misting the air in calm, crystalline frost. From the left, Zen, his Nexaris form still cracked from prior battles, his hollow mask glowing with jagged crimson lines, burning with inner defiance and fire. They didn’t speak at first. They simply looked at him—broken, bleeding, trembling. Then Zero lifted his head. “I… I can’t win like this.” Zen raised an eyebrow. “You’re not giving up, are you?” “No,” Zero whispered. “I’m saying… I can’t win alone.” He turned toward Sylthara. “You gave me wisdom, restraint, and the ice to calm my storm.” Then toward Zen. “And you gave me fire, fury, and the heart to never bow.” He stepped forward between them. “But this battle… this isn’t about halves anymore. Tirion’s not holding back. And I won’t either.” He spread his arms. “I need both of you. Not beside me—within me.” Sylthara’s expression softened, then sharpened into resolve. “Very well. But if we do this, you won’t be the same.” Zen chuckled. “He’s never been the same. That’s what makes him dangerous.” They extended their hands—Sylthara’s claw glowing with icy starlight, Zen’s hand blazing with crimson fire. Zero reached forward, closing the gap. The moment he touched them, the void erupted. A storm of light consumed everything. Outside, the transformation began. Tirion flinched mid-air as a deafening hum echoed across the sky. “What the hell…?” From the crater below, a pillar of blue fire and ice exploded into the heavens, spiraling like a divine vortex. Lightning cracked, the earth shattered beneath it. Zero’s body lifted from the rubble, suspended in the cyclone. His jacket burned away—reformed into a sleek, long coat of midnight obsidian with runes glowing faintly down the spine. The crimson sash reappeared—twisting and elongating into a flowing cloth etched with draconic symbols. His arms flared with scales of crystalline ice and molten flame. On his back, two colossal wings erupted—one forged from frozen light and sharp spectral feathers, the other made of translucent crimson flame and jagged energy. His hair surged wildly, glowing with dual streaks—silver and crimson—dancing like fire in zero gravity. The mask that once marked Zen’s power didn’t return. Instead, his eyes burned through with power, unmasked, gold irises glowing with both clarity and chaos. His sword, Shinku, reformed—no longer a single weapon. Instead, it split into two twin blades: one gleamed with icy breath and whispered winds—Hyouketsu. The other crackled with red fury, flames dancing up the hilt—Homura. Together, they sang. Zero opened his eyes. And the world felt it. His voice echoed across the battlefield—low and controlled, but earth-shaking. “This is no longer Nexaris. No longer Iceborne. This is something new…” He raised his blades as his wings spread wide, tearing clouds apart. “Nexarion. The Dragon of Balance.” Tirion’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You fused them…” Zero’s expression hardened, glowing with serene fire. “You chose destruction. I chose unity.” And with a single flap of his wings, Zero vanished into a flash of blue and crimson. Tirion’s dark gray aura surged violently as he staggered backward, the fractured Oblivion Orb’s power still coursing through his veins. A flicker of fear flashed in his eyes—a rare crack in his cold facade. He was running out of time, out of options. Without warning, a swirling portal—black and crackling with raw energy—ripped open behind him, pulsing with ominous light. It was a desperate escape, a last-ditch refuge from the inevitable. With a cold, bitter laugh that barely masked the dread inside, Tirion began to step toward it, disappearing slowly into the swirling abyss. But before he could fully vanish—a sudden, fierce hand clamped down on the back of his neck, yanking him back with brutal force. Zero’s eyes burned bright, filled with relentless fury and desperation as he held Tirion captive, his dragon wings flaring wide to brace the struggle. The portal’s pull grew stronger, tugging at them both, shadows licking at their forms as the swirling void began to draw them in inch by agonizing inch. Then, through the chaos, Zero’s gaze locked onto a familiar figure watching from a distance. “ISKAR!!!” Zero’s voice thundered, raw and urgent. “I don’t know where this is going…” Zero’s grip tightened on Tirion’s neck, his breath ragged, muscles straining against the portal’s pull. “But whatever happens—if I don’t come back—you’re the new Guildmaster!” His voice broke slightly with unspoken weight. “I swear it—I will make sure Tirion dies. No matter what. I promise!” Iskar’s eyes widened, his face tightening with a mixture of shock, determination, and sorrow. He took a hesitant step forward, voice low but steady. “Zero… I’ll hold the guild together. I’ll protect everyone. But promise me—promise me you come back.” Zero’s grip didn’t waver as the portal behind Tirion flickered and pulsed, the shadows swallowing their legs, then their torsos—slowly, painfully. “I will.” Zero’s voice was steel. “No matter what it takes.” With one last agonized roar, the swirling abyss closed over them both, the portal snapping shut with a deafening silence that echoed through the realm. Iskar stood alone, fists clenched tight, the weight of the promise heavy in the still air. The world trembled as Tirion ripped open a swirling portal behind him, jagged energy crackling at the edges like a wound in the fabric of reality. Without hesitation, he lunged through, dragging Zero along with an invisible force. The air twisted violently, and with a sudden rush, they were thrown into a new realm. They crashed onto harsh, rocky ground—the Seventh Realm. Around them, jagged cliffs towered under a sky swirling with angry, dark clouds. Lightning cracked in the distance, and the ground beneath their feet was cracked and scorched, a battlefield scarred by untold wars. Zero scrambled to his feet, senses razor sharp, muscles coiled and ready. Tirion staggered up, a cruel smirk curling on his lips. “You’re slow, Zero,” Tirion spat, wiping a thin trickle of blood from his mouth. Before Tirion could react further, Zero exploded forward like a thunderbolt, tackling him hard. The sound of their collision echoed like a thunderclap. With a powerful heave, Zero slammed Tirion into the cracked stone ground, sending sharp shards of rock flying in every direction. Tirion roared in fury, rolling away with unnatural speed. No time to rest. Zero launched himself again, fists a blur as they hammered into Tirion’s chest and shoulders. Tirion grunted, absorbing the hits but refusing to fall. Their fight roared on through the Seventh Realm, every punch a lightning strike, every kick a crushing blow. Tirion’s breath grew ragged, but his eyes blazed with dark determination. Summoning a desperate burst of energy, he tore open a portal just a few feet away—its swirling depths shining with an eerie, violet light. With no hesitation, Tirion dove through it. Zero blinked, eyes narrowing, and immediately followed. They landed in a realm where shadows seemed to drink the light—the Sixth Realm. The air was thick with mist, twisted black trees reaching upward like claws. The forest floor was soft with fallen leaves and creeping fog. Tirion was already moving, weaving through the trees with predatory grace. Zero gave chase, his blue aura blazing fiercely, every movement calculated, precise. The battle resumed in a flurry of strikes and parries, each blow sending ripples through the fog. Tirion’s attacks became more erratic but no less deadly, desperation sharpening his edge. Zero dodged a vicious swipe and countered with a solid punch that cracked ribs. The fight was brutal, brutal enough to scar the land itself. Wounded and bleeding, Tirion snarled and slammed his fist into the air, opening a second portal. Without hesitation, Tirion leapt through. Zero followed. The swirling portal spat them back into the Seventh Realm, but this time the storm had grown darker, more violent. They slammed onto the rocky earth again, breath ragged, bodies bruised and bleeding. Tirion met Zero’s gaze, eyes burning like molten metal. They charged simultaneously, fists colliding with a deafening crash. The ground cracked beneath their blows, chunks of rock torn from the cliffs as the two titans battled on. Tirion swung wildly, rage propelling him, but Zero’s movements were fluid, almost effortless—barely a scratch on him. Blood dripped from Tirion’s battered form as he staggered back, heavily wounded but unwilling to yield. With a feral growl, Tirion slammed a hand on the ground, opening a final portal—one shimmering with the essence of their home, the Eighth Realm. He dove into it. Zero didn’t hesitate. They emerged back on the war-torn plains of the Eighth Realm. No words were spoken. Zero gathered every ounce of strength, every surge of power left in his body. He struck. A single, devastating blow—a hurricane of energy and fury—slammed into Tirion’s chest, sending him sprawling into the dirt. Tirion coughed, blood staining the earth beneath him. Zero loomed over his fallen foe, eyes blazing with fierce resolve. Zero's eyes burned with fierce determination as he grabbed Tirion by the neck, lifting him off the ground with unstoppable force. The air between them crackled, tension reaching a breaking point. Zero’s voice was low but deadly serious. “This ends now.” Tirion’s lips curled into a cruel smirk, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. “Before you kill me…” he whispered, a dark gleam flashing in his eyes, “here’s a parting gift.” With deliberate slowness, Tirion raised his fingers, his hand glowing with a sinister energy. “The orb... the Oblivion Orb… holds the power to destroy an entire realm.” His voice dropped to a chilling calm. “Even just half of it… can erase half the realm itself.” Zero’s grip tightened involuntarily as Tirion’s fingers snapped sharply. In an instant, a cataclysmic shockwave rippled through the very fabric of the 8th Realm. The sky cracked open like shattered glass, and a massive explosion erupted, swallowing entire cities and landscapes. Mountains crumbled into dust; rivers boiled into steam. The earth tore asunder beneath them, a roaring chaos of destruction swallowing everything in its path. Half the realm was gone—obliterated in a terrifying display of raw power. Zero’s heart clenched in agony, the sheer scale of devastation overwhelming. But in the midst of the chaos, his resolve only hardened. “Tirion…” Zero growled through gritted teeth, “you’ll pay for this.” As the dust settled, the battlefield was unrecognizable—the consequences of Tirion’s cruel final act hanging heavy in the air like a dark omen. Zero’s blazing aura flickered violently, the fierce glow of his power dimming like a dying ember swallowed by shadow. The once-mighty energy that radiated from his form now sputtered, unstable and faint. Slowly, his draconic wings folded inward as the searing light that had surrounded him faded, leaving only the broken husk of a warrior behind. His body sagged, weightless and spent, and with a heavy, shuddering breath, Zero collapsed to the scorched earth. The impact sent a cloud of dust swirling around him, the once-proud figure now lying motionless amid the ruins of a realm devastated by war and destruction. The battlefield fell eerily silent, save for the faint crackling of residual energy in the air, and the distant, mournful echoes of a realm bleeding from its wounds. The fires of battle had died down, but the cost was clear—Zero’s form lay still, his chest rising and falling shallowly, faint breaths struggling to escape. Minutes passed like hours before a shadow moved swiftly across the devastated ground. Iskar’s footsteps faltered as he knelt beside Zero’s prone form, his heart tightening at the sight of his fallen comrade. His hands trembled as he gently shook Zero’s shoulder, the urgency in his voice barely contained. “Zero! Come on, don’t do this to me... stay with me!” Iskar’s voice was raw with desperation and hope, his eyes scanning for any sign of life. But Zero remained silent, his amber eyes closed, his glowing aura extinguished—a stark contrast to the blazing warrior he had been moments before. The weight of exhaustion and injury bore down on him, and the strength that once surged like a tempest now lay dormant, hidden beneath layers of pain. Iskar pressed his palm to Zero’s forehead, feeling the faint heat of fever, the pulse weak but there. “You’re not done yet,” he whispered fiercely, his breath catching in his throat. “Not while I’m still here... Not while there’s still a chance.” As Iskar cradled Zero’s head, a fierce resolve ignited within him, sharper and more determined than ever. The realm may be broken, the battle far from over, but Zero’s spirit—though battered—was not yet lost. And Iskar would carry that flame, for them both. “Rest now, my friend,” Iskar vowed softly, voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside. “I’ll protect you. We will end this nightmare. Together.” The sun dipped low beyond the horizon, casting long shadows over the ruined battlefield, as the world held its breath—waiting for the day when the fallen hero would rise again. Weeks had passed since Tirion’s cataclysmic attack, and the once-proud guild hall lay scarred but unbroken—a testament to survival against overwhelming odds. Inside a quiet chamber, pale sunlight spilled through fractured windows, casting shards of light onto the stone floor where Zero stirred. His eyes fluttered open, the golden glow slowly returning as memories rushed back—the final clash, the broken orb, Tirion’s last desperate move… and then silence. A soft voice called out, breaking the stillness. “Zero… you’re awake.” He turned his head to see Iskar, eyes heavy with relief and something unspoken—sorrow and hope intertwined. “Tirion… is he…” Zero’s voice cracked. Iskar’s gaze dropped briefly. “He’s gone. Tirion is dead. His reign of destruction ended when you stopped him.” A silence settled between them, thick with the weight of loss and victory. Zero’s jaw clenched. “Good. Let his end remind all realms what happens to those who choose destruction over balance.” Iskar nodded solemnly. “The realms will heal, but the scars will remain. It’s up to us now.” Zero rose slowly, determination burning in his eyes. “Then let’s rebuild. Together.” As they stood side by side, the guild hall seemed to breathe anew—a beacon of hope rising from the ashes of betrayal.