The sky above the Seraphin realm churned with thick black clouds, and the cold wind howled through the towering spires. Heavy, dark energy hung in the air like a premonition of the storm to come. Daeshim and Elira walked side by side across the grand courtyard, their cloaks flaring in the wind, heading toward the castle's towering gates.
The day felt cursed. The light was gone. Shadows ruled.
Inside the grand hall, the King sat upon his throne, a heavy crown on his brow, his gaze sharp and alert. He rose as Daeshim and Elira entered.
Daeshim spoke first, his voice carrying strength and resolve.
"Greetings, my King."
The King's sharp eyes turned toward the girl beside Daeshim. His lips curved into a faint, suspicious smile.
"You must be Elira," the King said.
Elira bowed gracefully, despite the tension in the air.
"Yes, my lord," she answered respectfully.
Daeshim stepped forward.
"As I mentioned earlier," he said, "this girl — Elira — questioned me when we escaped from the Necravore realm. Now, I finally understand her truth."
Daeshim proceeded to explain everything — Elira's past, her betrayal by her own kind, her wish to destroy the Necravores.
The King listened quietly, his face unreadable, though his clenched hands revealed his inner conflict.
Finally, he spoke.
"If you truly stand with us… if you claim loyalty, then tell me—do you have a plan? A way we can defeat them?"
Elira, standing firm despite the weight of the moment, answered confidently.
"Because I am one of them… or was… I know their weaknesses. I know their structure. Their ambitions. And given time… I can reveal much more."
The King's eyes narrowed.
"And why should I trust you?"
Daeshim stepped in quickly, his tone sharp.
"She has lost her family. She has lost everything. Your questions only bring back her pain. I trust her. And in time, so will you."
Elira looked at Daeshim, and a flicker of gratitude crossed her eyes, a momentary warmth in a world built on betrayal.
The King studied her for a moment longer, then sighed heavily.
"Very well. I will reserve my judgment. But know this — if you betray us, no mercy will follow."
Without waiting for a dismissal, Daeshim placed a hand lightly on Elira's back and guided her away.
As they disappeared through the heavy doors, the King remained seated, whispering to himself:
"He doesn't know how much danger he is in."
---
Outside in the castle gardens, Daeshim and Elira sat by a broken fountain, the dead flowers swaying in the storm's early breeze.
Daeshim looked at her carefully.
"I need to know more about your powers, Elira. And your plans."
Elira nodded slowly.
"Yes. And you need to know… more about yourself."
Daeshim's brows furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Daeshim hesitated, then asked,
"Elira… do you ever hear a voice? A dark whisper calling you?"
Elira looked puzzled, shaking her head slowly.
"No… I've never heard such a voice. Not me, nor any other Necravore I know. My father never spoke of anything like that either."
Daeshim felt a chill in his blood. He looked away, staring into the horizon.
"I hear it," he said quietly. "A voice that calls itself Vel'Zar."
Elira listened carefully.
"Maybe you are something different, Daeshim. Maybe it's because your blood comes from two worlds."
Daeshim said bitterly,
"If that were true, shouldn't I have powers beyond what the Necravores wield? But my power… it's still similar to theirs. I absorb their abilities, just like them."
Elira shook her head.
"No, Daeshim. You don't just absorb their abilities—you make them your own. You surpass them. That makes you unlike anything that exists."
The words hung heavy between them.
Daeshim thought for a moment, then said,
"Maybe I can talk to this voice. Communicate with it."
Elira leaned in.
"You should try. Maybe it can give us answers."
Daeshim closed his eyes. He focused inward, reaching for the whisper that had haunted his dreams.
"Vel'Zar," he called in his mind. "Is that your true name?"
At first, nothing.
Then, a faint, cold voice answered:
**"I am without name. Without form. I exist only for you, Daeshim. Created by forces you cannot yet understand."**
Daeshim gritted his teeth.
"Who created you?"
**"That you will learn… in time. Know only this: I exist to make you strong. Stronger than anything this world or any world has ever seen."**
Elira watched him, worry flashing in her eyes.
Daeshim pushed forward.
"How can I call you?"
**"Simply close your eyes… and whisper 'Vel'Zar.' I will come."**
Daeshim opened his eyes, breathing hard.
Elira immediately asked,
"What happened?"
Daeshim explained everything — the words, the promises, the warnings.
Elira listened intently, then placed a hand on his.
"I don't know who—or what—this thing is. But remember, Daeshim… power is a double-edged sword. It can save you… or destroy you."
Daeshim nodded.
"I will be careful. And... I trust you, Elira."
The storm thickened above them. Thunder growled across the skies.
---
That night, in the castle war room, Daeshim and Elira plotted their next move.
"We need to attack," Daeshim said. "We need to grow stronger before the next commander descends."
Elira agreed.
"Yes. We need to hunt their weaker commanders first. Kill them. Absorb their powers. Only then can we stand a chance."
Daeshim's fists clenched.
"I swear. We will finish what they started."
The plan was made.
---
Two days later.
The rain poured like silver knives from the heavens. The jungles outside the Seraphin castle shivered under the weight of the storm.
Daeshim and Elira stood before the broken gate—the ancient portal that had once sealed the worlds apart.
Wind whipped around them. Lightning split the skies above.
Daeshim looked at Elira, his eyes burning.
"Are you ready?"
Elira smiled faintly.
"I've been ready for a long time."
Together, without hesitation, they stepped into the howling storm — walking toward the portal that pulsed like a beating heart of darkness.
Behind them, the castle towers gleamed weakly against the night.
Ahead of them, only war awaited.
---