The mist clung thickly around them, tendrils of shadow curling and twisting like living things.
Vorgath's regenerated arm flexed casually, crimson light glinting faintly from his eye.
His calm, measured expression barely hinted at the irritation simmering beneath.
"But… you really are pissing me off," he said, voice low and heavy.
"You know why?"
Kaera's eyes darted around, every instinct screaming danger. She could sense something off—something about him that made her gut tighten.
Vorgath watched her calmly, crimson eyes gleaming faintly in the mist.
"Firstly…"
he said, voice smooth yet edged with irritation.
SNAP!
Vorgath snapped his fingers.
The shadows beneath Kaera's feet suddenly vanished—as if snatched away by an invisible hand.
Her own shadow was gone.
"What?!.."
For a split second, her body locked in place.
Paralyzed.
"I've been more than patient, inviting you home," he continued.
"And yet… here you are. So stubborn."
Kaera hardly try to move but she can't even an inch.
"Secondly…"
Vorgath raised a hand.
From the darkness behind him, a massive shadow erupted and surged forward.
The darkness twisted like a living serpent.
In an instant, it wrapped around Kaera's body—coiling tightly around her arms, waist, and legs.
The pressure crushed down on her.
The shadow tightened and lifted her off the ground, dragging her toward him.
The katana slipped from her hand.
Kaera struggled violently, but the binding held firm.
"You dare to harm me?"
Vorgath tilted his head slightly, studying her like a curious specimen.
"Do you know what it feels like when a hand is severed?"
His gaze lowered briefly to his regenerated arm.
"Yes… it can regenerate."
His lips curved faintly.
"But I hate feeling pain."
Kaera glared at him through blurred vision.
Even trapped, even helpless—
She smirked.
"Heh… weak."
The amusement in Vorgath's eyes vanished.
"What did you say?" he asked quietly.
"If you dare… try saying that again. Clearly."
Kaera exhaled slowly.
"…Weak," she repeated.
A pause.
"…and deaf too, apparently."
For a moment, Vorgath simply stared at her.
Then he laughed.
A low, almost impressed laugh.
"Well," he said, rolling his shoulder slightly.
"It seems you really asked for a lesson."
He clenched his right fist.
Shadow energy began gathering around it, compressing violently into a dense black mass.
The air itself seemed to tighten.
Then—
BAAMM!
The punch slammed straight into Kaera's stomach with devastating force.
The impact didn't stop there.
A violent shockwave burst through her back, tearing through the mist behind her as if the air itself had been punched apart.
"Uggh—!"
Kaera's body jerked violently.
Blood burst from her mouth as she coughed, the metallic taste flooding her throat.
The dark purple demon marks along her arm flickered weakly—
Then faded.
One by one, the markings dissolved into nothing.
Rage Phase…is over.
Her strength drained instantly.
Yet Kaera forced her eyes open.
She refused to lose consciousness.
Not yet.
"Hoo…"
Vorgath murmured, watching her with mild curiosity.
"You're tougher than I expected."
He slowly clenched his fist again.
"Then… another one should be enough."
Suddenly—
WHOOSH!
A volley of magical arrows tore through the mist.
They sliced through the air in rapid succession, streaks of emerald light cutting toward Vorgath.
His eyes narrowed.
In an instant, his body vanished.
A phantom blur.
He reappeared several steps away.
Another volley followed.
WHOOSH—WHOOSH—WHOOSH!
The arrows forced him further back, each dodge a flicker of shadow as he vanished and reappeared across the plaza.
The shadow bindings around Kaera loosened—
Then shattered.
Her body dropped.
Her knees buckled as the world tilted violently around her.
But before she could hit the ground—
A pair of arms caught her.
"…Kaera."
Eira's voice trembled slightly.
Kaera's vision blurred. Even focusing on Eira's face felt difficult.
"Eira…" she whispered weakly.
"Go… don't worry about me…"
Eira shook her head gently.
A small, warm smile appeared on her face.
" It's okay..."
The warmth in her voice felt strangely comforting.
Safe.
Kaera's heavy eyelids slowly lowered.
The tension tearing her body apart finally slipped away.
As if Eira's presence alone was enough to quiet the storm inside her.
Her body relaxed completely—
And Kaera finally lost consciousness.
Carefully, Eira lowered her to the ground, as gently as one would place down a precious gem.
"I won't let you die," she whispered .
"No matter what."
Then she stood.
The warmth in her eyes vanished.
In its place—
Calm determination.
She turned toward Vorgath.
Raised her bow slowly, eyes locked on the demon standing across the shattered plaza.
Vorgath studied her for a moment, crimson eyes narrowing slightly.
"An elf…?" he murmured.
A faint smirk appeared on his lips.
"I didn't expect any of your kind to still exist after that calamity."
Eira said nothing.
Her fingers had already moved.
TWANG—
Without warning, a volley of arrows burst from her bow.
WHOOSH—WHOOSH—WHOOSH!
They tore through the mist in rapid succession, each arrow aimed precisely at lethal points.
Vorgath lifted his cleaver lazily.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The massive blade intercepted every arrow with casual efficiency.
Metal rang through the empty plaza as the arrows shattered against the shadow-forged weapon.
Eira's expression didn't change.
"So you're the one commanding those 'elite' soldiers."
Vorgath tilted his head slightly.
"Yes, I am."
A faint chuckle escaped him.
"Were they… too weak for you?"
Eira answered without hesitation.
"Indeed."
The ground beneath Vorgath suddenly erupted.
Thick roots burst from the cracked stone like living serpents.
In an instant, they coiled around his legs, torso, and arms—binding him tightly.
Nature Magic.
The roots tightened with immense force, dragging him down and locking his body in place.
Eira inhaled slowly.
Magic began gathering around her.
A green aura formed, swirling around the arrow she placed on the bowstring.
Leaves and wind spiraled together as nature mana condensed.
Wind element fused into the arrowhead.
The pressure in the air began to distort.
Eira's eyes sharpened.
Then—
FWOOSHH!!
She released.
[Nature art: Vortex Gale Burst]
The arrow shot forward with sonic speed, tearing through the mist like a green comet.
Even bound, Vorgath reacted instantly.
Shadows erupted around him, forming a thick barrier.
Shadow Shield.
The arrow struck. For a split second—
It pushed through.
The tip slowly pierced the shield.
Then—
BOOOOM!!
A violent magical vortex exploded outward, tearing apart ground, mist, and stone within the surrounding area.
Dust and wind blasted across the battlefield.
The shockwave rattled broken buildings nearby.
Eira's gaze hardened.
Something felt wrong.
The smoke cleared.
Vorgath was gone.
Her instincts screamed.
Too late.
A ripple moved through the shadow beneath her feet.
From within the darkness—
A hand emerged.
Then the rest of him.
Vorgath rose silently from Eira's own shadow, as if the darkness itself had birthed him.
Void Glide.
He had drowned into his own shadow… and emerged from hers.
His cleaver swung down without hesitation.
Eira reacted instantly.
She twisted sideways, the blade missing her by inches as it slammed into the ground.
BOOM!
The impact cracked the plaza floor.
Eira leapt backward, drawing another arrow mid-air.
WOOSH!
She fired point-blank.
Vorgath tilted his head.
The arrow grazed past his cheek.
A thin line of blood appeared.
For a brief moment—
The two stared at each other.
Vorgath smiled.
"Impressive."
He lifted his hand.
The shadows beneath him expanded outward.
They spread across the plaza like spilled ink.
The light around them dimmed rapidly.
Within seconds—
The entire battlefield was swallowed by darkness.
[Domain of Eternal Night]
A suffocating black field spread across nearly fifty meters.
The mist vanished.
The sky itself seemed to disappear.
Inside the domain—
There was almost no light.
Eira's breathing slowed.
Her senses sharpened.
She activated Echo Vein.
Normally, she could feel even the faintest presence within range.
But now—
Nothing.
It was as if Vorgath had completely disappeared from existence.
Her eyes narrowed.
A ripple moved in the darkness.
Then another.
Shapes began forming within the shadows.
Tall figures. Humanoid.
Their bodies were made entirely of black, smoky silhouettes.
Featureless. Yet unmistakably shaped like Vorgath.
Nightmare Sentinels.
One stepped forward.
Another behind her.
Then three more.
Eira released an arrow.
The shot passed straight through one of them like smoke.
The shadow figure lunged.
SHING!
Its clawed hand slashed across her shoulder.
The pain was real.
Eira slid backward across the ground, immediately firing again.
More arrows cut through the darkness.
But the sentinels kept advancing.
Soundless.
Relentless.
Some attacks passed through them harmlessly.
Others struck solid shadow claws that deflected the arrows.
Somewhere within the domain—
Vorgath watched.
Hidden completely within the darkness.
Merged with it.
Even Echo Vein couldn't find him.
Eira drew another arrow slowly.
Her breathing remained steady.
But she understood the situation clearly now.
Inside this darkness—
She was the prey.
----