"Is this how you planned on getting your revenge?"

The guard led the way as we approached the camp, my hand on his shoulder while Marcus followed closely behind, his weapon drawn.

"I don't think this is a good idea. We're practically walking into the lion's den," Marcus whispered into my ear, his voice filled with apprehension.

"It's not too late, you know? At least until we cross those lines. After that, there's no going back," I replied, my own doubts lurking beneath my determination.

Marcus remained silent, his footsteps echoing behind me as we continued on.

After a few more paces, the guard abruptly halted.

"Why are we stopping?" I questioned, my curiosity evident.

"Once the gates open and they see you two, they won't hesitate to slay you both," the guard explained with a trembling voice.

I didn't respond. Instead, I summoned fiery chains with sharp spear-like ends from my back, three on each side. The gleaming points of these fiery chains hovered menacingly, and I used one to wrap around the guard, lifting him off the ground, the sharp edge poised just inches from his chest.

"I believe this isn't the way you planned to die, correct?" I asked, my voice dripping with venom.

The guard swallowed hard, fear etched across his face. "This way!" he stammered, his voice shaking in pain and fear.

We continued toward the camp, the guard hovering a few feet from the ground, his life hanging by a thread.

As we approached, some of the Draegonians who were awake saw our approach. Panic spread like wildfire through the camp as they shouted alarms from one tent to another. "Intruder!" "Someone's in the camp!"

The camp descended into chaos as the Draegonians poured out of their tents, armed and ready for a fight.

The Draegonians emerged from their tents, a fearsome sight. They were descendants of mighty dragons, their eyes blazing with determination and their armor gleaming like molten gold in the morning sun.

Towering above most, their imposing figures and powerful presence were evident as they prepared for whatever was coming.

The guards were probably slaves turned soldiers and nothing to compare with these ones staring daggers at us.

As we ventured deeper into the camp, the Draegonians began to shift, forming a semi-circle around us, their movements calculated and precise. I pressed on, undeterred, until a commanding voice echoed from a distance.

"That's far enough," the voice asserted with authority.

I chose to ignore the voice and took a few more steps forward before coming to an abrupt halt. My gaze darted from left to right, assessing the situation.

"Identify yourself now, or you'll regret it later," the voice demanded once more.

A small, wicked smile crept across my lips. Instead of answering, I directed my attention to the deadly spear poised inches from the guard's chest. Without hesitation, I drove the spear into his heart. A gasp escaped the guard as the spear punctured through his chest, emerging from the other side.

The sound of swords being drawn filled the air, and a tense silence followed. With a force of will, I retracted the spear-tipped chain from the guard's lifeless form and flung his body forward.

Thud!

The guard's lifeless body came to a stop in front of the source of the commanding voice, presumably their leader.

The Draegonian leader, draped in dragon-scale armor and wielding a Morgenstern, fixed me with a stern gaze. His voice held authority as he questioned my actions.

"You dare spill the blood of one of my warriors in my own camp?" he growled, his voice carrying the weight of authority. The Draegonian warriors around us bristled with tension, their weapons at the ready.

I couldn't help but respond, my weariness evident in my voice. "How does it feel?" I asked. "To witness one of your own die within your territory. Are you angry? In pain? Hurt? That's exactly how I feel. My entire kingdom, my wife."

"Is this about revenge? Wait, are you the Meridian King?" The Draegonian commander continued with a sinister grin. "I still remember how your queen screamed when I took her in all positions, ramming her like the slut she is." His words ignited laughter among the Draegonians.

Anger surged through me, a fiery tide rising from within. "Take that back at once," I thundered, my eyes flashing with unbridled fury.

"And if I don't?" He asked in a taunting tone, then he chuckled. "A little imagination wouldn't hurt, right? I must say, your reaction is quite entertaining. You should have seen the look on your face." The commander laughed loudly this time, his defiance evident.

In response, I unsheathed my sword, my actions speaking louder than words.

The commander's laughter died down after a while,his face morphing back to seriousness, "Get this clown out of my face," he ordered dismissively.

"Yes Commander Kyros," they echoed in unison.

The circle of Draegonian warriors began to close in on both me and Marcus, our backs pressed against each other as we prepared for the impending onslaught.

Several of them broke formation and charged toward me.

Without hesitation, I willed my fiery chain with a spear-like tip into action. The chain danced through the air, striking with deadly precision and stopping only when it found its mark. The sickening sound of flesh tearing filled the air as the Draegonians fell before me.

The battle raged on, and Marcus and I were surrounded by a formidable horde of Draegonians. I clenched my sword tighter, feeling a surge of power welling up inside me, like a volcano on the brink of eruption. My hands crackled with energy as I raised my sword high.

Fiery flames swirled from my hands to the blade, casting a brilliant, radiant glow. In that moment, the world seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the release of an unstoppable force.

"Fiery Blades of Chaos!" My voice boomed, slicing through the chaos as I struck down the Draegonians. The flames consumed everything in their path, reducing the warriors to ash.

"Marcus, watch out!" My urgent shout cut through the tumult of battle. Marcus spun around just in time to see a Draegonian lunging at him. Without hesitation, I summoned a fiery chain from my hands, seizing the warrior in mid-air.

The flames held the Draegonian suspended, immobilized by the fiery energy coursing through it.

"Get over here," I commanded, my voice commanding and resolute, dragging the warrior through the air until I held it by the neck.

With a powerful slam, I crushed the head of the warrior on the ground, shattering it into pieces.

"That's enough," a familiar voice thundered. I turned towards the source, only to be sent flying across the field as Commander Kyros' Morgenstern made brutal contact with my face.

The world spun as I hurtled through the air, landing hard on the battlefield. My vision blurred momentarily, and the sound of battle echoed around me. Pushing through the pain, I struggled to my feet, my sword gripped firmly in my hand.

"It's about time you joined the game!" I growled as I raised my sword at him. "I was starting to think you'd hide behind your pawns forever." My body tensed, ready for the next move.

"Same way your wife cowered behind those gates, like a scared princess." the commander taunted.

The sarcastic comment about Elena struck a nerve, and my hands instinctively clenched at the memory of her warm smile.

Clank!

I stared at my trembling hands in shock as my sword slipped from my grasp, clattering to the ground.

'What's happening to me?'

'Why... Why can't I control my limbs?'

"By any chance, did you cradle your wife's lifeless body?" Kyros asked, his taunting grin sending shivers down my spine.

"She died in my arms, you son of a bitch." I snapped in anger and hurt.

How could I ever forget that final, heart-wrenching moment when I cradled Elena in my arms before she took her last breath?

Her eyes, once filled with life and love, had held a mixture of sorrow, acceptance, and an unspoken farewell. Her trembling lips struggled to form words as she gazed into my eyes.

It was a look that would forever linger in my memory, the last connection between us before she slipped away.

Kyros stared at me with a malicious smile as he spoke, his words dripping with a twisted satisfaction.

"You really thought I wanted you to witness her death?" he taunted, relishing my torment.

I clenched my fists, struggling to maintain my composure. "What do you mean by that?" I demanded, my voice trembling with anger and fear.

Kyros chuckled darkly before explaining, "I placed a curse on her, a weakening spell. I knew you'd come after us if you found out she was gone."

Dread gnawed at my heart as the realization sunk in. He had deliberately orchestrated her demise, using her as bait to lure me into this trap.

"Dieeeee…" I screamed with every ounce of strength left in me, summoning a single fiery chain with a razor-sharp spear edge from my back.

The spear-tipped fiery chain shot towards Kyros with blinding speed. I clenched my teeth, trying to maintain my aim, but I could feel my energy draining rapidly.

Kyros sidestepped with lightning reflexes, the sharp edge of the chain whizzing past him. In one swift motion, he seized the chain, wrapping his dragon-armored hand around it and holding me firmly in place. I struggled futilely against his unyielding grip, the weakening spell sapping my strength.

"Say hello to your wife for me," Kyros sneered, his mischievous smile chilling my heart as he thrust a spear in my direction.

My heart raced as the spear drew nearer, time seemingly slowing down around me. I took a deep breath, resigning myself to what felt like an inevitable fate.

'This is probably the end.'

'It will soon be over.'

'I will soon be reunited with her.'

I repeated these thoughts in my mind as I braced for the impact of the spear, waiting for death to claim me, waiting for the silence to envelop me.

Silence did come, but it was abruptly shattered by a painful gasp, followed by a sharp intake of breath. I opened my eyes slowly, only to find Marcus standing just inches away from me, his hand outstretched. He had intercepted the spear meant for me.

A satisfied grin adorned Marcus's face, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Is this how you planned on getting your revenge?" he coughed out. "You can't die here… not yet," he added, his body falling forward, pressing against mine.

"What a waste his sacrifice is. You still have to die," Kyros hissed with an evil tone.

In his final moments, Marcus began to murmur something in a hushed tone, an ancient language I couldn't quite grasp. I felt myself and Marcus disintegrating, our bodies vanishing, as if we were being teleported elsewhere.

The spell was almost complete, but then searing pain shot through me like a tidal wave, my sides serving as its epicenter. Kyros had hurled another spear.

My body materialized in a new location, crashing onto the scorching sand beneath the blazing sun. That was the last thing I remembered before my consciousness slipped away.