The ground beneath Andre's feet appeared to burst open. He launched himself upward, the walls of the cavern becoming a blur as he rushed past them in a disorienting manner.
He pierced through multiple layers of rock and soil, feeling the pressure increasing in his ears to the point where they seemed on the verge of bursting. However, he wasn't bothered. He had to return to the top, back to the battle.
With a victorious shout, he sprung out of the earth into the dark sky over the battleground. The view that met his eyes was a horrifying display of devastation. The previously proud soldiers of Corvus, now only a small group of three hundred, were being methodically defeated by the superior numbers of the undead army and the Vor'talon.
Andre was consumed by a primal rage. This was not going to be taken lightly. Not on his watch.
By exerting his determination, he released the dark energy flowing within his bloodstream. Glowing black spheres filled with evil power appeared around him, twirling like a defensive barrier. A savage smile appeared on his face, his blue eyes shining with a hungry predator.
He sped towards the Vor'talon, appearing as a dark streak in the sky filled with smoke. The massive knight, with its fierce red eyes filled with angry energy, shifted its focus towards him in order to face Andre's powerful attack.
Andre's powerful kick, made stronger by his newfound strength, struck the Vor'talon's chest with a resounding thud. For the first time during the battle, the massive knight recoiled. However, it fell short. It let out a defiant roar, a noise that trembled the ground, and charged towards him.
With reflexes as sharp as a razor, Andre twisted in mid-air to narrowly escape the Vor'talon's huge fist. He responded with a rapid series of punches, each strike infused with a sinister energy that hit the knight's black armor forcefully.
The dark orbs circling around him showered down on the Vor'talon, detonating with dark energy bursts that created smoking craters in its armor.
Andre was filled with frustration. These attacks were barely causing any inconvenience to the massive creature. He had to put an end to this immediately.
With a growl, he unsheathed Revenant, feeling its familiar weight stabilize him. With both hands, he held onto the demonic sword as it vibrated with his sinister power.
With a quick and aggressive movement, he swung Revenant down towards the Vor'talon's vulnerable shoulder joint.
The blade made a sickening crunch as it struck metal against bone. Sparks flew out when Revenant pierced Vor'talon's armor, creating a deep cut in its arm.
The Vor'talon of Supremacy let out a loud roar, its red eyes locked on Andre. Anger, primal and old, emanated from the huge knight. However, Andre, empowered by the Shadow Sovereign, faced it while wearing a disturbing smile.
"That's all you got?" he taunted, his voice echoing with a dark, distorted edge.
The Vor'talon preferred action over words. It moved forward, causing the ground to tremble with every powerful stride. Andre, a blur of dark energy and black robes, weaved aside, the wind from the Vor'talon's fist whipping through his hair. He responded with a barrage of black spheres, all of them detonating on the knight's armor with a muffled sound.
The Vor'talon showed no fear as it swung its second arm, trying to smash Andre in one hit. Then, Revenant emitted a bright light, capturing the Vor'talon's focus.
"Going somewhere?" a booming voice resonated from the sword, the voice of the sentient shard.
The Vor'talon abruptly changed direction, hitting Revenant with his spiked fist with immense power in a collision that shook the ground. However, Revenant remained strong, fueled by the power of both the yin and yang magi shard and Andre's dark energy. But, it resisted and pushed back, causing the Vor'talon to take a few steps back.
"Looks like you haven't met my new partner," Andre said, a cruel humor dancing in his eyes. The Vor'talon roared again, charging at both of them simultaneously. Andre, a phantom in the night, danced around the lumbering knight, raining blows down on it with his enhanced speed. Each punch, imbued with dark energy, left a small dent in its armor.
Revenant, on the other hand, met the Vor'talon head-on. The shard pulsed with a blinding white light, and the blade itself seemed to lengthen and twist, becoming a whip of pure energy. Andre watched in awe as Revenant lashed out, wrapping around the Vor'talon's arm, binding it tight.
"Hold it still, you overgrown tin can!" Revenant boomed, its voice laced with amusement.
Andre seized the opportunity. With a battle cry, he channeled his dark energy into Revenant, causing the blade to glow with a malevolent purple light. He then launched himself towards the Vor'talon, aiming for its exposed neck joint.
But the Vor'talon managed to break free from Revenant's hold by using a burst of sheer power. The collision that ensued was a harmonious display of devastation.
Andre's dark-energy infused punches met the Vor'talon's brutal swings. Revenant, a serpent of light and energy, danced around the knight, seeking openings.
One particularly vicious swing from the Vor'talon sent Andre flying, crashing into a nearby building. He coughed up blood, his vision swimming. Pain, a foreign sensation in his new form, flared through his broken ribs.
But Andre was a fighter. He wouldn't go down so easily. With a snarl, he pushed himself back up, the shadows swirling around him, healing his wounds. He looked up to see the Vor'talon towering over him, its fist raised for a killing blow.
Just then, a blinding white light erupted from Revenant. The sword, pulsing with an ethereal glow, flew through the air, propelled by the shard's power. It struck the Vor'talon's visor, momentarily blinding the knight.
Andre seized the chance. With a final surge of dark energy, he launched himself towards the Vor'talon, Revenant held tight in his hand. He aimed for the one chink in the knight's armor he'd noticed earlier – a small crack near its shoulder joint.
Time seemed to slow down. Andre, a dark blur, and Revenant, a white streak of light, converged on the Vor'talon. The knight, disoriented by the shard's attack, could only raise its arm in a feeble attempt to block.
Andre slammed Revenant into the crack, channeling every ounce of his power into the blow. The blade, empowered by both the yin and yang magic and Andre's dark energy, bit deep. A scream, unlike anything Andre had ever heard, erupted from the Vor'talon. The ground beneath them trembled violently.
Spiderweb-like black cracks shot out from the impact site, spreading rapidly across the Vor'talon's obsidian armor. The massive knight finally fell with a deafening roar, its body collapsing into a pile of smoking debris. The battlefield became quiet, the remaining soldiers stunned with surprise. Breathing heavily, Andre stood in the midst of the wreckage, Revenant oozing with a dark, thick fluid.
Only the soft sound of dying embers breaking the quietness remained. Slowly, Corvus shifted closer to him, his face showing a blend of conflicting feelings.
"Andre…" he started, his voice barely a whisper.
Andre turned to face his former friend, a chilling smile playing on his lips. "Corvus," he replied, his voice distorted by the shadows that clung to him. "It seems the tide has turned."
Corvus swallowed hard. The Andre he knew, the reckless but ultimately good-hearted boy, was gone. In his place stood a terrifying stranger, his eyes glowing with a power that sent shivers down Corvus' spine.
"What have you done?" Corvus rasped, a hint of accusation lacing his voice.
Andre chuckled, a sound devoid of humor. "Done? I've just embraced my destiny, what i am supposed to be," he said, gesturing at the burning remains of the Vor'talon with Revenant. "And saved your sorry bitch ass in the process."
Corvus clenched his fists, a flicker of defiance momentarily chasing away the fear in his eyes. "You've… you've become a monster!" he shouted.
Andre shrugged, a dark indifference replacing the flicker of doubt that crossed his face for a moment. "Perhaps. But a monster who just saved you from certain death. Now, kneel."
He shut his eyes briefly, feeling the heavy burden of his choice. After that, he knelt down with a deep sigh.
A slow smile spread across Andre's face, a smile filled with dark triumph.