Empty Win

The group stood in the eerie silence left by the battle. The crater that had been alive with chaos moments ago was now a graveyard of smoldering stone and shattered energy. The Convergence Point's hum had vanished, leaving an oppressive stillness in its place.

Kael knelt beside the fragments of Lucius's staff, his fingers tracing the faintly glowing runes etched into the dark material. The symbols pulsed weakly, fading with every passing moment.

"This wasn't his full power," Kael said, his voice steady but grim. "He wanted to see what we could do."

Lyra slung her bow across her back, her sharp gaze scanning the battlefield. "And now he knows."

"Knows what?" Oran asked, his threads twitching at his fingertips. "That we can kick his ass?"

Kael stood, brushing dust from his hands. "That we're dangerous."

Elara sat down on the floor , her legs trembling from exhaustion. "What do we do now? If this was just a test, then he's…waiting. For something."

Lyra's eyes narrowed. "Lucius doesn't wait. He calculates. If he let us live, it's because he's already planning his next move."

Elara felt the weight of their words pressing down on her. She glanced at Kael, who was uncharacteristically quiet. "Kael?"

He looked at her, his expression unreadable. "We prepare. And we move fast. The next Convergence Point won't be this easy."

"Easy?" Oran said incredulously. "That was 'easy' to you?"

Kael smirked faintly, but there was no humor in his eyes. "Relatively."

The group made their way out of the crater, their movements slower and heavier than before. The volcanic terrain stretched endlessly before them, its molten rivers casting long shadows across the fractured ground.

Elara walked beside Oran, her thoughts churning. The image of Lucius—calm, commanding, unstoppable—was seared into her mind.

"He didn't even try," she said quietly.

Oran glanced at her. "What?"

"Lucius," she replied, her voice tinged with frustration. "It was like…we were nothing to him. Like he wasn't even trying."

Oran's expression softened, and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, we still sent him packing. That counts for something."

"It's not enough," Elara said, shaking her head. "Not if he's as powerful as Kael and Lyra think he is."

Kael and Lyra walked ahead, their silence speaking volumes. The weight of the battle hung over them, though neither showed it outwardly.

"He's testing the limits of the Convergence Points," Lyra said finally, her voice low.

Kael nodded. "And us."

She glanced at him. "You think he's heading to the next one already?"

"Not just yet," Kael replied. "Lucius is deliberate. He'll make his next move when it suits him."

Lyra sighed, her sharp gaze softening for a moment. "We need to prepare them, Kael. They're not ready for what's coming."

"They will be," Kael said firmly. He snapped his fingers once, the sound cutting through the quiet.

Lyra didn't flinch, but her expression grew more resolute. "They don't have a choice, do they?"

The group made camp near the edge of the volcanic terrain, where the oppressive heat gave way to cooler winds. The stars above were faint, their light barely cutting through the haze of smoke and ash that hung over Valoria.

Elara sat near the edge of the camp, her gaze fixed on the horizon. The battle replayed in her mind—the overwhelming power of Lucius, the chaos of the Convergence Point, and the crushing realization that their fight was far from over.

Kael approached, his movements quiet but deliberate. He sat beside her, his expression calm.

"You're thinking too much," he said.

Elara managed a weak smile. "I'm not sure there's such a thing as thinking too much when someone like Lucius is out there."

Kael tilted his head slightly, his gaze steady. "Fear isn't a weakness, Elara. It's a tool. Use it to stay sharp."

She nodded, though doubt lingered in her chest. "Do you really think we can beat him? All of this…it feels so much bigger than us."

Kael was silent for a moment, his fingers flexing at his side. "It is bigger than us. But that doesn't mean we can't win."

He snapped his fingers once, the sound startling in the quiet.

Elara frowned. "Why do you do that?"

Kael smirked faintly. "It keeps people guessing."

As dawn approached, Lyra returned from her watch, her expression grim. "We've got company."

Kael stood immediately, his hand already on his blade. "Veil?"

"No," Lyra said, her tone cautious. "It's a messenger."

A figure approached from the shadows, their movements slow and deliberate. They wore a dark cloak embroidered with faint runes, and their face was obscured by a hood.

The group tensed as the messenger stopped a few paces away, raising their hands in a gesture of peace.

"A message from Lucius," they said, their voice calm but hollow.

Kael's eyes narrowed. "Speak."

The messenger reached into their cloak, producing a small, glowing orb. They held it out, and the orb began to pulse with faint light.

A projection of Lucius's masked face appeared above the orb, his voice smooth and unhurried.

"Well done," Lucius said. "You've proven yourselves…interesting. But this is only the beginning. The Convergence Points are merely the first step. The real game is just beginning."

The projection flickered, and Lucius's tone grew darker.

"Run. Fight. Hide. It doesn't matter. In the end, you'll understand one thing: this world belongs to me."

The orb dimmed, and the messenger stepped back, disappearing into the shadows without another word.

Elara's fists clenched at her sides, her heart racing.

Lyra broke the tense silence. "He's taunting us."

Kael's gaze remained fixed on the horizon. "No. He's declaring war."