The Warlord’s Gambit

Dravos stood before them, his massive axe resting casually on his shoulder. His scarred face twisted into a grin as he looked Darius up and down, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light. "So, this is the new apostle," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Doesn't look like much."

Darius clenched his fists, his Chaos Sense screaming at him. The man radiated power, a dark, oppressive force that made the air feel heavy. He glanced at Lira, who stood protectively in front of him, her staff glowing with a fierce light.

"Dravos," Lira said, her voice cold and steady. "You're not taking him."

Dravos chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that sent a chill down Darius's spine. "You always did have a soft spot for strays, Lira. But this one's different, isn't he? The system's chosen him for something big. I can feel it."

Lira's grip tightened on her staff. "Stay back, Dravos. I'm warning you."

Dravos's grin widened. "Or what? You'll stop me? You couldn't stop me before, and you can't stop me now."

Darius's mind raced. He didn't know what to do. He could feel the chaos energy within him, but it felt wild, untamed. He wasn't ready for this. Not yet.

Lira glanced back at him, her green eyes sharp. "Stay behind me. And whatever you do, don't engage him."

Darius nodded, though his heart was pounding. He didn't want to fight this man, but he also didn't want to be a burden. He needed to do something.

Dravos moved first, his axe swinging in a wide arc. Lira reacted instantly, her staff meeting the blade with a clash of sparks. The force of the impact sent her skidding back, but she held her ground, her expression fierce.

"You've gotten slower, Lira," Dravos taunted, his voice dripping with amusement. "Too much time playing nursemaid, not enough time training."

Lira didn't respond. She swung her staff, a burst of light erupting from its tip and slamming into Dravos. He staggered back, but the attack barely seemed to faze him. He laughed, a deep, booming sound that echoed through the forest.

"Is that all you've got?" he sneered.

Darius watched, his heart racing. He could see the strain on Lira's face, the way her movements were just a fraction too slow. She was holding her own, but barely. He needed to help her, but how?

The system's voice echoed in his mind, cold and unyielding. "Chaos Energy available. Use it."

Darius hesitated. He didn't want to rely on the system, not after everything Lira had told him. But he didn't have a choice. He clenched his fists, focusing on the energy within him. It responded, surging to the surface and filling him with power.

He thrust his hands forward, a wave of chaos energy erupting from his palms and slamming into Dravos. The warlord staggered back, his grin faltering for the first time.

"Well, well," Dravos said, his eyes narrowing. "Looks like the stray has some bite after all."

Darius didn't respond. He focused on the energy, trying to shape it into something more—a weapon, a shield, anything. But before he could, Dravos was on him.

The warlord moved faster than Darius expected, his axe swinging in a deadly arc. Darius barely managed to dodge, the blade slicing through the air where he had been standing. He stumbled back, his heart pounding.

"Not bad," Dravos said, his grin returning. "But you're still just a pup. Let me show you how it's done."

He raised his axe, and the air around him seemed to darken. A wave of energy erupted from the blade, slamming into Darius and sending him flying. He hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him.

Lira stepped in front of Darius, her staff glowing brighter than ever. "Enough, Dravos," she said, her voice cold and steady. "You're not taking him."

Dravos chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "You always were stubborn, Lira. But you can't protect him forever."

Lira didn't respond. She swung her staff, a burst of light erupting from its tip and slamming into Dravos. He staggered back, but the attack barely seemed to faze him. He laughed, a deep, booming sound that echoed through the forest.

"Is that all you've got?" he sneered.

Lira's expression didn't change. She stepped forward, her staff glowing brighter with every step. "You've forgotten something, Dravos," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "I'm not just a healer."

She thrust her staff forward, and a wave of energy erupted from its tip, slamming into Dravos and sending him flying. He hit the ground hard, his axe slipping from his grasp.

For a moment, there was silence. Then Dravos pushed himself to his feet, his grin faltering for the first time. "Well, well," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Looks like I underestimated you."

Lira didn't respond. She just stood there, her staff glowing with a fierce light, her expression cold and unyielding.

Dravos glanced between Lira and Darius, his grin returning. "This isn't over," he said, his voice dripping with menace. "I'll be seeing you both soon."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, his laughter echoing through the forest.

Darius pushed himself to his feet, his chest heaving. "What… what just happened?"

Lira lowered her staff, her expression grim. "Dravos is a warlord," she said. "He's one of the system's most powerful apostles. And now he's after you."

Darius's stomach churned. "Why? What does he want with me?"

Lira hesitated, as if weighing how much to tell him. "The system marks you," she said finally. "It draws people like Dravos to you, like moths to a flame. The more you use its power, the stronger the pull becomes."

Darius frowned. "So I'm basically a walking target?"

"Pretty much," Lira said. "But don't worry. I've dealt with worse."

Darius wanted to ask what she meant by that, but before he could, Lira turned and started walking. "We need to keep moving," she said. "Dravos won't stay away for long."

Darius nodded, though his mind was still reeling. He didn't know what to think, what to feel. All he knew was that he was in over his head—and the only person he could trust was the woman walking ahead of him.