“Stay back!" Vardy shouted, holding his hand out to stop her, but it was too late. Ferah had already made up her mind.Before he could move, before he could stop her, Ferah launched herself at Dean.Dean hadn’t seen her coming, not until she was already upon him. In a flash, she was between them, throwing herself in front of Vardy, her body colliding with Dean’s incoming strike. The force of the blow was like a thunderclap, and for a moment, the world went completely silent.Vardy froze, his heart dropping into his stomach as he saw what had just happened. Ferah’s body was limp, blood spilling from the wound that had been intended for him. Dean’s strike had cut through her like paper. She was pale, her face contorted in pain as she struggled to stay up, her body trembling."Noooo!" Vardy screamed, his voice breaking, as he reached out, his hand stretched toward her. Time seemed to slow as he saw her fall to the ground, her eyes flickering with pain and shock, and then, nothing.He

“Not like this,” Vardy whispered, trying to steady himself. “I won’t let you win. I won’t become like Dean... like that.”He struggled to regain control, but the artifact was relentless. He could feel its dark whispers in the back of his mind, coaxing him, promising him unimaginable power, a future where he was unstoppable. The artifact was trying to seduce him, to draw him. But Vardy could feel something within him, something stronger than the pull of the artifact: his will. His will to survive. His will to protect.He clenched his teeth, fighting nausea and dizziness as the power surged inside him. “I am not you,” Vardy gritted out, pressing his hands against his chest, trying to force the artifact back. “I won’t let it control me.”But even as he spoke, the energy in his chest felt like it was about to explode. The artifact, sensing his resistance, intensified its hold on him, sending waves of excruciating pain to his veins. Vardy’s body trembled as the artifact tried to break hi

Vardy’s lips pressed into a thin line, his gaze darting over to the celebrating crowd before finally meeting her eyes. "I appreciate that, Tracy. But I can’t ignore what I’ve seen. What I know. This, this victory, it’s only temporary. We still don’t know the full extent of what we’re dealing with.""I understand," Tracy said softly. "But even the strongest warriors need to rest. You’ve been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Ferah’s sacrifice... it’s not something you can just brush aside. You need to honor it. But you also need to heal. And that means resting. Let the people celebrate their freedom. Let them know that they’re safe. You’ve done your part."Vardy nodded slowly, "I don’t know how to let it go. How to stop thinking about what’s next. The fear... it never leaves."Selene, having overheard their conversation, stepped forward. "You don’t have to face it alone. We’re with you, Vardy. We’ll face whatever comes next, together."Vardy nodded allowing himself t

Vardy stood still for a long moment, absorbing her words. His mind flashed to the battle against Dean, to Ferah’s sacrifice.Fighting against Aegaon was a massive responsibility."You come here asking for my leadership," Vardy said, his voice measured, "but what do you offer in return? Haven is still recovering. My people are still rebuilding. I can’t afford to divert all my resources to a battle that might cost us everything."Arla’s eyes darkened at his words, but she didn’t flinch. "We offer you more than just our support," she said, stepping closer. "We have allies in every corner, fighters, strategists, spies, all of whom are prepared to join this fight. Together, we can take down the Aegaon before they strike with full force. You’re not alone in this, Vardy. We’ve all suffered at their hands."Vardy turned his gaze to the horizon for a moment. He had thought that the battle was over, that Haven would finally be able to breathe. But deep down, he knew the Aegaon were never truly

“Vardy, what are your plans for Dean’s chamber?” Luthor asked before they left.Vardy turned, his gaze darting round the whole place. It was where Dean had taken as his possession, where he hid most of his things, his secret items.“We need to get these people to destroy this place, because this is too dangerous,” Selene said, darting around before settling his gaze on Vardy.“What do you mean? I should endanger their lives for my personal gain?” Vardy asked a bit skeptical of what Selene meant.Selene heaved and strode closer to Vardy, who was now down on his horse.“I mean, this is too dangerous for you, Dean would have thought so well and knew that one day, you'll surface.” Selene said and continued, “Dean is very smart and predictable.”“Do smart and predictable go together?” Tracy asked, moving closer to them, her eyes piecing deep into Vardy's.“We just have to be careful, especially Vardy.” Selene said finally, her arms akimbo.Vardy’s fingers curled into a fist. "That place n