The undead army he had summoned stood behind him, a silent, grim of soldiers with lifeless eyes and broken bodies, waiting for the command to strike.“Get into formation!” Vardy shouted over the chaos, his voice hoarse from the smoke and noise. “We’ll hold them here, keep the streets clear.”His allies, Selene, Luthor, and the rest of the ragtag group, rushed to take their places. But as they moved, the ground shook again, and Vardy’s senses prickled. Something wasn’t right. The ground beneath his boots seemed to ripple, as though the earth itself was reacting to the immense forces clashing above it. He turned just in time to see a group of Altana charging through the smoke.They moved with military precision, expertly encircling the group."Fall back!" Luthor ordered, his voice tight with panic. "They're too many."Vardy’s undead army began to clash with the mercenaries, the sound of bones snapping and metal clanging echoing in every direction. “Hold your ground!” Vardy barked agai

Marcus stood by the door, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He was used to Dean’s outburst.The energy in the room was suffocating."We can still destroy the Dud," Marcus muttered, his voice low. His eyes were burning.Dean froze. Slowly, he turned, locking his gaze onto Marcus.For a moment, the only sound was the heavy breathing from Dean’s chest. Then, without a word, he stepped past Marcus, his expression unreadable.Marcus exhaled sharply, his jaw clenched.Something had shifted in Dean tonight.And that could only mean one thing, war was coming.***The next day, the sun rose over Haven in a haze.Dean stood before a large map of the city, his fingers tracing the lines of the streets as he spoke in a cold, calculating tone."Set my plan B in motion," he commanded Marcus, his voice sharp and unwavering.Marcus nodded without hesitation, his eyes narrowing in understanding. "It’ll be done."Dean watched as Marcus departed. With a final glance at the city map, Dean let his m

Vardy’s instincts kicked in, and he spun around just in time to see a group of Dean’s elite soldiers emerging from the trees, their weapons drawn and aimed at the group.It happened in an instant."Take cover!" Vardy shouted, ducking behind a snowdrift as the soldiers opened fire.They started shooting.Selene was the first to respond, sprinting towards cover as Vardy motioned for the others to follow.Ferah, gritting her teeth, took a few stumbling steps before collapsing against a nearby rock, her side pulsing with pain. Tracy was quick to her side, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her further into cover. "Stay down," Tracy urged, her voice low.I'm fine," Ferah growled, though the strain in her voice was evident. She fought to push through the pain, even as the battle raged around them.Vardy, spotting an opening, stood from behind the snowdrift, his rifle in hand. His aim was precise, and he fired a few rounds, hitting one of the soldiers in the chest. The man fell, but the o

Their leader's voice was a low growl, echoing through the air. “You will not pass.”Vardy smirked. “You think you can stop me?”Without warning, the warriors surged forward, their movements faster than that of a human.Vardy barely had time to react, raising his blade to block the first strike. The force behind it nearly sent him off balance, but he recovered quickly, shifting to the side to avoid a second blow aimed at his heart.He dodged another blow, his mind racing for a solution.The Altana warriors weren’t just strong, they were also faster and more agile than any opponent he’d faced before. They moved like a well-oiled machine, anticipating his every move, almost as if they could predict his next action.Vardy growled under his breath. He couldn’t fight them all head-on, not without taking heavy losses. He needed a different approach, something more tactical. But before he could act, he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.“Vardy, watch out!”Tracy’s voice rang out thro

Dean’s smirk widened. "Because, Vardy, you’re more useful to me alive than dead. You’ve been chasing me all this time, but now that you know the truth, you’ll be the one who leads the charge against the Aegaon. You’ll be the one who tries to tear down everything they’ve built. And if you fail, you’ll finally see that there’s no escaping them. There’s no way to stop the plan they’ve set in motion."Vardy’s hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, but his gaze remained steady. "Then we’ll see who fails," Vardy said, his voice steady. "You’re not going to win, Dean. I’ll destroy the Aegaon. I’ll make sure your reign ends here, tonight."Dean’s smirk faltered for a brief moment, but it quickly returned, colder this time. “You think you can stop them? You think you can destroy what they’ve built? You’re nothing, Vardy. You always were. And no matter how much you fight, you’ll always be their pawn, just like the rest of us."Vardy’s eyes burned with fury as he stepped closer, his heart po