Seraphine held Kane’s hand tighter. Tears fell onto his skin. “You can do this,” she said. “I know you can. You are stronger than you think. Come back Kane–Malachar is already on the loose and everything is being destroyed. I care about you so much and we need you here.” She kept talking, telling him stories. She told him she was waiting for him and believed in him. Vesper joined her. She spoke to Kane too. “You are not alone,” she said. “We are fighting for you on this side. Seraphine is here, we need you. Do not give up. Come back to us.” Seraphine kept holding his hand. She pressed her forehead against it. “Please,” she whispered. “Come back. I am here, am waiting.” Seraphine was still holding Kane’s hand when suddenly the atmosphere shifted again. The Grey Man’s shadow appeared. It did not speak at first, It simply raised one pale hand. The space in front of them shimmered like water disturbed by a stone, a vision appeared. Seraphine saw Kane. He was standing in a grey, li

Malachar walked slowly through the ashes of what used to be a thriving town. The ground was still hot beneath him, but the flames no longer burned his skin. He had become something beyond flesh and blood now–something eternal.Behind him, the army of the dead marched in utter silence. Thousands of the dead—men, women, children, and soldiers—shuffled forward like broken puppets. Their hollow red eyes burned in the darkness like dying embers from hell itself. They made no sound, they simply obeyed.Malachar stopped at the edge of the ruined town square. A single church bell lay cracked on the ground. He looked at it for a long moment, then crushed it under his heel.“This is what your god could not protect,” he said quietly to the empty air. “This is what your prayers were worth.”A new figure approached from the shadows. Tall, dressed in rich black robes trimmed with silver. His face was handsome in a sharp, dangerous way. High Priest Cael–once a loyal servant of the Church, now someth

The lieutenant—one of High Priest Cael’s most trusted men, a tall, sharp-faced man named Commander Garrick—smiled with cold satisfaction. His silver armor gleamed in the firelight from the distant burning villages. “The Tenth Kane returns at last,” he said, his voice dripping with mockery. “Lord Cael will be pleased. He has been waiting to personally break you.”Seraphine’s breath trembled. Fear, flooded her veins. She gripped Kane’s arm tighter, trying to steady both of them. “Stay behind me,” she whispered to him. “Please. You are still too weak.”Commander Garrick raised his glowing sword. “Take the necromancer alive if possible,” he ordered. “Kill the women. Cael wants the shadow witch’s head as a trophy, the keeper can be a bonus.”The soldiers took one synchronized step forward–crossbows clicked.Seraphine screamed and unleashed what little shadows she had left. They lashed out like desperate whips, wrapping around the legs of the nearest soldiers. Two men stumbled and one fell

Kane’s hand was still locked around Seraphine’s throat. His fingers pressed harder, crushing her windpipe with terrifying strength. Seraphine’s eyes widened in pure terror as she clawed desperately at his wrist, her nails drawing blood. Black spots danced in her vision, her lungs screamed for air. “Seraphine…” The voice that came out of Kane’s mouth was not his own. It was deeper, colder, laced with ancient malice. “Run… before I kill you…” Inside his own body, the real Kane was screaming. No! Stop! This is not me! He fought the Malachar's fragment with everything he had, but it was like trying to push back a flood with bare hands. The fragment had seized control during the blackout. It wanted her dead–it wanted to break him completely. Vesper lunged forward with a cry, her crimson blade flashing. “Kane! Fight it!” She slammed her shoulder into him, knocking his hand away from Seraphine’s throat. Seraphine collapsed to her knees, gasping and coughing violently, one hand

“This ends tonight,” Kane said. The attack began.Kane raised his hand and the ground in front of the Church outpost exploded with sharp bone spikes. Several guards screamed as the spikes pierced their legs, pinning them in place. The system power inside him felt alive, warm, and hungry for more. He stepped forward, Seraphine staying close to his side even though her wound still hurt. Vesper moved like a crimson shadow on his other side, her blade already drawn.The outpost guards shouted in panic. Torches flickered wildly as men rushed to defend the wooden walls. Crossbows clicked, bolts flew toward them through the night air.Kane felt one bolt graze his arm. Pain flared, but the Necrotic Feedback ability triggered instantly. A dark pulse of energy exploded outward from his body. The nearest guards staggered, their movements slowing as if they were suddenly moving through thick mud.“Push forward!” Kane shouted. His voice was low and steady, but inside he felt the thrill of power