Samuel's POV
The air in Graveforge Citadel was thick with the scent of ash and ancient blood. The sky above churned with storm clouds, casting an eerie glow over the desolate landscape. I stood at the heart of the citadel, facing Vardaal, the Betrayer of Eternities. His presence was overwhelming, a fusion of decayed divinity and relentless malice.
Vardaal's armor was a tapestry of shattered thrones and broken halos, each piece pulsating with the remnants of fallen gods. His weapon, a colossal lance forged from the remnants of dying stars, radiated a cold, malevolent energy.
"You dare challenge me, mortal?" Vardaal's voice echoed, layered with the whispers of countless souls.
I tightened my grip on the Gauntlets of Demon, their crimson glow intensifying. "I've faced destruction and emerged stronger. You're just another obstacle."
With a roar, Vardaal lunged, his lance slicing through the air with blinding speed. I barely managed to sidestep, the weapon grazing my side, sending a jolt of pain through my body. Blood seeped from the wound, but I couldn't afford to falter.
Activating Voidstep, I vanished, reappearing behind him, delivering a powerful punch to his back. The impact echoed, but Vardaal remained unmoved. He spun, his lance catching me off guard, striking my shoulder and sending me sprawling.
Pain surged, but I forced myself up, summoning the Godbreaker's Verdict. A surge of energy enveloped me, and I charged, unleashing a flurry of blows. Each strike met resistance, Vardaal parrying with inhuman precision.
"You're persistent, I'll give you that," he sneered, delivering a crushing blow to my chest. Ribs cracked, and I gasped, the taste of blood filling my mouth.
I staggered but refused to yield. Drawing upon the Judgment Eclipse, I released a wave of energy, momentarily staggering Vardaal. Seizing the opportunity, I launched a barrage of attacks, each fueled by determination and fury.
Vardaal retaliated, his lance transforming into chains that ensnared me, lifting me off the ground. The chains burned, searing into my flesh. With immense effort, I summoned the last of my strength, breaking free and delivering a devastating uppercut that sent him reeling.
Both of us were battered, bloodied, and exhausted. But I couldn't let this end in defeat. Channeling every ounce of power, I unleashed the Final Eclipse, a concentrated beam of energy that pierced through Vardaal's chest.
He staggered, disbelief etched on his face. "This... cannot be..."
"But it is," I whispered, watching as he crumbled, his form disintegrating into dust.
The citadel trembled, the oppressive aura dissipating. I had won, but at a great cost. Every muscle ached, wounds throbbed, but I stood victorious.
As the sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the ruins, I knew this was just the beginning. Greater challenges awaited, but for now, I had conquered Graveforge Citadel.
________________________________________
Samuel's POV
Moments after the fall of Vardaal, Betrayer of Eternities – Graveforge Citadel
The silence that followed Vardaal's fall was more deafening than the clash of our brutal battle.
Ash drifted down like black snow, settling on the broken obsidian stones and twisted remains of what was once divine architecture. I stood in the crater where Vardaal had drawn his last breath—or whatever twisted approximation of life he'd been clinging to. My breath was ragged, blood ran down my arm in streams, and my body felt like it had been dragged through dimensions. Which, considering the fight, wasn't too far from the truth.
"System," I croaked, wiping blood off my lip with the back of my hand, "give me a report."
---
[System Notification]
Quest Complete: Fall of the Betrayer – Vardaal, the Eternity-Slasher
Reward:
– XP: 14,500,000
– Unique Item: Vardaal's Shattered Crown (Artifact – Corrupted Divine Relic)
– Title Gained: Slayer of the Eternal Traitor
– Skill Unlocked: Abyssal Reign (Mythic)
– Domain Affinity: Graveforge Unlocked
---
[Level Up!]
Current Level: 504
---
My body glowed faintly as energy surged through my limbs. Bones snapped and realigned, muscle tissue rebuilt itself, and the holes Vardaal had torn into me closed slowly under the influence of my passive skill Unbroken Form. It wasn't enough to heal me fully, but I could stand straight again.
I walked slowly toward the collapsed throne at the far end of the Citadel. There, half-buried in crumbling stone and old blood, was the Shattered Crown.
[Item Acquired: Vardaal's Shattered Crown]
This artifact once belonged to a forgotten demigod who betrayed the Primordials. It grants temporary access to the Domain of Despair and increases Void and Willpower affinity when worn.
I picked it up. Cold. Heavy. Cursed.
"Figures," I muttered, and slipped it into my inventory.
Then the System dinged again.
---
[System Alert – Realm Event Triggered]
Your slaying of Vardaal has disrupted the balance of Graveforge Citadel.
Entities sealed beneath the Citadel have begun to stir.
Do you wish to investigate the Source of the Rift beneath the Citadel?
– Yes
– No
---
I stared at the prompt.
"Always more trouble... always more power," I whispered, a grin curling across my lips despite the pain.
"Yes."
The ground beneath my feet split open with a groan, revealing spiraling stairs forged from midnight iron, glowing faintly with red runes. Heat and darkness radiated from below—a chasm not just in space but in time. The true heart of Graveforge.
And in that moment, I realized: Vardaal was just the gatekeeper.
Whatever lay beneath was what he had been guarding.
Time to descend.
I cracked my knuckles and whispered to myself, "Let's find out who—or what—is down there."
And with that, I stepped into the dark.