Astral Epoch

Adrian's heart skipped a beat, his instincts screaming for him to react, but the weight of the pressure was suffocating, paralyzing him for that brief, critical moment. His gaze flicked up just as the shadow descended—a blur of black that cut through the night like a living nightmare. It moved too fast for him to track with his eyes alone, and before he could raise his Thunder Spear in defense, a force slammed into him, sending him crashing to the ground with bone-shattering force.

The air exploded around him as the ground cracked beneath his body. His vision blurred for a split second, the impact rattling his senses. Adrian gritted his teeth, his muscles screaming as the Azure Dragon's Might surged in response, instinctively protecting him. The force of the blow had knocked the wind from his chest, but it wasn't enough to defeat him—not yet. He knew he was facing something far beyond a simple assassin now.

He pushed himself up with a violent surge, his fingers tightening around the Thunder Spear as electricity crackled along its shaft. The assassin—the one who had been retreating, now motionless, still trembling by the tree—was now merely a distraction. The real threat had emerged from the shadows.

In front of him stood a figure cloaked in darkness, a looming silhouette that radiated an aura of pure malice. A cold, impossibly dark presence clung to it, far more suffocating than anything Adrian had encountered before. His every instinct screamed that this was no ordinary warrior—it was something far more deadly.

The assassin's figure was draped in shadows, but Adrian could still make out the glint of his eyes—eyes that burned with an unnatural fire, the faint shimmer of abyssal power flaring in them. It was one of the Fallen Starborn, and Adrian could feel the pulse of the Abyss itself in its presence.

The assassin's blade gleamed faintly as it was raised, poised for the killing blow.

Adrian steadied himself, his breath steadying despite the surge of adrenaline, and he let out a slow exhale. This would be no easy fight, but he was done running from these tests. His gaze hardened as the Thunder Spear crackled to life once again, the azure light filling the clearing with an ominous glow. "I've faced worse," Adrian muttered under his breath.

But as he took a step forward, ready to engage, the Fallen Starborn spoke, his voice low and unnatural, as if it echoed from the very depths of the Abyss itself.

"You are too late."

Adrian's heart stilled for a moment, the weight of those words settling in like a cold stone.

Adrian's breath hitched as he recognized the figure. The sensation was like a heavy weight settling in his chest, a memory coming back with full force. The silver-white hair, the pale skin, and the eerie presence—it could only be one person.

"Esker Jiao," Adrian murmured under his breath, his grip tightening on the Thunder Spear. The name carried with it a dark history, one that twisted through the threads of Adrian's past, like a shadow that had been following him, lurking at the edge of his vision.

The figure before him—Esker Jiao, the Patriarch of House Jiao—stood unmoving, the blade still humming with abyssal energy, a chilling aura surrounding him like a shroud. His eyes were as cold as the abyss itself, but there was something else in them too—something darker, more knowing. His lips curled into a slight, mocking smile.

"I see you've grown stronger, Adrian," Esker's voice was smooth, but carried the weight of experience, of someone who had seen the world unravel and then stitched it back together in his own image. "But it still isn't enough."

Adrian's heart pounded harder in his chest. The power radiating from Esker was overwhelming, far surpassing anything Adrian had encountered so far. His presence was like a storm cloud, darkening the very air around them, his connection to the Abyss undeniable.

"You..." Adrian's voice was low, a mixture of anger and disbelief. "Why are you here? What do you want?"

Esker's smile deepened, but it wasn't one of amusement—it was the smile of a predator, savoring its prey's confusion. "What do I want? My dear Adrian, it's not what I want. It's what must be."

Adrian's grip on his Thunder Spear tightened further. He had heard rumors, but nothing had prepared him for this confrontation. The weight of his lineage, the shadow of House Jiao—he had never imagined it would come to this, to facing the very patriarch of the family.

"You were never meant to be the hero, Adrian," Esker continued, his eyes narrowing. "You were always meant to be a tool, a means to an end. The moment you took up that weapon, you sealed your fate. You and the power you wield will serve the Abyss... or be consumed by it."

Adrian's mind raced, his body tense with the rising pressure. "You... You want to use me?" The words tasted bitter on his tongue. He had fought too hard, bled too much to fall into someone else's plans.

"I don't want to use you," Esker's voice softened, almost fondly. "I will use you. It's already too late to turn back."

The words hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Adrian's heart beat louder in his chest, drowning out all other sounds. He could feel the electricity of his Thunder Spear building again, but it was nothing compared to the abyssal power that Esker commanded.

"Then let's see if I can still fight for my own future," Adrian growled, his eyes hardening. He wasn't going down without a fight—not to anyone, not even to someone like Esker Jiao.

The air around them shimmered as the storm of battle began anew.

Adrian's grip on the Thunder Spear tightened. His heart raced as he stared at the figure before him—Calem. The once-familiar presence now felt alien, cold, and distant.

"Calem…?" Adrian's voice faltered, a mix of shock and anger in his tone.

Calem didn't respond. He slowly withdrew his sword, the blade dark and pulsing with the power of the Abyss. His gaze fell on Adrian, cold and detached, showing no trace of the bond they once shared.

Adrian's heart pounded as he struggled to understand what had happened to the man he once knew. "Why?" he demanded. "Why are you doing this?"

Calem's eyes were vacant, as if Adrian were nothing more than an obstacle. "You still don't get it," he said, his voice flat. "Power is the only thing that matters. All else is meaningless."

Adrian took a step forward, his Thunder Spear humming with energy. "You sold yourself to the Abyss for that?!" His voice rose, filled with a mix of disbelief and anger.

Calem's expression remained unchanged. "The world isn't kind to dreamers," he said, his tone cold. "You still cling to ideals. I've accepted the truth."

Adrian's fists clenched. "I won't let you go down this path," he declared. "I'll stop you, even if it means fighting you to the end."

Calem stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "Then come." The challenge was clear, and without another word, both their powers flared, ready to clash.

Adrian's heart skipped a beat as the pressure mounted. He tried to move, to force the Thunder Spear forward, but it remained locked in place, the energy of the weapon crackling futilely against the invisible restraint. His muscles strained, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Calem!" Adrian growled, his voice sharp, but the figure remained silent, the air thick with a growing sense of foreboding.

A shadow shifted in the corner of his vision. Before he could react, Calem reappeared, standing effortlessly just a few paces away, his sword in hand. His gaze was colder than before, like a predator watching its prey with detached amusement.

"You're too slow," Calem said, his voice devoid of any warmth. "You still don't understand, do you?"

Adrian's breath was shallow, his mind racing. The pressure around him intensified, suffocating him, but he refused to give in. His grip on the Thunder Spear tightened, his muscles screaming in protest as he fought against the invisible hold.

"Why turn your back on everything? On me?" Adrian's words were tinged with betrayal, the weight of the question pressing down on him as much as the force surrounding him.

Calem's expression didn't shift. "I've seen the truth," he replied, his voice eerily calm. "And the truth is... I don't need you, or anyone else. Only power matters now."

With a single flick of his wrist, the invisible pressure on Adrian's spear released. But the change in the air was instant. The crackling of electricity was suddenly suffocated, the space around them filled with an eerie silence. Adrian's body ached, his mind clouded with the intensity of their standoff. Calem's gaze never wavered as he waited for Adrian to make his move.

Adrian, teeth clenched, eyes burning with resolve, took a deep breath. He wouldn't back down. Not now. Not ever.

Adrian's breath came in shallow gasps as he lay against the shattered tree, the taste of blood thick in his mouth. His body felt like it was on fire, each wound burning with the intensity of the dark energy that had blasted him. But despite the pain, his hands tightened around the Thunder Spear. His mind was clouded with a mix of anger and confusion, yet something inside him refused to accept defeat.

"Why?" he spat, his voice hoarse, though he could barely hold his ground. "Why did you betray us?"

Calem's gaze flicked to him, but the expression on his face remained unchanged—an unreadable mask, distant and serene. "You don't understand. You never did." His voice was cool, as though the answer was trivial, unimportant. "This world isn't a place for idealism. It's about survival. Power." He took a step closer, his eyes locking onto Adrian with a steady, unblinking gaze. "And you were never strong enough."

Adrian's fingers trembled around the shaft of his spear, and for a moment, he felt the weight of his own inadequacy pressing down on him. But then, his eyes burned with a renewed fire. This wasn't the end. He refused to let it be.

With a roar, Adrian forced himself up, his legs shaky but determined. The Thunder Spear crackled with violent energy as he pushed himself forward, his entire being focused on the fight.

"I won't lose to you, Calem," Adrian gritted through clenched teeth.

Calem's lips barely curled into a smirk. "Then you'll die trying."

Without another word, he moved again, faster than before, and Adrian's spear came up instinctively to meet him. But the pressure was already building, the oppressive weight of the dark energy swirling around Calem. It was impossible to keep up.

Adrian swung the Thunder Spear with every ounce of his strength, lightning streaking toward Calem's position, but once again, the attack was swatted aside with ease.

"Anger... has never been enough," Calem murmured, his voice cold, as his sword began to glow with an even darker hue.

Adrian was already preparing for the next strike, knowing his time was running out. He wouldn't stop—he couldn't stop.

Adrian's grip tightened on the Thunder Spear, the crackling energy pulsing through his veins. His anger surged, but beneath it was something deeper—confusion, betrayal, and a desperate need for answers. He didn't understand. He couldn't.

"Then what was it?" Adrian's voice was strained, raw, but his words were deliberate. "You betrayed everything we stood for. Everything you were."

Calem's eyes never wavered. His calm demeanor didn't shift as he took a step closer, his silver hair glinting in the moonlight like a blade. "What you call betrayal, I call clarity. House Jiao, the war, the ideals we fought for... it was all a mask. A mask to blind you to the truth."

Adrian shook his head, disbelief written across his face. "A mask? What truth?"

Calem's lips curled slightly, his voice lower now, as if he were sharing a dark secret. "The world isn't as simple as you think. Power is the only truth. The rest—honor, family, loyalty—it's all a lie designed to keep the weak in line."

Adrian's chest tightened. "So that's it?" His grip on the Thunder Spear faltered for a moment, his body aching, but his voice was filled with defiance. "You sold out everything for power?"

Calem's gaze softened just slightly, as though pitying him. "You'll understand one day. When you realize that all you've been fighting for is nothing more than a distraction."

Adrian's heart pounded as he tried to steady his breathing. The air between them crackled with the tension of unspoken truths. His anger flared again, but this time, it was no longer just the fury of a betrayed comrade. It was the fire of someone forced to confront the darkness of a world they didn't want to see.

"You're wrong," Adrian spat, rising shakily to his feet, the Thunder Spear crackling once more with violent energy. "I will never believe that power is the only truth. I'll fight until my last breath to prove it's not."

Calem didn't move, his eyes still locked on Adrian. "Then fight," he said simply, his voice cold as steel. "But understand this—power is the only thing that will ever matter in the end."

Adrian's heart raced, but the uncertainty in his chest had been replaced by something else. A new resolve. He wasn't going to let Calem's words define him. Not now. Not ever.

Adrian's pulse quickened, his mind racing to process the weight of Calem's words. The very air around them seemed to grow colder, the shadows deepening as if the night itself were pressing in on him. He gritted his teeth, the Thunder Spear in his hand trembling with the surge of power still crackling beneath his skin.

"No," Adrian breathed, his voice hoarse with the denial. "You're lying."

Calem's expression remained unchanged, his cold gaze never leaving Adrian. "Am I? Or is it just too painful to face the truth?" His lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile, as if savoring the struggle within Adrian.

The words gnawed at Adrian's mind, each one digging deeper, like shards of ice sinking into his chest. The 'Guardian'—the role he'd fought for, the duty he'd upheld for so long, was now nothing more than a shackle? The very foundation of his identity, the purpose that had defined his life, now felt fragile, hollow.

His grip on the spear tightened, but the pain in his chest lingered. He wanted to reject it, to dismiss Calem's words as mere manipulation. But something deep within him stirred—a flicker of doubt, a crack in his belief. He wasn't sure he could shake it off.

"I never asked to be a guardian," Adrian finally said, his voice quieter now, the edges of his anger sharpening. "But I'll protect this house, protect the people who still believe in it."

Calem's eyes glinted with something darker, something older, as if he'd been waiting for that response. "Then you'll be shackled forever," he said softly. "You'll die for a cause that is already dead."

Adrian's heart hammered in his chest, but he stood taller, forcing his voice to remain steady. "I'd rather die fighting for something than live in the shadows of your lies."

A brief silence followed, the wind whispering through the trees, but the weight of Calem's words hung heavily between them.

Adrian remained kneeling, his breath shallow. The weight of Calem's words pressed on him, leaving a cold emptiness. The night felt heavier, as if the forest itself knew something had shifted.

He clenched his Thunder Spear tightly, his fingers trembling, not from the cold but from the storm inside him. Calem's presence lingered in the air, his absence now felt more than his arrival. Adrian wanted to move, to act, but his body felt rooted, unwilling to rise.

Calem's voice echoed in his mind, the idea of betrayal and shackles gnawing at him. The world, his family, everything he knew, felt uncertain now.

Adrian closed his eyes, forcing himself to stand. There was no choice but to move forward, despite the weight of doubt pulling at him. He didn't know what lay ahead, but he couldn't stop. Not now.

He straightened, eyes fixed ahead, and began to walk. The path ahead was unclear, but his journey was far from over.

Calem's figure dissolved into the night, leaving only the echo of his words in Adrian's mind, like whispers tangled in the wind.

"You will understand my choice one day…"

Adrian remained still, the Thunder Spear crackling in his grip, its blue arcs illuminating his face but doing nothing to banish the shadow in his eyes. His breath came heavy, fingers pale from the tight grip on the weapon.

The weight of Calem's words started to chip away at the fury inside him. The pride he had once felt for House Jiao, the identity he had clung to—was it really as solid as he believed?

The forest wind swept around him, a cold reminder of the world beyond. He shut his eyes, trying to quell the storm rising within. But the harder he tried to calm his thoughts, the more chaotic his heart became.

The war, the destruction of his family, the death of his parents—those memories had fueled his relentless pursuit of revenge. But now, Calem's words hung over him, casting a shadow too deep to dismiss.

"The rules of the world… shackles…?" Adrian muttered under his breath, his fingers grazing the Thunder Spear's hilt. The electric current surged through his palm, but this time, there was no fiery anger. Only a cold, unsettling chill.

For the first time, the beliefs that had driven him began to fracture.

In the stillness of the night, a faint sound reached Adrian's ears, cutting through the silence like a distant whisper. His senses flared to life, his gaze shooting toward the depths of the forest, sharp and focused. The Thunder Spear rose in his hand, its crackling energy ready to strike. But after a few moments of tense listening, all he could hear was the wind swaying through the trees—no movement, no presence.

He lowered the spear, but his guard remained unbroken. The weight of Calem's words still lingered, unsettling his thoughts, and the clarity he once had felt farther away than ever.

With a deep breath, he turned, stepping quietly onto the soft earth and moving toward the forest's edge. The stars above twinkled brightly, indifferent to the turmoil below, but Adrian's world no longer seemed as certain. The shadows had deepened in his heart, and a sense of unease clung to him.