Erend had been standing still, watching Dredge's broken body and relishing his suffering. But when he suddenly saw Dredge's remains lift into the air and drift away from the battlefield, he felt a flicker of confusion. He tilted his head to the side, observing the half-torn body floating farther and farther.
"What the hell is going on now?" Erend muttered.
But then, he realized something. In a strange way, this was actually good. The confusion and sudden shift in events snapped him out of his rage.
The intense fury that had consumed him, the burning wrath that had been solely focused on Dredge, began to fade. For the first time in minutes, his mind cleared, allowing him to think rationally again.
He shook his head violently. "Damn it… did it happen again?"
Erend swallowed hard. Just like before, he hadn't even realized he had fallen into that dangerous state of rage.
Clenching his fists, he acknowledged the terrifying truth. His power was still too dangerous. Fortunately, this time, he hadn't caused massive destruction like when he fought those gods in another world.
"But that doesn't matter right now. This battle is what I need to focus on."
Shaking his head once more to rid himself of the last remnants of his rage, Erend spread his dragon wings and took off, soaring into the sky. He had to follow that half-torn body—it was escaping from him.
He couldn't help but worry about Eccar. What about him? Had he suffered from the same uncontrollable rage? Hopefully, he was handling it better.
Erend wasn't concerned about Eccar's ability to fight his enemies. The rage itself was the bigger threat to them.
As he arrived at the scene, he looked down and saw that Laston was still alive. He was absorbing something—energy—from the half-dead man and another one of his lackeys in metal armor.
"Is he sacrificing them to save his own ass again?" Erend thought, shaking his head in disgust. Then, a memory struck him—how Laston had escaped the last time. Maybe he wasn't just absorbing energy to strengthen himself but also to open some kind of portal to flee.
From what he could see, Laston was completely cornered.
Glancing around, Erend noticed that his new army was nearly destroyed. The Forest Elves and the Palace's warriors had surrounded the remaining constructs, and victory was within their grasp.
On the battlefield, King Gulben and Saeldir were pressing their attack, driving Laston into a desperate position. In Erend's mind, it was only a matter of time before Laston tried to escape again.
"I'm not letting that happen this time."
Erend decided to stay in the air and observe while King Gulben and Saeldir fought Laston. After all, this was their battle, and they were still forbidden from interfering.
But the moment Laston attempted to flee, Erend would dive in and stop him.
Now that he was free from Saeldir's lightning spell, Laston locked his gaze onto King Gulben.
His eyes had turned completely red and black, radiating a sinister energy that sent a chill down even King Gulben's spine.
Laston had reached another level of power.
King Gulben glanced at Saeldir, who was still exhausted and on the ground after his spell had been shattered.
For now, he would have to finish this alone.
King Gulben tightened his grip on his sword and charged forward, raising the blade high.The silver light that once radiated brilliantly from it had dimmed, a clear sign that his Magic energy was nearly depleted.
He poured what little he had left into reinforcing his arms again, forcing them to remain functional despite the damage he had taken.
He surged ahead, determined to strike but then, in an instant, Laston moved.
The cyber-mage that had received his subordinate's souls blurred forward with inhuman speed, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye.
Before King Gulben could react, Laston was already upon him. He didn't wield a weapon this time; he didn't need one. His bare hands moved with terrifying precision, faster than the king's eyes could track.
A crushing blow slammed into Gulben's stomach, forcing the air from his lungs. Another strike hit his ribs, then his shoulder, then his chest. Each one landing with brutal accuracy and stronger than the last.
A final punch smashed into his face, sending him stumbling backward. His vision blurred as he crashed to the ground, his sword slipping from his fingers.
He hadn't even landed a single strike but Laston had already struck him countless times.
A cold, suffocating dread began creeping into King Gulben's heart.
Laston's strength had grown stronger again. His attacks were relentless, precise, and unstoppable.
Doubt started to claw at the king's mind. Could he still win this fight? Could he even survive?
Laston strode forward, a vicious snarl twisting his face. His red-black eyes burned with malice, making his presence even more menacing.
The air around him pulsed with fierce wave energy, his body radiating a force that made the battlefield itself feel heavier.
"Your Majesty!" Saeldir's voice rang out, hoarse and desperate. He struggled to push himself up but his limbs failed him. His Magic was drained, his body barely able to respond. He fell back to his knees, powerless to intervene.
Laston ignored him. He reached down and grabbed King Gulben by the collar, yanking him up effortlessly. The Elven king's bloodied face twisted in pain, but his eyes still burned with defiance as he met Laston's gaze.
"You think you've won?" Laston growled, his voice low and sounds distorted. His grip tightened. "I will take your palace, Gulben. I will rule it better than you ever could!"
Before the king could respond, Laston lifted him higher and then slammed him down.
The impact sent cracks splintering across the ground. A sharp gasp escaped Gulben's lips as pain flared through his body.
Laston loomed over him, triumphant. The battle was turning in his favor. His face turned into a menacing smile as he lifted his hand to deliver a final attack.