The battle across the chambers continued. Everyone was trying their best, searching for a way to win. But no matter how hard they fought, the Commanders of Varnex stood tall , and now, something worse was happening.
The Corrupted Aura within them began to grow.
It wasn't just their strength anymore. It was the darkness inside them , twisting, pulsing, changing their powers into something even more dangerous.
And the upper hand they had… only got stronger.
---
The Thundergate
Sylra, Cyrus, Lila, and Fizzle had not given up. They were trying everything they could think of.
Cyrus kept shifting through elements , flowing from fire to water to wind to earth in quick bursts. Flames danced along his arms, water circled his feet, sharp wind helped him dodge, and stone hardened his stance.
Lila moved with him, matching his rhythm. She swung her sword with fire and water magic, creating trails of steam that cut through the air. Together, they aimed for Borrum's legs, trying to break his stance or at least throw him off balance.
Sylra cast stronger support spells now. Her voice was low but focused. She sent waves of protection toward them, trying to shield them from Borrum's heavy blows.
For a moment , just a short moment , they seemed to be pushing back.
Cyrus managed to land a burning strike on Borrum's side. Lila followed with a water-powered slash to the other side.
But then, Borrum roared.
The air around him sparked. His horn shone brighter. His hammer glowed.
And the ground beneath them shattered.
He swung down , one clean strike , and the blast of thunder from the impact threw everyone off their feet.
Lightning ran through the broken floor, and Borrum's body was now covered in a thick Corrupted Aura , a swirling mix of black and blue, crackling with power. His eyes burned like stormfire.
They had made him serious. And that wasn't good.
---
The Ironhall Core
Things weren't going well here.
Ruvan kept charging forward. His fists slammed into Thirak's legs, arms, and chest. But it was like punching a mountain. His strikes echoed, but the golem barely flinched.
Zerik jumped and spun, throwing ropes, rings, and strange blades , trying to slow Thirak's swings or distract him.
But Sera... she was frozen with fear. Her hands trembled. Her spells fizzled. She stepped into the wrong spot again and again, forcing Ruvan or Zerik to block for her.
At one point, she tried to cast a barrier, but it went the wrong direction and almost trapped Zerik.
"Sera, focus!" Ruvan shouted.
"I-I'm trying!" she said, almost in tears.
Thirak didn't stop. He slammed his arm down, missing Zerik by inches. His eyes glowed now , brighter than before.
The cracks on his chest pulsed, the heat rising. A dark red energy, like molten fire mixed with shadows, poured from the cracks. His whole body steamed with rage.
The Corrupted Aura had awakened.
With one stomp, the entire floor lit up in glowing runes. The heat pushed the trio back. Ruvan stood his ground, but he was sweating hard. Zerik breathed heavily.
Sera fell back, coughing.
They had no plan left. They were only trying to stay alive.
---
The Nullmirror Vault
In the cold and silent darkness, Adrian stayed focused.
"Right , three seconds," he said, shifting his body just before a sharp black blade flew past his head.
Darek blocked another attack with his stone wall, then quickly reshaped it into a shield for Vaela.
Vaela didn't speak. She just drew another arrow and shot again, but again, it hit nothing. Still, she wasn't giving up.
"She's moving again," Adrian warned. They were doing well, even if they hadn't landed a hit.
But the darkness changed. It thickened. It wasn't just hard to see now , it was hard to breathe. A chilling hum echoed through the vault. The water under their feet rippled, for the first time.
Adrian's future sight blurred for a second.
"What…?" he whispered, blinking fast.
And then came a dozen strikes ,all at once.
He shouted directions quickly, and Darek managed to block most of them. Vaela rolled away. But Adrian felt one blade graze his shoulder.
Then from the shadows, for the first time, Velthra's figure appeared.
Her body was smoke-like, barely shaped. She stood still for a second, just enough for them to see her, then vanished again.
Her Corrupted Aura now covered the room, and every sound felt far away.
---
The Echoing Hollow
Ristella floated above the wind-carved cave, her eyes glowing with soft green light. Around her spun blades of air and dust, forming a barrier that was impossible to cross.
Junith leapt with her spear, aiming carefully, but wind slammed into her chest and threw her back. Doran rushed forward with his hammer, swinging low to break the barrier, but it didn't work.
Nira's vines couldn't take root in the wind. Her magic faded each time she cast it. She growled in frustration, spinning and cutting at the air, trying to open a path.
They were fast, smart, and strong. But Ristella's Corrupted Aura was now surrounding her like a storm cloud. Her control over the wind grew even stronger. Her silence now carried a weight that pressed on their chests.
They couldn't get close. Not yet.
---
The Skyvault Sanctum
The golden clouds above flickered as if even the sky was reacting to the power below.
Kael slashed again and again, blackfire hissing through the air. Orin and Drakar kept charging from different angles, trying to trap Kalix.
Nymera searched for patterns, eyes sharp, mind racing.
Still… Kalix didn't even try to block. He just dodged. Every strike missed by inches. Every move was countered before it landed.
He kept humming, calm and steady. Then something changed.
For a moment, golden energy pulsed around his body. It flickered through his veins like a heartbeat of lightning.
The smile stayed, but the air shifted.
His Corrupted Aura flared for the first time, not wild, but refined. It didn't roar. It whispered. And that made it worse.
Kael stopped for just a moment, sweat dripping from his chin.
"What is he…?" Nymera whispered.
They had done everything they could, and he wasn't even fighting back.
---
The Commanders were no longer just powerful.
Now they were something else entirely.
The Corrupted Aura didn't just make them stronger, it changed how they fought, how they moved, how they thought.
And across all the chambers, one truth was becoming clear…
This was not going to be a fair fight.