The two gods were evenly matched, and their attacks and counters were so swift that it was difficult to keep track of them. Marduk continued to summon spears of light, while Crone unleashed her tentacles and shadow blades in quick succession. The air was thick with the sound of clashing weapons and explosive energy. As the fight continued, Marduk was becoming increasingly fatigued, and his attacks were starting to become weaker. Crone, on the other hand, seemed to be gaining strength with each passing moment. If Marduk didn't finish this soon, he would be in serious trouble. Marduk seemed to sense this as well, and he suddenly changed his tactics. Instead of summoning more spears of light, he began to focus his energy into a single, massive blast. The air crackled with energy as Marduk gathered his power, and Crone watched him warily. With a sudden burst of speed, Crone launched herself at Marduk, her tentacles and shadow blades striking out with deadly precision. Marduk dodge
In the aftermath of the devastating battle, The Order's soldiers were on high alert.It didn't take long for the BlackHand to make their presence known, as they began to group together, seemingly with the intention to convert, kill, or imprison any remaining members of The Order.Two men dressed in black coats, adorned with black breastplates bearing the emblem of an open black hand, approached Kline, Robert, and John."We suggest you lay down your weapons and surrender peacefully," one of the men stated, in a calm and collected tone.Kline's eyes narrowed, his grip on his own weapon tightening."It appears that even amidst this chaos, the BlackHand continues to hound us like a pack of rabid dogs," he spat back.The other man stepped forward, his hand hovering over the hilt of his two swords."I suggest you watch your tongue, boy," he growled. "Surrender now, or face the consequences."Kline exchanged a glance with Robert and John, and they all knew what was at stake.They could eithe
With precision, Kline grabbed anything he could find to use as makeshift bandages and medicine.He assessed John and Robert's injuries carefully, knowing that every second counted.He was no healer, but he knew the basics of first aid and how to keep a wound clean.Robert's injury was the most severe, and Kline knew that if they didn't act fast, it could get infected and turn into something far worse.He quickly applied pressure to the wound and did his best to remove any ice shards that were still embedded in Robert's face.Meanwhile, John's leg wound was stabilized, but Kline knew that they needed to find a place to rest and recover before they could even think of escaping."John, you know our situation," Kline said, looking at him seriously."We won't be able to escape as we are now. We need to lay low in one of the destroyed buildings until we recover some energy for escaping. We'll grab Robert and hope his situation doesn't worsen."John nodded in agreement, his face grim. They w
Kline's eyes glinted with a fierce determination as he gazed at John with a mix of sorrow and anger.The loss of Robert was a heavy blow, but he knew that he had to fight. He could not let his comrade's sacrifice be in vain, and he could not let the BlackHand commander get away with his heinous actions.With a solemn nod, Kline readied his weapon, his mind focused on the task at hand. He knew that the odds were against him, but he refused to give up.He would fight with all his might to protect what he believed in and to avenge his fallen comrade.Kline's eyes burned with fury as he charged towards John, his sword glinting in the dim light.John stood his ground, holding his custom revolvers tightly in his hands.As Kline closed in on him, John spun around and fired both guns simultaneously, the bullets ricocheting off Kline's sword with a loud clang.Kline parried John's shots with ease, his years of training allowing him to anticipate every move.Kline launched a series of swift att
The passage of time had healed some of the wounds inflicted by the heretics, but the scars remained, both in the physical destruction of the city and in the emotional trauma of those who had witnessed the battle.Despite this, life had gone on in Nodnol, as it always does. The Order had vanished from the city, leaving behind a void that was slowly being filled by other factions vying for power.The city's skyline had changed dramatically in the year since the battle. Tall, imposing structures now loomed over the city, casting long shadows that stretched across the streets below.The bustling sounds of industry and commerce could be heard everywhere, as the factories churned out their products and the markets overflowed with goods from all over the world.Despite the changes, some things remained the same. Kline had remained in the city, continuing his training as an ascendant, determined to reach the path of the demigods and transcend his mortal limits.Eugene had stayed as well, alwa
Robert Blackwell winced as the throbbing pain in his head continued to persist, growing stronger by the minute."Ouch, damn headache!" he exclaimed, clutching his forehead."My head is throbbing so badly!" he muttered to himself, trying to take deep breaths to calm down.Robert Blackwell woke up feeling as if someone had ruthlessly given him a beating.His head was throbbing so badly that he could barely move his limbs.He tried to make sense of his situation, wondering why he had such a headache and if he was going to die young.As he struggled to regain his senses, his vision was blurred for a moment, before he saw the wooden desk in front of him with a notebook and books arranged neatly.The desk was made of oak, and its surface was smooth and polished. The books were of various sizes and colors, with titles ranging from philosophy to mathematics.His headache continues and as he rubbed his temples, he noticed a glint of light reflecting off something on the desk.He moved closer t
"John? Who is John?" Robert Blackwell thought to himself.Nevertheless, he decided to open the door and find out.As he opened the door, he was greeted by a tall, well-built man with a rugged face and a stern expression. He was wearing a long coat and a wide-brimmed hat, and he had a revolver holstered at his waist."Thank God, you're finally awake," said the man."We have to leave this place right now. The enemy is closing in, and we don't have much time.""Enemy? What enemy?" asked Robert Blackwell, still confused.John gave him a look of exasperation. "Don't you remember anything? We're on a mission to retrieve the artifacts from the temple of the Crimson Moon. The enemy, the Black Hand, is after the same artifacts, and they're willing to kill us to get them."Robert Blackwell's head was spinning. He had no memory of any of this. But he could sense the urgency in John's voice and the gravity of the situation.He nodded, and the two men quickly left the room and made their way down
Robert breathed a sigh of relief as he surveyed the aftermath of the battle.His group had emerged victorious against the Black Hand, but not without losses.Several of his fellow group members lay dead or wounded on the ground, and the toll of the fight was etched on the faces of those who remained.Robert's thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind him."Well done, Blackwell. You've proved your mettle today."Robert turned around to see a tall, slender man with a neatly trimmed beard and piercing blue eyes.He was wearing a tailored frock coat, dress shirt, and trousers, along with polished leather shoes, an odd contrast to the chaos of the chamber."Who are you?" Robert asked, his gaze narrowed suspiciously.The man smiled."My name is Alexander Kline. I'm the leader of this expedition. I've been watching you Robert, and I must say, impressive work. But now it's time for you to step aside."Robert's suspicions deepened."What do you mean, step aside? This was our mission, not you