The Runic Alchemist

"And the innocent people who just want to live? Yours and other kingdoms?" Damian stretched his hand toward the thousands of people in chains below them. "Tell me they don't deserve to live just because they didn't magically gain absurd powers through some random twist of fate. Sounds a lot like those same nobles you hate so much…"

"They had a choice. Empire people are all criminals on death row. The ones from Dawnstar were given a choice... They chose wrong."

"Become a tyrant? Rule with fear? That's your vision of the future?" Damian said, gritting his teeth.

"Better than perishing slowly in a dying land, trying to feed people while protecting ourselves from vultures. I have the power and the knowledge, so why shouldn't I use it to better our lives?"

Damian stared at the man who called himself the emperor. He had hoped the man was wise enough to understand the consequences of his actions and might come to some understanding with the other kingdoms. But this man just wanted it all. His fight was hopeless; he wouldn't stop, and neither would the three kingdoms. Dawnstar barely had a chance even without the massive weapons of destruction.

The King of Faerunia was the only one who could potentially end this—if the emperor hadn't already found a solution for him. It was a possibility. The emperor had prepared for years. He knew his opponents better than anyone. There was no chance for peace here.

"Are you going to stop me?" asked the emperor, resting his hand on the gold-plated, intricately designed sword at his side.

"I don't want to admit it, but I care for the people of this world. The nobles are a plague, but maybe they only follow them because they have no other choice. You're using their own language of violence to change the rules—you're no better than they are. In fact, you're more dangerous with all our world's knowledge. No, I won't stop you. Conquer all you want... But when you threaten my friends or harm innocent civilians who just want peace, you leave me no choice but to come after you."

"I can kill you right this second..." the emperor said, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"I would like to see you try," Damian said defiantly.

It wasn't just talk. He'd already dealt with two of his third-rankers, and that was him just stalling for time.

"Join me," the emperor suddenly said. "You and your friends will never be in harm's way. Find me a way to move all my weapons—like that aircraft of yours—and I will not use people for such work. But… you'll have to call me your king."

"I'm sorry. I don't work for others."

"Sooner or later, you will be a problem. Let me just be done with you, then," the emperor said, drawing his ornately designed sword. Channeling his golden mana into it and while continuing using the same flying spell as Damian, he stood ready, fire burning in his eyes.

Damian summoned his fiery spear back, channeling his pitch-black aura and drinking the Abyssal Strength, Fangbearer Strength, and Voidstep potions. His stats surged, his strength rising. The spear transformed, turning black with red lines tracing its length. It had never happened before.

The air around them hummed with their combined auras. Without a word, the emperor surged forward, his golden sword gleaming with blinding intensity, cutting through the air in a devastating arc. Damian countered in an instant. His transformed spear met the emperor's blade with a deafening clash. The force sent shockwaves through the ground, rattling the very air.

Damian was still overpowered, but it didn't end there. Damian activated every spell imbued in his armor pieces at once. This armor was combat-specialized, with each piece imbued with a single spell—the one that forced his aura out. His entire body lit with black abyssal fire, enhancing his strength once again to match that of one of the strongest third-rankers Damian had ever faced.

For a brief moment, they were locked in a struggle of raw power—golden fire against pitch-black shadows. The emperor moved with grace, his flying spell allowing him to weave and strike with pinpoint precision, but Damian's spear never faltered, twisting and turning to meet every blow. Each clash sent ripples through the mana, their auras colliding in bursts of light and shadow.

Damian could feel the strain on his body as the relentless assault continued. Every strike from the emperor was heavier than the last, filled with a mix of skill and fury. But Damian didn't back down. He channeled his dark aura deeper, pushing against the oppressive heat of the emperor's golden flames, unwilling to give him an inch.

The emperor's fiery gaze burned brighter, and with a sudden roar, he unleashed a blinding golden wave of energy that pushed Damian back, threatening to overwhelm him. But Damian was ready. In that moment of blinding light, he focused every ounce of his will and thrust his spear forward. The red lines along the shaft blazed as they pierced the golden storm, and for a fleeting second, it felt as if time itself slowed. The two collided once more, neither yielding, neither giving up—both knowing only one could emerge victorious.

However, Damian sensed it before it happened: a huge mana signature falling from above. The Spellsword. It made him smile—both from the satisfaction of his successful trap and from the chance it would give him.

"Your strength defies all logic… What even are you?" the emperor asked, hidden frustration evident on his face.

Damian slowly maintained his distance. The emperor also backed away, both circling each other. The moment the emperor sensed the falling Spellsword, Damian seized the chance and launched all three of his spells at once.

First came the laser, big and thick. The emperor could easily dodge it, but what about the falling, unconscious Spellsword? Aiming perfectly at the mana signature, Damian unleashed a massive, hot beam of light at him. The emperor was conflicted, torn between looking at Damian and up toward the descending third ranker. He tried to move toward him, but Damian raised his hand as if to signal another spell activation. The emperor had seen him use the wormhole spell before. With gritted teeth, rather than coming for him, the emperor flew straight up to save his unconscious soldier.

Damian sighed and let the laser spell fly. Activating a wormhole beside him, he emerged next to the waygate, where everyone else was already through—just his friends remained behind, fighting the never ending wave of soldiers and protecting the waygate. Damian activated his third spell and created a protective dome over them all. Clearing the soldiers inside was easy enough with Einar, Sam, and Lucian at his side.

Boarding their ship, Damian was ready to leave. The emperor was busy saving his man. Before they went, however, Damian looked at Moondancer's frozen sculpture in the distance, an evil smile curling his lips.