The battlefield was chaos. Screams, clashing steel, and the roar of explosions filled the ruined fortress. Smoke curled through the night air, and the flickering glow of fire painted everything in hues of orange and red.

  Billy didn’t hesitate. His chaos blade hummed in his grip, the whispers growing louder, feeding off the bloodshed. He pushed forward, cutting through mercenaries like a blade through silk. Every step brought him closer to the fortress tower—closer to Reinhardt Vale.

  A figure lunged at him from the smoke, a massive war axe swinging toward his skull. Billy ducked at the last second, his blade flashing upward in a clean arc. The mercenary barely had time to register the strike before his body crumpled, lifeless.

  Another came at him, a swordsman this time. Faster, more skilled. Billy parried, twisting his blade to deflect the attack before driving his knee into the man’s stomach. As the enemy stumbled back, gasping for air, Billy delivered a finishing blow to the throat.

  He didn’t stop moving.

  Aelric and Kaela fought alongside him, carving a bloody path through the Crimson Vanguard. Aelric’s greatsword split bodies in half, while Kaela’s daggers found gaps in armor with deadly precision. But the enemy didn’t break. They fought like cornered beasts, desperate and unrelenting.

  “They’re stalling us,” Soria called out from above, her crossbow firing rapidly. “Reinhardt’s already moving deeper into the fortress!”

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  Billy’s eyes narrowed. He turned to Aelric and Kaela. “Hold the line. Keep them busy.”

  Kaela scoffed. “And let you have all the fun?”

  Billy smirked, but his voice was firm. “I need to end this. Don’t let anyone follow me.”

  Aelric grunted. “Go. We’ll handle this.”

  Without another word, Billy sprinted toward the tower, weaving through the battle like a phantom.

  The Chase

  The inside of the fortress was eerily silent compared to the raging battle outside. The stone corridors stretched long and dark, torchlight flickering along damp walls. Billy moved quickly, his boots barely making a sound.

  Then—footsteps ahead.

  He turned the corner just in time to see Reinhardt disappearing up a winding staircase.

  Billy’s lips curled into a snarl.

  No more running.

  He took the stairs two at a time, his grip on the chaos blade tightening. The whispers in his mind grew stronger.

  Strike first. Strike hard. Leave nothing standing.

  The door at the top of the stairs burst open as Billy slammed through it. He found himself in a massive chamber, the ruined throne room of the fortress. The ceiling was partially collapsed, allowing moonlight to spill in through the cracks.

  And there, standing in the center, waiting for him—Reinhardt Vale.

  The mercenary leader was already armed, his black-and-gold sword resting on his shoulder. He grinned, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. “I was wondering when you’d stop playing with my men and come find me.”

  Billy didn’t respond. He stepped forward, his chaos blade humming.

  Reinhardt chuckled. “No words? No last-minute negotiations?”

  Billy’s voice was ice. “You signed your death sentence the moment you betrayed me.”

  Reinhardt sighed theatrically. “Shame. I liked working with you.” He adjusted his stance, rolling his shoulders. “But I have to say—I’ve been looking forward to this fight.”

  Billy didn’t give him time to say more.

  He lunged.

  End of Chapter 83