The border between the Empire and the Neutral Lands was marked by the Gorge of Whispers, a deep canyon where the wind sounded like the crying of ghosts. As the group approached the bridge that led to freedom, the air grew thick with the smell of iron and ozone.
Standing in the center of the bridge was a single man. He wore heavy, blood-red armor that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. In his right hand, he held a halberd that dripped with a liquid energy that hissed as it hit the snow. This was General Kaelen, the "Iron Wall of the South."
"Grand Elder Shara," Kaelen's voice was like a landslide. "The Emperor does not like to lose his treasures. You have three seconds to surrender the boy before I paint this canyon in your colors."
Shara stepped forward, her jade sword glowing with an emerald intensity. "Kaelen, you were always a dog for the throne. But even a dog should know when it's facing a wolf."
Kaelen roared, and the shockwave of his Qi was so powerful it sent boulders tumbling from the canyon walls. He didn't wait. He lunged, his halberd carving a path of destruction through the air.
"Meilin, stay back!" Shara shouted, clashing her blade against the massive halberd. The impact sent sparks flying, but the General's raw physical power was overwhelming.
Yun Caos watched the duel, his eyes analytical. He could see the threads of destiny surrounding Kaelen—they were thick, reinforced by the "Blood Luck" of the thousands of men he had commanded. This wasn't just a man; he was a living anchor of Imperial power.
"He is bound to the Empire," Yun whispered. "As long as the Empire stands, he cannot fall."
Yun stepped into the fray. He didn't attack Kaelen's body. Instead, he reached out and grabbed the shaft of the halberd. The crimson energy hissed against his translucent skin, trying to burn him, but the violet mark on his neck pulsed with a hungry light.
"You think your 'Void' can eat the will of an Empire?" Kaelen sneered, putting all his weight into the weapon.
"I don't need to eat your will, General," Yun said, his voice cold. "I only need to eat the Order that keeps you standing."
As Yun's chaos bones resonated, the crimson armor of the General began to flake away, turning into gray dust. The "Blood Luck" that protected Kaelen was being systematically unraveled. For the first time in his life, the General felt fear. He wasn't losing a fight; he was losing his place in the world's hierarchy.
"Meilin! Now!" Yun commanded.
Meilin, who had been gathering her Nirvana flames into a concentrated spear of white heat, saw the opening. "Burn in the silence of the void!" She threw the spear with all her might.
The spear pierced the gaps in Kaelen's unraveling armor. Without the Imperial protection that Yun was devouring, the General was just a man. The explosion of white and violet fire consumed the center of the bridge, sending a shockwave that echoed for miles.
When the light faded, Kaelen was gone, leaving only his shattered halberd behind. Yun stood at the edge of the Gorge, his breathing steady, though his skin was glowing with an intense, almost blinding violet light.
"The gate is open," Yun said, looking toward the Neutral Lands. "But the Empire won't stop until they see me dead... or until there is no Empire left to send them."