The mage's power was undeniable. Althar could feel the surge of energy crackling in the air, thick and oppressive, as if the very earth beneath his feet had come alive. His soldiers braced themselves, and the mages in his retinue began casting their wards and shields, but Althar could feel the strain in the air. This was no mere rebellion, no petty uprising. This was something ancient, something far more dangerous.
The creatures surrounding the mage snarled, their eyes glowing with unnatural light as they advanced. They weren't human—Althar could feel that much—but they moved with a predatory grace, their bodies twisted and contorted in ways that defied natural law. Their skin was pale, almost translucent, and the way they moved—fluid, swift, and deadly—sent a shiver down his spine.
"Althar, the king who thinks he can stand in my way," the mage's voice rang out, mocking, laced with power. "You have no idea what you are facing. No idea at all."
Althar gripped the hilt of his sword, his knuckles whitening. "I don't need to understand everything to know that I won't allow you to destroy my kingdom."
The mage's eyes glittered with amusement. "Destruction? No, my dear king, I seek only rebirth."
Before Althar could respond, the mage raised his hands high, chanting in that same ancient tongue. The ground beneath them rumbled, and the air was filled with an almost palpable pressure. The creatures lunged forward with terrifying speed, but Althar's soldiers were ready, their spells flashing in the air as they met the charge.
The battle was chaos. Althar's soldiers fought with valor, but the creatures were relentless, their speed and strength overwhelming. Each strike from Althar's men seemed to dissipate like smoke, the creatures reforming with terrifying ease. His mages cast barrier spells and elemental attacks, but the mage in the center of the clearing was pulling at something deeper, something older—magic that wasn't of this world.
Althar's eyes never left the mage, who stood untouched amidst the chaos, his hands weaving spells that bent the very fabric of reality. The air around him shimmered, distorting like heat waves over a flame, and it was clear that this wasn't just a simple attack. This was an invocation—one that could unravel the very threads of reality itself.
I must end this, Althar thought, his mind racing. He was a king, yes, but he was also a man who had faced countless battles in his past life. He had faced gods, demons, and forces beyond his comprehension. But this... this was different.
There was a tug in his chest, a sensation he had become all too familiar with over the past few days. It was the same feeling he had experienced when the woman had spoken to him, when the walls around his heart had started to crumble. The pull of something buried deep inside him.
He couldn't fight this as a king. Not now. Not with this kind of magic.
His heart pounded, and suddenly, he understood. This was more than a physical battle—it was a battle for his soul. The mage wasn't just using magic; he was trying to reach into something that had once been a part of Althar. Something ancient, something he had lost in his reincarnation.
His eyes locked onto the mage again. The mage's chant grew louder, more intense, and the creatures around him surged forward in a mindless frenzy, but Althar wasn't listening to them anymore. He wasn't focused on the physical world. He closed his eyes for a moment, reaching deep inside himself, following that strange, tugging sensation.
It was there.
A surge of power, ancient and deep, resonated within him. Althar's breath caught in his throat as he grasped it, pulling it to the surface. It felt... right. A connection that had been severed long ago, now reawakened.
When Althar opened his eyes again, something had changed. The world around him seemed to slow down. His senses sharpened, the sounds of battle growing distant as the power within him surged. The energy—the magic—he had once wielded in his previous life began to fill his very being, an overwhelming force that resonated with the power the mage was using.
He raised his hand, and a wave of raw energy shot forward, crashing into the creatures. They screamed, writhing as the energy twisted around them, burning through their unnatural forms. The mage faltered for a moment, a flash of surprise crossing his face.
"You," the mage hissed. "You remember."
Althar's lips curled into a grim smile. "I remember more than you think."
With a snap of his fingers, Althar summoned a barrier of energy around him, a protective shield that blocked the mage's next attack. The mage's magic recoiled against the shield, but Althar could feel the strain. He had never before wielded magic like this—not in this new body, at least. But the power that surged within him now was familiar. It was a part of him. A part he had hidden away for far too long.
The mage raised his hands again, summoning a torrent of energy, but Althar was faster. He moved with precision, his sword crackling with energy as he surged forward, the earth beneath him trembling with the weight of his magic.
"You do not understand the power you are tampering with, Althar," the mage sneered. "It is not something a mere king can control."
Althar's eyes narrowed. "Then let me show you what a king can do."
He released a blast of energy so powerful that it shook the very air around them. The ground cracked beneath him, and the sky seemed to darken as the magic spiraled out of control. The mage screamed as the energy enveloped him, his dark form dissolving into nothingness.
For a moment, the world stood still.
The creatures that had been attacking Althar's forces faltered, as if caught in the wake of the powerful magic. But the battle was far from over. Althar knew that defeating this mage wouldn't stop the storm that was brewing. The true battle had just begun.
Breathing heavily, Althar surveyed the battlefield. His soldiers were weary, but they had fought bravely. His mages had managed to hold the line, but their magic was spent. And even now, Althar could feel the remnants of the mage's power lingering in the air, like a poison spreading through the land.
But there was something else. The woman's face flashed in his mind, and he understood. This isn't just about the kingdom. It's about something deeper. Something within me.
Althar turned away from the battlefield, his mind already racing ahead. The war was not over. There were still forces at play that he couldn't fully understand. But one thing was certain—he would face it, not as a king, but as something more. Something that had been reborn from the ashes of his past.
And in this new life, he would find the strength to reclaim not only his kingdom but his soul.