Chapter 123 – THE SHADOWED GENERAL
The Arcane beast writhed under Kenya's flames and Eliz's black cyclones, its body scorched and torn. For a moment, the battlefield trembled with their victory.
Then the shadow moved.
From the jagged cliffs above, a man descended slowly, his boots cracking stone with each step. His cloak rippled, stitched from scales of fallen Arcanes, and his eyes burned with a sickly golden light.
Kenya's aura surged, instinctively reacting to the crushing presence. His jaw tightened. "…This pressure… it's stronger than the beast."
Eliz's breath caught in her throat. Her magic coiled defensively as she whispered, "No… this isn't just a soldier. This is one of the Arcane Generals."
The man smirked, resting a long black spear on his shoulder. "You two fight well… for children. But compared to me, your strength is dust in the wind."
The serpent beast hissed and coiled around him like a pet, its glowing eyes bowing to its master.
Kenya roared, fire bursting across his body. "I don't care who you are! If you're one of those generals Shen fought to protect us from—then I'll burn you to ash myself!"
The General chuckled, raising his spear. "So much fire… so little control. I am General Draviel, Keeper of Serpents. A century ago, I was sealed by the so-called King of Drifters. But now… the seal is broken. And you, boy… will be my first kill."
Kenya charged forward, fists blazing brighter than ever, his Fire Demon form pushing its limits. His punch collided with Draviel's spear, the shockwave flattening the ground.
Eliz leapt in, summoning whirlwinds of Death Cyclone Magic to slice at the serpent. But Draviel only laughed, parrying Kenya with one hand while commanding the beast with the other.
"You think the two of you can stand where even armies fell? Foolish."
Kenya spat blood, his eyes blazing with fury. "Even if we die—we'll stand against you!"
Eliz's voice rang out, steady and sharp. "Because Shen isn't here. We're his allies. His family. And we won't let the Drifters fall!"
The night sky erupted with flame and cyclone as the clash with the Arcane General began—
while far away, Shen still trained, unaware that the seals of the past were breaking once again.
To be continued…