Clang!
Clang!
BOOM!
The echoes of metal clashing and shockwaves tearing through the void rattled the broken remains of Rimscape. Energy pulsed out in violent bursts, rippling through the air like lightning trapped inside smoke.
The Shard's power had grown again — far beyond what we saw before. Its energy flared and twisted, fracturing reality around it, the ground beneath our feet glitching with every step it took.
Blaze stood opposite it, sword drawn, body trembling beneath bandages. He was injured — barely able to stay upright — but still fighting.
I could only watch. The two soldiers with me were frozen, staring in awe and terror at the spectacle before us.
"That thing … it must be the anomaly the captain mentioned," one whispered, voice trembling.
"You're right," the other said, eyes wide. "Look at that power — it's like a raid boss come to life."
I frowned. The Shard? Not Blaze? For all this time, I thought the Empire's readings were because of him — but it was this thing all along?
The ground exploded again, sending shards of debris into the air. Blaze counter-swung, his blade trailing blue light as it met the Shard's crimson edge. The impact sent out a wave that split the dirt, fire erupting around them.
"Don't just stand there! Help him!" I yelled at the soldiers.
They snapped out of their trance and opened fire, unleashing a storm of bullets toward the Shard.
The creature moved like liquid metal, weaving through the gunfire with inhuman precision — but it was enough to give Blaze a moment to breathe.
"Sir Blaze is … actually powerful," one soldier said, still firing. "He's not just some veteran — he's something else."
"Yeah," the other muttered. "No wonder that he fought on the great war."
"Blaze, don't push yourself!" I shouted.
He didn't answer — just smiled faintly, sword raised, eyes never leaving the enemy.
The Shard lunged forward again. Their blades collided — BOOM! — another shockwave ripped through the ruins.
And then Blaze was sent flying, crashing hard into a collapsed stone structure. Dust erupted around him.
"Blaze!" I screamed and ran, ignoring the soldier's shout behind me.
"Hey, what are you doing?! Get back here!"
I didn't listen. The debris was heavy, but I clawed my way through it until I saw him. Blaze lay half-buried, blood seeping through his bandages. He tried to move but winced in pain.
"Hey … I'm alright," he said weakly, wiping the blood from his mouth.
"No, you're not. You can't beat that thing like this."
He gave a soft, pained laugh. "You're probably not wrong."
Before I could say anything else, a storm of explosions roared across the battlefield.
Boom—Boom—Boom!
Bullets rained from every direction. Rockets screamed overhead.
The Shard staggered under the sudden onslaught, its body flickering with static.
I looked up — and saw them.
The captain. The rest of the squad. And SK — leaping through the haze, scythe in hand.
"They're back!" I shouted.
The captain's voice bellowed across the comms. "What the hell is that thing?!"
"Sir, we believe it's the anomaly we were sent to find!" one soldier replied.
The captain narrowed his eyes, scanning the creature through his visor. "Incredible … its power output's off the charts. Higher than any reading we've ever had."
SK landed beside us, her boots kicking up dust. "Sir Blaze!" she called out, kneeling next to him.
"I'm fine. It's nothing," Blaze said, even as blood trickled from the side of his mouth.
Then she turned on me, furious. "And you — why are you out of your restraints?! You should still be tied up!"
"How could I sit there while we were under attack?!" I shot back.
Her glare softened, just slightly, but she still huffed.
The captain barked orders to his squad. "Suppress it! If you can't kill it, neutralize it!"
"Yes, sir!"
Gunfire lit the void once again. The squad advanced, spreading out into formation, unleashing grenades and concentrated rifle fire at the Shard.
But even with all their firepower, the creature hardly flinched.
"Captain," SK said quickly, scanning the readings on her wrist display, "we should fall back to the portal. That thing's too strong for a single unit."
"Come on, SK — it's just one target! We can handle it!" he snapped.
"No, you don't understand—!"
Her words were drowned out by another deafening explosion. The Shard swung its sword in a wide arc, releasing a crimson shockwave that tore through the air like lightning.
BOOM!
Half the squad was thrown off their feet. Two soldiers screamed, hit by debris.
"The hell is that power?!" the captain roared, gripping his weapon.
"Captain, we need to retreat now!" SK yelled.
He gritted his teeth but finally nodded. "Men! Grab the wounded! We're pulling out!"
The soldiers scrambled to obey, hauling the injured toward the flickering portal.
I helped Blaze to his feet, draping his arm over my shoulder. "Come on, we have to go."
He didn't resist — but as we stumbled back, I felt his eyes fix on something behind me.
I turned.
The Shard stood amid the fire, its body burning with red energy. Our gazes met.
And for a brief, horrifying moment, I understood.
It wasn't just fighting. It remembered us. It remembered him.
The void rippled around it, its energy whispering like static in my ears.
You won't escape me.
I shuddered and turned away. "Move! Faster!"
We reached the edge of the ruins where the portal flickered, still unstable but open. Two soldiers covered our rear, firing bursts to slow the Shard's advance.
It raised its sword again — and unleashed a barrage of crimson energy.
Vwoom—Vwoom—Vwoom!
The blasts tore through the ground behind us, one hitting close enough to send me tumbling. The air screamed with energy, and for a moment, I thought the portal would collapse.
But we made it — barely.
The structure around us began to crumble, the world itself glitching and breaking apart.
Then, impossibly, the Shard moved.
It didn't run. It didn't teleport. It just appeared — right in front of us.
"Impossible!" the captain shouted.
The creature's eyes glowed a deep crimson, its sword rising once more.
Blaze straightened beside me, his breathing heavy. He reached for his weapon.
"Blaze! No — you can't! You're too hurt!" I yelled, grabbing his arm.
He looked at me, calm despite the chaos, and whispered, "Someone has to stop him."
Before he could move, a sound echoed from behind — a roar of engines and the thunder of boots.
The portal flared wide, blinding light spilling out across the ruins.
Figures stepped through — dozens of heavily armored Empire soldiers, carrying energy rifles and plasma shields. Their formation spread instantly, surrounding the battlefield with precision.
At their center came one figure — taller than the rest, cloaked in blood-red armor that shimmered under the dim light. His great sword glowed faintly along its edge, humming with restrained power.
The air grew heavy.
Even the Shard paused, as if recognizing something.
The captain exhaled in relief. "Looks like backup's arrived."
The red knight's voice rumbled through his helm, deep and distorted.
"Identify the anomaly."
"Sir," the captain said, saluting quickly, "the entity ahead of us — that's the one. Power readings beyond measurable range. We're preparing to extract the wounded."
The knight's gaze shifted, first to the Shard, then to Blaze — and for a moment, I swore he could see something others couldn't.
He raised his sword slowly, pointing it toward the Shard.
"Then step aside."
The soldiers around him spread out immediately. Energy hummed through the air.
Beside me, Blaze's eyes widened slightly. He could feel it too — the immense, oppressive aura radiating from the newcomer.
"Who is that?" I whispered.
SK looked uneasy. "One of the Empire's highest-ranked enforcers. They call him the Crimson Warden. He doesn't come unless things get really bad."
The knight stepped forward, every movement calm and deliberate.
The Shard, as if insulted by his presence, raised its own sword, energy screaming through the air like static fire.
And then —
BOOM!
They clashed.
The explosion of power shook the entire region, sending shockwaves rippling through the void. The soldiers shielded their faces, debris flying everywhere. I fell to my knees, covering my ears from the deafening roar.
Two forces — Empire and Void — met in the middle of the broken world, and for the first time, Blaze wasn't the strongest thing on the field.