The Fall of a Formidable Foe

"Is killing Zakajz really that important to you? You don't seem to be a Titan Keeper or one of the Titan-forged."

"Does that matter? Once Zakajz comes back to life, he won't spare us just because we aren't forged by the Titans. Besides, I promised my king I would destroy him."

"Your courage surprises me, but sometimes courage is of no use."

"So what? Even if I die, I'll take him down with me!" Jarod roared, his face full of determination.

"Hahaha, your actions have earned my approval. Come, take my power and complete the mission I left unfinished!" Tyr first burst out laughing, then expressed his approval of Jarod. With a sweep of his great hand, he poured what remained of his power into Jarod's body. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the tomb's main hall lit up and began to sway.

"Jarod, wake the hell up!" Apophis said as he blocked an attack from Zakajz.

Everyone else was attacking with all their might, but the long battle had left them exhausted. Their movements were growing slower, and they were leaving more and more openings.

"This world belongs to the Dark Legion!" Zakajz was naturally delighted to see his enemies growing weaker.

Zakajz began gathering power, preparing to send them to their deaths with a blast of shadow.

The members of the allied army turned pale with shock when they saw Zakajz gathering energy for a blast.

"Get over here! None of us can withstand this attack alone!" Apophis began issuing orders, telling everyone to gather in one place and stand against it together.

"Warriors, raise your shields at the front! Casters, put up magic shields!" The allied army gathered to meet the attack.

Wake up, Jarod! There's not much time left! Apophis thought, looking at Jarod, whom they had dragged into the tomb's main hall.

"Feel the power of shadow!" Zakajz unleashed his shadow spell, and a powerful blast of energy struck the allied army's defensive formation.

The shields made by the Eternal Elves were incredibly sturdy, reinforced by magic runes inscribed on them. Even so, they were nowhere near enough to withstand the shadow beam Zakajz had carefully charged.

Bang! The beam pierced the first Warrior's shield, and the resulting explosion sent him flying. More and more Warriors were thrown back in quick succession, and the allied army's defenses grew weaker and weaker.

Boom! The energy beam crashed into the line of shields erected by the casters.

The earthen walls summoned by the Shamans, the ice walls formed by the mages, and their Arcane Shields were all blasted apart by the energy beam.

Everyone in the allied army had fallen. There was no stopping Zakajz now.

"Do you see? The power of shadow is invincible! The Old Gods will claim the final victory!" Zakajz began celebrating his triumph.

"There is no place for you in the Black Empire. The best end you can hope for is to die here and make room for the chosen of darkness." As he spoke, Zakajz started toward Apophis, who was closest to him, preparing to finish him off.

Apophis watched Zakajz draw closer and tried to stand, but exhaustion and his injuries left him unable to resist.

I never thought I'd die like this. What a pathetic way to go, Apophis thought.

"Let's start with you, insect." Zakajz approached Apophis and raised his enormous pincer to finish him off.

A figure rushed over and blocked the deadly pincer with the broken blade in his hand.

Clang! Blade and pincer collided, and the sound drew everyone's attention.

They all wondered who still had the strength to fight the monster.

"It's Commander Jarod! Commander Jarod is awake!" the elven soldier who looked over first shouted.

"Yes, I'm awake." Jarod deftly diverted Zakajz's attack, then picked up Apophis and got him out of the way.

"My friend, you're finally awake. If you'd taken any longer, I would've gone to see Tyr," Apophis complained.

"Tyr? I've already met him. He was the one who saved me." Jarod's words left Apophis stunned.

"All right, do what you can to help the others. I'm going to deal with this monster."

With that, Jarod walked toward Zakajz, ready to fight him to the death.

"Good luck, brother. You have to kill him for all of us." Apophis climbed to his feet and began treating the other soldiers.

"Do you mean to fight me on your own, insect? I defeated your entire group. Can you alone do what all of you together could not?"

"With nothing but the broken blade in your hand? And that belief you insects call 'courage'?"

"Those things are utterly powerless before absolute strength! Be consumed by shadow!"

Zakajz roared.

"The weapon is a problem, but Tyr has already helped me solve it."

Something flew in from outside: the chandelier from the roof outside.

"Hahaha, do you mean to smash me to death with that lamp?" Zakajz laughed.

"Oh? You really will be killed by this lamp."

Jarod tossed the broken blade into the air, and the "lamp post" moved toward it of its own accord.

As soon as the two touched, they were enveloped in a brilliant light.

The "lamp post" began to reveal its original form. The dust caked on it shook loose, and it returned to its original appearance.

A pure white radiance shone from it. This was no lamp post at all, but a war hammer: the Silver Hand, the weapon of the Keeper Tyr.

As Zakajz watched the "lamp post" reveal its true form, memories of the past came flooding back.

"That's Tyr's weapon! Why won't that damned bastard leave me alone?!" Zakajz shouted in fury.

"Zakajz, your existence will bring suffering to this world!" Tyr's phantom appeared as well.

"Failing to destroy you completely is the regret of my life."

"You killed me temporarily before, but I'm alive now, and you're dead. You can't do anything in your spirit form, but I can kill you both!" Zakajz used the power of shadow to attack Jarod and Tyr's phantom, intending to finish them off.

The shadow energy struck at them, only to be blocked by a weapon.

Its silver-white blade radiated the power of order, and golden patterns were etched into it. Its hilt, made of elemental power, perfectly balanced the various energies, allowing each to display its power to the fullest.

A new weapon had appeared.

Jarod grasped it, and a powerful energy flowed back into him. The power of order merged with his body. Tyr also poured his many years of combat experience into Jarod.

Years of hatred were about to be brought to an end here. Destiny was taking shape in another form, and the final battle between the Old Gods' warlord and the Keeper would also come to an end.