Kael stepped onto the battlefield at the head of his spirit army. His goal was clear: to destroy the remaining Apocalyptic Twins. Until now, he had used his dark power only to kill his enemies; but this battle was going to be different. His enemy would not be defeated by physical strength alone—he would also need to overcome them with spiritual force.
As Kael moved forward to face the first of the remaining Apocalyptic Twins, he heard the voice of the Dark Spirit. "Be careful, Kael. One of these enemies bears the title 'Soul Thief.' Do not underestimate his power." Kael paused for a moment, taking the warning seriously. A soul thief? That meant draining someone's soul, truly erasing them, required more than just strength. But Kael was no longer the man he once was. Every battle had carved a wound into his soul, and those wounds had only made him stronger.
As the leader of his spirit army, Kael focused both himself and his soldiers on a single goal: the Apocalyptic Twins. The first to appear was Shorvok, the Soul Thief.
Shorvok was a terrifying figure clad in ancient, blackened armor. His face was completely covered, only his glowing red eyes visible. As Kael approached him, the air around Shorvok grew razor-sharp, creating a mental pressure that felt like it could reach into Kael's deepest thoughts.
"Come and see, Kael," Shorvok's voice was cold and harsh. "The one who dares to kill me shall witness the true face of my power. I feed on every weak soul I consume. I can devour not only yours, but the soul of every being."
Kael closed his eyes tightly, like a whale diving into the depths of the ocean, letting the threat sink deep within him. Slowly, he signaled his strongest warriors to attack Shorvok. But Shorvok moved with frightening speed. With each step, waves of soul energy radiated from him, disintegrating Kael's soldiers rapidly.
To protect his army, Kael began casting a spell. At that moment, Shorvok's body blurred and in an instant, he leapt next to Kael, aiming to grab his throat. But Kael's eyes sharpened. With the awakening of his dark power, he moved fluidly, dodging Shorvok's claws.
"You enjoy fighting, don't you?" Kael said with a cold smirk. Shorvok tracked him with his eyes and let out a deep laugh.
"I just want to see you up close, Kael. When you destroy me, you will come to understand my power. Stealing souls brings about the end of everything."
Kael ignored the words and launched a counterattack. Empowered by demonic force, each strike became more lethal. But Shorvok parried each blow effortlessly. Kael needed a different strategy.
Then, instead of attacking Shorvok directly, Kael turned to the spirits behind him. He seized one from his own army and began absorbing its soul—he had grown powerful enough to feel the process just as Shorvok did. As he drained the soul, Shorvok staggered, unable to counter Kael's dark force. Kael felt the pull of the soul flowing into him, and Shorvok's strength faltered.
In Shorvok's eyes, Kael saw both fear and disappointment. His armor cracked, his power fading, until Kael struck the final blow and destroyed him. A few seconds later, Shorvok's soul was trapped in Kael's hand, pulsing with concentrated energy.
As Shorvok's body fell to the ground, Kael felt the new strength coursing through him. Soul Thief… After his death, something had changed within Kael. Now, absorbing the soul of a weak spirit, animal, human, or monster would be effortless. Shorvok's ability would become a weapon to prepare Kael for the greater war to come.
Feeling the new power awaken within him, Kael placed his hands over his chest and clenched them tightly. "It's mine now. Everything's going to be easier from here on out," he thought, with a deadly smile.
But the war was far from over. Only one Apocalyptic Twin had fallen—Shorvok, the fifth. Four more remained, and Kael would face even greater challenges before the end. Yet he was no longer the old Kael. With every passing moment, his power grew, his soul darkened further, and he took one more step toward a shadowed destiny.