As the battle raged on, Rain could feel the toll it was taking on his body. The wounds he had sustained earlier were beginning to throbbed, but he pushed through the pain, driven by the memory of Chin's sacrifice. He couldn't afford to falter now.
He couldn't afford to lose this battle — not after so many had sacrificed their lives for it. Defeating the Hobgoblins was his decision and his responsibility. He had to win and bring an end to this war, or he wouldn't be able to face Chin and all the others in the afterlife.
Kraggul, too, was feeling the strain. Despite his immense power and the boost from his Lord's Domain, the relentless assault from Rain was wearing him down. But his rage and ambition kept him going, each swing of his halberd fueled by his burning desire to cleave a better path for the Hobgoblins.
There was a tense stillness on both sides, a palpable hatred so intense it seemed the air itself would turn scarlet. Then, in an instant, both combatants burst into motion. Kraggul unleashed a flurry of devastating blows, each strike intended to smash Rain into the very earth. Rain responded with equal ferocity, his own attacks aimed to obliterate his foe, leaving nothing but dust and echoes.
They didn't just want each other dead — they wanted their enemy utterly destroyed, leaving no trace behind. The ground trembled beneath their fury, each clash of their weapons sending shockwaves through the battlefield, a testament to the raw power and determination driving their every move.
In a sudden burst of speed, Rain closed the distance between them, his sword aimed at Kraggul's heart. Kraggul swung his halberd in a desperate bid to block, but Rain anticipated the move. He twisted in mid-air, his wings giving him the agility to evade the halberd and bring his sword down on Kraggul's shoulder.
The blade bit deep, and Kraggul roared in pain. He retaliated with a powerful backhand swing that caught Rain across the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
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Rain gasped for breath, the pain searing through his body, but he forced himself to his feet.
Kraggul advanced, his halberd raised for a killing blow. Rain, drawing on his last reserves of strength, raised his sword and shield. The two clashed again, their weapons ringing out with each strike. The ground around them was scorched and battered, the aftermath of their struggle.
Rain's movements began to slow, his strength waning. Kraggul, sensing his opponent's weakness, pressed his advantage. He delivered a series of powerful strikes, each one driving Rain back. Desperation fueled Rain's defense, but he knew he couldn't hold out much longer.
Instead of shouting in victory with the others, Rain found himself paralyzed, unable to move. Something strange was happening as if he was being transported elsewhere. He wondered if Kraggul's blade had claimed his head and he was now being taken to the afterlife.
A blinding light enveloped him, obscuring his vision. When the light faded, Rain found himself in a strange cell.
The air was thick with an oppressive energy, and the walls seemed to pulse with an eerie, otherworldly glow. The ground beneath his feet was cold and unyielding, and the cell's bars hummed with a faint, mystical vibration.
Rain looked around, bewildered. This place was unlike anything he had ever seen. It felt both ancient and alien, as if it existed outside the bounds of reality. His senses were heightened, every sound amplified, every movement scrutinized by unseen eyes.
"Where am I?" Rain muttered to himself, his voice echoing off the walls.
A figure emerged from the shadows, cloaked in darkness. It was Kraggul, but not as Rain had seen him before. This Kraggul was a child, his form vivid and his eyes glowing with a haunting intensity.
Strangely enough, the child couldn't see him and walked right past him like he was a ghost!
Rain gasped. "Wait . . . am I . .
. am I in Kraggul's past? But why? How?"
His questions went unanswered as the scene began to shift before his eyes, transporting him through the fragmented memories of Kraggul's life.
He was no longer in the strange cell but standing in the midst of a memory, watching a young Hobgoblin boy cowering in the corner. The boy's eyes were filled with fear and pain, his body covered in bruises and scars from the whips of his masters.