parentshiftbook Chapter 653 Necessary
Chapter 653 Necessary
Velthara's silver-coated body trembled when Kale continued his slow but menacing approach toward her. Her instincts screamed at her to run and escape the shadow of the man who had always been her ally.
But his eyes... those cold, unyielding eyes... They told her everything she needed to know. Kale's intent wasn't to protect her. It was far worse. Those ayes are the eyes that appeared when he wanted to do a killing.
"Kale... what are you going to do?" Velthara asked, her voice trembling, her usual composure shattered by the ominous tension in the air.
"I'm sorry, Velthara," Kale said with steady and calm voice, but also sounded almost apologetic. "We don't have time for you to keep absorbing. The Dragonborn are getting very close."
"What? No! You can protect me!" Velthara's voice rose in desperation as she instinctively took a step back. Her silvery energy flickered around her as an unconscious attempt to guard herself.
But Kale didn't stop. He kept walking toward her with the same deliberate pace, his sharp gaze locked onto her. The air grew colder and heavier with the oppressive weight of his power. Velthara felt a chill run down her spine as she realized the truth: she couldn't fight him. Kale was the strongest of them, the most relentless and cold hearted.
"This... this isn't what the gods want!" Velthara protested, her voice cracking under the weight of her fear.
Kale paused briefly, tilting his head slightly, as if considering her words. Then, with a voice as cold and resolute, he replied, "The gods require whatever it takes to win. Even if you die, Velthara, the goddess of Mercury will not perish. Her power inside your body will merge with mine." He took another step closer, his shadow stretching toward her like a living thing. "Please, don't make me hurt you more than necessary."
"No... no, no, no!" Velthara's voice rose to a frantic pitch, her silver energy flaring wildly in an attempt to defend herself.
But Kale's shadow moved faster than she could react. It surged toward her like a dark tendrils and weaving around her legs and arms, binding her in place. Her voice was silenced as another shadowy tendril coiled tightly around her mouth, muffling her screams.
Kale stepped into the shadows that now swirling around her like an unholy shroud. Velthara's silver-coated figure thrashed against the bindings, her eyes wide with terror as he raised a hand and cupped her face firmly.
"Forgive me," Kale whispered with voice full of mercy and guilt. Yet, he didn't stop what he was doing.
Dark mist erupted from his hand, engulfing her entirely. Velthara's silver energy flared brilliantly in protest, but Kale's power was too overwhelming. His grip tightened as he began to absorb her essence and life, her luminous silver aura dimming as it was torn from her body.
Velthara's muffled cries echoed in the desolate ruin, her presence fading with every passing second. The skeletal structure behind her shimmered weakly, the flow of its power diverted entirely into Kale.
As the last traces of Velthara's strength left her, Kale released her lifeless body and letting it collapse to the ground with a soft thud. The shadows receded and the ruin fell silent once more.
Kale stood over her, his dark coat now faintly illuminated by the silvery glow of the power he had just absorbed. His pale face betrayed no emotion as he turned his gaze toward the sky.
"The Dragonborn will regret this," he muttered. As if Velthara's death is done by the Dragonborn. Which from his twisted perspective, is true.
The silvery glow from Velthara's lifeless form still lingered faintly in the air like a ghostly reminder of what had just happened. Kale stood amidst the swirling remnants of her energy that now absorbed into his own body.
Kale's jaw tightened at the question, and for a moment, a flicker of sadness passed across his face. It was fleeting and almost imperceptible, but it was there. The shadows surrounding him wavered slightly as if mirroring the conflict within.
"She wasn't supposed to die like this," Kale admitted, his voice low and tinged with a rare vulnerability. "But her power... it was necessary. You Dragonborn left me no choice!"
Erend's scales pulsed, arcs of lightning dancing furiously along him.
"You had no choice?" he growled, his voice rising like the thunder above. "Don't you dare put this on us! You're the one who did this. You killed her."
Kale's expression darkened and the flicker of sadness was replaced by rage. Shadows coiled tighter around him, a tangible manifestation of his growing anger. He pointed a gloved hand at Erend.
"You don't get to judge me!" Kale snapped. "Do you think I wanted this? That I wanted to sacrifice her? No, Dragonborn, this is all because of you!"
Erend's gaze bore into him, full of disbelieve. Kale continued, his voice seething with blame.
"Your kind has done nothing but ruin everything we've built! You've shattered the balance, thrown the gods into chaos, and forced us to take desperate measures just to survive! Velthara's death... her sacrifice... it's on your hands as much as mine!"
Erend's massive claws dug into the ground, the electric storm around him intensifying.
"You're twisting your guilt into an excuse. You killed her. You made this choice. And think you are just too crazy to think right now," Erend said.
Kale laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "Of course you'd see it that way. You, the noble Dragonborn, always so quick to judge, so blind to the devastation you've caused. Do you have any idea what it's like to fight for survival against a storm that only takes and never gives? No. You wouldn't understand. You couldn't."
"You justify your sins with blame."
Kale's shadows flared in response, his figure radiating an aura of pure menace. "And I see a beast who claims to be a savior, but all he brings is destruction."
The tension between them reached a breaking point, the air charged with the clash of their opposing energies. Kale's shadows writhed like serpents, reaching toward Erend, while the storm above roared in agreement with the Dragonborn's fury.
"You've taken everything from us," Kale hissed. "Now, I'll take everything from you."
Erend snarled, his wings spreading wide as arcs of lightning surged along their edges.
With a deafening roar, Erend lunged with fury of the storm behind him, while Kale's shadows surged forward to meet him in a collision of light and darkness.
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