Sylas realized too late that flight wouldn’t save him. In a desperate move, he transformed into wind itself, vanishing in a blink as he teleported several hundred meters away. It was a trick similar to Thalion’s own Mistform, though born from wind rather than blood. But even this clever maneuver wasn’t enough. Thalion was fast—far faster—and closed the gap again in seconds.

He could have used his lightning beam, but decided against it. Charging it would make him vulnerable, and besides, he preferred the thrill of close combat. His talons surged with power as he activated his claw skill, arcs of energy dancing along their edges. He wasn’t here to win efficiently—he wanted to make it hurt.

Sylas tried to push him back with a wave of blue fire, but Thalion tore through it like it wasn’t even there. The flames had become his own. His affinity and passive abilities rendered him completely immune. As he emerged from the blaze, talons aimed at Sylas’s face, the young mage barely had time to react.

Sylas turned to wind mid-flight, but not fast enough. Thalion’s claws raked across his shoulder, tearing a chunk of flesh free before the transformation completed. The wind mage reappeared beside Kael and slammed into the ground, twitching violently as lightning surged through his body. Blood poured from the fresh wound in his chest like a ruptured vein. He screamed, writhing but unable to move.

Thalion hovered above, the air around him shimmering as he began to gather power. Azure fire flared into existence, dancing across his limbs while energy surged. He was charging the lightning beam—this time, there would be no escape.

Kael looked up at him with wide, horrified eyes. His expression was a mix of disbelief, helplessness, and pure hatred. It wasn’t the face of a man ready to die—it was the face of someone forced to watch fate unfold. And then, just as the final surge of power gathered in Thalion’s hands, Kael pulled out a shimmering token. Another appeared in Sylas’s hand.

In an instant, both were gone.

The lightning beam struck empty sand with a blinding flash. The desert floor exploded, the heat fusing grains of sand into molten glass and throwing dust high into the air.

"Damn it," Thalion hissed under his breath with anger flaring under his skin like a wildfire. If they were hiding now, he’d never find them. Worse, the tokens they used bore the same markings, which meant they’d likely teleported to the same safe location. Linked escape tokens. The expensive kind.

He’d failed to kill his former comrades, and now they knew almost everything. Every form, every strength, every trick he’d used was burned into their memories. That knowledge was dangerous. Once the tutorial ended, they could inform their gods. And that was something Thalion couldn’t afford.

If any god discovered what he had done, he might be finished. Outsiders weren’t supposed to exist here. Still, the divine couldn’t yet descend into this world. There were restrictions. The level caps in place were brutal, and even the gods were bound by them. For now.

A voice boomed from above, snapping him from his thoughts.

"Welcome, new people! You now have the chance to become full citizens in the greatest and fairest empire of them all!" Jack’s voice thundered from one of the floating skyships, magically amplified by a wand pressed to his neck. "Thalion, our ruler, is a charismatic and powerful leader who will protect you from all evil! Don’t hesitate—join us now!"

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His words echoed across the desert, powerful enough to make the very sand vibrate.

Thalion raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "I thought you were staying in the catacombs."

Jack shrugged, perfectly at ease. "I was, but it got boring. And when we heard Kael was charging ahead, they sent me to check things out. Just in case."

Thalion sighed and turned away. "Fine. Let’s return. We don’t have much time left. Ankhet’s resurrection is only hours away."

He shifted back into his human form, walking toward the catacombs. But before joining the next battle, he needed to confirm one last detail. What item had Kael received from his god? Something had allowed him to alter the Sanguine Thorn, now transformed into the Crimson Virethorn.

The answer came in the form of a mythic item:

Heartroot Elixir (Mythic)

This elixir was crafted by the god Aeta, one of the most powerful divine beings across the infinite realms. His domain spans vast territories, and his followers are many. Aeta does not concern himself with the weak. Only those marked by destiny receive his blessings. To create the Heartroot Elixir, more than a thousand Sanguine Thorns were sacrificed—an offering that must have taken centuries to collect. And even that was not enough. Dozens of other ingredients, each unimaginably rare, were added to the mix. The Sanguine Thorn is nearly impossible to replicate. Only a handful in the multiverse have managed to manipulate the plant’s essence. Aeta is among them. And though the Thorn was not made for him, he altered it—for you, his chosen. This elixir allows you to bestow a new elemental affinity upon the Crimson Virethorn—one that could surpass even the power of blood. The plant will no longer need blood to cultivate. Instead, it will draw strength from something else. Something more available to you. Go now. Lift your head high. You were chosen.

Thalion rolled his eyes as he finished reading.

“What a ridiculous wall of praise,” he muttered. Ninety percent of the message was just self-congratulatory drivel. Only one sentence had any actual use.

Still, the elixir was powerful. With it, he could reshape the Crimson Virethorn, unlocking new affinities and new potential. He’d consider which affinity would benefit him most—ideally something his current forms lacked. His Tidecaller Serpent form already let him burn even beneath the sea, so fire was more than covered. He needed an affinity that added utility, something that wouldn’t interfere with his blood arts or his human form.

But that could wait. For now, there was a pillar that needed to be destroyed. This whole catacomb business had been pure chaos.

Anger was still burning hot inside Thalion. This couldnt have been the best cause of action. Should he have outright attacked Kael from the start even when it had supported Kaels narrative of him being a monster? Maybe he should have attacked Kael in the tunnels and just killed everyone there while they were caught between the undead beasts and his fighters? It would have been cruel and something he didnt want to do but if it ensured the destruction of the pillar?

It didn't matter he would crush those undead. If he was lucky not everything was lost and he could still destroy the pillar. Actually if he managed to destroy the pillar the outcome wouldn't be that bad.

Thalions soul burned with anger and conviction. Nothing would stop him and definitely not some vampires.