The wind howled through the landscape as Sora stepped out of the shadows, his heart pounding on chest.

  The warlock stood a few paces away, his dark, tattered robes billowing around him like an omen of death. His twisted staff gleamed with a faint, sickly light, and his yellowed eyes locked onto Sora with a mixture of hatred and twisted glee.

  The ground beneath him seemed to pulse, as if the very earth recoiled from his presence.

  The warlock sneered, his voice dripping with malice. I don't know what he was saying but this was going to be a fight for survival, and every bit of focus I had would be needed.

  Sora muscles tensed as he prepared to use for the inevitable. His talons digging into the rocky ground as he prepared for the fight. The Divine Light hummed softly within him, a faint but steady reminder of the power he wielded.

  He knew this wouldn’t be easy—the warlock was far more dangerous than the orc scouts he had faced earlier. But he had no choice. He had to fight.

  The warlock raised his staff, his voice a low, guttural growl. “You think you can escape me, little harpy? You think your pathetic light can save you?”

  Sora didn’t respond. He focused on the light within him, letting it build and grow. The shadows around him shifted, responding to the faint glow of his power.

  He could feel the energy coursing through his veins, a warm, radiant force that contrasted sharply with the warlock’s dark magic.

  The warlock struck first, his staff slamming into the ground with a thunderous crack. A wave of dark energy surged toward Sora, the air rippling with its power. Sora reacted instinctively, his wings flaring as he leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the attack.

  The ground where he had been standing erupted in a burst of black flame, the heat searing his feathers as he soared higher.

  He landed a few feet away, his talons scraping against the stone as he turned to face the warlock. The orc’s eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a sneer. “You’re faster than I expected. But speed won’t save you.”

  Sora didn’t waste time with what the warlocks saying. He channeled the Divine Light, shaping it into a radiant orb of energy.

  He sent the orb hurtling toward the warlock. The orc raised his staff, the dark runes glowing as he deflected the attack. The orb exploded in a burst of light, the force of the blast sending the warlock stumbling backward.

  But the orc wasn’t deterred. He swung his staff in a wide arc, sending a barrage of dark projectiles toward Sora. The harpy dodged and weaved, his wings beating furiously as he avoided the attacks.

  The projectiles struck the ground around him, each one erupting in a burst of black flame.

  Sora’s movements were fluid and precise, his agility and speed giving him the edge he needed. But he knew he couldn’t keep this up forever. His stamina was fading, and the warlock’s dark magic was relentless.

  He needed to end this—now.

  Summoning the last reserves of his strength, Sora focused on the Divine Light, letting it build within him. The energy surged through his body, a radiant force that pushed back the darkness.

  He spread his wings, the light spilling from his feathers as he launched himself into the air.

  The warlock’s eyes widened as Sora descended, his talons glowing with divine energy. The harpy slammed into the orc, the force of the impact sending them both crashing to the ground. The warlock’s staff flew from his hands, skidding across the rocky terrain as Sora pinned him down.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  But the orc wasn’t finished. With a snarl, he lashed out, his clawed hand striking Sora across the face. The harpy reeled, his vision swimming as he struggled to maintain his grip.

  The warlock’s strength was immense, his dark magic fueling his power.

  Sora gritted his teeth, his talons digging into the orc’s shoulders as he channeled the Divine Light once more.

  The energy surged through him, a brilliant burst of light that engulfed the warlock. The orc screamed, his body convulsing as the light burned away the dark magic that fueled him.

  For a moment, it seemed like Sora had won. But then the warlock’s eyes glowed with an unholy fire, his body twisting and contorting as dark tendrils of magic wrapped around him.

  His skin stretched and split, his bones elongating and cracking under the pressure of the transformation. His robes shredded away, revealing a grotesque, demonic form.

  Sora stumbled back, his golden eyes wide with shock. The warlock was no longer an orc—he was a monster, his body swollen with dark power, his horns curling back like a demon’s crown. His claws burned with black flame, and his eyes glowed with an infernal light.

  The chieftain, who had been watching from a distance, stepped back, his expression unreadable. He said something in a low, guttural voice.

  The warlock laughed, the sound inhuman, like the roar of a beast unleashed from the deepest pit. “You thought you could defeat me, harpy? You thought your light could save you?”

  Sora’s breath came in ragged gasps. The warlock—now a grotesque, demonic monstrosity—stood towering over the battlefield, his glowing green eyes filled with malice.

  The chieftain, Doomhand, had stepped forward, his massive hammer gleaming in the dim light as he positioned himself between Sora and the demon.

  The tension in the air was palpable, the ground trembling beneath the weight of the demon’s power. Sora’s heart pounded in his chest, his body trembling with exhaustion and pain. He had fought the warlock once, but this… this was something else entirely. The demon radiated raw, chaotic energy, its very presence threatening to overwhelm him.

  Doomhand’s voice cut through the chaos, deep and commanding. “You’ve gone too far, Guldar,” he growled, his grip tightening on his large warhammer.

  “This isn’t the power I bargained for.”

  The demon—Guldar—let out a guttural laugh, the sound inhuman and twisted. “You think you can control me, Doomhand? I am beyond your petty wars and ambitions. I am power incarnate!”

  The chieftain’s eyes narrowed, his expression hardening. “You’re a fool, Guldar. And I won’t let you destroy everything I’ve built.”

  With a roar, Doomhand charged, his hammer swinging in a wide arc. The demon snarled, his clawed hands crackling with dark energy as he met the chieftain’s attack head-on.

  The clash of their weapons sent a shockwave through the air, the ground cracking beneath their feet.

  Sora watched in awe as the two titans clashed, their movements a blur of brute strength and dark magic. The demon’s claws raked through the air, leaving trails of black flame, while Doomhand’s hammer struck with the force of a thunderclap, each blow shaking the earth.

  But even as the battle raged, Sora knew he couldn’t stay hidden. The demon was too powerful, and if Doomhand fell, there would be no one left to stop it. Summoning the last reserves of his strength, Sora pushed himself to his feet, his wings flaring as he prepared to join the fight.

  The Divine Light within him flickered faintly, a small but steady flame amidst the darkness. He focused on it, drawing on its power as he stepped out from behind the debris.

  His golden feathers glowed faintly, the light growing brighter with each step.

  The demon noticed him immediately, its glowing eyes narrowing as it let out a guttural snarl.

  “You!”

  It roared, its voice a twisted echo of the warlock’s. “You think your pathetic light can save you?”

  Sora didn’t respond, his mind focused on the task at hand. He raised his hand, the Divine Light surging forth in a radiant beam that struck the demon square in the chest. The creature roared in pain, its dark energy recoiling from the purity of the light.

  Doomhand seized the opportunity, his hammer slamming into the demon’s side with a deafening crash. The force of the blow sent the demon staggering, its monstrous form flickering as the dark magic sustaining it began to waver.

  But the demon wasn’t defeated yet. With a roar, it lashed out, its claws slashing through the air and striking Doomhand with enough force to send him flying. The chieftain crashed to the ground, his hammer slipping from his grasp as he struggled to rise.

  Sora’s heart raced as he realized the tide of the battle was turning. The demon was too powerful, its dark magic overwhelming even Doomhand’s strength.

  He needed to act fast.

  Summoning the last of his mana, Sora channeled the Divine Light into a concentrated beam, aiming it at the demon’s chest. The light struck true, piercing through the creature’s dark aura and causing it to howl in agony. The demon’s form began to unravel, its monstrous body flickering as the dark magic sustaining it was purged by the light.

  But the effort left Sora drained, his body trembling as he collapsed to his knees. The Divine Light flickered and faded, its energy spent. He looked up, his vision blurring as the demon roared in defiance, its form beginning to stabilize once more.

  Doomhand, battered but not broken, rose to his feet, his hammer back in his hands. “This ends now,” he growled, his voice filled with grim determination.

  With a final, earth-shaking roar, Doomhand charged, his hammer glowing with a faint, primal energy.

  The demon turned to face him, its claws raised, but it was too late. Doomhand’s hammer struck with the force of a meteor, the impact shattering the demon’s form and sending a shockwave through the battlefield.

  The demon let out a final, guttural scream as its body disintegrated, the dark magic dissipating into the air. The ground beneath it cracked and smoldered, the remnants of its power fading into nothingness.

  Sora watched in stunned silence as the dust settled, his body trembling with exhaustion. The battle was over, but the cost had been high. Doomhand stood amidst the ruins, his chest heaving as he surveyed the aftermath.

  The chieftain turned to Sora, his expression unreadable. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the tension between them thick and heavy.

  Finally, Doomhand broke the silence. “You’ve caused a lot of trouble, harpy,” he said, his voice low and measured. “But you’ve also proven yourself stronger than I expected.”

  Sora met his gaze, his golden eyes filled with defiance.

  Doomhand’s lips curled into a faint smirk. He turned away, his hammer resting on his shoulder. “For now, you’ve earned your freedom, you won the deal fair and square. But don’t think this is over. The orcs won’t forget what happened here.”

  Sora watched as the chieftain walked away, his massive frame disappearing into the distance. The battlefield was silent now, the only sound the faint rustling of the wind.

  For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Sora felt a flicker of hope.

  He had survived the warlock’s experiments, the demon’s wrath, and the orcs’ relentless pursuit.

  He was battered and bruised, but he was alive.