Xander inclined his head, the shadows around him stirring as old memories surfaced. "Betrayal by those closest to you leaves a particular scar," he said. "I know it well.
Centuries ago, I was sealed away by those who called themselves my allies. Gods. Demons. Mortals. All of them feared what I represented."
Lilith slowed her steps, eyes widening just slightly. "You are speaking of legends," she said carefully. "The one they called the Ultimate Dark Lord. The soul-devourer who nearly tore the heavens apart."
"The same," Xander replied without hesitation. His voice was calm, but something dark and heavy rested beneath it. "They spoke of balance, of necessity. In truth, they envied my freedom. I refused to kneel, and that was unforgivable."
Lilith studied him in silence, reassessing everything she thought she understood. "And now you're awake," she said softly.
"Yes," Xander answered. "And they will remember why fear followed my name."
For a time, neither spoke. Their shared histories of betrayal lingered between them, not as comfort, but as recognition. Fire and shadow, both cast aside by those who claimed authority.
The forest gradually thinned, giving way to rolling hills and worn roads. Smoke curled in the distance, and faint torchlight marked signs of mortal habitation.
Hunger crept in, subtle but persistent. Xander's recent harvest had steadied him, but Lilith's fire burned hot and demanded fuel. Survival, for now, required preparation.
Xander raised a hand, pointing toward a settlement nestled behind low stone walls. Banners bearing the Solarian Empire's crest fluttered above its gates.
"There," he said. "A fortified outpost. Supplies, weapons, and information. Perhaps more, if opportunity presents itself."
Lilith's lips curved into a sharp grin, fangs flashing in the low light. "Now that sounds familiar." She cracked her knuckles, embers dancing along her fingers. "Lead on, Dark Lord."
Together, they turned toward the town.
And somewhere within its walls, the world was about to learn that legends did not stay buried forever.
They moved beneath the veil of Xander's shadows, slipping through the town like wraiths. Patrols passed within arm's reach and never noticed. Dawn had not slowed the settlement.
Merchants shouted prices from their stalls, guards rotated along the walls, and civilians went about their routines, unaware of how close disaster walked among them.
They slipped into a storage depot near the inner wall. Crates were stacked high with supplies meant for frontier forces.
Xander pried them open with little effort. Dried meats, waterskins, travel rations. Lilith scooped up a handful of enchanted trinkets, minor charms humming with weak but useful magic.
They were almost finished when the alarms sounded.
A harsh bell rang out, followed by shouts and the pounding of boots. A squad of guards burst through the doors, blades already drawn.
"For the Empire," one of them shouted. "Drop your weapons!"
Xander let out a quiet breath. "Predictable."
Shadows surged from the floor and walls, snapping tight around the guards before they could advance. Panic replaced discipline as they were dragged down, screaming.
Xander moved through them with detached efficiency, tearing free souls one after another. Dark energy rolled off him in slow waves, his presence growing heavier with every stolen essence.
Lilith did not wait.
Flames spiralled from her hands, controlled and lethal. Armour warped and glowed before collapsing inward. She danced through the depot in arcs of fire, her movements sharp and fluid, leaving scorched stone and fallen bodies in her wake.
One guard stood out.
A young woman with fierce eyes and steady footing broke free of the shadows long enough to meet Lilith head-on.
Steel rang as her blade clashed against flame-hardened defences. She fought with grit and focus, refusing to yield even as the odds turned hopeless.
Xander noticed.
A shadow tendril lashed out, wrapping around the woman's wrist and wrenching the sword from her grip. He regarded her calmly as she struggled.
"Impressive," he said. "You fight with more resolve than the rest."
The words were casual.
Lilith's eyes flicked toward them, a brief flash of irritation cutting through her focus. Before the guard could recover, Lilith thrust her palm forward.
A tight burst of flame struck the woman square in the chest, knocking her unconscious and sending her skidding across the stone.
Lilith turned sharply toward Xander. "We don't have time for commentary," she snapped. "Grab what you can. We're leaving."
Xander glanced once at the fallen guard, then nodded.
Shadows folded inward as the last echoes of the alarm rang through the town.
They vanished moments before reinforcements arrived, leaving behind scorched stone, empty crates, and the quiet certainty that something far worse than rebels had passed through the Empire's grasp.
Xander lifted an eyebrow at her sharp tone but offered no reply. He felt the undercurrent well enough. Moments later, they were gone, slipping back into the wilds as if the town had never held them at all.
They made camp in a secluded glen, hidden beneath towering trees whose branches knotted together overhead.
A small fire crackled softly, its light kept low. Supplies were divided, food shared. For a brief moment, the world felt distant.
Lilith sat across from him, absently prodding the fire with a stick. Her expression was tight, thoughtful.
"That guard," she said at last. "You noticed her."
Xander leaned back against a stone, gaze tilted toward the stars filtering through the leaves. "I notice many things," he replied. "Resolve is uncommon. It tends to stand out."
Lilith huffed, sparks jumping as she jabbed the embers harder than necessary. "Hmph. Just remember who dragged you into this chaos."
A faint curl touched the corner of his mouth. "I doubt either of us were dragged."
The quiet did not last.
High above the treetops, a shimmer disturbed the night sky. A figure circled slowly, almost lazily, wings of pale light catching the moon. Its gaze cut through shadow and illusion alike.
A distant horn sounded. Clear. Hollow. Wrong.
Lilith was on her feet instantly, flames licking up her arms. "A divine scout," she hissed. "They found us already."
Xander rose beside her, shadows gathering with deliberate calm. The forest seemed to darken around him, as if listening
"Then let them look," he said softly. "Fear spreads faster than faith."
Above them, the divine presence hovered.
And somewhere beyond the horizon, something far greater had begun to pay attention.