The Invincible Auction House

Chapter 23: The Inferno Below

The catacombs surged with chaotic energy, every step further into their depths resonating with a sense of foreboding. Kaelin led the rebellion's forces deeper into the labyrinth, her sword unsheathed and gleaming in the dim torchlight. The air was thick with sulfur and the coppery tang of blood, clinging to every breath like an omen.

"Keep your formations tight," Kaelin ordered, her voice cutting through the oppressive silence. "We're in their den now."

Jarek walked at the rear, his eyes scanning the shadows. His axe rested against his shoulder, a stark contrast to the wary tension in his expression. "They'll hit us soon. Be ready."

He didn't have to wait long. The walls shuddered as guttural cries echoed from ahead, followed by the thunder of rushing footsteps.

"Cultists!" a rebel shouted.

Kaelin raised her sword high. "Hold the line!"

From the darkness, a horde of Shadow Hand zealots emerged, their faces twisted with fervor and desperation. Armed with jagged blades and crude weapons, they charged with reckless abandon.

The tunnel erupted into chaos as the rebellion clashed with the cultists. The narrow space turned every swing of a weapon into a gamble, and the shrieks of the injured reverberated in the confined chamber. Kaelin fought with precision and resolve, cutting through her enemies while rallying her troops. Beside her, Jarek cleaved through the cultists, each swing of his axe sending bodies sprawling.

Despite their discipline, the rebellion fighters struggled to maintain their ground against the cult's unrelenting zeal.

Hidden within the shadows, Dusk observed the battle unfold, the crimson blade in his hand pulsating with malevolent energy. Its runes shimmered like embers, feeding on the violence and amplifying his strength.

"They fight well," he murmured, his lips curling into a smirk. "But skill means nothing against true power."

The blade whispered in his mind, its voice serpentine and hypnotic.

"Release me. Let them see the depths of despair."

Dusk lifted the blade, crimson energy spilling from its surface like liquid fire. The ground beneath him trembled, and waves of oppressive energy radiated outward, snuffing out torches and casting the tunnel into a flickering red glow.

At the auction house, Adam observed the unfolding chaos through the glowing orb. The imagery rippled across its surface: Kaelin's desperate advance, Dusk's rising fury, and the cultists' zealous last stand.

"Just as expected," Adam murmured, his tone laced with satisfaction.

Ren, standing at his side, remained stoic but alert. "The relic's power is destabilizing rapidly. If Dusk continues, it could trigger a collapse."

Adam's smirk deepened. "Good. Let him become the monster he was always meant to be. The greater the chaos, the easier it will be to establish control."

Lira entered the room, her steps casual but her expression sharp. "Kaelin's troops are holding, but barely. Dusk's turning the cult into a slaughterhouse, and that blade of his… it's something else. This could go south fast."

"It won't," Adam replied, his confidence unshaken. "They'll play their roles, as they always do. Prepare the portal. When the time comes, I want to make an entrance they'll never forget."

Kaelin pressed forward, cutting down another cultist as her forces carved a bloody path through the tunnels. The rebellion's morale faltered as crimson energy rippled through the air, sapping their strength.

"What is this?" Jarek growled, bracing himself as another wave of cultists surged toward them.

Kaelin gritted her teeth. "Dusk. He's close. We need to end this now."

Her words proved prophetic as the tunnel ahead erupted in crimson light. The cultists pulled back, creating a space for their leader.

Dusk stepped forward, his armor shimmering with the glow of the relic. The blade in his hand seemed alive, its runes pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. His eyes burned with an unnatural crimson light, and his presence filled the chamber with a suffocating aura.

"You dare to defy me?" Dusk's voice boomed, amplified by the relic's power. "You've come so far, only to fall at my feet."

Kaelin stepped forward, her sword raised. "Your reign of terror ends here, Dusk. Surrender, or we'll cut you down."

Dusk laughed, the sound reverberating through the tunnels. "Surrender? To insects like you? I am power incarnate! Bow before me, and I may spare your lives."

Kaelin met his gaze, her voice unwavering. "We bow to no one."

With a roar, Dusk charged, his blade carving through the air with devastating force. Kaelin parried, their weapons clashing in a burst of sparks. The chamber erupted into chaos as the duel began, a deadly dance of skill and fury.

Back at the auction house, Adam leaned forward, his gaze fixed on the orb.

"It's time," Adam said, rising from his chair.

Ren hesitated, his usually calm demeanor cracking. "Intervening directly carries risks, Master Adam."

Adam's smirk was cold and calculated. "Only for them. Activate the portal. Let's remind them who controls this game."

As the battle reached its crescendo, a thunderous sound filled the chamber. The walls trembled, and a golden portal materialized in the heart of the catacombs.

From the portal stepped Adam, his presence commanding and untouchable. The room seemed to hold its breath, the combatants freezing as the golden light cast long shadows across the stone walls.

"Enough," Adam said, his voice resonating with authority.

Kaelin and Dusk both turned to face him, their expressions a mixture of shock and wariness.

"What is this?" Dusk growled, his blade trembling in his grip.

Adam's gaze swept over the room, his tone calm but unyielding. "A reminder that even power has its limits."

Dusk snarled, stepping forward. "You think you can stop me? I am unstoppable!"

Adam's smirk widened. "We'll see about that."