Reunion

The Dark Lord had always excelled in fighting hordes of enemies since he enjoyed the thrill of battle and had faced many ambushes in the past. Despite his decreased power, the bandits were nothing but lowly thugs and posed no threat to him. However, the dark elves were a surprise, but he assumed that there weren't many soldiers as skilled as them in Thorrin's army.

As Dark Lord was fighting the bandits in front of him, Aurora kept the enemies at bay who were attacking them from the back. The spell she had cast earlier had attracted the attention of other enemies from nearby tunnels, who were now attempting to ambush them from behind. Despite the aid of the undead minions he had summoned earlier, they were outnumbered, and three of the skeletons had already been destroyed, which wasn't a great loss since he only used them to make sure he got some of his power back.

As Aurora followed his instructions, they tried to minimize the casualties to save potential future soldiers. However, the bandits were incredibly stubborn and refused to surrender despite their numbers dwindling. It wasn't that they lacked fear, as they were all clearly terrified and fighting desperately for their lives.

Suddenly, the unexpected happened when he was just about to crush a bandit under his boot.

"ENOUGH!" Someone shouted, stopping all the bandits from continuing their attacks, which also made Dark and Aurora pause. The one who just screamed was a tall man dressed like the other bandits, except his armor was reinforced with more steel plates. He also wore a sturdy helmet. "There is no need for more fighting and death. You are here to see the boss, right? He is willing to hear you out," He inquired as Dark looked down on the bandit under his foot.

"C-Come on… Let go! Please, man!" He begged pitifully while staring into his eyes. The Dark Lord sniggered, then removed his foot, letting him run away.

"Finally, someone with common sense. Show us to your leader," Dark ordered as the other man walked away, going on the same path Aurora's spell was leading them on.

"Thorrin must have figured I'm here, so it's probably why he wants to confront us himself," Aurora explained as they traveled through the tunnel, between rows of bandits while they lecherously gazed at her.

"He has some balls, I'll give him that. Even after knowing the Dark Lord himself wants to face him, he is not afraid," Dark remarked as Aurora glanced at him from the corner of her eyes.

"I do not wish to disappoint you, but he never believed you would return. I'm not even sure he believed you were real. If I were to guess, he likely thinks you are an imposter," She explained as the Dark Lord clenched his fists.

"Then I will teach his very soul how real the Dark Lord is," He announced, which didn't go unheard by the nearby bandits.

After walking in silence for several minutes, they arrived at what appeared to be the hideout's base at the end of the tunnel. The room was enormous, filled with not only humans but also elven bandits. At the center of the room was a massive hole surrounded by a barrier that resembled an arena. This was the sand pit, where they probably fought, practiced, and even entertained themselves.

At the far end of the room stood a small makeshift wooden tower with a golden throne perched atop it, overlooking the arena. Seated on the throne with a smug expression was Thorrin, his pride evident in the way he held himself. The Dark Lord and Aurora made their way around the arena, finally stopping a few feet away from him.

"So you're the one in command, aren't you?" Dark Lord asked in an unimpressed tone.

"And you are the supposed Dark Lord," Thorrin snickered while staring at the Dark Lord from head to toe.

"Watch your mouth, worm. The Dark Lord doesn't take well to disrespect," Dark warned in a low voice, which didn't seem to faze the bandit leader at all.

"Looking at you now… Yeah, I can tell you're the real deal. Who would have thought my mother was right? You don't look as intimidating as I thought you would be, though. You're big that's for sure, but size doesn't mean much," Thorrin mocked while confidently keeping his arms on the armrests. "I bet Aurora must be really happy to see you're real… Aren't you, sis?" He smiled, showing all his teeth as he finally acknowledged his sister.

He appeared largely unchanged since the last time Aurora had seen him, except for being noticeably stronger. He was now bulkier and had longer, wild hair. Scars crisscrossed his face, adding to his rugged, fierce appearance. His sharp, angular features and confidence, prideful expression radiated power. He held a two-handed sword with its tip dug into the ground. His armor was made of steel but adorned with gold plates on his chest and shoulders, clearly displaying his newfound wealth. Even his gauntlets had multiple gems embedded in them. His piercing, cold eyes had always frightened her, reminding her of their childhood and the awful things he had done to her. But she refused to succumb to fear; instead, she was filled with hate. The she who was pushed around remained in the past. She of today was finally strong enough.

"We do not need idle talk, brother. I have come to kill you, and take back what should have been mine from the start!" Aurora glared at him, pointing at the necklace he was wearing. The dove pendant seemed as beautiful as the day she saw it last.

"Kill me? Did you finally get strong enough?" He mocked her as the Dark Lord started shaking. His fists were so clenched he was starting to crush his gauntlets, grabbing everyone's attention back to him.

"First you disrespect me, then you ignore me, worm… But the worst is that you dared put your dirty hands on that necklace!" He hollered as a black aura escaped from his body, making everyone around him sweat in fear while Thorrin looked indifferent.

"You know this necklace?" Aurora asked in surprise as the Dark Lord was still fuming.

"Of course, I know it! I gave it to Jenna as a gift, and she never took it off since that day! Not even once! A worthless mortal like you has no right wearing it!" He responded as his dark magic was still pouring out of his armor.

Aurora was familiar with Dark Lord's tendency to anger quickly. She had witnessed it before, but this time was different. His anger was more intense than she had ever seen before. She expected him to be screaming and causing destruction, but instead, he was eerily calmer than expected. However, his dark aura was palpable, and it was filled with anguished and agonizing screams. Even in his weakened state, his presence was enough to fill someone with fear. Aurora couldn't help but imagine how terrifying he would be at full power and how many people would be driven mad just by being in his presence.

There was no way Thorrin wasn't feeling any of that. He was strong, had a sharp mind, and learned under their mother, too. Yet, he was smiling widely and uncaringly, staring down at the Dark Lord with prideful eyes. She couldn't help but ask herself if he was brave or a fool.

"That necklace was passed down to my mother, who passed it down to me," Thorrin explained as lifted the necklace with a finger. "I didn't steal if that's what you're thinking,"

"I've had enough of this pointless banter! Listen well, the Dark Lord has come to kill you and take your troops for himself! If you bow your head… I may be merciful enough to give you a swift death," Dark declared as the whole room had gone silent, then exploded with laughter. "You dare laugh-" He started before being interrupted.

"You are as arrogant as I thought you would be, but no matter. I have a good deal for you. You and I go into the arena for a duel to the death. If you win, you take this necklace and my army," Thorrin suggested as he stood up. "But if I win… Let's say…" He started thinking, his eyes traveling towards his sister. "You, Aurora. You will either join me willingly or become our slave. I'll let you start thinking about your choice now but know that the second choice will be quite painful for you. Unless you would actually like being passed around by my men,"

"You- I shouldn't even be surprised anymore!" She gritted her teeth in rage as she clenched her fists.

"I grow tired of these talks and provocations. Are we going to fight or not?" The Dark Lord said before walking down to the arena.

Thorrin scoffed in amusement before following him as the bandits around started shouting praises and encouragements.

"Kill him, boss!"

"Get that chick for us!"

"Teach him you never mess with us,"

"As lively as ever," Thorrin snickered under his breath as they arrived in the arena, facing each other with several feet separating them. "I am Thorrin, The Fang Clan leader, and first King of the Neutral Grounds," He announced himself as Dark scoffed.

"I am the Dark Lord," He simply said before raising his sword.

"No titles to give?" Thorrin questioned with a smirk.

"That should be enough for you," The Dark Lord retorted while Thorrin mockingly shook his head.

"To think I get to meet you… Killing you will be my greatest insult toward my mother," He muttered before charging head-on, his sword ready. "Here I come!"