True Intention

The masked man stood in front of Eiera's barrier like a wall, facing seventeen rogues ready to unleash their true power against him.

With a taunting gesture, the masked man put his sword back in his belt. "There's no need for it," he said.

"How dare you!" the rogue leader shouted in fury. "You'll regret coming here, I...."

"Are you going to keep talking or fight me?" the masked man interrupted, mocking the rogues.

"You...." The rogue leader seethed with anger. He commanded his men to prepare for their attack. "My leader, that man's armor absorbed our attacks," the rogues informed their leader about the masked man's strength.

"Don't worry. My single attack can break him and his armor into pieces," the rogue leader reassured his men.

The rogue leader closed his eyes, knelt on the ground, and extended his arm to grab some dirt. He stood up, holding the dirt in his hand, and opened his eyes, which were now glowing a dark purple color. Raising his hand to his mouth, he spoke, "Shadebound!"

The rogue leader cast a spell on the dirt and released it from his grip. As the dirt touched the ground, the earth started to shake, making it hard to stand, even for the rogues, but the masked man stood firm, unbothered by the shaking ground.

Suddenly, the ground stopped shaking. Moments later, dark purple chains emerged from the ground into the air, looking toward the rogue leader as if they were his pets waiting for his command. The rogue leader extended his arm, pointing his finger toward the masked man. The purple chains rushed toward the masked man with extreme speed, but he effortlessly dodged them.

The chains attacked again, seemingly with a mind of their own, but their efforts were futile against the masked man's speed.

The chains started to crawl on the ground like snakes, closing in on the masked man. Each end of the chain rose from the ground, surrounding him from all sides, and with extreme speed, they rushed toward him, leaving no way for escape.

One end of the chain grabbed the masked man's leg, but before the other end could reach him, he disappeared into thin air, leaving only dust behind. "He teleported! Find him," the rogue leader ordered his men.

The rogues spread out around the village to find the masked man. As they searched, the rogue leader commanded his magical chains to break Eiera's barrier. All ends of the chains gathered in front of Eiera's barrier. Inside, Eiera constantly used her power to maintain the barrier. The chains struck Eiera's barrier, sending shockwaves throughout the entire village.

The chains struck again, but this time two ends broke upon impact. As two chains broke, four more emerged and joined the rest.

They continued striking Eiera's barrier. Eiera surged more of her power into the barrier, making it stronger than before. The chains kept breaking as they struck the barrier, causing them to multiply.

"You are a dark magic user," the masked man's voice reached the rogue leader's ears. The rogue leader turned around and saw the masked man standing behind him, casually holding his sword with the safety cover still on.

The rogue leader used his dark magic powers, ordering his magical chains to capture the masked man. The chains surrounded him again, but before they could capture him, he teleported once more.

"Stop running, you coward! Face me!" The rogue leader was desperate as the masked man kept teleporting. "Fine, don't show yourself. I'll kill your friends first and then you." The rogue leader summoned his men. "Break that barrier!" he commanded.

As the rogues took one step forward, the masked man teleported in front of the rogue leader, startling the rogues with his sudden appearance. "Who said I'm running?" the masked man stood face to face with the rogue leader.

"You dare speak to me with s...." With a swift movement, the masked man grabbed the rogue leader by the neck and lifted him from the ground, shocking the rogue leader's men with his absolute strength.

"You'll... die... for this!" the rogue leader struggled to speak as the masked man's grip tightened.

The rogue leader raised his arm and commanded his magical chains to capture the masked man. The chains crawled up the masked man's legs, rising to his arms.

A satisfied smile appeared on the faces of the rogues and the rogue leader.

"You thought I was afraid of this." The dark spell broke as the masked man spoke, and the chains turned back into dirt.

The rogues and the rogue leader were stunned. The masked man locked eyes with the rogue leader, looking into his soul. "Look around you, stone head," the masked man spoke with determination.

The rogue leader looked around but saw nothing in the village. "There's... nothing!" he said.

"Look at my friend Eiera," the masked man forcefully turned the rogue leader's gaze toward Eiera.

"I was just buying her some time to make another barrier around the entire village," Eiera revealed the barrier she had been secretly creating.

A barrier on top of another barrier now spread around the entire village. Realization hit the rogues—they had nowhere to go now. The masked man effortlessly threw the rogue leader onto his men, causing all of the rogues to fall to the ground.

"It's time to fight. Prepare yourselves," the masked man declared, his voice echoing in the village. He put his sword back in his belt as he spoke.