Dark Triumph

Valthor was a tall, imposing light elf with sharp, angular features and a commanding presence. His piercing blue eyes locked onto Arden and his team as they entered, a mixture of surprise and anger flashing across his face. The four lieutenants flanked him, their hands instinctively moving to their weapons.

Arden's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. He could sense the tension in the room, the anticipation of a deadly confrontation. With a subtle gesture, he signaled for his team to spread out, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

''Insolent dark elf!'' Valthor exclaimed pulling his sword that seemed to pulse with magical energy. The blade glowed with a yellow, bright light, casting shadows across the room. 

Arden smirked, his own daggers glinting in the bright light. "Your dreams of sitting on a throne end here, Valthor. Surrender now, and you might have a quick, painless death."

Valthor's eyes flashed with fury. "You think you can stop me? I have the power to reshape this world, and I will not be thwarted by the likes of you!"

With a swift motion, Valthor lunged at Arden, his sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. Arden parried the blow with one of his daggers, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through his arm. He gritted his teeth and pushed back, using his other dagger to strike at Valthor's exposed side.

The room erupted into chaos as the lieutenants drew their weapons and engaged Arden's team. The sound of clashing steel filled the chamber, accompanied by grunts of exertion and cries of pain. The battle was intense, each combatant fighting with everything they had.

Valthor managed to avoid Arden's dagger attack with a swift movement to his right. He then lunged at the dark elf with his sword again, cutting a deep wound on Arden's left arm. The assassin grunted with pain and stepped back. Valthor let out a mocking laugh, ''Your corruption of the world ends here, dark elf!'' and he jumped at Arden, sword aimed at his throat with the pure intention to kill. 

Arden's eyes blazed with determination as he dodged the attack swiftly by rushing left, steadying himself. "You want corruption? I will show you corruption!'' with these sharp, cold words he drenched one of his daggers with the blood running down his arm. The blade started to fume with a dark aura covering it, making a perfect contrast to Valthor's bright sword. 

The two weapons clashed, the dark aura of Arden's dagger meeting the yellow light of Valthor's sword in a spectacular burst of energy. The impact forced both men to step back, the room momentarily illuminated by the clash of their contrasting powers.

Valthor stared at Arden's blade which was seeping shadow magic with utter disgust in his face. ''You horrid creature! Killing you will be a favor to this world!''

Arden's amber eyes burned with hatred and dark energy. ''Big words for a dead light elf!'' And daggers ready in hand, trying his best to ignore the pain in his arm, he dashed towards Valthor with unmatched agility.

At the same time, Sarvin, with his feline grace, lunged at one of the lieutenants, their blades clashing in a flurry of strikes and parries. The lieutenant fought with a brutal intensity, but Sarvin's agility and speed proved too much. With a final, powerful strike, Sarvin's blade found its mark, cutting deep into the lieutenant's side. The light elf staggered, his eyes wide with shock and pain, before collapsing to the ground.

Another of Valthor's lieutenants, a Shadowfang werewolf, was in a compelling fight with one of the Adders. The Adder assassin jumped at the werewolf's back, aiming a dagger on his chest. Yet the werewolf grabbed the assassin's arm and threw her off himself, biting off her throat on the floor.

The chaos of the battle raged around Arden and Valthor, with the remaining Adders and Valthor's lieutenants crashing at each other, but their focus remained solely on each other. Arden's movements were fluid and precise, a testament to his years of training and experience as an assassin. Despite the pain in his arm, he pressed the attack, forcing Valthor to stay on the defensive.

Valthor's eyes narrowed as he parried another strike from Arden, his sword glowing brighter with each clash. "You fight well for a creature of darkness," he admitted, his voice dripping with disdain. "But you cannot hope to defeat me. My light is absolute!"

Arden's smirk never wavered. "We'll see about that," he replied, his voice steady. He feinted to the right, then spun to the left, his dagger slicing through the air with deadly precision. Valthor barely managed to deflect the blow, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through his body.

Nearby, another Adder, a slender male human, was locked in combat with another of Valthor's lieutenants, a dwarf that looked much bigger than his kind with a massive warhammer. The dwarf swung the weapon with terrifying force, but the Adder's agility and speed kept him one step ahead. He darted in and out of range, his daggers finding openings in the dwarf's defenses. With a final, swift strike, he drove his dagger into the dwarf's throat, ending the fight in a spray of blood.

Sarvin, meanwhile, had engaged a second lieutenant, a slender light elf wielding twin blades. The two assassins moved with blinding speed, their weapons clashing in a dance of death. Sarvin's feline reflexes gave him the edge, and with a quick, decisive move, he disarmed the elf and delivered a fatal blow.

Arden and Valthor continued their duel, their movements a blur of steel and shadow. Valthor's sword crackled with magical energy, but Arden's shadow-infused dagger seemed to absorb the light, creating an eerie, otherworldly effect. The two elves were evenly matched, their skills and determination pushing them to the limit.

Valthor's expression twisted with rage and frustration. ''You think your dark magic can defeat me?" he spat, his voice dripping with venom. He unleashed a powerful spell, a wave of pure light energy that surged towards Arden.

Arden braced himself, his daggers crossed in front of him. The spell hit with the force of a hurricane, sending him skidding backward across the stone floor. He gritted his teeth, the pain in his arm intensifying, but he refused to yield.

At that exact time, Lord Valerius arrived with his full team of blue bloods. As soon as they joined the battle, the air became thick with the smell of blood and sweat. The blue bloods moved like shadows, their fangs glinting as they joined the fray. The sight of them sent a wave of unease through Valthor's lieutenants, their confidence faltering at the presence of such formidable foes. Now they were highly outnumbered.

The shadowfang werewolf lieutenant howled and jumped at Valerius but three blue blood mages immediately fried him with fire magic before he could even reach their lord. With the remaining lieutenants dead now, it was only Arden and Valthor.

''Surrender Valthor!'' Valerius shouted, his icy voice echoing in the chamber. ''You are alone!''

Arden pushed himself up, his eyes narrowing as he saw Valerius. The blue bloods were a welcome addition, their presence tipping the scales in their favor. He turned his attention back to Valthor, his grip tightening on his daggers.

Valthor's eyes flickered with recognition and anger at the sight of Valerius. "Abominations!" he spat, his voice filled with venom. "You think you can end the light by killing me? Light endures! Hope survives!"

Valerius stepped forward, his gaze cold and unyielding. "Your light and hope are a fallacy, Valthor. Today, your reign of light ends."

''For Elindor!'' the light elf commander yelled and with a roar of fury, he launched himself at Arden, his sword glowing with an intense light. Arden met his attack head-on, their weapons clashing in a burst of energy. The force of their strikes sent shockwaves through the room, the light and shadow battling for dominance.

As the echoes of their clash reverberated, Valerius and his blue bloods circled the dueling pair, creating an impenetrable barrier against any potential interference. The energy in the room was palpable, the air crackling with the raw power of light and shadow.

Arden's eyes blazed with unyielding determination as he parried Valthor's relentless strikes. His movements were a blur, his daggers moving with deadly precision. Valthor fought back with equal ferocity, his sword crackling with magical energy as it clashed with Arden's shadow-infused blades.

Seemingly bored from this unending duel, Valerius sent a ball of crackling lightning magic toward Valthor. Both the dark elf and the light elf flew and hit the floor with the impact. When the lightning faded, Arden quickly stood up, his daggers crossed in front of him, absorbing the last remnants of Valthor's magic. With a swift, decisive motion, he lunged forward, his shadow-infused blade piercing through the air with lethal intent.

Valthor, still reeling from his own desperate attack, barely had time to react. Arden's dagger found its mark, slicing through the light elf's defenses and plunging deep into his chest. Valthor's eyes widened in shock and pain as the shadow magic coursed through his body, extinguishing the glowing light of his sword.

Arden twisted the blade, ensuring the fatal blow, and pulled it free. Valthor staggered back, his sword clattering to the ground as he clutched at his wound. Blood seeped through his fingers, mingling with the dark aura of Arden's magic.

"You... you cannot..." Valthor gasped, his voice fading. "The light... will never..."

Arden stepped forward, his amber eyes burning with cold resolve. "The light has failed you, Valthor. This is the end."

With a final, shuddering breath, Valthor'sbody became motionless. The once-imposing commander lay still, the light in his eyes dimming to darkness. The chamber fell silent, the echoes of the battle fading into an eerie stillness.

Valerius approached Arden, his gaze shifting from Valthor's lifeless body to the dark elf assassin. "Well done, Arden," he said, his voice carrying a note of respect. "The threat of Valthor is no more."

Arden's amber eyes stared at the vampire's blue pair with resentment. ''Seriously? Did you have to intervene with your magic? You ruined my well-deserved kill, vampire.''

Valerius's expression remained impassive, though a faint smirk played at the corners of his mouth. "Your skill is undeniable, Arden. However, we needed to end this swiftly."

Arden's grip tightened on his daggers, but he sheathed them, understanding the vampire's logic. "Next time, stay out of my way."

Valerius nodded, his eyes flashing with a hint of amusement. "Duly noted."

Sarvin, having taken down the last of the lieutenants, approached the group. He glanced at their Adder comrade's lifeless body and then at Arden. "We lost Lyssara," he said, his voice filled with concern.

Arden looked at Lyssara's body. She was lying in a pool of her own blood, her throat still seeping blood from the fatal wound that the werewolf bit him. His expression hardened, the loss of his comrade hitting him harder than he would have expected. "We'll honor her sacrifice," he said, his voice resolute. "But we need to keep moving. There may be more of Valthor's forces nearby."

Valerius nodded. "Agreed. We must secure this area and ensure no one else comes to claim Valthor's fallen throne."

Sarvin knelt by Lyssara's body, closing her eyes gently. "She fought bravely. We'll make sure her death wasn't in vain."

Arden glanced at the blue bloods who had formed a protective circle around them. "Valerius, have your men scout the perimeter. We need to make sure it's clear before we regroup with Captain Drazel."

Valerius gave a curt nod and issued orders to his blue blood mages and warriors, who dispersed silently into the shadows. The remaining Adder and Sarvin stayed close to Arden, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of movement.

As the tension in the room began to dissipate, Lyra entered, followed by the soldiers she was leading, her eyes widening as she took in the scene. She quickly moved to Arden's side, her gaze lingering on the wound on his arm. "Commander, you're hurt."

"It's nothing," Arden replied, wincing slightly as she inspected the cut. "Valthor got a lucky hit."

''We should have taken a healer with us,'' she said as she pulled out some cloth bandages from her leather backpack. ''But since we don't have any now, you need to settle for this.''

As she carefully bandaged Arden's wound, Valerius returned, his expression grim. "The perimeter is secure for now. No one seems to be around and the commotion seems to have subsided. Light-elven bodies are everywhere, I saw some of Drazel's fallen soldiers too. No sign of Drazel yet.'' 

Arden's eyes narrowed at the mention of Captain Drazel. "We need to find him. If Drazel's still out there, we can't leave him behind."

Valerius nodded in agreement. "I'll send a few of my best mages to search for him. We can't afford to lose any more of our comrades."

Sarvin stood up, his eyes determined. "I'll go with them. I know Drazel well. If he's still alive, I'll find him."

Arden gave Sarvin a curt nod. ''Be fast and make sure to return alive. With or without Drazel.''