Beyond Worlds, Beneath the Star God

The wind stood still.

Kael'thas, the Crimson Vow, stepped down into the arena, each footfall echoing like a funeral bell. His towering form was clad in blood-forged armor, his blade dragging behind him, carving deep grooves into the cracked stone.

The light of the setting sun cast his figure in long shadows—one that seemed to move with a will of its own.

Kun felt his breath catch.

This wasn't just another enemy. This was something more.

Something real.

---

⚔️ The First Clash

Without warning, Kael'thas lunged.

He moved like a shadowfire, impossibly fast for someone so heavily armored. Kun barely raised his arms in time as the greatsword crashed into him like a meteor, launching him across the arena floor.

The ground cracked beneath him.

"Kun!" Lyra cried.

Rein charged in, blades flashing. He struck fast and low, aiming for the gaps in Kael'thas' armor—but the blood knight parried with ease, countering with a sweeping arc that sent sparks flying.

"Too slow," Kael'thas growled. His voice was not fully human—metallic, laced with layered echoes.

Elandor unleashed a wave of arcane chains, attempting to bind the knight's limbs, but Kael'thas raised his gauntlet—and the chains turned crimson and reversed, striking Elandor with a backlash that forced him to his knees.

"Blood binds all," the knight whispered. "You cast with soul. I cast with sacrifice."

---

💥 Team Desperation

The group regrouped behind a fallen pillar, panting and wounded.

"He's too strong," Lyra gasped, blood on her sleeve. "Nothing's landing!"

Rein's blade was cracked. "That armor… it's enchanted with blood rites. Our magic's being absorbed."

Elandor's eyes flickered with concern. "He's marked by a Bloodlink Seal. Someone in the Nine gave him a portion of their power."

Kun wiped the blood from his chin. His flames had barely dented the knight's defense.

He felt the warmth again.

No—not warmth. It was something else.

A low vibration. A hum. Like stars aligning deep in his bones.

---

Kael'thas stepped through the dust, unbothered by the resistance.

"You were supposed to be legends," he said mockingly. "The starborn. The mage. The fox-girl and her tricks."

He raised his sword high, blood swirling around the blade like living flame.

"I'll carve open your souls and feed them to the Ninth."

And he charged again.

---

🌠 Starfire Unleashed

Kun stepped forward.

"Not this time."

He didn't dodge. Didn't block.

Instead, he closed his eyes—and let go.

For the first time, he stopped resisting the power inside.

The stars answered.

From his chest, golden-blue light erupted in violent arcs, forming spirals of flame laced with cosmic energy. His body lifted slightly off the ground, toes barely touching the stone.

Kael'thas struck.

And the blade shattered on contact.

A pulse of energy blasted outward, throwing the knight back across the arena like a ragdoll. The walls of the coliseum trembled, ancient carvings glowing faintly as if awakening to a long-lost signal.

Lyra shielded her eyes. "What—what is this?!"

Elandor stared, stunned. "That's not magic. That's stellar energy... condensed, raw, divine."

Kun floated gently to the ground, golden embers rising around him.

He raised his hand—and the sky responded.

A streak of burning starlight tore from the clouds, crashing into Kael'thas with thunderous force. The impact turned the stone into glass, the blood magic burned away by celestial fire.

---

🩸 The Aftermath

Silence fell.

The arena was scorched, but standing.

Kael'thas lay on the ground, his armor split and smoking. One eye—barely visible behind the broken helm—glared at Kun, full of hatred... and fear.

"You… are not ready," he hissed. "You've opened the door... but not yet seen what lies beyond."

Then, his body crumbled—turning to crimson dust, swept away by wind that came from nowhere.

Kun collapsed to his knees.

Lyra rushed to him. "Hey—hey! You okay?"

He nodded weakly. "Tired… but I'm here."

Rein helped him up. "You saved us."

Kun looked around at the damaged arena. His hands trembled—not from pain, but from the power still lingering inside.

"I didn't just save us," he muttered. "I warned them."