Michael's fate seemed sealed as the giant creature finally managed to close its massive jaws, enclosing him within. The onlookers in the hall were stunned and a hush fell over the room as they watched in horror. Members of House Gladwrath, including Gellus and Gruzal, wickedly smiled, thinking that the Dark Lord's body would be melted inside the giant's acid stomach. House Bigmag and House Halrid looked pale and shivered at the thought of losing the trial by combat and being exiled from the Arctic Hall.
But suddenly, the giant creature roared in pain. Its belly radiated a dim glow and started to churn, as if something inside it was fighting back. The creature's roar sounded more like a cry of agony than one of anger.
The members of House Gladwrath were bewildered, while House Bigmag and House Halrid watched in amazement as the giant creature's belly began to bulge and change shape.
The giant creature started to swim around the artifact in a frenzy, barrel-rolling and thrashing about wildly. Suddenly, it stopped moving and opened its jaw for a long, piercing howl. The water around them vibrated with the force of the sound waves. Then, to everyone's shock, Michael shot right out of the giant's mouth, covered in red goo and blood from the creature's insides.
As soon as Michael escaped the giant's belly, he and the creature locked eyes, as if communicating wordlessly. Mutrad watched in awe, wondering what kind of unspoken message was being exchanged between them.
But the surprise wasn't over yet. Instead of attacking Michael or trying to reclaim the artifact, the giant creature swam away from it, leaving Michael to claim it without resistance. This sight shocked House Gladwrath and left the elders confused and speechless.
Meanwhile, Michael wasted no time and quickly swam toward the artifact. As soon as he touched it, the artifact vibrated in his hand and then, to everyone's amazement, two more artifacts materialized in the water beside him. One was a scepter made of emerald and decorated with rubies and other gems, while the other was a mysterious, icy-blue metal orb with no visible designs or markings.
The elders and members of the Arctic Hall were left in utter shock at the sight of the Dark Lord's victory over the giant guardian. They had never seen such a fierce battle before and the fact that Michael emerged victorious over such a massive creature was truly astonishing. The shock on their faces was evident as they stared at Michael, completely speechless.
"Unbelievable," muttered one of the elders under his breath.
"I've never seen anything like this before," said another, his eyes wide with disbelief.
But the biggest shock came when the giant, instead of protecting the artifact, simply swam away. The members of House Gladwrath were completely confused, and the elders were at a loss for words.
"Why did the giant leave the artifact?" asked one of the elders, breaking the stunned silence that had filled the hall.
"I don't know," replied another, shaking his head in disbelief. "But it must have had a good reason."
The mysterious reason behind the giant's departure left everyone in the hall with more questions than answers. The atmosphere was filled with a sense of confusion and wonder as they tried to make sense of what had just happened.
As Michael appeared in the hall with the three artifacts, the members of House Gladwrath, except Gruzal, looked stunned and confused. They had lost their own artifact, yet their leader, Gruzal, did not show any sign of shock. Instead, he remained calm and composed as if he had expected this outcome.
The others in the hall noticed his reaction and began to frown and murmur to each other. They could not understand how their leader could be so composed in the face of such a devastating loss. One of the members from House Halrid whispered, "How can he be so calm? They just lost their artifact."
Another member from House Bigmag added, "Maybe he had a backup plan? This seems fishy."
As Michael held the three artifacts in his hands, he turned to face the elders, who were visibly stunned by his victory over the giant guardian. A mixture of shock and admiration filled the hall as the Dark Lord stared at them with a calm expression. The elders quickly regained their composure and flicked their wrists, causing a spatial vortex to appear before Michael.
Without hesitation, Michael stepped into the vortex and disappeared, leaving the elders to discuss his triumph in hushed tones. The other houses in the Arctic Hall were equally stunned by Michael's victory and the appearance of the artifacts. Some whispered in fear and others in awe, as they wondered what this meant for the upcoming trial.
As for Michael, he reappeared in the hall, holding the artifacts tightly in his hands. The emerald scepter and icy blue metal orb radiated with a powerful energy that filled the room. Michael's dark swords were also pulsating with a red lightning bolt energy, which caused some of the weaker members in the room to back away.
The silence was broken by Valen's voice, who spoke in a tone filled with reverence and relief. "The Dark Lord has emerged victorious, and with the artifacts in his possession, he is the winner of the trial by combat," The room erupted with murmurs of agreement and admiration as they watched Michael with a mixture of fear and respect.
Michael stood tall and composed in the center of the room, his eyes scanning the faces of the gathered elders. His expression remained unreadable, but there was a glint of satisfaction in his gaze as he locked eyes with Gruzal, who couldn't help but shiver under his intense scrutiny. Michael's calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere in the hall, with everyone on edge waiting for the outcome of the trial.
Without a word, Michael handed over the three artifacts to the merman elder, who took them with a nod of acknowledgment. The members of House Bigmag and House Halrid moved closer, their eyes fixed on the artifacts with anticipation. Meanwhile, Gruzal couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him. He knew they had made an enemy out of the Dark Lord for nothing and it was clear that they would face the wrath of the Dark Lord one way or another.
As the elders verified the authenticity of the artifacts, the tension in the room reached its peak. The silence was deafening as everyone waited for the verdict. Finally, the merman elder nodded in confirmation and handed the artifacts back to Michael.
The members of House Bigmag and House Halrid breathed a collective sigh of relief and made their way to the elders to begin their end of the bargain. Meanwhile, Gruzal and the other members of House Gladwrath stood frozen, unsure of what to do next.
The atmosphere in the Arctic Hall was tense as the mermon elder spoke. "House Bigmag and House Halrid have won the trial by combat," he declared. "Their artifact will be returned to them. I hope this time they will be able to protect it and avoid seeking the Dark Lord's help." His displeasure with the two houses seeking the Dark Lord's help was evident.
The mermon elder then turned his attention to Gruzal, the leader of House Gladwrath. He knew that the disappearance of the artifacts was connected to a ritual that involved using a spirit child's blood. Although House Bigmag and House Halrid didn't directly accuse House Gladwrath of kidnapping the spirit child and using its blood for the ritual, the elder could sense the implication. After all, how else could House Gladwrath have come into possession of the artifacts and challenge the other two houses to a trial by combat?
"If House Gladwrath really used a spirit child's blood to steal the artifacts, we will get to the bottom of it," the mermon elder declared firmly. "Their actions have resulted in House Halrid and House Bigmag seeking the Dark Lord's help. We will not stand for such desperate and reckless behavior."
The other elders nodded in agreement, their expressions stern. The mermon elder continued, "We, the elders of the proud Arctic Hall, will not tolerate such actions. We will find out who is responsible and they will face the consequences of their actions."
Gruzal looked uneasy under the elders' intense gaze. He knew that House Gladwrath would be under close scrutiny from now on and that they would have to tread carefully if they wanted to avoid being punished.
Michael paid no attention to the elders and their threats. Instead, he turned his steely gaze towards Valen and Gormak.
"I have fulfilled my end of the bargain. It's time for you to fulfill yours," Michael said, his tone stern and commanding.
Valen, clearly uncomfortable in the elders' presence, quickly suggested they relocate somewhere else. But the elders had other plans.
"No, we would like to see the truth of your claims," said one of the elders firmly.
Michael shot a triumphant look over his shoulder at Gruzal and the members of House Gladwrath.
"Your little game is about to come to an end," he snickered, relishing in his victory.
Gormak wasted no time and reached out his hand as the icy blue orb floated toward him and landed on his palm.
"Put a drop of your blood on the sphere," Gormak instructed, his eyes fixed on Michael.
Without hesitation, Michael drew the dark sword and sliced his palm, letting the blood drip onto the orb. As soon as the blood touched the surface, the orb lit up with a pulsating glow. The temperature rose steadily until Gormak's hands started to burn, but he held on tightly to the artifact.
Suddenly, a spatial vortex appeared in the hall, catching everyone's attention. Michael was taken aback; he thought the orb would only show the location of Harry, not open a portal to his whereabouts.
Michael hesitated to step into the portal, fearing that it might be a trap set by the Dark Lord's enemies. Instead, he summoned a drone and commanded it to fly through the portal to scout the other side. Mutrad, however, had mixed emotions as he observed the scene. He couldn't help feeling a sense of awe at the Dark Lord's power and intelligence but also a hint of fear and unease at the thought of being on his bad side. As Michael finally made his way towards the portal, Mutrad saw a sudden flash of rage and shock in his eyes, as if something had caught him off guard.
The tension in the hall was palpable as everyone waited anxiously to see what the drone would uncover on the other side of the portal.
As Michael stepped out of the portal, the world around him seemed to shift and change. He found himself standing in a grand hall, with high ceilings and few furnishings. In the center of the room, a young woman with black hair and blue robes was reading a book to a small child who looked to be no more than four or five years old. But as soon as she saw Michael, the book slipped from her grasp and her eyes turned a menacing shade of red. Her fists clenched as she glared at the Dark Lord, who stood cold and imposing in front of her.
The child looked up at the commotion. Confusion etched on his face as he watched the stranger in front of him. Michael didn't flinch, even as the woman's anger radiated off of her like waves. He simply looked at her with a stoic expression, waiting for her to make the first move.
It was none other than Edith Alden, the sister of Lailah Alden. Michael last saw Edith when he killed her best friend, Victoria Barnes. After that incident, Edith disappeared from the face of the world, leaving no trace behind. As Michael stood there, staring at Edith, the child beside her looked up at him curiously. The child was unaware of the tension between Michael and Edith, and his innocent eyes sparkled with curiosity.
As Michael was staring at Edith, the elders and everyone else in the hall stepped out of the portal. The atmosphere in the hall became tense as suddenly, Michael turned around and dashed at Gruzal. With lightning-fast speed, he grabbed him by the collar, slamming him against the wall. The other members of House Gladwrath were shocked and froze in place as they watched the Dark Lord's rage. The elders were quick to react, raising their hands to cast spells to stop Michael, but he merely flicked his wrist, sending a shockingly powerful wind blast that sent the elders flying.
With a wicked grin on his face, Gruzal taunted Michael, "You wanted to know who took your spirit child? Look no further. She took him."
"You wanted me to see this," Michael hissed, his voice low and dangerous.
Gruzal laughed again, enjoying the sight of the Dark Lord losing his composure. "Yes," he said confidently. "What are you going to do about it, Dark Lord? You cannot kill her,"
Michael's grip on Gruzal intensified, and he pulled him closer to his face. "I will deal with you later," he growled.
Michael's eyes were fixed on Edith as he knocked out Gruzal with a single punch to the face. Then, he turned his attention back to Edith and unleashed another wind blast, knocking out everyone else in the room, leaving only the child standing before him and Edith.
The child had black hair that fell in gentle waves around his face, and his skin seemed to glow in the dim light of the room. He had hazel eyes, much like his mother, Lailah, and a slight resemblance to Michael, though he looked more like his mother.
"Leaving you alive was a mistake," Michael said in a low and icy tone, causing Harry to feel a sudden wave of fear and confusion wash over him. Despite his young age, Harry could sense the dangerous aura radiating from the stranger before him. He instinctively looked at Edith for comfort and reached out to her, gently grabbing her hand with his soft and tiny fingers.
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