Tale of Vanguard

Master Cronos loomed over the fallen man with his cold and unyielding eyes as he demanded:

"What is your purpose of coming here?"

The man looked up with a faint smirk twisting his lips.

"Our plans are beyond anything you could comprehend, old man."

Cronos's frown deepened at the man's words, a mix of irritation and unease brewing inside him. But before he could push for more answers, another figure appeared right beside him—so close that Cronos's instincts flared. It was the same robed figure who had defeated Kaelen earlier. The newcomer leaned in, his voice low and unsettling as he said:

"What if I told you... it's all for world peace?"

A cold shiver ran through Cronos.

'How did he get so close without me noticing?'

The thought barely had time to form before Master Cronos reacted, teleporting away in a flash. He reappeared a safe distance away, his mind racing as he assessed the situation. 

These men were more dangerous than he had anticipated, and it was clear now—they were involved in something much larger and more sinister than he had imagined.

The robed figure let out a voice tinged with a twisted sense of respect, he spoke up to Master Cronos

"It is an honor to meet a man who holds the title of a Grandmaster in this world."

Master Cronos, ever composed, tilted his head slightly.

"If it isn't rude, may I ask for the identities of you fine gentlemen as well?"

The robed figure let out a low chuckle, the sound sending a shiver through the air.

"Names have power, old man. But since you've been so polite..."

He stepped forward, letting the darkness around him peel back just enough to reveal his face—sharp, angular features framed by dark hair, with eyes that glowed faintly like embers.

"My name is Rodan" 

A tone dripping with malice.

"And as you've already figured out, i believe we are what you people call... a Starborne."

Master Cronos narrowed his eyes as he spoke:

"A Starborne is someone who isn't of this world, they arrives with a noble cause, perhaps even a greater purpose. But you two—you don't fit that description. So, I suggest you don't speak carelessly of that title. It carries far more weight than you seem to realize."

The man who had been lying injured, slowly began to rise, his movements were deliberate despite the pain that he's showing in his expression. Rodan spoke with a calm yet firm tone to Master Cronos

"I can assure you, we've come here solely for the benefit of both our worlds."

Turning his attention to the man beside him, Rodan commanded:

"Gravis, meet with Liora. It's time to proceed with the plan."

Gravis, though clearly weakened, nodded in understanding. He sprang into action, leaping swiftly toward the heart of the capital. Master Cronos moved to intercept him, but before he could make a move, Rodan raised his hand, and a dark barrier enveloped both himself and Cronos. The barrier shimmered ominously before closing off any escape routes.

"Your business is with me, old man"

As the barrier dissipate, In an instant, their surroundings—the edge of the capital shifted, replaced by the foreboding landscape of the dark forest. The towering trees loomed like ancient sentinels, their gnarled branches intertwining to form a dense canopy that filtered the light into eerie shadows. 

All of a sudden, Rodan unleashed some kind of dark whips, tendrils of shadow that lashed out with ferocious speed. The whips moved like living entities, their dark energy streaking through the air as they lashed at Cronos.

"You think you can withstand this?"

Rodan taunted, his voice dripping with contempt as he manipulated the whips to strike with pinpoint precision.

Cronos deflected the whips with his own staff, his eyes narrowing as he assessed Rodan's relentless assault. He dodged and countered with swift, fluid movements, but the pressure was intense.

"You underestimate the power of time"

Cronos replied, his voice was calm but resolute.

Rodan smirked, raising his hands to summon a shadow blades—dark, razor-sharp constructs that hovered ominously around him. They darted through the air, attacking in erratic patterns.

As Cronos fought off the blades, Rodan slammed his fist into the ground, sending a shockwave of shadow energy rippling outward. The ground cracked and buckled, sending dark tendrils racing toward Cronos. The forest seemed to come alive with malevolent energy. His eyes were glinting with dark amusement.

Master Cronos, in turn, employed his Veil of Time to counter Rodan's relentless assault. Master Cronos manipulated time to create moments of respite between the waves of darkness. He dodged and deflected the dark whips, each movement were carefully calculated to maximize his defensive maneuvers. The shadows slithered around him, their dark forms almost sentient as they sought to breach his defenses.

Rodan immediately fired dark tendrils that struck with vicious force, their dark energy exploding against the barriers of time. Each impact sent shockwaves through the forest, uprooting trees and sending debris flying. Cronos struggled to maintain control as Rodan's dark energy found its way through the temporal distortions, his defenses were buckling under the relentless pressure.

With a determined effort, Cronos spun through the air, with his staff, he cuts through the shadows in a desperate attempt to push Rodan back. The Veil of Time shimmered around him, briefly distorting the space to create openings for his counterattacks. But Rodan's mastery of darkness allowed him to adjust seamlessly, his dark tendrils were whipping around to absorb and redirect Cronos's strikes.

The two combatants continued their brutal exchange. Cronos's attempts to slow Rodan's movements were constantly thwarted by the sheer resilience of the dark tendrils and his dark whips. Rodan's dark energy seemed almost alive, writhing and shifting to evade Cronos's temporal distortions.

Rodan advanced with relentless aggression, his whips were striking out in rapid succession. Cronos found himself on the defensive, his every move scrutinized by Rodan's piercing gaze. The dark tendrils also seemed to come from every direction, and Cronos's temporal manipulations became increasingly strained as he tried to keep up.

Rodan's grin widened as he saw the strain in Cronos's defenses. His dark energy surged, pushing through the cracks in Cronos's temporal barriers. The tendrils coiled tighter, constricting around Cronos's form and forcing him to brace against the mounting pressure.

Finally, Rodan stepped back, he mocked Master Cronos with a low voice

"Are you just going to rely on your Veil of Time?"

With a sharp gesture, he launched another wave of dark tendrils that are more chaotic and aggressive this time.

Master Cronos brow furrowed in concentration, he quickly responded with his own dark tendrils—his Veil of Time was now intertwined with his Veil of Darkness. The tendrils met in a violent clash, their dark energy crackling and twisting as they fought for dominance. The air crackled with energy, the forest around them bathed in shifting shadows and flickering lights.

Master Cronos unleashed his own Veil of Darkness. Shadows coalesced around him, dark and swirling.

Rodan's eyes gleamed with cruel amusement as he observed Cronos's dark energy.

"My darkness is far more superior to yours. Entertain me, old man, and I'll make sure that your beloved kingdom will be consumed by despair."

Despite the dire circumstances, Master Cronos managed to show a wry smile on his face

"Unfortunately for you, there is still one stubborn-headed young man who will thrive on that despair."