WorldCrafter - Building My Underground Kingdom

For a moment, there was only silence. Then a shadow moved.

The Krell Alpha stepped out of the crater, his armor scorched but intact, his eyes glowing brighter than before. And now... he was smiling.

The ground beneath him darkened—not just from his shadow, but from something deeper.

A second layer of shadow peeled away from his feet, expanding like an oil slick, swallowing light as it spread across the battlefield.

Then it rose. Dozens of shadow arms burst from the pool, each one shaped like a weapon glaives, chains, whips, sickles morphing in real time.

The magus narrowed his eyes under the hood. His cloak billowed as the pressure thickened. "Oh? So you can do this too?"

The Krell Alpha didn't answer with words. He charged.

The wave of shadow surged ahead of him like a living tide. Blades lashed out from every angle—coming from walls, floor, even mid-air.

The magus raised one hand.

A magic circle flared beneath him—and a barrier of lightning erupted outward, rotating like a turbine.

The spinning wall of electricity shredded the first wave of shadow tendrils, vaporizing them on contact.

But the Krell's onslaught didn't slow. He blinked forward, emerging inside the lightning ring, blades crashing down in a flurry.

The magus blocked with his forearm, lightning surging up to meet the blow—CRACK! The shockwave split the floor beneath them.

The Krell's shadow kept shifting growing wings, talons, tendrils anything to strike from unexpected angles.

The magus, calm and precise, retaliated with bolts that curved unnaturally, chasing the Alpha through his own darkness.

BOOM! CRACK!

One bolt pierced through a wing. Another slammed into a summoned claw.

But for each attack broken, the Krell Alpha summoned two more.

Then the magus raised both arms, mana swirling violently. The very air vibrated. "Let me show you something proper."

"Heaven Judgement." The cavern lit up as nine massive lightning lances formed above him, crackling with energy.

He pointed at the Krell Alpha.

The lances screamed through the air.

The Alpha's shadow devoured the ground beneath him, pulling him into it—but too late. Two lances struck.

BOOM! BOOM!

Rock and smoke erupted in pillars as half the cavern floor collapsed.

Then the ground behind the magus shifted. The Krell Alpha rose from the shadow, his armor cracked open, revealing veins of glowing black energy writhing underneath.

He raised his hand—and the entire area darkened as if light itself refused to exist.

Walls, ceiling, even the ground itself faded into pitch-black.

Only the faint crackle of lightning still moved around the magus.

From the darkness came motion. Hundreds of shadow spears erupted from every direction.

But the magus raised one of his arm, electricity coiling down from his sleeves.

With a thunderous snap, a web of lightning exploded outward—thin lines stretching like a net.

The moment the first spear touched it—ZRAKKK!—the entire web lit up.

A massive shockwave followed—vaporizing dozens of tendrils in a flash.

But it wasn't over. The Krell Alpha burst forth from the wall behind him, with a roar.

His claws outstretched, turning into a monstrous blade of shadow .

CLANG!

The magus spun and caught the blow with a crackling barrier, sparks flying across the dark.

The impact dented the shield—but it held. The magus grinned. "Let me try your method." He whispered another incantation—lightning condensed around his arm, twisting into a spear.

With a swift thrust, the spear drove straight into the Krell Alpha's side—THWAK!—piercing through shadow armor and flesh.

The beast staggered back, snarling, black blood dripped from the wound.

But the magus didn't stop.

He raised a hand and clenched it.

The spear still lodged in the Krell's side erupted from within.

BOOM!

A burst of concentrated lightning detonated inside the Alpha's body.

The shadows around the Krell recoiled, flickering violently.

He dropped to one knee, breathing heavy, one arm hanging limp. And yet… he laughed.

"Finally…" he growled, rising again. "I get it."

Crackles of dark electricity zapped across his body, sharp lines ripping through the air.

The magus narrowed his eyes, sneering. "Understand what, you retarded beast?" But deep down, something twisted in his gut. Wary.

And excited.

This wasn't normal lightning.

It looked like it—but the magus knew better.

He felt it. The current still carried all the properties of shadow, only now supercharged.

"Kekeke… as thanks for giving me this," the Krell Alpha said, his voice distorted with glee, "I'll tell you the answer."

He lifted his head, grin widening, eyes gleaming with madness. "It's been years since I got this power… this shadow. But I always knew—something was missing."

The crackling intensified. "It wasn't whole. Not complete."

He spread his arms wide. "Your lightning, is even better than my underlings."

The laugh that followed turned deranged, echoing through the cavern.

He could feel it—the relic buried deep in his body awakening.

There was something different about the magus's electricity.

Something better than what Strom had. If Ben were here, he'd recognize it instantly.

Aether.

All the surrounding darkness began to writhe, spiraling as it drawn in to him.

The shadows bowed, converged, and wrapped around his body, forming a swirling cocoon. A sphere of pure, coalesced darkness.

Draeven and the others watched with sharp eyes, every sense on high alert.

When the domain spread outward, they instinctively took formation—back to back, weapons ready.

But thankfully the Alpha ignored them completely. He only had eyes for the magus.

The magus only watched. No attempt to stop the cocoon.

Then he turned his hood slightly toward Draeven and spoke, "You three—go. Head northeast like I told you. Find that beast nest. I'll catch up after I finish here."

His tone darkened. "Of course, if you'd rather stay and watch, that's your choice." He smiled faintly beneath the hood. "But I'd hate to lose my guides."

Draeven hesitated, this is a good change to capture the magus. But seeing how the combat escalate he know the risk is high.

After some consideration, he nodded than move away from the battlefield.