Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) novel Chapter 3021

Howls erupted across the wasteland.

Werewolves, vampires, and grotesque sirens surged forward under Kaelan's command. Their roars filled the air as they charged at Andrew and Nyx. No one had expected things to turn hostile so quickly after the sanctuary entrance closed.

Everyone not involved in the fight immediately backed away to a safe distance. Among the retreating crowd were a few of Andrew's old acquaintances.

Waylon's disciple, Ezekiel, was one of them. Andrew had crippled this man back in Holtrien, yet here he was, moving with surprising agility as he quickly put distance between himself and the chaos.

"Mr. Sloan told me to wait for him in the Outlands and not make any rash moves," Ezekiel muttered to himself.

He glanced back at Andrew, now surrounded by dark warriors, and a cold smile crept across his gaunt face. He hissed, "Andrew, I'll let you live for now."

Unlike the dashing man he once was, Ezekiel had become a completely different person, now cold and ruthless.

Before long, he vanished into the distance without looking back.

On a ridge overlooking the plains, three attendants clustered around a young man, watching Andrew and Nyx battle the dark warriors below.

The young man, Vance Titoria, had an unsettling expression on his face. Dressed in wooden sandals, he smiled faintly and said, "Andrew Lloyd from Holtrien… I never thought I'd run into him here. I hope you don't die too easily at the hands of these vile creatures. I want to test myself against you soon."

One of his attendants spoke up respectfully, "Prince Vance, we should leave. Lord Kaelan's relationship with our nation isn't exactly friendly."

Vance snorted coldly. "Let's go. If I didn't have important business to attend to, I wouldn't fear Kaelan in the slightest."

Vance was Eastonia's crown prince. When word spread that The Veiled Paradise's entrance had opened, powerful warriors from Eastonia had come rushing to investigate

Down below the ridge, near the edge of the abyss, Andrew stood calm with his greatsword in hand. He swung once, and a massive blade of energy tore through the air. In an instant, over a dozen dark warriors were slaughtered.

Nyx moved like a black phantom, circling Andrew as she struck with lethal precision. When she finally stopped beside him again, eight dark warriors lay dead, blood spraying from their throats.

Kaelan's sinister expression showed a flicker of surprise. However, he quickly barked out another order, his voice devoid of mercy. "Keep attacking!"

He did not care about the werewolf warriors dying, much less the vampires and sirens.

Before long, high-ranking werewolves began transforming, their savage howls echoing across the plains. Massive wolf-like creatures dropped to all fours and charged at Andrew and Nyx with ferocious speed.

The vampires bared their fangs, spreading their bat-like wings. The sirens, though the weakest faction among the Dark Trinity, were no less vicious or bloodthirsty than werewolves and vampires when it came to sheer brutality.

Nyx's expression changed, and she moved forward to fight alongside Andrew.

However, Andrew's voice cut through the tension, calm and firm. "You don't need to help me. Deal with the other trash; this beast is mine."

Being called a beast was the ultimate insult to werewolves. Though they took on monstrous forms when transformed, their minds and intelligence remained intact, sharper and more cunning than most humans, in fact.

Kaelan flared with rage. His thousand-pound body launched into the air, covering over 30 feet in a single bound before crashing down toward Andrew's head with crushing force.

Andrew took a deep breath, feeling the power coursing through every fiber of his being, as if it would explode outward at any moment. He had been craving this kind of high-intensity combat.

"Perfect!" Andrew roared, swinging his sword in a direct, devastating arc.

An energy shield flickered across Kaelan's fur-covered body, deflecting the blade. His massive claw slammed into Godslayer with tremendous force.

Though Andrew blocked with his sword, he was pushed back over 300 feet before finally stopping. A deep trench now scarred the plains where he had been driven backward.

Kaelan's maw opened in a vicious snarl. "I'm nothing like Victor or Giuliano. I'm one step away from becoming a Werewolf Prince, what you people call peak martial god level. Kid, no matter how talented you are, I'm going to tear you apart!"