Summoned to Save, Chosen to Rebel: The Rise of the Dark Sovereign

Xender's eyes were glued to the creature, assessing its size and strength, calculating their chances of survival.

"Xender!" Korr shouted, his voice cracking with urgency.

"What do we do? That's not just any monster! It's... it's enormous!"

"Stand your ground. We'll fight this together!" Xender shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of the creature.

But in his mind, doubt twisted.

"Dammit! I'm not even sure if my shadows can bind this thing."

The monstrous Ogre bellowed, its roar shaking the very earth beneath their feet. It lunged forward, massive arms swinging with terrifying force. The gusts of wind from each swing sent leaves flying like scraps of paper. They stumbled, barely keeping their footing.

"Dara... Lira..." Xender shouted, urgency in his voice.

"Try a combo spell—water and lightning!"

The two mages nodded, fear in their eyes. Their hands trembled as they chanted the incantations. A crackling bolt of lightning shot through the air, striking a pool of water that had formed beneath the Ogre.

For a heartbeat, there was a flash of brilliant energy. But then—nothing. The Ogre remained unfazed, its massive body unaffected by their combined spell.

Korr, the warrior, stepped forward, sword raised high. But his strike barely grazed the Ogre's thick skin, as though he was swinging his blade through mist. The magic-infused slashes of his sword were little more than gusts of wind against the beast.

Mira, the archer, nocked another arrow, her hands shaking as she pulled the bowstring back. The tension was palpable, but when she released the arrow, it sailed wide, missing the Ogre's weak spots.

She cursed under her breath, her face pale with fear. The sounds of the Ogre's growls and their failing attempts echoed in her ears.

"What the hell?"

Xender thought, frustration boiling inside him as he watched his companions struggle.

"At this rate, I'll die with them."

Their attacks were so weak, so ineffective, it was like they were trying to fight a mountain with a hammer. The Ogre seemed invincible, a monster they had no hope of defeating.

Xender clenched his fists. They were out of time.

Xender raised his hands, desperately trying to hold the massive Ogre with his Shadows using Shadowsong level 3. But it was no use; the creature was far too strong for that spell to hold it. With a powerful heave, the Ogre broke free, swinging its colossal battle axe.

Xender barely had time to think. He dropped to the ground just as the axe whistled through the air, cutting down everything in its path. The sound of splintering wood filled the air as trees were sent flying like matchsticks, dust swirling around them.

When the dust finally settled, Xender's stomach churned. Blood pooled on the ground, and the horrifying sight of Lira and Dara's bodies—cut in half—haunted him. Their upper halves slumped to the side, while their legs stood rigidly, a grotesque testament to the Ogre's ferocity. Korr and Lira managed to dodge just in time, but not for long.

The Ogre—massive yet unnaturally quick—lunged forward with alarming speed. With one hand, it snatched Mira, lifting her effortlessly as if she were a mere insect. The sickening crunch of her bones echoed in Xender's ears as the beast crushed her in its grip, then swallowed her whole.

A guttural growl followed, a sound that reverberated in Xender's chest.

"So much for teamwork,"

Xender thought, his heart racing as he watched his friends fall one by one, they were not really friends though as he never really gave a damn about them.

Korr, realizing the danger, turned to flee, panic etched across his face. Xender didn't blame him; deep down, he wanted to run too. But as Korr sprinted away, Xender had his own plans in mind. The shadows around Korr danced ominously, and without hesitation, Xender cast his dark magic, binding Korr in place like a trapped animal.

The Ogre's eyes locked onto Korr, and with a roar that shook the very ground, it charged forward. Korr's eyes widened in terror, but it was too late. With a brutal crunch that sounded like broken glass, the Ogre crushed Korr beneath its foot, as if he were nothing more than an ant.

Xender watched, heart pounding, a mix of disbelief and dread coursing through him. The battlefield was a chaotic nightmare of twisted trees and splattering blood; destruction hung heavy in the air.

He felt the weight of despair but also a flicker of determination. It was time to make a choice: to fight back or be the next victim of this merciless beast. The decision loomed over him like the shadow of the Ogre itself.

Xender's breath quickened as he crouched behind the tree, heart pounding in his chest. The giant ogre was still focused on crushing Korr, but Xender knew he didn't have much time.

His fingers trembled, trying to steady his grip on his sword, but it felt useless. Even if he attacked, it would be like trying to stop a landslide with a pebble. The ogre was huge, its battle axe as tall as he was.

Suddenly, there was a low growl that seemed to shake the ground beneath him. The ogre had turned its head, eyes narrowing as if it had sensed him.

Xender froze, a cold sweat drenching his back. It was like the ogre could smell him, or perhaps it could feel his presence, like a beast that never missed a scent on the wind.

He cursed under his breath.

"Dammit, this wasn't part of the plan."

He hadn't come here to die, certainly not like this. His only goal was to let the monsters tear through the weaklings, not to be torn apart himself.

"Think, Xender, think!"

He took a deep breath, clearing his mind. His magic. That was his only chance. Days of training, the knowledge, the spells he'd mastered—he had to use it. This wasn't a time for hesitation.

The ogre raised its battle axe high, its roar shaking the very air, and Xender moved. He was faster than the brute, darting out from behind the tree just as the axe came crashing down. The tree splintered with a sickening crack, falling to the side, and for a split second, Xender's heart skipped a beat.

Now!

With a sharp incantation, his fingers shot forward, and shadows erupted around him. The ogre froze, its massive frame caught by his shadow binding spell, Shadowsong finally leveled up to 5.

It struggled against the inky black tendrils, but Xender didn't waste time to watch. He moved quickly, darting behind another tree just as the ogre wrenched itself free with an enraged roar. The spell only held it for a moment, but that was enough.

Xender's mind raced.

I can't take it head-on. He had no illusions about his own strength—he wasn't a warrior. But he had his magic, and with it, he could fight. The shadow binding had slowed the ogre, but that was all. If he couldn't land a fatal blow, he had to find another way.

He murmured under his breath, his hands steady now.

"Dark Embrace Leveled up to 4"

The air around him grew colder, and the shadows seemed to deepen, swirling around him like a living thing. The ogre's eyes widened, and for the first time, Xender saw a flicker of uncertainty in its gaze.

His spell wasn't just a simple binding. It crawled into the ogre's mind, whispering fear, making the beast hesitate. It was an opening, a chance he couldn't waste.

He could feel it then—the darkness, not just his own, but the shadows of everything around him. His eyes flicked to the trees, their long trunks casting dark shapes on the forest floor. A new idea formed, one born of desperation, and he reached for it.

He stretched out his hands, fingers curling as he focused all his energy. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, the shadows around the trees began to shift.

They moved, as if alive, reaching out with tendrils like thick, coiling vines. They grew, wrapping around the ogre's thick limbs, pulling it down. The shadows were no longer just fleeting shapes; they were solid, tangible, like chains made of the night itself.

The ogre roared, struggling violently, but the more it fought, the tighter the shadows gripped it. It was like trying to escape a net of stone. The ground rumbled with the monster's attempts to break free, the air thick with the sound of its snarls and the eerie rustle of shifting shadows.

Xender's heart raced. He could feel the power surging through him, the shadows feeding off his will, pushing his magic further than he had ever thought possible. The ogre was trapped. For now, at least.

Xender didn't stop. He focused, pouring every ounce of his strength into the dark embrace of the shadows. The forest seemed to hold its breath, as if even nature itself were watching.

The battle was far from over, but for the first time since he'd been trapped in this nightmare, he felt like he might just have a chance.

"Wow! I didn't know I could do that..."

Xender muttered to himself, a mix of surprise and relief in his voice.

The spell had held the ogre just long enough for him to move freely. He wasn't used to feeling this... empowered.

"This is insane," he thought, watching the ogre thrash helplessly against the shadows that held it in place.

It wasn't perfect, but it worked.

The best part? The spell didn't require constant focus. Once cast, it continued to hold for a short time, leaving him free to act.

"I could get used to this," he thought, a grim smile tugging at his lips.

"Now, for some experimentation. Let's see how long this can last..."