Chapter 49: Twisted Plans

A sense of dread shook him as he gazed at his once stalwart knight. Max's robust frame had vanished, replaced by sagging skin stretched over bones, devoid of muscle or flesh.

His lips quivered as his ineluctable defeat settled upon him. With his weapon lost and his most loyal aid gone, nothing could deter Gaston's mad fury from obliterating his existence.

'How did we end up in this situation?'

His mind churned in chaos, grappling with the baffling turn of events that led to his, an acolyte's, defeat. His clenched fists trembled.

'He sacrificed his vitality and body without blinking, all to hasten the battle's ending...'

He realised the difference between them. Gaston had used everything to ensure his victory. He didn't know if it was determination or pure folly. But the result lay bare before his eyes as Gaston dismissed the purple mist, ceasing the grimoire's drain on his vitality and revealing his miserable form.