Gromm’s cruel laughter echoed in Evan’s ears as he felt the vice-like grip of his hand tightening around his throat. Darkness threatened to engulf him as Gromm taunted him with his impending demise. Desperation surged through Evan’s veins as he struggled against the overwhelming force that threatened to crush him.
“Haha. Do you feel that Evan? Hmm.. Do you feel the fear swallowing you? Knowing that you have failed. Nothing you can do will save you. No one is coming to help you. Haha. It’s almost beautiful in a way.” Sneered Gromm.
“You ha…. Haven’t won… Won yet.” Spluttered Evan, his voice barely a whisper.
“Hmm.” Sighed Gromm as he tightened his grip. “Time for you to die. Don’t worry, though. I will take excellent care of those two women with you. Haha. Yes, so very good care.”
“Human…” Came Ardentrex’s voice slowly. “You need to get free. Use your mana. You might not know how to use it, but even in its rare form… You must try… Aim for his face…”
“Time to die, Evan.” Laughed Gromm as he brought this other hand up and squeezed Evan’s throat tighter.
With a primal, soundless scream, Evan summoned every ounce of strength he had left and slammed both hands onto the sides of Gromm’s face. Agony ripped through his body as he poured everything he had into the attack, pushing past the limits of his endurance in a desperate bid to kill his tormentor once and for all.
Mana pulsed as Evan pushed the chaos mana through his hands. The pain of chaos racked his body. The mana responded like a greedy animal. Demanding more from Evan with every second.
Evan could feel something else with the Chaos mana. A softer, wild feeling began to grow beside the chaos. It felt like lightning after a summer storm, powerful, wild, yet calm and with purpose. Evan grabbed onto the feeling and pulled it, and it responded slowly, a small trickle flowing down his left arm.
Evan’s concentration wavered as the pain from the chaos mana exploded, reacting to the new power that was building in his left arm. It felt like the two powers were at war with each other. His body had become the battlefield as the two powers pushed against each other, neither gaining ground as they concentrated on one hand each.
Evan felt the slow trickle quickly turn into a flood that matched the chaos mana for raw power. His hand grew hot as he struggled to contain the mana burning through his body.
With a last wordless scream, Evan unleashed the two powers. His vision blinked out as the world turned black and white. The two colours mix in a chaotic dance, twisting and turning as they mix and separate over and over.
As quickly as the world turned black and white, Evan’s vision snapped back into place as everything came back into view. Time seemed to stop as Evan focused on the look of surprise on Gromm’s face.
A mix of pain and stunned belief was visible for a second before an explosion ripped through everything in front of Evan. The force of it pulled Evan free from Gromm’s grip, and he felt his body being thrown from where he had been. His vision finally died out as his body slammed into the ground. Darkness consumed him as he slipped into unconsciousness, the world fading away into oblivion.
----------------------------------------
Elara groaned as she rolled over. Her body aching, slowly taking in her surroundings as she tried to remember what had happened. It hit her as the memories came rushing back. Evan. He had been fighting Gromm.
Pushing up, Elara looked around for where Evan was. As Elara’s eyes scanned the chaotic scene, her heart clenched with dread. There, amid the turmoil, she spotted Evan struggling against Gromm’s iron grip. Panic surged through her veins as she watched Gromm’s fingers tighten around Evan’s throat, squeezing the life out of him.
“No!” Elara’s voice erupted in a strangled cry, her worst fears unfolding before her eyes. Without hesitation, she surged forward, driven by a desperate need to save Evan from the clutches of his merciless assailant.
Each step felt like an eternity as Elara raced towards Evan, her mind consumed by a singular purpose. She could feel the weight of impending doom bearing on her, but she refused to let fear paralyze her.
As she drew closer, Elara’s vision narrowed to focus solely on Evan and Gromm. She could see the struggle etched on Evan’s face, the defiance in his eyes as he fought against the relentless force that threatened to end his life.
With a surge of adrenaline, Elara launched herself at Gromm, her movements fueled by a potent mix of fear and determination. She reached out, her fingers grasping for any leverage she could find to pry Gromm away from Evan.
Before she could grab hold of Gromm, Evan and Gromm were swallowed by a ball of raw mana, contrasting black and white colours in front of her. As quickly as the ball appeared, it vanished, and an explosion threw her backwards. Elara watched as Evan was shot backwards like he had been thrown.
Gromm’s body collapsed to its knees before falling to the ground. Elara pushed herself up, casting a spell as she neared where Gromm had fallen. Just as she was about to release her fireball, she noticed that Gromm wasn’t moving. As she stepped closer, Elara gasped as she struggled not to throw up.
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Gromm’s head was gone. His neck was a bloody mess, and blood began to pool on the ground. His right shoulder to his arm was gone as well. Nothing remained. Burn marks marred what was left of the clothes on Gromm’s back.
Elara tore her eyes from Gromm’s remains as a new fear set in. “If Gromm looks this bad… What about Evan…” She cursed as she began to run to where Evan’s body lay.
Elara’s heart plummeted at the sight before her as she reached Evan’s prone form. His body lay motionless, battered and broken from the brutal encounter. She knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she gently cradled his head in her lap, her fingers brushing away the sweat-drenched hair that clung to his forehead.
“Evan, please…” Elara’s voice cracked with emotion, tears welling in her eyes as she surveyed the extent of his injuries. His face was pale, his breathing shallow and laboured. Dark bruises marred his skin, and blood trickled from a gash on his forehead. But what struck her the most was the absence of his left arm, severed cleanly from the elbow down.
A surge of anguish washed over Elara as she realized the extent of Evan’s sacrifice. He had risked everything to protect her again, and now he lay broken and battered before her. Guilt gnawed at her insides as she berated herself for not being able to save him.
“Evan, please wake up…” Elara whispered, her voice barely above a whisper as she brushed her fingers across his cheek, willing him to open his eyes. But Evan remained unresponsive, his body limp and still.
Panic threatened to consume Elara as she struggled to think clearly amidst the chaos surrounding them. She needed to get Evan to help but had no idea where to start. The town was in ruins, and no one was around to offer assistance.
Just as despair threatened to overwhelm her, a distant roar echoed through the forest, followed by the sound of breaking trees. Elara’s head snapped up, her senses on high alert as she scanned the horizon for any sign of danger.
With a sinking feeling in her gut, Elara realized their fight was far from over. Whatever had caused that roar was heading their way, and they were woefully unprepared to face it. But as fear coursed through her veins, a steely resolve settled in Elara’s heart.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Evan,” Elara whispered, her voice tinged with determination as she gently lifted Evan’s broken body into her arms. With a strength born of desperation, she rose to her feet, her gaze fixed on the forest edge as she slowly made her way to the town’s gate, where Rivena was now beginning to move.
Elara lay Evan’s body down softly as she moved over to where Rivena was now sitting. Her thoughts ran through what she could have done better, done differently to have helped Evan.
“Hey.” Groaned Rivena as she took in the sight before her. “What happened… Elara… What happened? Where’s Gromm?”
Elara pointed to where the lifeless body of Gromm lay. His blood had created a large pool around his body now. Another roar sounded from the forest. Closer this time as Elara sighed.
“That sounds like the same roar we heard in the dungeon.” Said Rivena. “That is the sound of a Demon Blood Wolf. Who would unleash one of them here?”
Elara looked up, tears in her eyes as she slowly ran her hand over Evan’s head. “It was most likely set after me. It would make sense, really. I… I don’t think I can beat it. I don’t have much mana left. I can’t leave Evan here, but there is no time.”
A loud crash echoed around the open space between the forest edge and the town’s walls. The Demon Blood Wolf roared again as it stared at its prey. Pawing the ground as it sniffed the air around it. It lowered its head just as it began to run at where Elara sat.
Elara braced herself as she whispered to Evan. “Don’t worry, Evan. I won’t let it hurt you. I couldn’t help you last time, but I will protect you now.”
Just as Elara stood, a figure rested their hand on her shoulder. Elara screamed as she jumped back. Raising her hand as she prepared to cast.
“Stay here. I’ll deal with the little pest.” Said the Figure. A hooded cloak covers the body and head. Though the voice sounded male, Elara could only nod as she watched the figure draw the twin blades that hung from his belt. They appeared to be short, dagger-style blades.
Elara watched as the Demon Blood Wolf charged forward relentlessly, its snarling jaws dripping with saliva. The hooded figure sprang into action. With lightning speed, he drew his twin blades, the metal gleaming menacingly in the dim light of the forest.
The wolf lunged, its massive claws slashing through the air as it sought to rend its prey apart. But the hooded figure quickly evaded, darting to the side with agile grace. With a swift, upward motion, he plunged one of his daggers into the wolf’s exposed flank, eliciting a guttural howl of pain from the beast.
Undeterred by the creature’s fury, the hooded figure pressed his advantage, launching a barrage of strikes aimed at vulnerable spots on the wolf’s body. Each blow landed with deadly accuracy, slicing through fur and flesh with alarming ease. But the wolf was relentless, its primal instincts driving it forward with unyielding determination.
As the fight raged on, the hooded figure’s cloak billowed around him, a swirling vortex of shadow and movement. But the wolf ignored this, its claws tearing through the fabric savagely. With a fierce growl, it lunged forward, its jaws snapping shut just inches from the hooded figure’s throat.
In a desperate bid to defend himself, the hooded figure countered with a swift kick to the wolf’s muzzle, momentarily stunning the creature and buying himself precious seconds to regroup. Seizing the opportunity, he delivered a series of rapid strikes, driving his blades deep into the wolf’s flesh with every ounce of strength.
With a mighty swipe of its paw, the wolf sent the hooded figure sprawling to the ground, his cloak torn and tattered from the brutal onslaught. Bloodied and battered, the figure staggered to his feet, his determination unbroken.
In a final, desperate gambit, the hooded figure unleashed a flurry of strikes, his blades a blur of motion as he danced around the wolf’s snapping jaws. With a primal roar, he drove his blades deep into the creature’s heart, the final blow sending it crashing to the ground with a loud thud.
Breathing heavily, the hooded figure gazed at the lifeless form of the fallen wolf. As he returned to where Elara and Evan lay, his cloak hanging in tatters around him, Elara’s eyes widened in recognition.
“Kael?” she whispered, disbelief colouring her voice as she took in the familiar features of the hooded figure before her. Memories of shared adventures flooded her mind, intertwining with the present moment in a surreal blur of emotion.
Kael nodded, a weary smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he knelt beside Elara and Evan. “It’s been a while,” he said, his voice rough with exhaustion. “But I promised I’d always have your back. And I intend to keep that promise, no matter what.”
With Kael’s help, Elara carefully lifted Evan’s broken body into her arms, her heart heavy with gratitude and relief. As they returned to the safety of the town’s gates, Elara turned and stared at the battlefield before her, the new bodies of Gromm and the wolf adding to the already destroyed landscape.
With a final sigh, Elara turned and followed Kael and Rivena into the town. Evan’s body weighed her down with each step. “Don’t worry, Evan. I will find a way to protect you.”