The battlefield shifted into chaos once more as the relentless tide of monsters pressed harder. Despite their best efforts, even the seasoned Sentinels were beginning to falter under the onslaught.

Elias, who had been a storm of precision and destruction moments ago, now fought with visible strain. His fluid movements grew heavier, his strikes more deliberate as he sought to conserve energy.

Nearby, Lance fought to stay out of the immediate line of danger, keeping to the edges and offering what support he could. But it was clear that merely dodging and staying alert wouldn’t be enough forever. As the fray continued, Lance’s thoughts began to spiral.

"I don’t have an actual way to fight…" His frustration bubbled to the surface, and he couldn’t stop himself from muttering it aloud.

William's voice chimed in his head, its usual lightness tinged with uncharacteristic concern.

"Finally admitting that, huh? I’ve been wondering how long you were going to wing it out here."

"I’m serious, William!" Lance shot back mentally, gritting his teeth as he dodged another claw swipe. "If something jumps at me, I’ve got nothing but a little vibration and some wind blasts to protect myself!"

William’s tone shifted, his usual lightness tempered by practicality.

"Alright, alright, here’s the thing. If we get out of this alive—and that’s a big ‘if’ with you dodging like that—you need to start learning how to cut. Wind blades. Sharpen your control and make something that bites back."

Lance exhaled sharply, deflecting a swipe with a shaky gust of air. “Wind blades,” he muttered. “And when am I supposed to learn that, in between running and almost dying?”

"Not now, obviously. Not now, unless you want to go find Ellard mid-battle. But when we’re out of this mess, it’s top priority."

Before Lance could retort, a guttural snarl tore through the cacophony, and his instincts screamed. A leathery-winged creature hurtled toward him from above, its talons gleaming with vicious intent. He froze, panic gripping him.

A blinding flash seared the air, and the creature exploded in a shower of dark ichor. A Sentinel landed nearby, shaking their head in exasperation.

“Watch out, kid,” the Sentinel snapped, voice curt but protective. “Stay alert, or you won’t get lucky next time.”

Lance nodded mutely, his heart pounding as the Sentinel leapt back into the fray.

"You hear that? Stay alert," William quipped. "Because I’d really prefer not to get stuck in the head of someone who’s been eaten by a monster."

******************************************

The battlefield was utter chaos. Lance noticed many summoned companions fighting alongside there mages, A stone elemental loomed nearby, its fists smashing down on the waves of monsters. Not all the summoned forms held their strength; a wolf of pure light flickered weakly as it tore through monsters, and the elemental's movements grew slower, each strike labored.

Lance fell back, gripping his knees as his breaths came in short gasps. His head throbbed, his vision blurred from the strain of using too much lifestream. Even forming a coherent thought felt like a monumental task.

"You're done, kid," William muttered in his mind, his tone oddly sympathetic. "No shame in it—you’re not the only one struggling."

Through his daze, Lance spotted Oliver and Bella retreating nearby. Oliver had given up on his light magic and was limping back, clutching a bleeding arm. Bella looked drained, her fiery magic now a faint flicker as she leaned on a piece of rubble for support.

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Kade, still holding his ground, had abandoned magic entirely. His short sword gleamed faintly under the dim light as he slashed at an oncoming beast, his movements slow but purposeful.

Further up, Lance heard his name. “Lance!” Mayor Shindall shouted, his normally pristine armor now in tatters, exposing bloodied cloth underneath. His staff was chipped, its once-glowing runes flickering weakly. Beside him, a few defenders stood battered but resolute, their sweat and blood mixing with the dirt beneath them.

“Fall back!” Shindall commanded hoarsely. "To the inner line. Now!"

Reluctantly, Lance stumbled toward the others, retreating to the final defensive line. His limbs felt like lead, his thoughts a whirlwind of frustration and helplessness.

"Why can't I do anything?" he muttered under his breath, his eyes darting to the chaos ahead.

"You're barely holding together as is," William replied. "Just watch and learn, kid. This isn’t your fight to finish."

The Sentinel Commander surveyed the battlefield, his jaw set in grim determination. His once-imposing armor now bore scorch marks and tears, but his voice carried above the chaos.

"Everyone, fall back!" he roared. "Hold the final line!"

The defenders began retreating, forming a haphazard perimeter around the Commander. Lance staggered back, his knees trembling as he felt the pull of exhaustion from his overdrawn lifestream. Bella and Oliver collapsed near him, too drained to muster any more power.The rest of his group nowhere to be found

Lance looked around. “We’re all tapped out,” he muttered.

"And that’s why he’s about to pull out the big guns," William replied.

The Commander raised both hands, the glow of lifestream surrounding him as he yelled over the defenders. “Stay back!” His voice boomed, commanding authority as every remaining fighter pulled behind him.

Lance watched as the Commander closed his eyes. The battlefield seemed to still for a moment, as if the world itself held its breath. Then the Commander’s eyes snapped open, glowing a vivid blue. A powerful wave of energy surged outward, and behind him, a portal of shimmering water tore into existence.

From the portal emerged a colossal form. It was the hydra—three heads rising like towers, each emitting a guttural roar as the creature entered the fray. Streams of water gushed from its mouths, slamming into the horde of monsters and scattering them like leaves in a storm.

Lance gawked, the raw power taking his breath away. “It’s... it’s a giant dragon,” he stammered.

"Close, but not quite," William corrected with a chuckle. "That’s a hydra from the Elemental Plane of Water. Full-on spectral form—very flashy."

Lance barely had time to marvel at the hydra before movement caught his eye. One of the Sentinels who had been fighting earlier limped forward , his battered armor barely hanging on. The man raised a shaking hand, summoning an elemental spirit wreathed in flames.

William chimed in. "Another spectral form. That’s a fire spirit—not as flashy as the hydra, but no less deadly."

The spirit let out a guttural hiss as it launched waves of searing fire into the charging creatures.

The air suddenly grew heavier. Lance’s gaze snapped to his brother, Elias. Black sludge oozed around his feet, slithering upward to encase him. The Sentinels around him hesitated as Elias allowed the substance to envelop his entire form.

“What...?” Lance whispered, a knot tightening in his stomach.

The cocoon pulsed once and cracked open. Elias emerged, transformed. Dark, jagged armor clung to him, shimmering with an unnatural sheen. A massive sword of pure shadow hung by his side, crackling with dark energy.

Elias surveyed the monsters, his lips curling into a smile—then a laugh burst from him, maniacal and unsettling. He gripped the shadow blade tightly, a mad glint in his glowing eyes.

"Well, that’s new," William muttered with something like unease. "Ethereal form. A demon from the Plane of Darkness. This just got intense."

Lance didn’t reply, frozen as Elias surged into the fray with renewed ferocity, his attacks carving through monsters with terrifying ease.

The Sentinel Commander shouted something, but it was hard to hear over the deafening roar of the hydra and Elias’s onslaught. More Sentinels and even some townsfolk began summoning their companions. Mayor Shindall stepped forward, blood dripping from his torn armor as he extended his staff. A spiked metal creature appeared by his side, launching sharp darts into the horde with precise aim.

Bit by bit, the tide shifted. Monsters fell in greater numbers, the defenders rallying behind their remaining strength. Though battered and bruised, the line held firm.

Lance sagged against the wall, unable to join the fight anymore but unable to look away. "Why does it feel like everyone has something but me?” he muttered bitterly.

"Patience, kid," William replied. "This is their moment. Yours will come—when you’re ready."

As the last of the monsters retreated into the shadows, a quiet settled over the battlefield. The defenders, bloodied and weary, stood victorious.