The first Voidborn moved.
Then another.
Then hundreds.
The mountainside seemed to crawl with darkness.
Evans tightened his grip on his Shadow Blade.
For the first time since awakening his power, he felt something he couldn't ignore.
Fear.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for everyone standing beside him.
The Shadow Sovereign stepped forward.
"Do not attack yet."
Leon looked at him.
"Why not?"
The Sovereign's eyes remained fixed on the army.
"Because they are waiting."
A low growl rolled across the mountains.
The Voidborn stopped.
Every glowing eye turned toward Evans.
Silence.
Then—
BOOM!
One Voidborn launched itself forward.
Evans vanished.
Shadow Step.
He appeared above it.
His blade struck.
The creature dissolved.
Leon grinned.
"One down."
Another ten charged.
Leon raised both hands.
"Lightning Burst!"
Lightning crashed into the ground.
Several creatures were thrown aside.
But more kept coming.
Leon's smile disappeared.
"They're not slowing down."
Aria fired.
One arrow.
Three creatures fell.
Another arrow.
Two more.
She reached for another.
Her quiver was already half empty.
"That's not good."
Kael stepped in front of her.
"Save your arrows."
He swung his sword.
A wave of energy swept across the ground, forcing the Voidborn back.
"We don't know how long this battle will last."
Aria nodded.
"Understood."
Then the Shadow Wolf howled.
Everyone looked toward the mountains.
The creatures had stopped attacking.
Evans frowned.
"Why did they stop?"
The Shadow Sovereign's expression became grim.
"Because the first wave was only a test."
The ground began shaking.
BOOM.
A second wave emerged.
Larger.
Faster.
Stronger.
Leon stared.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Evans raised his blade.
"Stay together!"
The Voidborn attacked.
---
The First Break
Olivia created a Light Barrier.
The creatures slammed against it.
CRACK.
A thin fracture appeared.
Olivia's eyes widened.
"They're breaking through!"
Evans rushed beside her.
"Hold on!"
His Shadow Power poured into the barrier.
Light and Shadow merged.
The fracture stopped spreading.
Olivia looked at him.
"We can do this."
Evans nodded.
Then—
CRACK.
Another fracture appeared.
Then another.
Olivia gritted her teeth.
"Evans…"
"I know."
The barrier shattered.
The shockwave threw both of them backward.
"OLIVIA!"
Evans immediately Shadow Stepped toward her.
But a Voidborn intercepted him.
He blocked its attack.
The impact sent him sliding across the stone.
His Shadow Blade flickered.
The creature charged again.
Evans disappeared.
He reappeared behind it.
Shadow Blade!
The creature fell.
Evans breathed heavily.
His hands were shaking.
His Shadow Power was weakening.
And the army was still growing.
---
Leon's Last Strike
Leon looked at the battlefield.
Evans was surrounded.
Olivia was struggling to maintain her Light.
Aria was almost out of arrows.
Kael was fighting several creatures at once.
Even the Shadow Sovereign had drawn his weapon.
Leon clenched his fists.
"Fine."
Lightning began gathering around him.
Kael looked over.
"Leon, don't!"
Leon ignored him.
The lightning grew brighter.
"I'm ending this wave."
Evans saw what Leon was doing.
"Leon!"
Leon shouted:
"THUNDER—"
The entire sky flashed.
"—FALL!"
A massive bolt struck the battlefield.
BOOOOOOM!
The Voidborn were blasted backward.
The ground cracked.
Smoke filled the area.
For a moment—
silence.
Leon stood in the center.
His breathing was heavy.
Evans looked at him.
"You okay?"
Leon gave a tired smile.
"Ask me tomorrow."
Then the smoke moved.
One pair of glowing eyes appeared.
Then another.
Then dozens.
Leon stared.
"No…"
The Voidborn slowly stood.
They were damaged.
But they were still coming.
The Shadow Sovereign looked toward the mountains.
"The Herald has arrived."
---
The Herald
The darkness above the battlefield twisted.
A gigantic figure descended from the clouds.
It landed several hundred meters away.
BOOM!
The shockwave knocked everyone backward.
Evans struggled to stand.
The creature was enormous.
Black energy covered its body.
Two horns curved from its head.
Its eyes glowed like burning stars.
The Voidborn immediately bowed.
The Herald looked at Evans.
Then Olivia.
Then the Shadow Sovereign.
A deep voice echoed across the mountains.
"THE SHADOW HEIR."
Evans raised his blade.
"Who are you?"
The Herald's eyes narrowed.
"THE LUMINA."
Olivia stepped beside Evans.
"And?"
The Herald smiled.
"THE LAST GUARDIAN."
The Shadow Sovereign froze.
Kael looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
The Herald pointed toward the Sovereign.
"HE KNOWS."
Evans turned.
"You know what it's talking about?"
The Sovereign didn't answer.
The Herald continued.
"ASK HIM WHY THE VOID REMEMBERS YOU."
Evans's expression hardened.
"Sovereign?"
Still silence.
Then the Herald raised one hand.
Every Voidborn suddenly moved aside.
Something was approaching behind them.
Something even larger.
The Shadow Sovereign finally spoke.
"Everyone…"
His voice was unusually quiet.
"Get behind me."
Evans had never heard fear in the Sovereign's voice before.
Until now.
A massive shadow rose behind the Herald.
The mountain itself seemed to bend beneath its presence.
Olivia whispered:
"What is that?"
The Sovereign stared at the approaching creature.
"The first seal didn't release an army."
He tightened his grip on his weapon.
"It released one of the Void Kings."
Evans's Shadow Power suddenly exploded around him.
His eyes turned completely black.
The creature opened its enormous mouth.
And the entire mountain heard its first roar.
ROOOOOOOAR!
The battle had only just begun.
To be continued…