The Void King took another step.
BOOM.
The mountain shook.
Small rocks fell from the cliffs.
Evans tightened his grip on his Shadow Blade.
Then the Shadow Sovereign suddenly looked toward the black pillar in the distance.
His expression changed.
"We have minutes."
Leon stared at him.
"Minutes until what?"
"The next seal collapses."
Everyone went silent.
Kael looked toward the mountains.
"The second seal…"
The Sovereign nodded.
"The Void King isn't here to destroy us."
Evans frowned.
"Then why is it here?"
"To keep us occupied."
A terrible silence followed.
Olivia looked toward the black pillar.
"So while we fight…"
"The Void is breaking another seal," Kael finished.
Aria immediately reached for her bow.
"Then we can't stay here."
The Void King roared.
The entire battlefield shook.
The Sovereign raised his weapon.
"You cannot reach the seal while this creature stands."
Evans stepped forward.
"Then we'll bring it down quickly."
Leon looked at him.
"Quickly?"
Evans nodded.
"We don't need to defeat the whole army."
He pointed toward the Void King.
"We only need an opening."
Aria understood immediately.
"I can create one."
Leon smiled.
"And I can make it bigger."
Olivia looked at Evans.
"And I'll protect everyone."
Kael raised his sword.
"Then I'll hold the creatures back."
The Shadow Sovereign stepped forward.
"I will face the Void King."
Evans shook his head.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
The Sovereign raised an eyebrow.
Evans pointed toward the mountain.
"You said strength means trusting your allies."
He looked at the group.
"We fight together."
For a moment, the Sovereign said nothing.
Then he smiled.
"Very well."
The Void King charged.
BOOOOOOM!
The mountain shook violently.
Kael shouted:
"NOW!"
Aria fired.
Her arrow streaked through the darkness.
Leon released a massive bolt of lightning.
Olivia raised a Light Barrier.
The Sovereign launched forward.
And Evans disappeared.
Shadow Step.
He reappeared directly behind the Void King.
His Shadow Blade struck.
The creature staggered.
"NOW, EVANS!" Leon shouted.
Evans raised his hand.
Shadow energy spread across the ground.
"SHADOW BIND!"
Dark chains wrapped around the Void King.
The creature roared.
The chains began breaking.
CRACK.
One.
CRACK.
Two.
Evans gritted his teeth.
"Hold…"
Another chain shattered.
The Void King began moving.
"Hold!"
Olivia joined him.
"Evans!"
Light poured into his Shadow.
The chains became brighter and stronger.
For a moment, the creature was trapped.
The Shadow Sovereign raised his weapon.
"Everyone!"
They stepped back.
The Sovereign unleashed a massive wave of Shadow energy.
BOOOOOOM!
The Void King was thrown across the battlefield.
Silence.
Evans breathed heavily.
"Did we—"
The black pillar suddenly flashed.
BOOM!
The ground split.
Kael looked toward the mountains.
"It's happening."
The second seal was beginning to collapse.
The Shadow Sovereign turned to Evans.
"You have less than five minutes."
Leon stared.
"Five minutes?"
Kael nodded.
"If that seal breaks completely, the Void will gain enough strength to open the path between its realm and Aurelia."
Olivia looked frightened.
"And if that happens?"
The Sovereign answered:
"There may be no way to close it again."
Evans looked toward the distant pillar.
Then toward the injured group.
Then toward the Void King, which was slowly getting back to its feet.
He raised his Shadow Blade.
"We run."
Leon blinked.
"Run?"
Evans nodded.
"We don't have to defeat the Void King."
He looked at the Sovereign.
"We only have to survive it long enough to reach the seal."
The Shadow Sovereign smiled.
"Now you understand."
The group turned toward the mountains.
Behind them—
the Void King roared.
Ahead—
the second seal began to crack.
Four minutes remained.
To be continued…Chapter Eighteen: The Final Countdown
The Void King took another step.
BOOM.
The mountain shook.
Small rocks fell from the cliffs.
Evans tightened his grip on his Shadow Blade.
Then the Shadow Sovereign suddenly looked toward the black pillar in the distance.
His expression changed.
"We have minutes."
Leon stared at him.
"Minutes until what?"
"The next seal collapses."
Everyone went silent.
Kael looked toward the mountains.
"The second seal…"
The Sovereign nodded.
"The Void King isn't here to destroy us."
Evans frowned.
"Then why is it here?"
"To keep us occupied."
A terrible silence followed.
Olivia looked toward the black pillar.
"So while we fight…"
"The Void is breaking another seal," Kael finished.
Aria immediately reached for her bow.
"Then we can't stay here."
The Void King roared.
The entire battlefield shook.
The Sovereign raised his weapon.
"You cannot reach the seal while this creature stands."
Evans stepped forward.
"Then we'll bring it down quickly."
Leon looked at him.
"Quickly?"
Evans nodded.
"We don't need to defeat the whole army."
He pointed toward the Void King.
"We only need an opening."
Aria understood immediately.
"I can create one."
Leon smiled.
"And I can make it bigger."
Olivia looked at Evans.
"And I'll protect everyone."
Kael raised his sword.
"Then I'll hold the creatures back."
The Shadow Sovereign stepped forward.
"I will face the Void King."
Evans shook his head.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
The Sovereign raised an eyebrow.
Evans pointed toward the mountain.
"You said strength means trusting your allies."
He looked at the group.
"We fight together."
For a moment, the Sovereign said nothing.
Then he smiled.
"Very well."
The Void King charged.
BOOOOOOM!
The mountain shook violently.
Kael shouted:
"NOW!"
Aria fired.
Her arrow streaked through the darkness.
Leon released a massive bolt of lightning.
Olivia raised a Light Barrier.
The Sovereign launched forward.
And Evans disappeared.
Shadow Step.
He reappeared directly behind the Void King.
His Shadow Blade struck.
The creature staggered.
"NOW, EVANS!" Leon shouted.
Evans raised his hand.
Shadow energy spread across the ground.
"SHADOW BIND!"
Dark chains wrapped around the Void King.
The creature roared.
The chains began breaking.
CRACK.
One.
CRACK.
Two.
Evans gritted his teeth.
"Hold…"
Another chain shattered.
The Void King began moving.
"Hold!"
Olivia joined him.
"Evans!"
Light poured into his Shadow.
The chains became brighter and stronger.
For a moment, the creature was trapped.
The Shadow Sovereign raised his weapon.
"Everyone!"
They stepped back.
The Sovereign unleashed a massive wave of Shadow energy.
BOOOOOOM!
The Void King was thrown across the battlefield.
Silence.
Evans breathed heavily.
"Did we—"
The black pillar suddenly flashed.
BOOM!
The ground split.
Kael looked toward the mountains.
"It's happening."
The second seal was beginning to collapse.
The Shadow Sovereign turned to Evans.
"You have less than five minutes."
Leon stared.
"Five minutes?"
Kael nodded.
"If that seal breaks completely, the Void will gain enough strength to open the path between its realm and Aurelia."
Olivia looked frightened.
"And if that happens?"
The Sovereign answered:
"There may be no way to close it again."
Evans looked toward the distant pillar.
Then toward the injured group.
Then toward the Void King, which was slowly getting back to its feet.
He raised his Shadow Blade.
"We run."
Leon blinked.
"Run?"
Evans nodded.
"We don't have to defeat the Void King."
He looked at the Sovereign.
"We only have to survive it long enough to reach the seal."
The Shadow Sovereign smiled.
"Now you understand."
The group turned toward the mountains.
Behind them—
the Void King roared.
Ahead—
the second seal began to crack.
Four minutes remained.
To be continued…