The eerie laughter echoed through the forest, sending a wave of unease through Edred, Vnz, Jericho, and Lianne. They stood frozen, weapons at the ready as the dark figure stepped into the clearing, his presence casting a foreboding shadow over the battlefield. His aura was unlike anything they had felt before—an overwhelming darkness that seemed to sap the strength from the air itself.
"Who are you?" Edred demanded, his voice steady despite the growing tension. His muscles tensed, ready for a fight.
The figure stopped just within the circle of dim light filtering through the trees, his face still obscured by shadow. He chuckled softly, the sound dripping with malice.
"Really, Edred? You don't recognize me?" The figure tilted his head, amusement lacing his words. "I'm disappointed."
Edred narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the details of the mysterious figure. There was something familiar about him, but it was hard to pinpoint in the haze of battle and tension. The others stood silent, their eyes darting between Edred and the stranger, waiting for something to happen.
Then, in a sudden movement, the figure took a step forward, allowing the fading light of the setting sun to illuminate his face. The revelation hit like a punch to the gut.
"Abellon?" Jericho said, his voice full of disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me."
Standing before them was none other than Abellon, their classmate. He had always been an odd one, barely paying attention in class, always lost in his own world. He spent more time staring at his phone, playing games, or watching anime than engaging with anyone else. He was known for being apathetic toward everything around him, never participating in group activities, and rarely speaking unless spoken to.
But this—this was something entirely different.
Abellon's appearance had changed drastically since the last time they saw him. His once messy black hair was now slicked back, and his eyes, which used to be glazed over from boredom, now gleamed with a dangerous intensity. His clothes, once the typical uniform, had been replaced by dark, sleek armor that seemed to pulsate with a strange energy. In his hand, he held a weapon none of them had seen before—an obsidian blade that radiated a dark, malevolent aura.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Vnz asked, his voice sharp with confusion. "We thought you didn't care about any of this."
Abellon shrugged casually, a smirk playing on his lips. "I didn't, not at first. But, well… things change." His eyes flickered with an unsettling amusement. "Let's just say I've found a reason to get involved."
Lianne stepped forward, her sword drawn and ready. "Why are you here, Abellon? What do you want?"
Abellon's smirk widened as he twirled his blade lazily in his hand. "What do I want? Isn't it obvious?" He paused, letting the tension build. "I'm here to test my skills. To see how far I've come. And who better to challenge than my dear old classmates?"
The air grew heavy with tension as Abellon's words sank in. Edred tightened his grip on his sword, his eyes locked onto Abellon's dark figure.
"So, you're here to fight us?" Edred asked, his voice cold.
"Exactly," Abellon replied, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I've grown tired of sitting on the sidelines, watching you all stumble your way through this world. Now it's my turn to show you what real power looks like."
Without warning, Abellon dashed forward with incredible speed, his blade slicing through the air in a blur of black energy. Edred barely had time to react, raising his sword just in time to block the attack. The force of the blow sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, and Edred grunted as he struggled to hold his ground.
"You're fast," Edred muttered, gritting his teeth as he pushed back against Abellon's strength. "But we're not the same as we were in school either."
Edred quickly activated The Assassin skill, his body moving with a speed that matched Abellon's. He disappeared from sight, reappearing behind Abellon with a swift slash aimed at his back. But Abellon was ready. He spun around with lightning speed, his blade clashing against Edred's in a shower of sparks.
"You think I didn't see that coming?" Abellon laughed as he parried Edred's attack effortlessly. "You're going to have to do better than that."
Vnz, seeing Edred locked in battle, wasted no time and charged at Abellon from the side, his sword raised high. But Abellon didn't even flinch. With a single flick of his wrist, he summoned a wall of dark energy that blocked Vnz's attack, sending him stumbling back.
"This is child's play," Abellon said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "I expected more from you guys."
Jericho, not one to be left out, joined the fray, launching a barrage of energy blasts from his staff. The projectiles zoomed towards Abellon, but he moved with such speed that he seemed to teleport out of the way, dodging each attack with ease.
Lianne, eyes narrowed, readied her bow and unleashed a volley of arrows, each one infused with energy. But just like the others, Abellon dodged them effortlessly, his movements too fast for anyone to track.
"I'm surprised you're all still standing," Abellon said, his tone dripping with arrogance. "I thought you'd be on the ground by now."
Edred wasn't about to let Abellon have the upper hand for long. With a deep breath, he summoned the full extent of his Legendary Warrior skill. His body glowed with a bright golden light as his strength and durability surged to their peak. He rushed Abellon, slamming his sword down with all his might.
This time, Abellon grunted as he blocked the strike, the ground beneath him cracking under the force of the blow.
"Finally," Abellon sneered, pushing back against Edred's strength. "You're starting to put up a fight."
The two exchanged a flurry of blows, each one faster and stronger than the last. Their swords clashed again and again, sending shockwaves through the forest, knocking trees over and creating craters in the ground.
Meanwhile, Vnz and Jericho regrouped, formulating a plan.
"We need to coordinate our attacks," Vnz said, breathing heavily. "He's too fast for any of us to land a solid hit."
Jericho nodded, gripping his staff tightly. "Right. I'll try to slow him down with some energy traps. You and Lianne focus on attacking him while he's distracted."
Lianne, standing a few feet away with her bow drawn, nodded in agreement. "Got it."
Jericho raised his staff, chanting under his breath as he summoned glowing energy symbols that hovered in the air around him. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the symbols flying towards Abellon, each one forming an energy trap designed to slow down his movements.
Abellon noticed the glowing symbols but didn't seem worried. "What are you up to now, Jericho?"
As he dodged another of Edred's strikes, he suddenly found himself surrounded by the energy symbols. They locked onto him, binding his movements just long enough for Vnz and Lianne to make their move.
Vnz dashed forward, slashing at Abellon with his sword, while Lianne fired a barrage of arrows from her bow. For a moment, it seemed like they might gain the upper hand.
But Abellon's smirk never faltered.
With a burst of dark energy, he shattered the energy traps around him, freeing himself from Jericho's hold. He blocked Vnz's sword with ease and sidestepped Lianne's arrows, his movements still fluid and precise.
"You really thought that would work?" Abellon laughed, his eyes glowing with dark energy. "You're all so predictable."
Just as the battle seemed to be tipping in Abellon's favor, a familiar figure appeared in the distance. Rohanna, battered and bruised from her earlier fight with Edred, limped towards the clearing, her eyes blazing with fury.
"You," she growled, glaring at Abellon. "You think you can just show up and steal my fight?"
Abellon raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Oh, Rohanna. Still nursing that bruised ego, I see?"
Rohanna's face twisted in anger as she clenched her fists, summoning her own aura of energy. "I'm not done with you yet, Edred. But first, I'll take care of this cocky bastard."
Without waiting for a response, Rohanna charged at Abellon, her fists glowing with a fiery energy. She swung wildly, aiming for his face. Abellon dodged her attacks with ease, his smirk never leaving his face.
"Please," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You're even less of a challenge than the others."
Rohanna roared in frustration, launching a powerful punch that sent a shockwave through the air. But Abellon, with his lightning-fast reflexes, caught her fist in mid-air, stopping her attack cold.
"You really thought you could hit me?" Abellon taunted, tightening his grip on her fist.
Rohanna screamed in pain, struggling to free herself from his grasp. But Abellon was too strong. He twisted her arm, forcing her to her knees.
"You're pathetic," he whispered, leaning down to look her in the eyes.
Just when it seemed like Abellon would finish her off, a sudden explosion of energy erupted from Edred. With a primal roar, he charged at Abellon with renewed strength, his sword glowing with a bright golden light.
Abellon barely had time to react before Edred's sword slammed into him, sending him flying across the clearing. He crashed into a tree, the impact sending splinters of wood flying in all directions.
The group stood in stunned silence as Abellon slowly rose to his feet, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. His smirk had faded, replaced by a cold, dangerous glare.
"Alright," he said, his voice low and menacing. "You've had your fun. Now it's my turn."
With a wave of his hand, a dark portal opened behind him. Dozens of shadowy figures emerged, each one radiating a dark, malevolent energy.
"This fight isn't over," Abellon said, his eyes glowing with dark power. "Not by a long shot."
To be continued...