The sky overhead darkened as the lingering shadows of the portal summoned by Abellon grew deeper. Dark energy swirled, casting an oppressive atmosphere over the battlefield. Edred, Vnz, Jericho, Lianne, and the rest of the group stood at the ready, their faces set in grim determination.
Abellon wiped the blood from his lip, his eyes burning with malice. "You thought Rohanna was your only enemy? That was nothing. Now, face real power."
Edred felt a chill run down his spine as Abellon's army of shadowy figures stepped from the dark portal, each one radiating pure, malicious energy. The figures moved in unison, their forms shifting between humanoid shapes and monstrous beasts, eyes glowing a sinister red.
"Don't falter!" Edred shouted, his voice cutting through the oppressive air. He raised his sword, its blade glowing brightly as he activated The Legendary Warrior skill, infusing him with strength and durability far beyond that of a normal human.
Vnz clenched his jaw, adjusting his grip on his blade. "There's no turning back now."
Jericho, eyes wide with awe at the dark creatures emerging from the portal, gripped his staff tightly, the energy within it crackling. "These things… they're beyond anything we've ever faced!"
Lianne nocked an arrow, her sharp gaze fixed on the enemy. "Then we hit them harder."
The battle began with a thunderous clash. Abellon's dark army rushed forward, their forms shifting between tangible and intangible, making it difficult for anyone to land a clean blow. Edred and his group charged in, blades flashing and arrows flying as they fought to hold the line.
Edred locked eyes with Abellon, who stood back with a confident smirk, watching his army overwhelm them. Edred pushed forward, breaking through the first wave of shadow creatures with brute force, each swing of his sword creating shockwaves that shattered the ground beneath him. With every strike, he felt the Legendary Warrior skill pushing him further, his body glowing with golden light as his power surged.
Clang!
A powerful shadow beast lunged at Edred, its claws slashing toward his throat. He ducked just in time, his sword swinging upward in a clean arc that bisected the creature in half. The beast dissolved into black smoke, but three more replaced it instantly.
Vnz was beside him, cutting down shadows left and right. His sword flashed as he parried one creature and struck down another with a swift, lethal blow. "They keep coming!" he shouted, his voice strained.
"We have to find the source!" Edred responded, his gaze fixed on the dark portal that continued to spew more enemies.
Lianne fired a barrage of arrows, each one infused with energy that caused the creatures to burst apart upon impact. "We need to destroy that portal!"
Jericho summoned glowing energy traps around him, capturing and containing the beasts momentarily, but the effort was taxing. Sweat dripped down his face as he struggled to keep the dark creatures at bay. "I'll try to contain as many as I can, but they're overwhelming us!"
Amid the chaos, Edred charged straight toward Abellon, his sword glowing brighter than ever before. "Enough of your games, Abellon!" he shouted as he swung his blade with all his might.
Abellon's smirk only widened as he effortlessly blocked the attack with his obsidian blade, the dark energy radiating from it pulsing with each clash of their swords. "You're strong, Edred," Abellon admitted, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "But you're not stronger than me."
With a twist of his wrist, Abellon deflected Edred's blow and countered with a flurry of slashes, each one faster and more precise than the last. Edred barely managed to block them, the force of each strike sending tremors up his arms.
"You're faster…" Edred grunted, gritting his teeth as he pushed back against Abellon's relentless assault.
Abellon's movements were smooth and fluid, each swing of his sword calculated and deadly. "Did you really think playing hero would be enough to defeat me?" he taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance. "I've been preparing for this."
With a sudden burst of speed, Abellon disappeared from view, reappearing behind Edred with his sword raised for a fatal strike.
But Edred was ready. Activating The Assassin skill, he vanished just as Abellon's blade came down, reappearing a few feet away, his breath ragged but his stance unshaken. "You're not the only one who's been preparing."
Their eyes locked once more, and the battle resumed with even greater intensity. Abellon's dark energy clashed with Edred's glowing aura, the two forces creating shockwaves that shook the forest around them.
As Edred and Abellon continued their fierce duel, the rest of the group fought desperately to keep the shadow army at bay.
Vnz was a blur of motion, his sword cutting through the creatures with deadly precision, but even he was beginning to tire. His arms ached, and his breathing became labored, yet he fought on, refusing to give an inch.
Jericho, his energy reserves nearly depleted, switched tactics, summoning barriers of light to shield his comrades from the relentless onslaught. But the creatures were relentless, smashing against the barriers with terrifying force.
Lianne, positioned on a nearby hill, fired arrow after arrow, her accuracy unwavering. Her focus was on the portal, each shot aimed at thinning the numbers of creatures emerging from it. But for every beast she felled, two more seemed to take its place.
"We can't keep this up forever!" Vnz shouted over the roar of battle.
Edred heard his words but couldn't afford to look away from Abellon, who pressed his advantage with a vicious series of strikes. "You're finished, Edred," Abellon sneered as their swords locked once more, the two warriors glaring at each other. "You can't defeat me."
"That's where you're wrong," Edred growled, his grip tightening on his sword. "I'll never stop fighting!"
With a surge of energy, Edred unleashed a powerful blast from his sword, the golden light exploding outward and throwing Abellon back. The dark figure skidded across the ground but quickly regained his footing, his smirk replaced by a scowl.
"You think that'll stop me?" Abellon spat, dark energy swirling around him once more.
Just as Abellon prepared to strike again, the air around them crackled with energy. A brilliant light shot through the sky, and a thunderous boom echoed through the forest.
Edred and Abellon both froze, their eyes widening in shock as the source of the disturbance revealed itself—a massive figure, glowing with divine energy, descended from the heavens. It was the form of a celestial being, clad in radiant armor, wielding a massive sword that crackled with lightning.
The shadow creatures recoiled from the being's presence, their dark energy dissipating under the weight of the celestial's power. Even Abellon took a cautious step back, his eyes narrowing at the newcomer.
"What… what is that?" Vnz gasped, shielding his eyes from the blinding light.
Jericho, equally stunned, whispered in awe, "An avatar… of the gods?"
The celestial being landed in the center of the battlefield, its towering form radiating pure, unfiltered power. It raised its sword high, and with a single swing, sent a shockwave of divine energy surging through the battlefield, wiping out dozens of shadow creatures in an instant.
"Edred," the being's voice boomed, echoing through the minds of everyone present. "You have proven yourself worthy."
Edred's eyes widened, his heart racing as the celestial's words resonated within him. He felt a surge of power flow through him, his body glowing even brighter than before.
Abellon, however, scowled in frustration, his eyes flicking between the celestial and Edred. "This isn't over," he snarled, dark energy swirling around him once more. "You might have the gods on your side, but that won't save you."
With a wave of his hand, Abellon opened another portal, stepping into the swirling darkness. "We'll meet again, Edred," he said, his voice echoing ominously as he vanished into the void.
To be continued...