Kingsland Arc Chapter:37 - The Return Of Hope.
As Chou, Kaelen, Lamus, and Freya fought with everything they had, a shadow
phantom, smaller and faster than the rest, managed to slip through the cracks of their defense. It plunged a spectral blade into Yue Xin's side, and she collapsed with a sharp gasp of pain.
The group was in a state of frantic despair. They couldn't move. To break ranks was to be annihilated.
The rogue phantom, not finished, moved to strike again, this time aiming for Rafaela, who was kneeling over Yue Xin.
Freya (eyes wide with horror): "No, Rafaela!"
Lamus (grinding his teeth): "Damn it, Rafaela is going to get attacked! If we don't do something, she—"
A voice, sharp and commanding, cut through the din of battle, echoing with an authority that wasn't of this world.
"LEO!"
Suddenly, a blur of motion, a streak of pure shadow, shot past the group.
The room stilled as the shadow wolf erupted from Rafaela's very shadow—flowing, impossibly fast, like dusk turning to midnight in an instant. Its jaws closed on the phantom's arm, and for the first time, the darkness recoiled.
The wolf then slammed the phantom to the ground, its body dissolving into wisps of nothingness.
The group stared, astonished, at the shadow wolf.
Rafaela & Miya: (Their hands glowing) "Healing Torrent!"
A shimmering green light enveloped Yue Xin as the two healers rushed to her side, their spells knitting her wounds back together, though she was still weak and pale.
Freya (in her mind): What is a shadow wolf doing here? That command… that voice…
Kaelen: "It's… it's protecting us."
Chou: "That voice... I know that voice!"
Meanwhile, in a hidden alcove nearby, two figures watched the chaos unfold.
Saber: "I will change my form to a cat. It's best if we hide my identity for now."
Ronin: "You can trust my friends, but it's your choice."
Saber's form shimmered, shrinking and transforming into a sleek black cat with fur as dark as night. Only his eyes remained—two glowing orbs of violet light.
Ronin: "Saber, help me save my friends!"
Saber: "Right!"
A concentrated pulse of purple light erupted from the small cat. It slammed into the horde of phantoms, not with a simple blast, but with a concussive shockwave that vaporized a third of the legion. The ground where they stood was scorched and smoking.
The group watched in disbelief as a black cat with glowing purple eyes, a shadow wolf, and a lone swordsman charged toward them, carving a path through the unending horde.
Freya: "Who is that?"
Rafaela: "Is that...?"
Chou: "It's Ronin!"
Ronin, with Luna the shadow wolf at his side and Saber in his cat form following close behind, cut a devastating swath through the enemy. His blade moved in a fluid, hypnotic dance, each swing a whisper of death to the phantoms. He was fighting in his normal state, his demonic powers held in check, but his skill was unmatched. Luna, meanwhile, would pounce and dissolve phantoms into nothingness, while Saber's glowing eyes would unleash quick, targeted bursts of magical energy.
Seeing Ronin, a surge of renewed hope and vigor coursed through the trapped group. They fought with a ferocious new energy, shouting his name. Rafaela and Miya finished healing Yue Xin, who, though still weak, managed to stand and add her plant magic to the defense.
As the phantoms kept respawning, Ronin grunted, wiping sweat from his brow.
Ronin: "What's this? Why do they keep respawning?"
Saber, perched on Ronin's shoulder, looked up, his glowing purple eyes fixated on the towering Legionnaire in the distance.
Saber: "It's the Shadow Legionnaire. A cursed spirit."
Ronin: "What?"
Saber: "It was cursed by its master for failing to protect him. Its eternal punishment is to serve as a beacon, constantly summoning these lesser phantoms. You can't defeat it with just force."
Ronin: "How do we eliminate it?"
Saber: "You need a person who can use a Purify spell to permanently destroy its curse."
Ronin: "Rafaela or Miss Miya might use this spell(in the mind)" Okay, let's go."
Saber unleashed another, more powerful spell—a swirling vortex of purple light that created a clear path directly to the encircled group. Ronin, Luna, and Saber sprinted through the gap, joining their friends.
The moment Ronin burst through the carnage, every eye locked on him. Sword flashing, Luna at his heels, and the glowing-eyed cat on his shoulder, he seemed almost unreal against the endless dark. Even the phantoms hesitated, as if aware the battle's flow had shifted.
The phantom numbers had dwindled, but they were already beginning to reform. The group was ecstatic to see Ronin, their fighting spirits rekindled.
Chou: "How are you—"
Ronin (interrupting): "We can talk later. Right now, we need to focus on defeating the Shadow Legionnaire."
Kaelen (grunting as he fends off a phantom): "How do we defeat him?"
Ronin: "We need someone with a Purify spell to eliminate him. Who here can use one?"
Freya: "Rafaela and Miya can both cast it.
But I suggest Miya; her magic is more refined and powerful."
Ronin: "Okay. Miss Miya Please come with me."
Miya's face paled as all eyes turned to her. For a moment, the chaos seemed to blur, every sound muffled by her own racing heartbeat.
She swallowed, voice barely steady. "I… I've only practiced Purify on minor hexes. Nothing like this. Not on a cursed spirit…"
Rafaela reached out, squeezing Miya's shoulder with trembling fingers. "We believe in you. If anyone can do this, it's you."
Miya: "Ok"
Freya: "Wait Ronin don't go alone . Freya interjected, tactical and protective. "Kaelen, Lamus—go with Ronin and Miya. Chou, Rafaela, Yue Xin: hold the line with me."
Kaelen flashed a confident smirk. "Don't lose," he quipped, pride showing even in adversity
Freya: "You Guys Too"
Kaelen: "We'll show them what a real party is made of!"
Ronin looked at Leo, the shadow wolf. "Leo, please stay with Miss Freya and protect them."
Leo barked once, his tail wagging fiercely, before taking a defensive stance next to Freya.
Ronin: "If we fail, this is the end. If we succeed, the curse will break."
With gritted teeth and wild hope, Ronin, Saber, Luna, Miya, Kaelen, and Lamus surged for the Legionnaire—amid the swirling shadows, toward the final battle.
The storm awaited.
[To Be Continued]