The sky above the warfields of Aerith's Spine was no longer blue. A sickly hue of crimson bled across the clouds as the second wave of demonic forces surged forward, flooding the battlefield with their twisted forms. Screeches, growls, and howls filled the air, blending with the cries of warriors, the crackle of fire, and the hum of energies unleashed.
Mythics stood at the front lines — battered, bruised, but unbroken. Today, they had fought with unmatched ferocity. Demons fell in droves, their bodies disintegrating into ash and cinders under the weight of powers unseen since the Old Wars. Arslan was still missing, locked within the Arcana, but those left behind carried the fight forward with iron resolve.
Vaelith Ren, his emerald eyes blazing with life-restoring aura, spun through the ranks, healing and striking in equal measure. Nirela Quen danced like moonlight between shadows, her light slicing through demonic forms. Tharion Vale, Earthshaker of Mythic rank, punched the ground, sending shockwaves that sent a score of demons crashing to their doom.
But despite their strength, the tide was not abating.
A cry echoed over the battlefield.
"Another Apex down!"
"Mythic Elira—she's fallen!"
Five Apex-ranked warriors had fallen. Three Mythics lay motionless, their spirits flickering. The demons had changed. Larger shadows now loomed. Towering, grotesque creatures with armor-like hides and glowing eyes emerged from the smoke.
Giant demons.
The battle faltered.
Then—
A storm of dark-blue energy erupted on the west side of the field. The ground cracked. Lightning forked from the sky, drawn unnaturally toward one point.
Kaelen of Obreth had arrived.
The Obrethian-born Zenith-ranked warrior, cloaked in flowing violet robes with glowing golden runes, strode forward, eyes cold as obsidian, a long radiant spear in hand.
"Fall back!" shouted Milo. "Let Kaelen engage!"
The Mythics and Zeniths stepped back momentarily as Kaelen raised his hand. The energy surrounding him condensed. A vortex of celestial magic formed around his form. His voice boomed like thunder.
"You've defiled this soil long enough."
With a blur, Kaelen launched toward the first giant demon, a lumbering ogre-like beast with obsidian armor. The spear in Kaelen's hand pierced its throat, then spun upward in a divine arc, severing the head clean off.
Before the corpse could fall, Kaelen moved again. The second demon swung a blazing mace, but Kaelen was already inside its guard. He spun, thrust his spear into its core, and released a burst of golden light. The demon exploded from within.
The third tried to run.
Too late.
A crackle of thunder — Kaelen's spear surged with elemental force, and he threw it with divine precision. The weapon arced across the field and struck the demon in the back, pinning it to the earth. A pillar of light descended from the sky, vaporizing the body.
Cheers erupted from the exhausted ranks of warriors.
But then—
SHHINNK!
A sound like ripping silk and grinding steel echoed.
Kaelen staggered.
A thin line of crimson cut across his side, and blood began to pour.
Gasps erupted.
"KAELEN!"
He turned, face contorted in surprise and pain.
A lone figure approached from the burning mist. It moved with a grace unnatural for its size — towering and feral. It resembled a lion, but not one born of nature. Midnight-black fur shimmered with purple flames, and its claws were the length of swords. Its eyes glowed molten gold.
The Giant Lion Demon had entered the battle.
Kaelen tried to raise his spear—
Too late.
With a growl that shook bones, the demon lunged and swiped. Kaelen flew across the battlefield like a comet, crashing into a distant ridge with a terrible crunch.
"NO!"
Mythics who had just cleared the last wave spun around.
Vaelith. Tharion. Ismere. Nirela. Zhalya. Caelis. Yuna. Seris. Orien.
They saw the giant demon. Saw Kaelen's blood.
And they ran.
Rohi and Norwan — two of the finest Zenith healers — broke formation and sprinted across the debris-littered ground to Kaelen.
They reached him, dropping to their knees. Rohi pressed his glowing hands against the wound.
"He's bleeding internally," Rohi muttered.
"The cut's too deep," Norwan said. "He's barely breathing... Kaelen... say something."
Kaelen's eyes fluttered open. He tried to speak, but blood pooled at the corner of his mouth.
Norwan's voice cracked, "Don't you dare close your eyes, Kaelen!"
Meanwhile, Tharion roared and charged toward the Lion Demon.
The beast turned to meet him.
Its claw flashed.
BOOM!
Tharion smashed into a wall of shattered stone. Dust billowed, but then a fist burst free. Tharion stood again, his shoulder dislocated, but his spirit burning.
"I'm not done yet."
Then—
Vaelith's voice rang out like a war horn.
"We are MYTHICS! We don't yield!"
The others gathered. Their powers surged. Nirela's moonlight haloed the group. Ismere's blood echo pulsed with fury. Caelis's frost aura froze the air. Seris's toxins misted around her. Zhalya's blood sight flared crimson. Orien, Elyra, Ravik, Maelis — all of them stood.
Vaelith looked at them.
"This thing took Kaelen. It thinks we'll fall like the others."
Tharion cracked his neck and stepped forward. "Let's prove it wrong."
They surged forward together.
Lightning and ice. Moonlight and stone. Blood and frost. Toxins and soulfire.
The Giant Lion Demon met them with a roar. It leapt, fangs bared.
CLASH!
Magic erupted like fireworks across the battlefield. Each Mythic moved as one — a seamless dance of elemental harmony and vengeance. The demon swiped, but Elyra's emotion freeze halted its motion. Seris's poison weakened its reflexes. Zhalya read its intent with blood sight, guiding attacks.
Caelis froze its legs.
Vaelith hurled a pulse of pure life energy into its chest.
And Tharion, wounded but unyielding, slammed both fists into the demon's ribs, cracking bone.
It screamed.
It bled.
It faltered.
"NOW!" Vaelith shouted.
Nirela rose into the air. Her arms extended. A massive beam of moonlight surged downward, focused like a divine judgment. The demon howled in agony.
Then—silence.
The beast collapsed.
Dust rose. Silence lingered.
Then cheers broke through the clouds of war.
Kaelen still lay unconscious. Rohi and Norwan continued to heal, pouring everything into him.
Vaelith knelt beside Kaelen, his voice softer now.
"We did it, brother. You gave us the moment. We just made it count."
Above them, the clouds slowly parted. The crimson haze began to thin.
Hope flickered in the distance.
But they all knew—
This wasn't the end.