Flames came without warning.
Not from lanterns this time, not from zealot torches, but from the sky itself.
The night split open as wings of fire descended, stretching wider than city streets, feathers raining embers that clung to rooftops. Within a breath, the northern district ignited. Houses crumbled into ash. The cries of children tore through the crackling blaze.
Andy's head snapped upward, his blood roaring in his veins. This wasn't just another wave of fiends. It was him. Ashens.
The System cut across his vision, jagged and cold:
[Warning: Manifestation Strengthened]
[Source: Ashens, False Phoenix]
[Threat Level: Critical]
[Objective Updated: Protect Solaris Districts]
Nia's grip tightened on her staff, eyes wide with fear—but steady. "If he takes the north, Solaris falls."
Andy's wings surged open, fire-light bursting across his form. "Then we don't let him."
---
The plaza erupted in chaos. Resistance fighters rushed toward burning streets, but every ember birthed more fiends, crawling and shrieking from the fire. Civilians scrambled with buckets, their lanterns guttering in the heat.
Ashens' laughter rolled like thunder. "Your little sparks burn so bright… let me show you how easily fire devours fire."
He swept his wings. An inferno wall surged toward the crowd.
Andy leapt, blades crossing. "Dragonlight Slash!"
The arc of flame-light cut into the wall, but the sheer force of Ashens' blaze shoved him back, boots carving furrows into stone. His arms shook, the impact rattling his bones.
Nia slammed her staff into the ground. "Chains of Light!" Radiant bindings lashed upward, gripping flames and tearing them apart into sparks. But the next wave crashed down harder.
The System spat warnings:
[Stamina Drain: Severe]
[Lantern Integrity: 42% in North District]
---
"Not enough!" Andy roared. He couldn't slice every wingbeat, not when each stroke ignited whole streets.
Nia's voice broke through, sharp and desperate. "Then don't block it alone—let's shield them together!"
Her hand shot out. Their bond flared. The rings on their fingers seared with light.
The System pulsed, its tone shifting from warning to command:
[Bond Synchronization Rising…]
[Form Evolution Available: Dragonlight Barrier]
[Condition: Shared Will — Protect, not Strike]
Andy's chest constricted. A new path opened in his blood—light weaving with fire, not to destroy, but to defend.
He planted his blades into the ground, wings wrapping forward like a shield. "Nia, with me!"
She pressed her staff against his back, pouring everything into the tether. Radiance burst outward, covering his wings in layered sigils.
Together they shouted, voices unified:
"Dragonlight Barrier!"
---
A dome erupted, massive and blazing, half fire, half holy light. Ashens' inferno slammed into it—and broke. Flames splintered against the shield, cascading into harmless sparks that fell like dying stars.
The plaza gasped. Civilians watched, wide-eyed, as fire that should have devoured them instead curved away, dissipating. Children clung to their mothers, staring at the glowing wall of protection.
Ashens screeched, wings flaring. "You dare turn my fire against me?!"
He dove, talons of flame raking down. The barrier shuddered, cracks spidering across its surface. Andy gritted his teeth, veins burning with dragon-fire. Nia pressed harder, sigils glowing on her skin, light carving across her arms like tattoos.
The System screamed:
[Skill Unlocked: Dragonlight Barrier]
[Effect: 60% Damage Reduction (Fire/Shadow)]
[Bond Progression: 20% → 30%]
---
Inside the barrier, Andy felt his knees weakening. Sweat dripped, steam hissing from his armor. "I can't hold forever…"
Nia leaned against him, her voice steady though her body trembled. "Then we hold until they can stand for themselves."
Beyond the barrier, the Free Army rallied. Civilians hurled sand and water, beating down flames, forming lines to pass buckets. The Ash-Eaters raised lanterns like banners, their small lights resisting the darkness.
Andy lifted his head, smirking despite the blood on his lips. "Hear that, Ashens? It's not just us anymore."
Ashens shrieked and pulled back, wings beating storms of sparks. But for the first time, his fire didn't advance—it recoiled.
---
The System concluded as the flames receded:
[Objective Complete: Protect Solaris Districts]
[Reward: Skill Acquired — Dragonlight Barrier]
[Bond Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆]
[Progress: 30%]
---
When the barrier faded, the people of Solaris stood in the glow of their own lanterns. The district still burned in patches, roofs collapsed, but the heart of the city was alive.
Andy slumped forward, caught by Nia before he hit the ground. Her arms shook as she held him, her forehead pressing to his.
"You're burning yourself out," she whispered.
He smiled faintly, eyes half-lidded. "Good thing I've got you to keep me steady."
Above them, the night sky was still red. Ashens had not been defeated. But for the first time, Solaris had endured his wings of fire.
---