The howling wind and the monster's roars merged into a dreadful symphony. The ground beneath the warriors cracked, and the battlefield resembled a shattered hellscape.
Arin, bloodied and trembling, gripped his sword tighter. His body radiated exhaustion, yet the fire of hope still burned within his eyes. His hoarse voice rose above the chaos:
"If we stop here… everything ends! We fight, even if the price is death!"
Lyra stepped forward, her hands shaking but her gaze unwavering:
"I'll give you my healing energy. I might have nothing left afterward… but you must endure."
The Silent Sorceress sighed, a glowing seal shimmering on her hands:
"I never wanted to break this… but now, it's our only chance."
The sound of the seal shattering rang out, and black-silver magic surged like a storm.
Kairan, his body riddled with wounds, slammed his blade into the earth:
"This creature needs to know… we will never surrender. Not even with our last breath."
As the group aligned their powers, a strange whistling cut through the skies. They looked up. The clouds split apart as a cloaked figure descended like a lightning strike, landing with such force that the earth quaked.
The colossal monster stepped back for the first time. In its dark eyes, there was something akin to fear.
Arin, panting heavily, cried out:
"Who… are you?!"
The man's face was hidden in shadow, but his voice was calm, heavy, and undeniable:
"I am not your enemy… but I am not yet your friend. If you wish to survive this hell, fight alongside me."
Silence blanketed the battlefield. No one knew if this stranger was a savior or another threat—
but his arrival had already changed everything.