The sun had barely begun to peek over the horizon when hurried knocking on Alex's door shattered the dawn's silence. Half-asleep, Alex opened his eyes and noticed that both Aria and EMI were still fast asleep—one on each side of him—occupying far more space than he thought possible.
"What the hell…?" he murmured, sitting up and trying not to disturb the girls too much.
Another knock, this time louder, echoed at the door, followed by the urgent voice of Duke Alaric.
"Alex, Aria, EMI! Get up right now! The village is under attack!"
A jolt of alertness shot through Alex's body. Before he could respond, EMI stirred with a slight gasp.
"What's happening?" she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
"The duke says the village is under attack," Alex replied, getting to his feet.
Aria opened one eye elegantly, yawning.
"An attack? How inconvenient… Can't they let us rest after saving them yesterday?"
"This isn't a game, Aria," Alex said firmly. "We have to move."
---
Out in the hallway, dressed and ready for action, they found Duke Alaric waiting, clad in his usual gleaming armor, his expression grim.
"A group of armed men, sent by the dark mage, attacked the village guard during the night," he explained quickly. "Our forces tried to contain them, but the attackers are well-organized and possess dangerous abilities. I need you to head to the village immediately to contain the situation."
Aria crossed her arms, her face showing a mix of annoyance and determination.
"How many are we facing?"
"Around twenty, though among them are figures who seem to have magical abilities," replied Alaric.
EMI nodded, her face showing an uncommon seriousness.
"We'll go at once."
"Alex," said the duke, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know you don't have the same powers as Aria and EMI, but your support has been crucial. Don't underestimate your worth."
Alex nodded slowly, though deep down he still felt that familiar frustration of not being able to do more.
---
The group arrived at the village in the midst of chaos. Houses were burning, villagers were running for shelter, and enemy soldiers were ravaging the streets, destroying everything in their path.
Aria didn't hesitate: she raised a hand and summoned three shadowy creatures with spectral forms that lunged directly at the attackers, forming a barrier between them and the fleeing villagers.
"EMI, I need a direct hit! I'll hold them off!" shouted Aria, directing her summons.
Without hesitation, EMI channeled her light magic, forming a bright sphere she launched against a group of enemies, disintegrating their weapons instantly. The blinding flash forced several to retreat.
---
Meanwhile, Alex stayed behind the girls, closely observing the battlefield.
He knew he lacked the brute strength or magical abilities to face the enemies head-on, but he had learned to compensate with strategy.
Focusing on his runes, Alex activated one that enhanced Aria's magical energy, allowing her to summon a fourth shadow creature—something normally impossible.
"Impressive, Alex," commented Aria as her new summon, a beast with massive claws, tore through the enemy lines.
"EMI, watch your right," warned Alex, activating another rune that created a small shield to protect her from a surprise attack.
"Thanks, Alex!" replied EMI, turning to counterattack with a light ray that knocked the attacker down.
---
Just when it seemed the group had the situation under control, an imposing figure appeared on the horizon, walking among the flames.
He was a tall man, clad in black armor engraved with glowing red runes that seemed to burn with their own fire.
"Who is that?" asked EMI, feeling a shiver run down her spine.
"He must be one of the dark mage's lieutenants," said Aria cautiously, watching him.
The man stopped and raised a massive sword that seemed to absorb the light around it. In a deep, thunderous voice, he spoke:
"So you're the ones interfering with my master's plans. A pity you won't live to tell the tale."
Alex felt a knot in his stomach. He knew this enemy wasn't like the others.
As EMI and Aria prepared to face him, Alex took a deep breath and whispered to himself:
"I can't let them down. I have to find a way to help them…"
The deafening sound of the enemy's sword striking the ground marked the beginning of a battle the village would never forget.
The man in black armor advanced slowly, exuding an icy aura of superiority. His eyes, hidden behind an ornamented helm, seemed to pierce through them.
"Surrender now," he said mockingly. "None of you are a match for me."
Aria moved first, summoning her most powerful creature: a colossal shadow wolf with eyes glowing like embers. The wolf leapt fiercely toward the enemy, but with a single swing of his sword, the man cleaved it in two, dissipating it into a cloud of shadows.
"Is that all? What a disappointment," the man mocked, twirling his sword in his hands.
"Don't get cocky!" shouted Aria, summoning three more shadows that pounced on him from different directions.
But the man spun with incredible speed, unleashing a slash of dark energy that obliterated them instantly.
---
The man extended a hand, and pillars of dark energy erupted from the ground, heading straight for EMI and Alex.
EMI reacted quickly, launching a shield of light that blocked the attack, though the force of the explosion made her stagger back a few steps.
"Aria, protect Alex!" shouted EMI as she prepared another spell.
"I'll handle him!" replied Aria, throwing up a barrier of shadow that shielded Alex from the flying fragments of dark magic.
The enemy laughed, his voice resonating like a sinister wind.
"Your efforts are useless. My power far surpasses yours."
---
From his position, Alex watched every move of the enemy, trying to find an opening.
Though he lacked offensive abilities, he knew his role was to support the girls so they could give their all.
Activating one of his runes, he enhanced EMI's speed and agility, allowing her to move like lightning across the battlefield.
Then he improved Aria's summoning capacity, enabling her to conjure a massive serpent of shadows that slithered toward the enemy.
"EMI, now!" shouted Alex, pointing to a weak spot in the man's defense.
---
EMI took advantage of the distraction caused by the shadow serpent and charged forward, her body surrounded by a golden light that intensified with each step.
With a cry, she released an explosion of energy that struck the man squarely in the chest, sending him staggering several meters backward.
He wavered but didn't fall. Instead, he raised his sword and channeled his energy into a devastating attack, forming a black sphere he launched toward EMI.
Unfazed, EMI raised both hands and channeled her light magic. A radiant barrier appeared before her, absorbing the dark sphere and dispersing it into a shower of bright sparks.
"I won't let you hurt anyone else," said EMI, her voice firm enough to give even the enemy pause.
With a graceful movement, she conjured a magic circle beneath her feet, expanding the range and potency of her magic. A spear of pure light appeared in her hands, glowing with an almost divine energy.
---
The man charged for a final blow, sword held high, but EMI acted first.
With impeccable precision, she hurled the spear of light directly at his heart.
The impact was cataclysmic. The light pierced through the black armor, disintegrating it—and the man inside it—in a brilliant beam that illuminated the battlefield.
When the light faded, nothing remained of the enemy except a smoldering crater.
---
Silence fell as the villagers and soldiers looked at EMI in awe and gratitude.
"That was incredible," said Aria, still stunned by the sheer power of EMI.
Alex let out a sigh of relief, unable to help but feel proud of how well they had worked as a team, despite knowing how EMI could be.
EMI, her face calm but weary, turned to Alex and gave him a small smile.
"Thank you for your help, Alex. Without your runes, it wouldn't have been so easy."
Alex nodded, feeling an unexpected warmth at her words.
"I just did my part."
---
As the villagers began putting out the fires and tending to the wounded, the group regrouped near the edge of the village. The sun was higher now, bathing the destruction in a harsh light that revealed the extent of the damage.
"He wasn't just a bandit," murmured Aria, observing the remains of the black armor, now nothing more than charred fragments. "His power was… ancient. Cursed."
EMI nodded, massaging her wrist, sore from the strain of the final spell.
"And he was only a lieutenant. If someone like that serves the dark mage, what power does the master himself hold?"
The question hung in the air, heavy and unanswered. Alex looked at her, noticing the shadow of worry in her eyes, which she rarely showed.
"We'll face him when the time comes," he said, with a conviction that surprised even himself. "Together."
Aria moved closer to him, her expression serious.
"Today, your rune did more than support us. That speed enhancement you gave me… was what allowed me to dodge his first decisive attack. Without that, the battle would have ended differently."
EMI joined Alex's side, her shoulder brushing his.
"She's right. It wasn't just 'doing your part.' It was changing the course of the fight. Stop downplaying your place here."
Alex fell silent, their words resonating within him.
Duke Alaric approached.
"You've done more than I expected. The village is safe thanks to you. Rest today. Tomorrow… tomorrow we'll discuss the next step. The dark mage won't forget this defeat."
With a final salute, the duke withdrew, leaving them alone with the dawn and the rubble.
EMI yawned, exhaustion finally catching up to her.
"Shall we head back?"