Before they could get any closer, Aron's eyes caught a corruptor stepping out from the shadows near the edge of the portal. A hulking, twisted being, hands still glowing with that dark essenz—turned to face them.
Aron gritted his teeth, blood boiling with fury.
Aron: "YOU SON OF A B—"
He launched himself towards the figure, channeling his core mid air and with a roar he slammed his hands into the ground forming dozens of spears from it. He grabbed one of the spears and hurled it at the figure with all his might.
Aron: "FUUUUUUUCKKKKKK YOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU!"
The spear shot forward with immense speed, decapitating the corruptor before it could even perceive what had happened.
Zephyr and Lya ran up to Aron, seeing the corruptors head attached to the tip of the spear.
Lya: "Aron… that was brutal."
Zephyr: "That doesn't matter Lya! Look at the portal!"
The black portal now fully formed, the ring of condensed earth spinning, veins of pure black essenz weaving around it. And from the portal, she emerged. A being so terrifying it made the trio jump back out of pure instinct.
The woman, pure darkness in a humanoid form stood tall. The darkness then began to unwrap around her figure, revealing massive crystallized wings and a crystal body, a blood red gemstone embedded in her forehead. Her white eyes beamed with malice and murderous intent.
Lya's whispered, her voice trembling. "That… that thing isn't human.."
Aron, despite being scared, raised his hands getting ready to fight.
Aron: "I don't care what she is… she's about to get pulverized!"
Zephyr clenched his fists, small traces of lightning crackling faintly around them.
Fenrir growled low, his body tensed, eyes glowing faintly. He crouched, ready to strike at any moment.
Fenrir: "None of us stand a chance against that thing in our current conditions."
Zephyr: "I know that! Just the Essenz she's giving off is making it hard to breathe! But we can't sit around and do nothing!"
Aron: "He's right Fenrir. We have to do this., even if it costs us our lives."
Fenrir: "Very well, till death do us part."
The Dark entity's crystalline wings stretched wide, the reddish Essenz Coiling around her like serpents. The portal pulsed violently, feeding her power as she spoke, her voice a deafening, unnatural tone.
Dark Entity: "Finally, the human realm at last! I have been waiting for centuries! I, Malevola of the crystal realm, will be the first of my kind to have traversed the Aether and to have cultivated the human realm!"
Zephyr: "Not if we have anything to say about!"
Aron: "DAMN RIGHT! You picked the wrong day to invade!"
Malevola looked at them and in a mocking tone, she said "You Fools, you are far too weak and far too late. I will consume your world and cultivate it with the power I have been granted from the pool of oozing chaos!"
They all tightened their stances, the storm intensified, the ground vibrated immensely.
Zephyr(thinking): "This is it.. the real fight begins now, whatever this thing is, we have to beat it!"
They charged forward, with Zephyr leading the way, as Malevola hovered, her wings unleashed, ready to unleash devastation.
The Moment they charged—
Malevola moved.
The air itself collapsed inward as she snapped her arm forward, a pressure wave detonated outward, shredding tree's like paper and hurling debris in every direction.
Lya threw her arms up instantly.
Lya: "WIND CORE: RAGING S—"
Too Slow.
A shockwave slammed into her, shattering most of her bones like glass. Her body was sent spiraling through the air, crashing hard into a twisted tree trunk.
Aron: 'LYYAAA!"
Aron stomped forward, the ground erupting beneath him.
Aron: "EARTH CORE: TITAN—"
Malevola closed the gap between her and Aron in less than a fraction of a second.
She stabbed her arm through his stomach. Aron coughed, blood flowing from the hole in his gut and mouth as if it were a waterfall.
Aron: "Ghh—!"
Malevola then threw him towards Lya's direction.
Zephyr shouted In despair, "NOOOOOO LYA, ARON!"
Fenrir roared and lunged, his massive jaws snapping towards her arm.
Malevola turned and simply lifted her index finger.
A thin beam of concentrated black light pierced through Fenrir's shoulder and pinned him to the ground. His roar twisted into a pained snarl as black veins spread across his fur.
Fenrir: "Grr—!"
Malevola laughed, enjoying herself with the current onslaught.
Zephyr skidded to a halt, his eyes wide.
Zephyr: "NO—!"
Malevola rose to the sky, the clouds spiraling violently above her.
Malevola: "Pathetic. This is the extent of your resistance?"
She flicked her wrist and almost instantaneously a beam of black light came crashing down.
Zephyr barely reacted in time, throwing himself forward as the beam detonated behind him. The blast swallowed the ground beneath it whole. Leaving only a pitch-black crater in its wake.
When the dust settled—
Lya was unconscious.
Aron lay motionless near her.
Fenrir struggled, barely able to lift his head.
Only Zephyr remained.
His breath heavy.
Zephyr: "No… no, no, no, no, no—" his eyes watering.
Malevola descended slowly, feet never touching the ground.
Malevola: "Kneel, and ill make your death quick."
Then, in a glow of light, Fenrir's eyes flared with resolve.
He dragged himself upright, blood dripping onto the earth, his fur glowing.
Zephyr turned. "Fenrir—don't!"
Fenrir met his gaze.
Fenrir: "I cannot fight her. But… I can deny a truth."
Malevola frowned slightly in confusion. "Deny what? You're just a mutt!"
A low resonant chanting filled the air. It was Fenrir.
"VEITHarIx… DrAVon.. unRyTH.. Sulluiva… UmbrUliN… SOliveRa…"
Fenrir's body grew even brighter. Then suddenly Zephyr felt as though something crashed into him.
His core ignited.
Fenrir: "For the next t-ten minutes… the i-idea of y-your current limits are rejected." "Go Zephyr."
Fenrir collapsed.
Then—
Essenz began overflowing from Zephyr's body and manifested in the form of lightning.
The ground beneath his feet vaporized as a pillar of light erupted skyward, splitting the skies for miles to come.
Malevola's smile finally vanished.
Malevola: "…What the hell are you?!"
Zephyr slowly rose into the air, his eyes glowing with radiance.
Zephyr's voice was quiet.
Too quiet.
Zephyr: "you hurt my friends."
The forest began to disintegrate from the sheer amount of Essenz being exerted from Zephyr's body.
Zephyr moved.
The sound came after.
He crossed the distance between him and Malevola before she could even perceive anything. His fist connected against her torso, the impact detonated with enough force to render a hundred mountains to dust. The blow sent her flying miles through the forest.
Zephyr appeared above her in an instant.
Zephyr: "LIGHTNING CORE: —"
The name didn't finish. It didn't need to.
A column of blinding lightning slammed down, disintegrating everything within its radius.
Malevola caught by the blast crashed into the ground, skidding to a halt, body smoking.
She laughed.
Malevola: "Yes… YES THIS IS DESPAIR!"
She rose, her crystalline wings tattered but regenerating, the gem on her forehead flowing violently.
Malevola: "Come, little beast."
The sky burned.
Zephyr clenched his fist. For a split second…
Something else stirred behind his eyes, as if finally awakened.
A presence.
warm.
ancient.
watching.
gone.
Zephyr: "I am not a beast."
He vanished again.
The battle that followed rewrote the history of that land.
Malevola rushed towards Zephyr at blinding speeds, punching him across the face and sending him flying into a nearby mountain.
Zephyr struggled to get up for a moment, as Malevola began charging a beam of black light.
Malevola fired.
Zephyr, in a hair's distance, barely managed to dodge the light beam. He looked back as he saw the mountain that was once there, completely molten into lava.
Malevola Laughed.
Malevola: "WELL ARENT YOU A LUCKY ONE?"
She then blasted hundreds of smaller beams towards him. Zephyr flew between them like a leaf in the wind and once he closed the gap between them, he charged his fist with lightning and punched Malevola towards the ground. Creating a crater big enough to rival that of an meteorite impact site.
Malevola slowly stood up, her body glowing with jagged red cracks that raced along her skin. Her wings falling apart. She staggered back.
Zephyr flew down towards her and hovered. His chest heaving, hair whipping with the wind. His Essenz at that moment burned brighter than the sun. Fenrir's enchantment made him a thousand times stronger, however the strain was visible, sweat and static crackling along his skin.
Malevola: "You… JUST WHAT ARE YOU?! I WONT LET YOU CONTAIN ME, NOT AFTER THIS LONG!"
Zephyr didn't answer.
As the battle reached its climax, Zephyr felt his power fading.
Malevola lashed out again. Her clawed hands tore the air sending powerful shockwaves at Zephyr, engulfing him before he could react appropriately.
Zephyr endured the powerful shockwaves, although came out bleeding heavily all over.
Malevola lunged towards Zephyr and So did he towards her.
Their fists met releasing surges of black light and yellow lightning. The impact shattered Malevola's right arm completely and sent them both flying. The shockwave from their fists had leveled everything within a 300-meter radius of the forest completely.
Malevola landed roughly, gouging a trench into the ground. She raised her remaining arm, and the gem on her forehead flared red. A cone of black light, larger than anything before, raced towards Zephyr.
Zephyr smiled faintly.
Zephyr: "LIGHTNING CORE: STORMBREAKER!"
A spiral of lightning coiled around him, extending outward. His blast collided with Malevola's. Her beam pushed back harder and harder on Zephyr's blast, Zephyr pushed back as well.
They were in a desperate power struggle.
Malevola Screamed, "I WONT DIE TODAY!"
Zephyr: "YOU WILL NOT ADVANCE ANY FURTHER!"
Zephyr poured every last bit of his Essenz into the attack, propelling it forward and overpowering Malevola's beam.
Zephyr's lightning blast crept closer and closer and eventually it broke through Malevola's beam, hitting her gemstone directly.
Malevola: "NOOOO.. NO—THIS CANT—!"
The blast collided with her violently, it tore through her gemstone, blasting black and red essenz outward in a final eruption. The ground shattered. The air smelled of ozone and ash.
Malevola's form fractured, her lifeforce dispersing, she was slowly disintegrating.
The sky glowed in utmost radiance, as if congratulating Zephyr of his achievement.
Zephyr stood, breathing heavily, an arm in the air symbolizing his victory. His power began fading as his 10 minute limit was up.
He looked around, the forest was annihilated for hundreds of meters.
He began slowly walking back towards the ritual site, and there. His eyes met Fenrir who had just got done healing himself, and was focusing on healing Lya and Aron.
Zephyr then collapsed just a few steps from them.
Deep inside, imperceptibly, something stirred in Zephyr, something warm and distant. smiling. Then it was gone as soon as it had been felt.
Lya was the first to groan, her body trembling as Fenrir slowly healed her. Slowly, she opened her eyes, staring at the devastation around them.
Lya: "Zeph… Aron… Fenrir…"
Her voice was weak but full of awe and disbelief.
Aron was the next to wake, he coughed violently, sitting up with Fenrir supporting him. His usual brash demeanor was gone, replaced with exhaustion and pain.
Aron looked over at Lya.
Aron: "L-Lya, h-he did it… Zeph… he actually did it."
He then saw the fallen zephyr on the ground who was slowly beginning to get up.
Zephyr: cough "Fenrir… are… they… okay..?"
Fenrir: "They'll live. I.. took care of their injuries."
Zephyr's eyes scanned his surroundings and eventually landed upon Lya and Aron who were smiling at him.
Zephyr, now stood up. Thought to himself. "I… I did it. But at what cost?"
He tried to stand fully upright but his legs buckled. Fenrir let go of Aron and moved over towards Zephyr, lowering his head so Zephyr could stand properly.
Fenrir: "I'm sorry Zephyr, I can't help you… I expelled almost all my Essenz enchanting you and barely had left to heal myself, Aron and Lya."
Zephyr, coughing, said "It's alright, Fenrir. What matters is that you're all safe..."
Lya's hand then rested on Zephyr's shoulder, her voice shaky yet filled with gratitude.
Lya smiled, "You… you saved us. All of us. Even with everything… you.. you actually did it."
Aron winced as he stood up once more, still in pain, but a small smirk formed on his face.
Aron: "I'll admit… I didn't think any of us could survive her. But you… man… to think you actually did it."
Zephyr tried to smile, however he winced in pain.
Fenrir: "Her essenz no longer lingers, she has been completely eradicated from this world."
Zephyr nodded, "I cant do a lousy job, heh."
He then thought to himself, "This is what it means to fight for everything huh."
He clenched his fists.
Zephyr: "Aron… we need to get back to Runica. They'll need us to report this…"
Aron gave a slow, solemn nod.
Aron: "You're right Zeph… but we need to rest first, we should get back to Sylvaris."
Zephyr: "Yeah you're right."
The three gathered together, holding onto Fenrir as he carried them back to the village.
The path back to village was filled with pained laughter, and cries. The forest a smoldering ruin. After a while of walking, the village of Sylvaris finally came into view. Smoke curled lazily from the chimneys, and the villagers paused mid task, staring in awe at the returning group. Aldritch, the chief stepped forward as they approached.
Aldritch: "Zephyr… Lya… Aron… you've returned", his eyes then met Fenrir's and he jumped back instinctively.
Lya: "Don't worry chief Aldritch, Fenrir wont bite. He helped us."
Aldritch then regained his composure and in a sigh of relief he said, "That's good to hear."
Aldritch: "And the forest… the skies… what has happened? We kept feeling powerful shockwaves and we were barely able to keep on our feet."
Zephyr, breathing heavily, said "all that matters is that those responsible for this are gone."
Aldritch nodded solemnly, stepping closer, his eyes briefly lingering on Zephyr, seeing nothing but a Hero.
Aldritch: "Thank you Zephyr, you saved our village—" he paused "No, you saved the entire region and those surrounding it. We are eternally grateful."
The group smiled weakly.
Aldritch: "Please, stay as long as you'd like at our village, atleast until you recover properly. It's the least we could do for you all."
The next days passed like a blur. 2 weeks of recovery.
Lya And Zephyr mostly remained in bed, Fenrir staying near them. Aron took to simple exercises, trying to restore his strength while silently acknowledging he'd never be the same again.
By the end of the 2 weeks, they had made a full recovery and were capable of travelling. They stood at the village's edge, looking back one last time at Sylvaris, a place that had been spared of disaster because of them.
Lya: "Ready to head back?"
Aron smirked, rubbing a finger under his nose.
Aron: "As ready as I'll ever be."
Zephyr gave a smile.
Zephyr: "Lets get back to Runica, we have much to report."