After catching their breath and regaining their energy, Chase and Ava stood up and found themselves facing a massive dark metal door.
"What's with this door?" Ava said, reaching out to touch it.
"Ava, don't!" Chase shouted, but it was too late. As soon as Ava's hand made contact with the door, her entire body turned pitch black and disappeared.
"No, Ava!" Chase lunged forward to grab her, but she was already gone.
"Damn it, Ava! Why did you have to touch the door?" Chase exclaimed in frustration, sensing pure darkness emanating from it.
"It didn't look like she died but just disappeared," Chase said, finding some relief. "She's probably somewhere else."
Chase walked up to the door and touched it, and his body also turned completely black-like darkness before disappearing.
When Chase reappeared, he found himself surrounded by complete darkness. It was difficult to see his surroundings clearly.
While he looked around, Chase felt something touch his shoulder. Reacting instinctively, he grabbed whatever it was and flipped it over him, slamming it to the ground. When he saw what or rather who it was, he was shocked.
"Ava!" Chase shouted.
"Cough!" Ava started coughing, her back in pain.
"Thanks for the greeting," Ava said jokingly.
Chase picked Ava up and started dusting her off her body, apologizing profusely.
"I'm sorry, sorry," Chase said apologetically.
While dusting Ava's clothes, Chase inadvertently kept touching her body, causing Ava's face to turn red with embarrassment and anger. She shoved him away forcefully.
"What's wrong?" Chase asked, puzzled. But when he looked at Ava's face and where her hand was placed, he realized his mistake.
"I'm s..." Chase was about to say it out loud, but Ava quickly came forward and covered his mouth.
Chase's eyes opened wide, wondering what was going on.
"Shh!" Ava hushed Chase and pointed to the middle of the darkness.
Their eyes adjusted to the enveloping darkness as they noticed a formidable shadow guardian standing in the center. It was a swirling mass of darkness, taking on an imposing humanoid form. The air crackled with otherworldly energy.
"Chase, this shadow guardian is unlike anything we've faced before. We must be alert and anticipate its every move," Ava said, gritting her teeth.
"Alright, Ava, cannot fail," Chase said, nodding and taking his spear off his back.
Chase studied the details of the shadow guardian.
-Shadow Guardian-
- Monster Rank: Lesser-
- Level: 8-
- HP: 700-
- Strength: 54-
- Agility: 65-
- Physique: 55-
- Skills: Shadow possession, Shadow tendrils, Shadow projectiles-
-Shadow possession: The darkness attempts to infiltrate the minds of anyone, tempting them with their deepest fears and desires. It tries to manipulate them into turning against each other or giving in to their darkest impulses.-
-Shadow tendrils: The darkness coils and twists, forming long, sinuous tendrils that lash out. These tendrils move with incredible speed, attempting to ensnare and immobilize.-
-Shadow projectiles: Dark orbs or shards of shadow are launched, seeking to strike them from a distance. These projectiles move unpredictably and can be challenging to dodge or deflect.-
The shadow guardian's glowing eyes locked onto the knights as if sensing their presence. Without warning, the shadow Guardian moved with lightning speed, launching its attacks swiftly and relentlessly. Shadow tendrils lashed out from its form, seeking to ensnare Chase and Ava and restrict their movements.
"Watch out, Ava! Its tendrils are deadly. We must dodge them!" Chase said, evading a tendril.
"We should try and strike when it's vulnerable, Chase! We must find its weakness!" Ava said, rolling and striking with her axe. However, every time the tendril was sliced away, it regrew back.
Chase and Ava relied on their keen senses and reflexes to dodge the attacks of the shadow guardian.
"Okay, Chase! Let us synchronize our movements and exploit its moments of vulnerability," Ava said, swiftly parrying a counterattack.
The shadow guardian continued its relentless assault, striking from unexpected angles and disappearing into the darkness before reappearing elsewhere. The form of the Shadow Guardian shifted again, and it launched shadow projectiles towards Chase and Ava, forcing them to deflect or dodge with precision.
"Stay on your guard, Ava! Those projectiles seem to be relentless. We need to keep moving!" Chase said, parrying a dark orb.
"Chase! Let's wear it down!" Ava exclaimed, slashing at the Darkness Guardian.
Suddenly, the Shadow Guardian sent a line of darkness towards Ava's head, attempting a shadow possession and trying to invade her mind, manipulating her fears.
"Ahh!" Ava stopped, crouching down and dropping her axe, clutching her head.
Chase ran over to Ava.
"Ava, don't succumb to its tricks!" Chase said, gritting his teeth. "We must not let it control us!"
"We control our own darkness," Chase declared.
"We stand strong together!" Ava said, fighting off the possession in her head despite the extreme pain.
Ava slowly picked up her axe, using her willpower to resist the possession, shielding them from its influence.
Ava observed the guardian's movements.
"Chase, it seems to favor a three-hit combo after each teleportation. We must time our dodges accordingly."
"Good observation, Ava. I also have an idea," Chase said, focusing. "We can infuse our weapons with warpower energy, and it should provide enough light."
"Good idea," Ava nodded, putting an end to the battle raging in her mind.
"Although it isn't like light magic, it should be enough to deal with the darkness," Chase said.
Chase and Ava infused their spear and axe with warpower energy, The red flapping eagle appeared on Chase's spear tip, and the purple eagle appeared on Ava's axe's handle, casting enough light within a five-meter radius around them.
They engaged in a dance of anticipation and evasion, narrowly dodging the guardian's attacks while searching for openings to strike back. Their spear and axe sliced through the darkness, thanks to the warpower light, their movements precise and deliberate.
"Now, Ava! Strike while it's momentarily vulnerable!" Chase shouted.
"With pleasure, Chase!" Ava said, swinging her axe at the shadow guardian from up close.
The axe blades met the shadow guardian, causing ripples of darkness to disperse momentarily. The guardian let out an otherworldly shriek, recoiling from the blow. But it quickly recovered, reforming its form with renewed determination.
"We cannot falter, Ava! We must keep up our rhythm and outmaneuver it," Chase said, breathing heavily.
The battle intensified, each strike and dodge executed with unwavering focus. Chase and Ava continued their relentless assault, anticipating the guardian's movements and exploiting its brief moments of vulnerability.
"Now, let's finish this, Ava! Together!" Chase shouted, getting ready to throw his spear at the shadow guardian.
Ava nodded.
Chase and Ava infused more warpower energy into their weapons, and the eagles burned even brighter. When they threw their weapons at the guardian, it appeared as if the eagles were carrying the weapons towards the guardian.
"Whoosh!"
"Eakk!" The eagles screeched.
With a final coordinated assault, Chase and Ava delivered a powerful blow to the Shadow Guardian. The guardian staggered, its darkness flickering and fading, shattering its form into countless tendrils of dissipating darkness. The chamber was filled with a blinding light as the guardian's essence was dispersed.
"We... we did it. We overcame the guardian," Chase and Ava said, panting for breath.