"Why is it staying longer?" Ignatius asked, fear gripping his words like an unseen force.
Soon, Saraphim, drained of energy, brought hafeh air magic down. "What!" they exclaimed as Ignatius rushed to her aid.
"Let's run," Ignatius urged, but Aurelian's voice cut through with unwavering confidence. "No! We die here!" he declared, instilling both fear and determination.
An ominous silence hung in the air, shattered only by the emergence of another beast from the same hole, threatening to disrupt the fragile balance and ignite a war in the realm. The crumbled rocks had unleashed a new threat.
Despite the lost hope, Aurelian remained an anchor of strength. Swiftly materializing, he struck the approaching beast with a powerful blow of air, causing it to fall into the hole. The first beast, now Aurelian on its shoulder, struggled to bring it down. His counterparts looked on, a mix of surprise and fear. How could Aurelian exhibit such confidence?
Aurelian stood firm, summoning a large magical sword, a blurry blaze of fire. In the blink of an eye, he cut off both eyes of the beast, leaving it roaring in pain. The sounds of the landing echoed, shaking the rocks beneath them. The beast's heart was stabbed by Aurelian, and a haunting silence descended.
Aurelian stepped forward, a symbol of recovery from the chaos. His level of cultivation and the manner in which he defeated the beast left the onlookers in awe.
"Let's drag him into the hole before others make it out," Aurelian commanded, breaking the silence that followed. In chorus, they agreed, using hafeh air magic to pull the fallen beast with full force and trapping it with rocks.
"Yes!" they shouted, embracing the triumph. Ignatius, jubilant, reached out to Evangelina, but she pushed him away, choosing to share the moment with Lilian. Aurelian, ever stoic, found solace in the unity of the group.
"How are you doing?" Aurelian inquired about Saraphim's health. "I am good," she reassured.
"We need to leave because Elara might report us for going against imperial law. Pokh is a restricted area," she warned as they moved out.
"I don't think she will, since she's the reason for this," Ignatius speculated as they materialized into the air.
Yet, as they soared into the unknown, a lingering suspense enveloped them. The forbidden encounter had left an indelible mark, and the shadows of consequences trailed behind, weaving a tale of mystery and danger.