In a desperate bid to save Eliss, Amukelo interposed himself between her and the monstrous Leviathan. His blades, alive with swirling mana flows, clashed against the dark, razor-sharp claws of the beast. The impact resonated through the cavern, sparks flying as mana met malevolence. "You are the most annoying of all," Leviathan hissed, his voice a sinister rumble that echoed off the stone walls. "With your armor, you are a threat to all devils, I can't let you stay alive." His skull-like face contorted into a ghastly grin, "But before that, I have to kill your friend!" Then he focused his malevolent intent on Amukelo. Suddenly, the ground beneath Amukelo's feet erupted as dark tentacles burst forth, wrapping around him with suffocating strength.
As Leviathan diverted his attention back to finish Eliss, she was not idle. Summoning the fiery spirit of a phoenix, she directed it to snap at Leviathan's tail, its beak clashing with the dark bones in a burst of sparks and flame. Simultaneously, Eliss raised her staff, weaving through the air as she conjured a series of protective spells. Layers of magical shields formed around her, each one shimmering with potent energy as she prepared for Leviathan's inevitable assault.
The beast's tail, momentarily thwarted by the phoenix, swung with renewed fury towards Eliss. But she was no mere mage to falter under such pressure. Her summons multiplied, spectral guardians, materializing around her, ready to defend against the dark leviathan's onslaught. Amukelo struggled against the dark tentacles, his muscles straining under the effort as he tried to free himself, his eyes never leaving Eliss, fear and determination mingling in his gaze.
Leviathan's initial assault was stymied by Eliss's layered defenses, but the beast's power was too overwhelming. With a roar, he intensified his attack, dark energy pulsing from his form as he shattered her magical barriers one by one. Finally, face to face with Eliss, he prepared to deliver a fatal blow. The air was charged with imminent danger; the tension palpable.
Ida, full of rage, acted in revenge for his young friend from his homelands. With a warrior's cry, he lunged forward, his blade arcing through the air aiming to sever the lethal tail of Leviathan. His sword connected, slicing through the spiked tip of Leviathan's tail, but it was not enough to stop the momentum of the monstrous appendage. The tail, though blunted, struck with brutal force, catching Eliss squarely in the stomach. The impact was devastating, propelling her backward with such force that she was flung from the platform.
As Eliss's body sailed through the air, time seemed to slow to a crawl. The world around her blurred into a tableau of horror and desperation. Below her yawned the dark abyss of the dungeon, its depths unknown and foreboding. Behind her, the battle raged on—a mix of screams, clashes, and the sinister laughter of Leviathan echoing in her ears. Amukelo's voice, raw and filled with anguish, cut through the chaos as he struggled against his bonds, reaching out in vain.
In these fleeting moments, Eliss's life seemed to flash before her eyes, her thoughts drifting to Liora, her best friend lost to this very monster. A profound sadness enveloped her, mingled with resignation. "Ahh... Liora, I will finally join you," she thought, her voice a silent whisper in the vast emptiness. "What a shame that the same monster sends me to you." Her body continued to fall, the dark void embracing her as she accepted her fate, the last vestiges of light fading from her view.
In a dramatic burst of desperate energy, Amukelo funneled every ounce of mana he had into his legs, the magic building to a critical point before releasing in a violent explosion of force. The shockwave tore through the air, propelling him downward with a speed that matched the pull of the void itself. His heart pounded furiously, adrenaline and magic coursing through his veins in a frenzied blend. Below him, Eliss's form grew closer with each second, her body limp and seemingly resigned to her fate.
With a grim determination, Amukelo drew his swords, slicing through the air to create powerful gusts that adjusted his trajectory with each controlled blast. His technique was a desperate measure to close the gap between him and Eliss. His arms reached out, sheathing his swords in one fluid motion to wrap them securely around her. His embrace was tight, not just a rescue but a promise—a vow not to let her slip away into the darkness alone.
Above them, the battlefield bore witness to a chilling scene. Leviathan's laughter boomed through the cavern, a sound so devoid of humanity it sent shivers down the spines of all who heard it. "Hahaha... He was the only one who stood any chance in direct confrontation with me, but look at him now, how happily he committed suicide. Hahaha..." His mockery was cruel, designed to fray the nerves and crush the spirits of those still standing.
Ida and Erohan and the members of the Fallenhoods, witnessing what they believed to be the self-sacrificial end of their strongest ally, felt a crushing weight of despair press upon them. It seemed all was lost; their strongest combatant had vanished into the abyss, presumably to his death. However, Krazthir, standing amidst the disheartened warriors, raised his voice, a clarion call to arms that pierced the fog of fear and resignation. "We can't rely on others! Remember? We are Fallenhoods, the greatest guild in Clesa. Even if our destiny is to die here, we won't die without honor. We will stand strong till our last breath!" His words, fierce and resolute, ignited a spark of resolve among the guild members. A rallying cry echoed through their ranks, a unison of voices that defied the despair Leviathan sought to sow.
Leviathan, observing the renewed spirit of his adversaries, scoffed with disdain. "What can you do? Look at you weaklings, I already got rid of your strongest combatant, and two other ants. How do you plan to fight against me?" His tone was mocking, confident in his superiority and the inevitable doom he believed he would deliver.
Despite the dire circumstances, the rest of the survivors readied themselves for a fight they knew could very well be their last. Their weapons were prepared, and magic swirled around their forms—each one prepared to defy the odds, to fight with every shred of courage they possessed.