Valeria, battered but not put off, struggled to her feet as the Vorpal Lords; the true puppeteers, revealed themselves in Soren's malevolent laughter.
"Mortals, your defiance is futile. Soren is but an extension of our shadows, and you shall crumble before our might!" One of the Vorpal Lords uttered.
"Duskfall's destiny is sealed. The Threads of Revelation lead only to your demise." Another spoke.
Grimshaw, his determination unwavering, confronted the Vorpal Lords.
"Shadows may shroud your true forms, but we'll expose your malevolence. Duskfall will not yield to your darkness!" He hollered.
Nexus Sage, his ancient knowledge now focused on the Vorpal Lords, warned of their formidable power:
"The Vorpal Lords draw strength from Duskfall's deepest shadows. To sever their control, we must find the nexus of their influence."
Evelyn, her magical energies flaring, faced the Vorpal Lords with defiance.
"We may be battered, but we won't surrender. Duskfall's fate is not determined by shadows, neither is it by those who defy them." She spoke.
As the Vorpal Lords intensified their assault, the group, though battered and weary, rallied against the overwhelming darkness.
Valeria, empowered by sheer determination, joined her allies in a renewed effort.
"The Threads of Revelation led us here for a reason. We won't let Duskfall fall. Together, we'll break these Vorpal Lords' grip!" Her voice resounded throughout the Oracle's veil.
The battle unfolded in a crescendo of magic, steel, and shadows. Each member of the group faced their struggles against Soren, who, despite being controlled by the Vorpal Lords, wielded unimaginable power.
Blackthorn, suddenly tapping into the depths of his shadow magic, attempted to disrupt the Vorpal Lords' connection to Soren.
"(gritting his teeth) If we can break the link to Soren, the Vorpal Lords' influence weakens." He said.
Nexus Sage, weaving intricate spells, sought the nexus of the Vorpal Lords' control within the shadows.
"(Concentrated) The nexus is within reach. Defend against their assault, and I shall sever the connection." He spoke.
Evelyn's arcane prowess stretched to its limit, as she unleashed a barrage of spells against the Vorpal Lords.
"(Determined) We'll expose their true forms, and unravel the shadows that bind them." She thought.
The Vorpal Lords, sensing their control waning, retaliated with a surge of dark energy. Soren, now a puppet almost cut off from his malevolent masters, remained a formidable adversary.
"(roaring) You may sever the strings, but my shadows still reign supreme!" He gloated
In a sudden burst of power, Soren unleashed a devastating wave of darkness.
The group, tested to their limits, faced the final, brutal onslaught.
The Vorpal Lords' dark energy surged, overwhelming the group. Valeria, Blackthorn, Evelyn, the Nexus Sage, and Grimshaw stood united against Soren's final onslaught.
Valeria, deflecting Soren's dark waves with her enchanted blade, shouted above the chaos:
"We can't let Soren's shadows consume us! Blackthorn, Evelyn, Nexus Sage, and Grimshaw brace yourselves!"
Blackthorn, manipulating the shadows in a last-ditch effort, struggled to maintain his ground.
"The Vorpal Lords' control is weakening, but Soren's power is relentless. Nexus Sage, hurry with the nexus!" He yelled with a sense of urgency.
Nexus Sage, chanting ancient incantations, focused on pinpointing the nexus within the Vorpal Lords' shadowy influence.
"The nexus is elusive, but I sense its core. Evelyn, cover me while I break their hold!" He spoke.
Evelyn, weaving protective spells, pushed back against Soren's malevolent force.
"The shadows won't dictate our fate! Nexus Sage, do what you must!" She hollered.
"Why can't I use my powers?" Blackthorn mused. He realized that his shadow ability hadn't been effective since they had entered the Oracle's veil, and it was getting less effective by the moment.
"Tsk, This is bad!" He thought. "And why isn't that werewolf doing much?" He pondered, while his eyes darted sideways and towards Grimshaw.
*-*
As the group fought with unwavering determination, Soren, sensing his imminent defeat, unleashed a final burst of chaotic energy. Despite their formidable strength, the Vorpal Lords began to lose control over the shadows.
After letting out a teasing laughter, Soren uttered:
"You may resist, but Duskfall belongs to the shadows!"
Out of instincts, Blackthorn stared at the insides of his right palm, and what he beheld, made him speechless.
"No..... No... No..... No! No!! No!!!" Blackthorn yelled, his voice going up a crescendo, while streaks of white light began to appear from his insides like they wanted to burst forth.
"Blackthorn!" Valeria Spoke, her tone full of worry as she ran towards the former.
"Watch out, something's behind you all!" Grimshaw yelped, as he ran in their direction with his arm stretched forward however it was too late.
Suddenly, in an unexpected twist, the Vorpal Lords sealed the group in a vortex of shadows, transporting them through time.
The world around them shifted, and as the shadows enveloped them, Valeria, Blackthorn, the Nexus Sage, and Evelyn found themselves in a different world.
As the darkness receded, a few in the group realized they had been sent back in time.
"What just happened?" Valeria said while she rubbed the side of her head which hurt a little.
"We've been sent back in time!" Blackthorn gritted his teeth as he spoke.
"What? No way!" Evelyn protested, before taking a glance at the environment which they were in. They were currently in the woods.
"Sadly, that's the truth... However, we are still in Duskfall...." The Nexus sage stated.
"How is that---"
The cityscape of Duskfall stretched before them, a mix of the past and future had intertwined.
Valeria, now a younger version of her guardian self, looked around in bewilderment.
"Wha... what just happened? Why are we teenagers?" She muttered while she looked towards Evelyn and the Nexus Sage who were still engrossed in examining their teenage self.
Blackthorn, his enigmatic aura less pronounced in his youthful form, examined his fair hands.
"Yikes! If everyone is a teenager, that means....." Blackthorn's worst fear was about to come to pass, and unluckily, the others were also thinking of the same thing.
"Whoa... Valeria, I think you need to see Blackthorn!" Evelyn exclaimed as she pointed towards the latter's back.
Everyone except Evelyn who was already facing him, turned towards Blackthorn's direction.
"Hey...." The latter mumbled nervously.
The others were stunned by his facial appearance, as one of the greatest villains of their time was this handsome.
His haircut; which was a modern and edgy undercut, with sides that were shaved short, emphasized a clean and sharp look, while the top was longer and styled into textured, tousled waves.
Blackthorn's hairstyle exuded a balance of sophistication and a rebellious charming look.
His hair is a striking deep onyx black, enhancing the intensity of his gaze and complementing his mysterious and alluring aura.
The darkness of the hair also adds a touch of classic elegance while maintaining a contemporary and fashionable edge.
Valeria, Blackthorn, the Nexus sage, and Evelyn, although physically transformed into their teenage selves, retained memories of their adult experiences.
"The Vorpal Lord's dark magic has twisted time. We are still in Duskfall, but it's a blend of past and future. And I'm afraid that a lot of things would be different now." Blackthorn explained.
Nexus Sage, who had also been affected by the time shift, expounded their predicament:
"Sorens's last resort, or rather the Vorpal Lords' was to send us back. The city's destiny now intertwines with our teenage selves."
Evelyn, her arcane powers diminished in her younger form, sighed.
"At least we've retained our memories. And I hope no one has lost their powers?" She inquired.
Almost immediately, everyone tried to activate their ability, as they were in a short state of anxiety.
The Nexus sage, though physically the weakest among the three, clenched his fists with determination.
"It looked like none of us did, but even if anyone did, It doesn't matter. We may be teenagers, but we will still defy the shadows and shape Duskfall's destiny." He spoke.
The group, now faced with the challenges of navigating a city that was both familiar and unfamiliar, prepared to unravel the mysteries of this new Duskfall—a world where shadows of the past and future converged.