The dark creatures lunged at Gabriel, Lina, and Kain, their forms shifting and writhing as they charged forward with a terrifying speed. Their bodies seemed to be made of shadows, only vaguely resembling the beast they had faced in the village, but the malice radiating from them was palpable.
Gabriel wasted no time. With a flick of his wrist, he called upon his blood manipulation, the energy pulsing through his veins. He focused on the nearest creature, forcing the blood within it to slow, to harden, as he had done before. The creature stumbled mid-lunge, its movements becoming sluggish, but it did not fall.
"These things are tougher than the last one!" Kain shouted as he swung his sword at a second creature. His blade cut through the shadowy flesh, but the creature seemed to absorb the blow, reforming almost instantly.
Lina, darting around the battlefield with her agility, hurled her daggers at the third creature. They embedded into its form, but just like with Kain's attack, the creature merely shrugged off the damage and continued its assault.
The sorcerer watched from his position by the altar, a smug smile playing on his lips. "You're wasting your time! These creations are beyond your understanding. They're fueled by the very curse that haunts this land. You cannot defeat them!"
Gabriel's expression remained stoic, but his mind was racing. The sorcerer was right about one thing—these creatures were different. They weren't just brute beasts; they were manifestations of dark magic, tied to the curse in ways he didn't fully understand. But there had to be a weakness, something they could exploit.
Kain, driven back by the relentless onslaught of his opponent, called out, "Gabriel, any ideas? We can't keep this up forever!"
Gabriel considered their options, his gaze flickering to the glowing runes on the altar. There was something about them, a connection between the altar and the creatures. If he could disrupt the source of their power…
"We need to destroy the altar!" Gabriel said, his voice firm. "The creatures are drawing power from it!"
Lina, dodging a swipe from the shadowy beast she was battling, nodded in agreement. "Makes sense! If we take out the altar, these things should go down too!"
The sorcerer's smile faded, replaced by a scowl. "You think I'll just let you waltz in and destroy my work? You're more foolish than I thought."
With a wave of his hand, the sorcerer summoned a dark barrier around the altar, the runes flaring brighter as the magic intensified. The creatures, sensing the shift, grew more aggressive, their attacks becoming more coordinated, more ferocious.
Gabriel knew they were running out of time. "Kain, Lina! Keep the creatures off me. I'll handle the altar."
Kain gritted his teeth, slashing at the creature in front of him. "You got it, but be quick about it! These things aren't giving up without a fight!"
Lina flipped out of the reach of her opponent, her daggers spinning in her hands. "We'll hold them off. Just do what you need to do!"
Gabriel didn't waste any more words. He focused all his energy on the altar, feeling the pulse of magic that connected the creatures to it. The barrier was strong, but he could sense the blood magic within the creatures, a thin thread linking them to the source of their power.
He reached out with his own power, grabbing hold of that thread and pulling with all his might. The connection resisted, the dark magic pushing back, but Gabriel was relentless. He could feel the strain on his body, the toll it was taking, but he didn't let up.
The sorcerer, realizing what Gabriel was attempting, unleashed a barrage of dark energy at him. "You'll regret this, boy! You cannot break what I've created!"
But Gabriel was beyond hearing. His focus was absolute, his will unbreakable. He could feel the blood within the creatures, within the very walls of the ruins, pulsing in response to his command. He pushed harder, forcing the connection to unravel, to snap under the pressure.
The barrier around the altar flickered, then shattered, the runes dimming as their power was drained away. The creatures let out a collective howl, their forms destabilizing as the magic that held them together began to falter.
Kain, seeing the opening, struck with renewed vigor, his sword cleaving through the weakened form of the creature before him. This time, the blow connected fully, the creature disintegrating into a cloud of shadowy mist.
Lina, not missing a beat, launched her daggers at the remaining two creatures. They struck true, the creatures crumbling under the assault as their connection to the altar was severed.
Gabriel, his breath ragged, fell to one knee as the last of the creatures dissolved into nothingness. The strain of the blood magic had taken its toll, but the fight was not over. He forced himself to stand, his gaze locking onto the sorcerer.
The sorcerer's expression was one of fury, his plans unraveling before his eyes. "You… you'll pay for this!" he snarled, his hands crackling with dark energy. "I won't be defeated by the likes of you!"
Kain and Lina quickly moved to flank the sorcerer, their weapons at the ready. "You've already lost," Kain said, his voice steady. "Surrender now, and maybe we'll let you live."
The sorcerer laughed, a bitter, angry sound. "You think I care about living? I've already transcended this mortal coil! I'll take you all with me if I must!"
Gabriel, feeling the weight of his exhaustion, nevertheless prepared himself for one final push. "You won't get the chance."
The sorcerer raised his hands, dark magic swirling around him as he prepared to unleash a devastating spell. But before he could complete it, Gabriel struck. He poured the last of his strength into his blood manipulation, sending a surge of power directly at the sorcerer.
The magic collided with the sorcerer's spell, the two forces battling for dominance. For a moment, it seemed as if the sorcerer might overpower them, but Gabriel's determination was too strong. With a final, desperate push, he broke through the sorcerer's defenses, the dark energy dissipating in a blinding flash of light.
The sorcerer let out a scream of rage and pain as the magic tore through him, his body disintegrating into nothingness. The ruins shook with the force of the explosion, the ground cracking beneath them as the last remnants of the dark magic were purged.
When the light faded, the chamber was silent. The altar lay in ruins, the dark energy that had once filled it completely gone. The sorcerer was no more, his twisted creations banished along with him.
Gabriel, drained of all energy, sank to the ground, his vision swimming. Lina was at his side in an instant, her face pale with worry. "Gabriel, are you okay? Stay with us!"
Kain knelt beside him, his expression grim. "He overdid it. We need to get him out of here, fast."
Gabriel's vision blurred, his body numb with exhaustion, but he managed a faint nod. "I'm… fine. Just… need to rest…"
As darkness claimed him, Gabriel heard Lina's voice, soft and reassuring. "We've got you, Gabriel. You did it. We'll take care of the rest."
And then, everything faded to black.