As she slipped away while Ashborn held the scavengers' attention, the Ghost worked her way through the tents, swiftly unlocking cages and cutting through chains with silent precision. The distant screams and shouts of the scavengers, as Ashborn fought his way through them, drifted over to her as she worked.
"It seems he's doing just fine on his own," she muttered under her breath, a faint smirk on her lips.
After a few minutes of moving quietly from tent to tent, she'd freed all the captives, including the boy Ashborn had directed back. Around the same time, a second sun burst into the sky as Ashborn's technique reached full power, intensifying the cries of panic and fear from the distant scavengers.
"How…how are we supposed to escape?" a wary man among the prisoners asked, his eyes darting between her and the chaos outside.
The Ghost didn't answer immediately. Instead, she drew her blade and ran her hand along its edge, infusing it with pure darkness that seemed to devour every trace of light around it. Then, with a single swift slash through the air, she tore a rift in the fabric of reality, revealing a deep void.
"This portal will take you to a town to the north," she instructed, her tone calm yet commanding. "You'll be safe there."
The group hesitated, their faces a mix of relief and fear at the unknown waiting within the portal's depths. But the young boy from before stepped forward first, setting a brave example for the others. One by one, the captives followed him, each vanishing into the rift. When the last of them passed through, she sealed the portal with a flick of her wrist.
She then looked up at the sky, where Ashborn's artificial sun blazed brightly. A wry grin crossed her face. "Showing off already… I guess I'll join him."
With another quick slice, she opened a portal and stepped through, emerging atop a cliff overlooking the remains of the campsite. There, she took in the sight of the Revenant as it descended, its twisted, snarling form towering over the smoldering tents below.
Channeling her own technique, she let loose a torrent of somnium energy, intensifying the storm behind her. The sky darkened as gravity warped around her, pebbles and debris lifting from the ground to orbit her and her blade. Bolts of violet lightning crackled from the clouds, and the sky itself seemed to split in two: on one side, Ashborn's blazing sun; on the other, an all-consuming black hole, swirling with storm clouds and shards of light.
"To think he has a technique like mine," she murmured to herself, an amused smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, which she hadn't even noticed had crept into a grin.
---
…She's showing off.
That was my first thought as I glanced up at her display. The technique looked surprisingly similar to my own, though I had to admit there was something captivating about the void-like black hole and the storm woven into her power. As much as I liked my Sun, I had to hand it to her—she'd managed to outdo me with the whole "doom from above" look.
"What… what the hell is this?!" The leader's voice cracked with fear as he looked between me and her, realization dawning. "There's two of you?!"
"Nope," I replied coolly, stepping forward, the heat from my sun still blazing. "She's the one you were after from the beginning. I'm just a 'random wanderer' who happened to be in the wrong place at the right time."
The man gripped his greatswords, a tremor running through his hulking frame as he processed my words. He snarled, his eyes flicking from me to the Ghost atop the cliff and back again, calculating his next move.
"You can't intimidate me," he growled, trying to muster bravado. "I didn't climb to the top just to be stopped by some self-righteous show-offs."
I chuckled, stepping forward as I let the full force of my sun's heat surge outward, creating a ring of smoldering ash that spread out from where I stood. Behind me, Ghost's swirling black hole intensified, pulling in tendrils of storm, dust, and broken debris. Together, we were a force of polar opposites, but equally unstoppable.
"Maybe not," I said, my voice calm yet carrying a hint of menace, "but don't worry, we'll show you the same mercy you showed to people of this world."
As if on cue, she leaped from the cliff, her blade cloaked in darkness, and struck the Revenant first, her weapon leaving a deep, consuming gash across the Nightmare's side. The Revenant howled, rearing back and sending a volley of lightning down from the heavens. Ghost darted to the side, moving with such speed that she seemed to blur through the onslaught. Each arc of lightning struck where she'd been a mere heartbeat before, lighting up the battlefield as she closed in.
The leader's face contorted with anger and fear, but he charged forward, swinging his greatswords with all his might. His movements were powerful but slow, and I sidestepped his first swing with ease. I retaliated with a burning punch to his side, the searing impact making him stumble. He managed to regain his footing, eyes wide with fury, and bellowed as he spun around for another attack.
As for nightmare, it was no match for Ghost. Her blade struck again, slicing through the Revenant's hide with a relentless ferocity. The Nightmare bucked, trying to shake her off, but her movements were fluid and relentless, every step a blur.
I raised my hand, channeling the sun's heat to intensify around us. The heatwaves distorted the air, the intense sunlight igniting small patches of grass and stone around me. My opponent, now visibly struggling, shifted his attention to me again, muscles tensing as he tried to ignore the Ghost's ongoing assault on his Nightmare.
"Enough," I said, meeting his gaze. "This took longer than necessary."
He lunged, but his form was already unsteady. I sidestepped again and grabbed his arm, heat radiating from my hand as his armor melted beneath my grip. He screamed as the metal burned into his skin, dropping one of his swords as I twisted his arm with a final burst of strength. He fell to his knees, groaning, his pride and fury collapsing in on themselves.
The Revenant let out one last, ear-splitting howl, only to be silenced as Ghost delivered a final, decisive strike. Her sword, coated in darkness, pierced straight through the creature's heart. Its eyes dimmed, and its massive body collapsed at her feet.
The storm above us began to dissipate as I released my hold on the sun's heat, watching as Ghost sheathed her blade. The sky above faded from chaos back into calm, and we stood in silence, two forces finally at rest. I kept a small part of it active to stop the rain from starting again.
The leader stared, horror-stricken, at the remains of his precious Revenant, his face pale and slack. Without another word, I released him, stepping back as Ghost turned her gaze on him, her eyes cold and unyielding.
Ghost's voice held a deadly calm as she spoke, her blade leveled at the trembling leader. "Confess how you managed to get your hands on this Nightmare," she said, her tone like ice. "If you do, you'll die quickly. Refuse, and I'll make sure every soul you hurt will find satisfaction in how long you suffer."
The man's arrogance crumbled, and he staggered back, his face a mask of terror. Just as he opened his mouth, a sickening sound filled the air. In a blur, the Revenant —its body hunched and battered—lurched forward. With jaws unhinged, it seized the man in its maw, devouring him in seconds. The sight was savage and brutal; we barely had time to react.
We watched as the Nightmare's form began to shift, bones snapping and realigning with horrific, visceral sounds. Its wolf-like limbs stretched, elongating into powerful arms, its hulking body transforming into something far more monstrous and human-like. The primal look in its eyes faded, replaced by a gleaming intelligence and a sinister focus. Its gaze swept over Ghost and me with chilling awareness, assessing us as threats rather than prey.
Ghost gripped her sword tightly, her stance rigid but poised. "This is a real Revenant now."
"Wait," I replied, feeling the heat gather around me in response. "It wasn't before?"
The Nightmare's mouth split into a grotesque grin, jagged teeth gleaming in the dim light. Its new hands—large, clawed, and unnervingly agile—clenched with an eager energy. Without warning, it lunged forward, faster than either of us anticipated.
I barely managed to throw up a barrier of heat to deflect its claws, the force of its attack sending a shockwave through the air. Ghost moved like lightning, her form flickering in and out of sight as she struck from different angles. Her blade left deep, dark wounds along its hide, but the creature's flesh seemed to knit together almost immediately, each gash healing faster than we could cut.
"This isn't working!" she yelled as she dodged another swipe, her voice taut with frustration.
"Then we make it work!" I shot back, summoning a surge of searing light that blazed around me. With a forceful leap, I struck its torso, sending a wave of heat scorching through its body. The Nightmare stumbled, its charred flesh smoking, but the wounds only seemed to fuel its ferocity
Ghost darted in from the side, her sword wreathed in the same dark energy, shadow and flame merging as we struck in tandem. She leaped forward, landing a precise strike at the base of its skull, and I followed, aiming a blast of heat directly into its open wound. The creature staggered, its transformation faltering.
A howl of rage escaped its throat, the guttural sound echoing like a storm. It raised one massive clawed hand, tearing the ground apart with raw force, sending debris flying. Rocks and broken earth rained around us as we barely held our ground.
"It's adapting," Ghost hissed, her face set in grim determination. "It's trying to counter our attacks."
"Then let's give it something it can't adapt to," I replied, and nodded toward her.
Without needing further explanation, Ghost and I shifted our tactics. I allowed the heat of my sun to blaze outward, pushing the temperature to levels that cracked the ground beneath us. The air became an inferno around me, fire and molten energy radiating out in a blinding aura.
Ghost's form became a streak of shadow, bending with the storm above as she blended with the darkness. The gravity around her seemed to warp, as if the space itself were bending to her will. Purple lightning surged from her body, striking the creature and leaving scorched marks that smoldered even against its rapid healing.
The Nightmare hesitated, looking between us, its once-confident gaze shifting to wary calculation.
"Now!" Ghost cried, her voice cutting through the roar of energy between us.
She darted forward, her blade finding purchase at the Nightmare's knees, slicing deep and disrupting its balance. I drove a spear of blazing heat straight into the creature's chest, searing through its core with a fury that resonated through my bones. The Revenant's mouth opened in a silent scream as my flames ravaged it from the inside, reaching the core of its unnatural life.
The creature's form convulsed, splitting and warping as it desperately tried to hold itself together. With a final, echoing scream, the Nightmare disintegrated, leaving nothing but ash in its wake.
For a long moment, we sat in silence, the storm easing above us as the last remnants of the Revenant's presence vanished. I lowered my hands, feeling the heat fade as the sun above dimmed, and Ghost let her blade drop, her energy ebbing away as she, too, relaxed.
She glanced over at me, smirking slightly as she let herself sink to the ground, visibly exhausted. "You held your own back there. Not bad for a 'random wanderer.'"
I grinned, dropping myself beside her with the same bone-deep exhaustion. "Likewise. Not bad for someone called 'Ghost.'"
---
We'd managed to find some shelter under the remains of a tent, trying to keep dry as the storm resumed. I didn't have enough strength left to hold off the rain, so here we were, huddled under the worn fabric.
A gust of cold wind swept by, and I felt her shiver beside me. "If you're cold, you can sit a bit closer," I offered.
She looked hesitant at first but finally shifted closer, our shoulders brushing. I had just enough energy to warm the air around us, and her shivering gradually stopped.
After a pause, I spoke up. "Hey…what's your name? I still know you as 'Ghost' even after everything."
She hesitated, her expression almost wary, before replying, "You can call me Rika."
That pause was a little long for someone recalling their own name. "A real name, or just a new disguise?"
She glanced sideways at me, half-smiling. "I don't recall getting yours either."
I shrugged, still catching my breath. "Ashborn. I really am just a random person who happened to pass. As I said before, I came with the people I left in town."
"I didn't ask for your whole story." She gave a half-laugh. "But…nice to know. My story's not really interesting either I just…saw these people and figured I'd try to help." She gave a weary sigh, her voice dropping. "It's been almost four weeks now…four weeks of running, hiding, fighting..."
I glanced over at her, the fatigue in her face far deeper than mere sleeplessness. "It's over now," I said gently. "You've done more than enough. Rest. No one else is coming."
She hesitated, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. "But…"
I placed a hand on her shoulder, the warmth from my palm steadying. "Trust me. You deserve it. I'm not forcing though, if you don't trust me."
"No, that's not... Thank you, and Sorry, I will rest for little"
Her defenses finally crumbled, and she leaned in, resting her head against my chest, seeking the heat radiating from my core. Within moments, her breathing softened, drifting off in peaceful, much-needed sleep.
I still haven't learned why Mark was reacting to her, but that could be left to another time.
As the storm raged quietly around us, I found myself watching her sleep, grateful for the rare calm amidst the chaos. In this strange world, this moment felt like a gift, and I was content to let it last as long as it would.