Chapter 98: Moon Feints
In the heat of battle, Adrian maintains his composure, surrounded, but not overwhelmed, Adrian leaped, twisting mid-air, narrowly evading the machete aimed for his chest.
His body spun with cat-like agility as he threw Nymff's sword back to her.
"Catch!" he shouted, his voice steady despite the chaos.
Nymff caught the sword in mid-air. Without missing a beat, she swung it in a perfect arc, beheading two bandits in one fluid motion. Her landing was precise—knees bent, feet braced, sword raised, ready for any counterattack.
Nearby, Nyala was a blur of deadly efficiency. She slammed her sword into the throat of an assailant, the blade biting deep and releasing a river of crimson from his mouth.
Before his body could fall, she spun around him, using his shoulders to climb up and launch herself at another enemy.
Suspended mid-air, she grabbed the throat of her next victim, pulling him close as she stabbed a knife that she took from her boot into his skull. She wrenched her sword free from the throat of the first attacker and buried it into the skull of the next.
Not far off, Ecdy was having the time of his life, his spear whirling like a tempest, cutting through bandits as if they were mere grass. His movements were graceful, almost like a dancer, leaving behind a heap of bodies in his wake.
Tessa, standing at the rear, was summoning the moon's power to shield the group. Though it was daylight and the moon's energy was faint, it was still potent.
Even an emaciated lion is a lion. To these barbarians, her weakened powers were more than sufficient. With every breath she took, a shimmering barrier of silvery light pulsed, keeping the worst of the attacks at bay.
One of the bandits, seeing their numbers dwindle, panicked. "This isn't what we signed up for! They're far stronger than we were told!" His voice cracked as fear gripped him. The leader of the bandits turned on his heel, running as fast as his legs could carry him.
"We're leaving!" he shouted. His followers quickly turned and fled, abandoning the battlefield.
Adrian exhaled, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he surveyed the scene of carnage. "This has Ikehara's fingerprints all over it. That sly dog…" he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Tessa, panting from exertion, spat in frustration. "That madman! Since he couldn't get the cloak, he's making sure we can't travel safely. Next time I see him, I'll tear him apart." Her voice was venomous, the fire in her eyes unmistakable.
Ecdy clenched his fists, his teeth grinding together. "Ikehara… you lunatic." His roar echoed across the field, drawing the attention of the others.
Before anyone could catch their breath, a fresh wave of bandits appeared over the horizon.
"Are you kidding me?!" Abdel, usually quiet and composed, cursed loudly for the first time, startling everyone. "Is today Bandit Day? Every five seconds!"
Lhiza couldn't help but chuckle despite the tension. "I've seen a lot of strange things lately, but Abdel cursing is definitely new."
Her twin brother, Lhize, sprang into action, deflecting a blade aimed at Lhiza with his spear. With a vicious thrust, he drove his weapon into the head of the attacker, splitting it open like a burst pipe.
Tessa's frustration boiled over. Her powers were nearly spent, but she refused to let these marauders win.
She called upon the last vestiges of the moon's energy, despite the blazing sun overhead. The ground shook as she unleashed a wave of lunar energy, reducing her enemies to dust. Ashes piled around her like a grotesque mountain.
Nymff, locked in a fierce battle with two bandits, didn't see the third sneaking up behind her. The blade sliced across her upper back, and she screamed in pain, collapsing to her knees.
"Nymff!" Adrian's eyes widened as he thrust his hand forward, flames roaring to life at his fingertips. A column of fire shot out, incinerating the attacker before he could land a second blow. The bandit didn't even have time to scream before he was reduced to ash, carried away by the wind.
Adrian sprinted towards Nymff, his heart pounding. He obliterated her remaining assailants with blasts of fire, turning them to cinders.
He dropped to his knees beside her, his hands trembling as he pressed them against
her wounds.
"Hold on, Nymff. Just hold on," Adrian whispered, his voice thick with emotion. For the first time, his god-like composure cracked. Blood poured from Nymff's wounds, soaking the ground beneath her.
Her breath was shallow, and her skin had turned deathly pale. Adrian's heart raced, panic threatening to take over.
"Tessa!" Adrian screamed, his voice hoarse and desperate. It was the sound of a man who feared that Nymff wouldn't make it.
Tessa's head snapped in his direction. Her gaze fell on Nymff, and in an instant, she understood. 'I have to end this. Now'.
She looked up at the sky, her lips moving in a silent prayer as she summoned every ounce of power she had left.
The daylight dimmed, and for a brief moment, the moon appeared, twinkling faintly against the bright sky. A brilliant silver light flashed down from the heavens, bathing the battlefield in ethereal moonlight.
The bandits Screamed in terror as their bodies disintegrated, turning to ash before their very eyes.
The light enveloped Nymff, her wounds knitting back together, the torn flesh healing as if the injury had never happened. Her breathing steadied, color returned to her face, and her eyes fluttered open.
"You're back" Adrian whispered, pulling her into a tight embrace, his voice filled with relief. But before anyone could celebrate, Tessa collapsed, her body limp as exhaustion overtook her.
And just when they thought it was over, the ground trembled once more. Another group of bandits, larger and fiercer, charged toward them, their war cries piercing the air. Adrian's face twisted with rage.
"Again?! These insane bastards..."