The strength it gave him was exhilarating, but the toll was unbearable, like a fire threatening to burn him alive from the inside out.
"Is this what you call power?" the Moon Mage sneered, his mismatched eyes glinting with cruel amusement. "You're nothing but a vessel—fragile, trembling, and barely holding together. Shall we see how long you last before you shatter?"
Arlon gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He glanced at Ace, who had perched back on his shoulder, eyes fixed on the mage. "Ace, we have to give it everything we've got. One final push."
Ace's red eyes gleamed, his tone sharper than usual. "You've got one chance, Don't waste it."
Arlon surged forward, every nerve alight with the raw power of the storm coursing through him. Crackling streaks of violet and silver lightning tore through the air, converging with the Moon Mage's dark orb in a brilliant, fiery clash.
The resulting explosion rocked the battlefield, the force rippling outward in a wave that scorched the ground beneath them
For a heartbeat, time seemed to stand still, the air thick with the raw clash of their powers. Then, with a final surge of energy, Arlon broke through, his lightning slicing through the mage's attack, forcing the dark figure to stagger back.
Arlon felt the weight of the fight crashing down on him, his muscles aching and breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. Despite his exhaustion, he kept his gaze steady on the Moon Mage, who was visibly furious, his mismatched red and gold eyes gleaming with both anger and dark curiosity.
"Who are you?" the mage snarled, his voice barely a whisper but laced with venom.
His gaze flicked to Ace, perched protectively on Arlon's shoulder. "The Soul Sky Guardian should have been bound to a warrior of great renown. How did you…a mere child…come to possess it?"
Arlon's lips pressed into a thin line. He didn't have an answer that would satisfy the mage, nor did he want to. His silence only seemed to enrage the Moon Mage further, his dark aura growing heavier, more lethal.
"Answer me, boy," the mage sneered. "Or I'll strip the dragon from you myself and claim it as my own."
"Oh yeah,then come get it! " Arlon shot back, his voice defiant even as he struggled to stay on his feet.
"Then that's what it will be."
The Moon Mage raised his hands, a dark, writhing mass of energy forming between his palms, growing into a dense sphere that pulsed with malice.
But before the mage could strike again, Lawrence appeared behind him, his sword glinting with a deadly light.
"You're done,"he said coldly, slashing at the mage with a swift, decisive strike that forced the dark figure to retreat.
Lawrence moved like a shadow, his blade gleaming with an unrelenting light as he emerged behind the Moon Mage.
"Your game ends here," he declared, his voice a cold blade of its own. With a swift, precise strike, his sword cut through the mage's defenses, forcing the dark figure to stumble back in a rare show of weakness
The mage smirked, attempting to summon another dark spell, but Lawrence was faster, his blade flashing as he struck again, delivering a powerful blow that knocked the mage to the ground.
Thud—
He landed hard, struggling to rise, his breaths coming fast and labored.
Arlon watched, awe-struck as Lawrence loomed over the mage, his gaze as unyielding as iron.
Lawrence's voice was cold, almost taunting as he spoke, "It must be hard…seeing the Soul Sky Guardian bound to someone else. I suppose it wasn't meant for someone with a fractured heart."
The words cut deeper than any sword, the mage's defiant sneer faltered, his mismatched eyes clouding with something almost human—shame? Regret? It flickered only for a moment before anger reclaimed his features, though his trembling hands betrayed him
The mention of a "fractured heart" struck a nerve, and his grip faltered, his hands trembling as he tried to summon the power to retaliate.
Lawrence seized the moment, his sword striking with a forceful blow to the mage's chest. The dark magic in the mage's hands fizzled, his entire body going slack as he collapsed, unconscious and motionless, his breathing shallow.
Thud—
Arlon stood frozen, watching the mage's form lying still on the ground. The storm clouds above began to clear, and a tense silence settled over the battlefield, the once-relentless force of the Moon Mage now reduced to nothing.
Arlon's legs buckled, the last of his strength draining as he collapsed onto the scorched earth. His chest heaved with ragged breaths, every muscle trembling from the strain. Before he could fully hit the ground, Lawrence was there, steadying him with an arm around his shoulder.
"You held your ground, Arlon," Lawrence said, his voice low but carrying a rare note of pride
Arlon managed a faint, weary smile, glancing down at Ace, who purred in approval. "I… survived," he murmured, the weight of the battle finally sinking in.
Lawrence placed a reassuring hand on Arlon's shoulder. "You did more than that," he said firmly, his voice carrying a rare note of pride.
"You protected him." He gestured to the wolf boy, now safe in the arms of a nearby villager, who watched Arlon with a quiet, reverent awe.
Arlon met the boy's gaze, feeling a spark of hope rekindle in his chest. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to savor this small victory. They had won this battle, but he knew the larger war was far from over.
As he caught his breath, Arlon sensed movement behind him. He turned to see Alice and Anthony hurrying toward them, their faces etched with worry. Relief flooded their expressions as they took in the sight of Arlon, Lawrence, and the others standing amidst the aftermath of the battle.
"We were starting to think…" Alice's voice trailed off, her shoulders visibly relaxing. "When the robed men fell to the ground, we feared the worst."
Anthony nodded, glancing around at the defeated cultists. "They collapsed so suddenly. We didn't understand why."
Arlon exchanged a knowing look with Ace, realization dawned on him. The Moon Mage must have held a controlling bond over the cultists, a dark connection that linked their fates to his own. With the mage defeated, his servants' lives had likely been snuffed out along with his influence.
But rather than reveal this detail, Arlon simply said, "Their power was tied to something…unstable. Once that was broken, they had nothing left to hold them."
Alice looked at him, studying his face. She seemed satisfied with his answer and nodded. "Regardless, we have survivors here who need refuge."
"We'll take them to my home village," Lawrence interjected, a determined edge to his tone. "They'll be safe there."
Arlon agreed, gesturing toward the shaken villagers. "Let's not waste any time. We need to get them out of here while we still have daylight."
Alice immediately prepared a teleportation circle, her hands moving gracefully as she drew complex symbols in the air. With each gesture, the air shimmered and crackled, a faint blue glow forming beneath her fingertips.
Meanwhile, Lawrence and Anthony moved through the survivors, ushering them toward the circle with calm, reassuring words.
Once everyone was gathered, Alice raised her hands, channeling her magic as the teleportation circle pulsed with a vibrant energy. She glanced back, ensuring everyone was safely within the boundary, then nodded. "Hold on—it may be a little rough."
Fwoosh—
In a flash of light, the landscape shifted, and Arlon felt his stomach lurch as they reappeared on the outskirts of Lawrence's home village. The familiar sight of the quiet village, surrounded by rolling fields and bordered by thick forest, brought a sense of peace over the group.
Villagers emerged from their homes, curious and ready to help, as Lawrence explained the situation and organized a safe shelter for the weary survivors.
As the last of the survivors were settled in, Arlon caught sight of the wolf boy again, now seated near a small fire with a warm blanket draped over his shoulders. The boy looked up and met Arlon's gaze, his eyes filled with gratitude.
Suddenly, Alice approached Arlon, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the black cat on his shoulder which was now visible to anyone.
"Is that… a Soul Guardian?".Alice gasped, her voice trembling with a mix of awe and disbelief. She leaned closer, her eyes wide with wonder as they fixed on the sleek black cat perched on Arlon's shoulder. "I never thought I'd see one with my own eyes.'"
Arlon blinked, momentarily taken aback by her enthusiasm. "Uh, yes, actually," he replied, glancing at the cat. "This is Ace, the Soul Sky Guardian."
Alice's face lit up with wonder. "I've only read about Soul Sky Guardians in old tales! I never thought I'd actually see one!" She leaned in a bit closer, her gaze filled with fascination.
Ace, clearly pleased by her reaction, dipped his head graciously. "It's nice to meet someone who appreciates my… legendary presence," he said, giving a playful flick of his tail. "And you must be Alice—and that must be Anthony." He gestured toward Anthony, who was now watching with interest.
Anthony nodded, smiling. "Yes, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Ace. Arlon really managed to find a Soul Sky Guardian, That's impressive."
Alice turned back to Arlon, her eyes wide. "To think that you can wield the power of the Sky Soul… it's incredible."
Arlon offered them a humble smile. "Thank you. It's been a challenge, but I'm glad I can put it to good use."
"Well, we'll leave you to it," Alice said, still smiling. "We're off to check on the villagers again, but thank you for letting us meet Ace."
"Anytime," Arlon replied, nodding. As Alice and Anthony turned to leave, he called out, "And thank you—for everything you both did for the villagers."
Alice glanced back, a warm smile on her face. "We're all in this together, Arlon."
With that, Alice and Anthony headed off to continue their work, leaving Arlon and Ace to share a brief, satisfied look.
"Thank you," Arlon whispered, barely audible, more to himself than to anyone around.
A quiet voice at his side broke his reverie. "This is just the beginning," Ace murmured, a knowing glint in his eyes. But before Arlon could fully process Ace's words, a sudden chill crept up his spine—a sense that something was amiss, a new threat on the horizon.
This feels like bad news.
Just as Arlon turned to speak with Lawrence, a group of armored men with swords entered the village, their presence causing a ripple of alarm among the villagers. A murmur spread through the crowd as Alice, Anthony, and Lawrence instinctively stepped forward, preparing to defend against the unknown threat.
Arlon stiffened as the air around him shifted, a familiar weight pressing against his senses. Dimitri Miller,Of course. His presence was as commanding as ever, even from a distance, and Arlon couldn't suppress a pang of guilt as the armored entourage approached.
Dimitri's expression, a mix of worry and restrained fury, was enough to make Arlon brace himself for the storm to come.
As the armored group drew nearer, Arlon saw Dimitri's unmistakable form at the front, his expression twisted with worry and determination.
Arlon quickly raised a hand to stop the trio, moving forward himself, sensing that there was more to this arrival than it seemed.
Ace, perched on his shoulder, tilted his head in confusion. "What are you doing? We don't know if they're hostile," he questioned.
But before Arlon could respond, a familiar voice cut through the tense air.
"My Lord!"