"Slaughter them. Leave the heroes to me,"
Nyaxara commanded, her voice sharp and cold. Her demon army roared in unison and charged forward like a black tide of chaos.
Max, standing tall at the front line, let out a fierce battle cry and met the demons head-on. His twin blades cleaved through the first wave of attackers with brutal precision, the sheer force of his swings sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
Around him, the human soldiers clashed with the demon forces. Though they vastly outnumbered the enemy, the demons' ferocity and monstrous strength made it a bloody, even fight.
Nyaxara hovered in the air, her spiraling horns glinting in the eerie light of the battlefield. Her flowing robes seemed alive as the wind whipped around her, forming a visible barrier of rotating gusts. She extended her arms, summoning the full might of her tempestuous magic.
The wind around her exploded into a massive tornado, its violent force tearing at the ground. From the swirling chaos, razor-sharp blades of wind erupted, slashing indiscriminately at anyone within range.
The weaker soldiers, unable to dodge or block the attack, were cut to ribbons, their blood spraying across the battlefield like a grotesque rain.
"Titan's Shield!" Max shouted, slamming his blades into the ground. A shimmering energy shield formed around him, enveloping the heroes and blocking the deadly wind blades.
The attack ricocheted off the barrier with deafening roars, but Max gritted his teeth, straining under the sheer power of Nyaxara's assault.
At the back of the group, Xender cursed under his breath.
"Dammit, I can't keep playing weak. I'll die if I hold back now."
Leo stepped forward, his hands glowing with frosty energy. "Absolute Zero!" he shouted, freezing the very air around him. The battlefield grew bitterly cold as large, jagged ice spikes erupted from the ground, hurtling toward Nyaxara.
Nyaxara waved her hand effortlessly, and the ice shattered into harmless shards. Her piercing silver eyes scanned the heroes, calculating.
"The big one—too stubborn. The girl with the spirits—troublesome. The one at the back…" Her gaze landed on Xender, who stood slightly apart from the others, pretending to look helpless.
"Perfect. He's weak."
Mei summoned two glowing spirit warriors, their spectral forms radiating power. "Spirit Fusion!" she cried, merging the two entities into a single, larger warrior. Its form pulsed with amplified strength, speed, and magic.
"I'll cover you!" Mia called out. She raised her staff, and golden light swirled around her. "Empyrean Radiance!" The light thickened, becoming tangible and blindingly bright. Beams of concentrated energy shot toward Nyaxara, each strike forcing her to maneuver mid-air to dodge.
Nyaxara moved gracefully, the winds around her shifting to deflect the attacks. But as she dodged, the fused spirit warrior followed her movements, closing in for an attack. With a burst of speed, it lunged at her, its massive blade aimed directly at her neck.
Nyaxara raised her hand just in time, blocking the blade a hair's breadth from her throat. Her silver eyes narrowed with fury. "Enough!" she roared. With a powerful gust, she unleashed a shockwave of wind, sending the spirit warrior flying backward.
Nyaxara landed on the ground, the windstorm around her growing more intense. The battlefield was engulfed in chaos, soldiers and demons alike struggling to see or move within the raging winds. She glared at the heroes, her voice cutting through the storm.
"I only came for one thing. I'll return when my master awakens."
She turned her focus to Xender. With a flick of her wrist, a concentrated gust of wind surrounded him, pulling him toward her.
"What the—?!" Xender shouted, pretending to resist as he was dragged forward. Before anyone could react, Nyaxara struck him on the back of the neck. His vision blurred, and he fell unconscious in her grasp.
Mia's scream echoed through the battlefield. "Xender! No!"
Mei's hands trembled as she clutched her staff. "We have to save him!"
Max growled, slashing at the windstorm around them. "Dammit! I can't see anything in this blasted storm!"
Leo's voice was grim. "It's too late… he's already gone. We need to regroup and plan our next move."
Nyaxara glanced back at the chaos she had left behind, a faint smirk on her lips.
"We have what we came for. Withdraw!" she commanded.
Her army retreated in unison, disappearing into the storm as quickly as they had come. Xender hung limply in her grasp, his body a pawn in her greater plan.
As the winds began to settle, the battlefield fell silent. The heroes stood among the carnage, their faces a mixture of shock and anger.
"This isn't over," Max growled, gripping his blades tightly.
"No," Mia whispered, tears streaking her face. "We'll bring him back. Whatever it takes."
"What the hell?" Leo said, pacing the room, his fists clenched in frustration.
"They didn't even try to attack the city. Why would they kidnap one of us?"
Mei sat on a nearby bench, her staff resting against her shoulder. Her brow furrowed in thought.
"It doesn't make sense. They're up to something. That elite demon—Nyaxara—she said they'd return with their master. Could it mean they need Xender for that?"
Max leaned against the wall, his massive arms crossed over his chest.
"If that's true, it's worse than we thought. Are they planning to sacrifice him?" His voice was gruff, but his concern was evident.
The tension in the room was thick as the heroes tried to piece together the enemy's motives. Suddenly, the heavy doors creaked open, and Princess Violet stepped inside. Her presence immediately commanded their attention. She was dressed in her royal gown, her expression a mixture of sorrow and urgency.
"Your Highness!" the group said in unison, standing to greet her.
Violet raised a hand to stop them.
"There's no time for formalities," she said, her voice steady but tinged with regret.
"I've come because I believe I know why they've taken Xender."
Max stepped forward, his voice sharp.
"Then speak, Princess. We don't have time to waste."
Violet took a deep breath before continuing.
"Five hundred years ago, during the last great war, the demon lord Draven—the Shackler of Souls—was unstoppable. He was unlike anything the world had ever faced. It wasn't just his raw power that made him dangerous, but his ability to enslave the very souls of his enemies."
The heroes exchanged uneasy glances.
"The demon lord was sealed away, not defeated," Violet explained.
"One of the legendary heroes, a woman named Lira, sacrificed herself to bind him in eternal slumber. Her soul became the key to his prison."
Mei's eyes widened.
"So… if they're trying to wake him up, wouldn't they need…" She trailed off, the horrifying realization dawning on her.
Violet nodded grimly.
"Yes. They need a hero. A life for a life. They mean to sacrifice Xender to break the seal and awaken Draven."
The room fell silent, the weight of her words sinking in.
Leo finally spoke, his voice low.
"If Draven awakens, we're finished. From what we've seen, even the elite demons are almost too much for us. If the demon lord is unleashed, we won't stand a chance."
"We won't let it happen," Mei said firmly, gripping her staff. "We'll find Xender and stop them before it's too late."
Max slammed a fist into the wall, causing a crack to spread across the stone.
"We've already wasted enough time. Princess, do you have any idea where they've taken him?"
Violet hesitated. "The ancient texts speak of a place—an unholy altar hidden deep within the ruins in the dark forest. It's where Lira made her sacrifice. If they're planning to reverse the ritual, that's where they'll take him."
Mia's voice trembled, but her resolve was clear.
"Then we leave immediately. We'll save Xender and stop them from waking Draven. No matter what it takes."
Violet placed a hand on Mia's shoulder.
"You're brave, all of you. But remember, this mission is more than just saving Xender. If you fail, it won't just be Alderoth that falls. The entire world will be consumed by darkness."
The heroes nodded, determination burning in their eyes. They had faced impossible odds before, but this time, the stakes were higher than ever.
Max turned to the group. "Prepare yourselves. We leave at dawn."