The air around Reazeal crackled with raw energy as the earth beneath him trembled. The force of his strike against the Harbinger had sent ripples through reality itself, but even now, the monstrous entity stood before him, its form flickering like the distorted image in a broken mirror. The rift behind it pulsed with dark power, widening with every moment. The creature's laughter rang through the space between them, cold and void of mercy.
"You think that a mere mortal's blade can end what has already begun?" the Harbinger sneered. Its voice was a thousand whispers, each one a threat to the soul itself. "You cannot even fathom the true nature of this world's end. You're already too late."
Reazeal gritted his teeth. His body ached from the previous clash, his muscles strained from the sheer force of the energy he had unleashed. But he could feel the Beasts within him, their power surging through his veins, unwilling to let him falter. He couldn't back down now. The world, his friends, his loved ones—everything he held dear—was on the line.
Lysara was by his side, her gaze sharp, her body poised for action. She, too, had felt the weight of the rift's power, but her resolve remained unbroken. Together, they had fought through countless battles, and now, in the face of this overwhelming force, they were not about to falter.
"Reazeal," Lysara spoke softly, yet her words were a beacon of strength. "We need to push it back—before it can spread the darkness any further. If we don't stop this now, the rift will consume everything."
Reazeal nodded, his grip tightening around Duskcarve. He could feel the blade hum with the power of the Beasts inside him, the energy swirling, waiting to be unleashed. He knew this would be their hardest fight yet—one that would require more than just strength. It would demand everything from him, his heart, his soul, and the very essence of what made him who he was.
"You speak of an inevitable end," Reazeal called out, his voice defiant. "But I've faced the impossible before. And I'll face it again. This world isn't yours to claim."
The Harbinger's laugh grew louder, its eyes glowing with malevolent delight. "Your defiance is meaningless. You cannot stop the Eclipse. It is already in motion. I am merely its harbinger—the one who brings about the collapse."
With that, the Harbinger raised its hand, and the rift surged outward, its dark energy tearing through the atmosphere. The ground beneath them cracked and splintered, sending waves of destruction in every direction. Reazeal barely had time to react as the force of the blast sent him flying backward, crashing into a jagged rock formation. The air left his lungs in a brutal rush as the impact reverberated through his body.
"Reazeal!" Lysara's voice cut through the chaos as she lunged forward, her blade flashing as she deflected the next blast of dark energy. Her movements were precise, fluid—yet even she struggled to contain the power that the Harbinger was unleashing.
Reazeal struggled to his feet, his body aching from the blow. He could feel his strength beginning to wane under the weight of the Harbinger's power. This was no ordinary enemy—it was the very embodiment of destruction, and its power was limitless. Yet he could not give in. Not now. Not when the fate of the world was at stake.
He staggered to his feet, his vision swimming, and found Lysara once more, her form a beacon in the storm. She met his gaze, her eyes filled with unwavering determination.
"We need to find its weakness," Lysara said, her voice steady despite the chaos around them. "The rift—it's the source of its power. If we can close it, we can stop this."
Reazeal's eyes narrowed. She was right. The rift was the heart of the Harbinger's strength. It was feeding the creature, allowing it to grow in power. If they could sever its connection to the rift, they might stand a chance. But the rift was no simple tear in reality—it was a living force, a gateway to a dark dimension that no one could fully comprehend.
Reazeal turned to Lysara, his eyes burning with resolve. "Stay with me. We'll do this together."
With a shared understanding, they both charged forward. The Harbinger's energy blasts tore at the air around them, but Reazeal and Lysara moved with a speed and precision born from years of battle. They dodged and weaved through the blasts, closing the distance between themselves and the rift with each passing moment.
But the Harbinger was not idle. It swirled its hands through the air, summoning tendrils of dark energy that lashed out like whips, slamming into the ground and sending shockwaves of destruction rippling outward. The earth cracked and shattered beneath their feet, but Reazeal and Lysara pressed on, undeterred.
Finally, they reached the rift. Its swirling vortex of energy pulsed with a malevolent force, and the air around it grew thick with the scent of decay. It was the gateway to the Harbinger's true power, and closing it would not be easy.
Reazeal raised Duskcarve high, the blade glowing with the power of the Beasts. He could feel the energy coursing through him, building with every moment. He reached out, the power within him swelling to a crescendo.
Lysara stood beside him, her sword glowing with the same radiant light. Together, they combined their strength, unleashing a torrent of energy toward the rift.
The explosion of power was deafening. A blinding light filled the air, and for a moment, it felt as though time itself had stopped.
But as the light began to fade, the rift remained, flickering with unstable energy.
"No..." Reazeal gasped, his breath ragged. "It's not enough."
The Harbinger's voice echoed through the air, filled with cruel satisfaction. "You cannot defeat me. The rift is eternal. You are nothing."
Reazeal's body trembled as the weight of the Harbinger's power pressed down on him. He was at his limit. But something inside him refused to break. Something inside him—something deep and ancient—was awakening.
His eyes burned with an inner fire. The Beasts, their power, their rage—he could feel them roaring within him, calling out. This was no longer just a fight for survival. This was a fight for the very soul of the world. And Reazeal would not allow it to fall into darkness.
"Not yet," he whispered to himself, his voice a vow. "Not while I'm standing."
He raised Duskcarve once more, his grip tightening. The blade shimmered, resonating with the combined strength of the Beasts inside him. With a cry of defiance, Reazeal plunged the sword into the rift.
The energy around them erupted in a violent storm. The earth cracked and the sky above them split open as the rift began to tremble.
And then—there was silence.
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End of Chapter 21.