The battlefield lay shattered beneath the towering First Revenant, its form a twisted amalgamation of obsidian and burning shadows. Its hollow eyes radiated malice as it advanced on Lysara, who struggled to remain upright, her body bruised and battered. Each breath burned in her lungs, yet she gripped her twin blades with unwavering determination.
The air pulsed with a radiant force, causing the shadows to retreat momentarily. Lysara's weary eyes widened in disbelief as the blinding light coalesced into a familiar figure—scarred, resolute, and unmistakably alive. Reazeal.
His presence radiated power—not just magical energy, but something deeper, something ancient and undeniable. His eyes glowed faintly with celestial fire, and faint remnants of the ritual's binding symbols traced his arms like ethereal tattoos.
"You…" Lysara gasped, half in shock, half in wonder.
Reazeal met her gaze, a quiet intensity burning in his eyes. "I promised I wouldn't leave you."
The First Revenant let out a deafening roar, recognizing the threat before it. Its massive form surged forward with horrifying speed, its molten claws aimed straight at Reazeal.
---
The Return of the Warrior
In a flash of movement, Reazeal met the attack head-on, intercepting the Revenant's claws with a barrier of crackling white fire. The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, forcing Lysara to brace herself against the aftershock.
Without missing a beat, Reazeal surged forward, his fists blazing with purifying flames. He drove a searing punch into the Revenant's chest, sending the behemoth staggering back. Flames erupted from the wound, consuming its darkened form.
Lysara regained her footing, stunned by the sheer force Reazeal now commanded. His movements were precise, fueled by controlled fury, yet there was something… different about him. His strikes didn't just damage—the flames he wielded seemed to burn away corruption itself, leaving scorched earth purified of dark energy.
"Stay back!" Reazeal commanded as he dashed toward the Revenant, his fiery aura intensifying.
But Lysara wasn't one to stand idle. Ignoring the pain coursing through her body, she charged into the fray, her twin blades glowing with renewed energy. Side by side, they fought with unmatched synchronization—a dance of light and flame.
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The Breaking Point
The battle intensified as the First Revenant adapted, summoning legions of twisted Voidspawn from the broken earth. Dark tendrils lashed out from beneath, forcing Reazeal and Lysara to fight on multiple fronts.
Realizing they couldn't endure a prolonged fight, Reazeal unleashed a devastating blast of divine fire, incinerating dozens of Voidspawn in an instant. His breathing became labored, the ritual's lingering toll evident despite his power.
Suddenly, the Revenant unleashed a colossal wave of corrupted energy, darkening the sky itself. Reazeal barely managed to shield Lysara, the blast sending them both tumbling backward.
"We can't keep this up," Lysara panted. "It's too strong!"
Reazeal clenched his fists, flames flickering around him like dying embers. "I won't let it end here… not again."
Drawing on the last vestiges of his strength, he raised both hands skyward, calling upon the remnants of the binding ritual's power still etched into his soul. Symbols ignited across his arms, glowing fiercely as he channeled an ancient force—the power of the Eternal Flame.
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The Rise of the Eternal Flame
The earth trembled violently as Reazeal's aura exploded into a pillar of white-hot flame, piercing the heavens themselves. The dark skies burned away, replaced by a radiant dawn-like glow.
The First Revenant howled in rage, charging directly into the inferno. But this time, Reazeal didn't move to evade—he embraced the flames, becoming one with the power surging within him. His body burned with celestial intensity, but he showed no sign of pain—only fierce resolve.
With an earth-shaking roar, Reazeal surged forward, colliding with the Revenant in a blinding explosion of light and fire. The shockwave tore through the battlefield, shattering mountains and vaporizing corrupted earth.
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Aftermath
When the light finally faded, only scorched earth and smoldering ash remained. Lysara coughed, struggling to rise from where the blast had thrown her. Her vision blurred, but she spotted a lone figure standing amid the ruins.
Reazeal.
His form shimmered with fading fire, the mystical symbols on his arms dimming slowly. His breath came in ragged gasps, but he was still standing—still alive.
The remnants of the First Revenant were nowhere to be seen, its existence erased by the Eternal Flame's cleansing might.
Lysara staggered toward him, her expression caught between relief and disbelief. "You… you did it…"
Before Reazeal could respond, his knees buckled, and she caught him just in time. His eyes flickered with exhaustion, yet a faint, determined smile tugged at his lips.
"It's… not over," he rasped. "There's more coming… worse than this."
The distant horizon glowed with a dark, ominous hue, suggesting that the battle they had just fought was only the beginning.
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End of Chapter 32.