Richard stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "You didn't seriously think you could handle all of them alone, did you?"
"I had it under control," she replied, though the sweat on her brow betrayed the effort she'd been expending. Why does he always appear everywhere?
"Sure you did," Richard smirked faintly. Without another word, he raised his hand, summoning a surge of dark energy. The shadows hesitated as if recognizing the power he wielded.
With a swift motion, he unleashed the energy in a concentrated blast, tearing through several of the remaining entities.
Ahcehera took advantage of the distraction, her sword cutting through the remaining shadows with renewed vigor.
Within moments, the clearing fell silent again, the oppressive energy dissipating. The forest seemed to breathe again, the tension easing.
Richard lowered his hand and turned to her. "You're welcome."
