As Theo finished chanting, the eye that had appeared above his head began to glow with an intense brightness. The surroundings of the dazed Lily started to shift, the light flickering around her like a restless flame.
Thud!!
A massive sound wave reverberated through the air as an invisible force began to envelop Lily. It rose from the ground, forming a mini fortress that encased her entirely.
"Tito, I can't hold it for long!" Theo shouted, urgency lacing his voice as he directed Tito.
With a determined leap, Tito surged toward the fortress surrounding the dazed Lily. His sword ignited with a radiant golden aura. Just as he was about to collide with the wall, he mysteriously passed through it, appearing inside the prison where Lily lay.
Inside the fortress, Lily was sprawled on the floor, lost in a deep slumber, oblivious to the chaos around her. Her attire had reverted to the simple clothes she had worn before. Beside her stood a colossal shadow, glowing ominously as it turned its gaze upon the approaching Tito.
The shadow towered at four meters tall, draped in a tattered robe that obscured its face, save for the flickering flames of its eyes. As moments passed, countless other shadows emerged from its form, their anguished screams echoing as they struggled to escape their dark master.
The shadow resembled that of a soul reaper, its presence both foreboding and powerful. It fixed its gaze on Tito, who was closing the distance with his radiant sword. The entity was unwilling to retreat without a fight.
Screech!!!
It let out a bone-chilling scream, unleashing a wave of dark energy that sought to engulf the fortress and extinguish the golden light of Tito's sword.
But just then, black chains erupted from the fortress, ensnaring the shadow and pulling it back. The dark energy began to dissipate, retreating into the entity's form as if the fortress itself were its greatest foe.
Desperate, the shadow attempted to return to Lily's body, yearning to reclaim its vessel. Yet, every time it tried to breach the mystical barrier surrounding her, it was repelled by glowing symbols that flared to life, protecting her from its grasp.
Screech!!!
In a fit of rage, it howled, its energy further suppressed by the binding chains as Tito advanced.
With a swift motion, Tito swung his sword upward, slashing through the entity's shadowy chest. Each strike was infused with warm golden energy, causing the shadow to bleed black ichor, maggots writhing within the gory substance. The entity was unable to heal, the golden light interfering with its dark essence.
Screech!!!
The creature screamed in despair, thrashing against its chains in a futile attempt to escape. Suddenly, the fortress began to crumble, the chains vanishing into thin air along with the fortress itself.
Seeing his opportunity, Tito retreated, halting his assault. The entity, now freed, turned away from Tito and fled toward a distant mountain of corpses, where Jason could be seen squatting, engaged in some dark ritual.
As the entity floated slowly toward Jason, its form shrank, moving with a desperate urgency. Tito prepared to confront it once more, but a voice called out from behind him.
"It's… over. Let it go to its doom." It was Theo, his voice strained, blood flowing from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
Tito turned to see Theo kneeling, utterly exhausted. "I have… reached my limit, but at least I held it off until… Jason finishes," he gasped, his eyes closed tight against the pain.
Tito studied him for a moment before sheathing his sword. "But you will have to pay the price."
"Hahaha, don't worry. I can endure it," Theo replied, forcing a laugh despite the pain.
Arthur watched the scene unfold, a mix of fear, respect, and admiration etched on his face. He glanced at Lily lying on the ground, then turned his gaze to the entity, which loomed intimidatingly in the distance.
As the entity approached Jason, a palpable shift occurred in the atmosphere. The clouds darkened, and the air grew heavy, suffocating. The area around Jason, littered with corpses, began to pulse with a sinister energy.
Feeling the change, the entity quickened its pace, but it was too late. From the ground, something began to emerge—a massive gate constructed of bones, dark and adorned with eerie patterns. It towered thousands of meters high, dwarfing Jason, who appeared as insignificant as an ant before it.
Realizing the danger, the entity attempted to flee, but Jason stepped aside, revealing the gate fully.
Clack!!!
As the gate swung open, an oppressive force descended upon the isle, forcing everyone Arthur, Jason, Theo, and Tito to their knees under its weight. Arthur struggled to lift his head, desperate to glimpse what lay beyond the threshold.
"Don't… do something stupid," Theo warned, his Insightful Gaze sensing Arthur's intentions without even seeing. He bowed his head, heeding the warning.
Inside the gate, darkness reigned, tendrils of dark energy leaking out and contributing to the suffocating pressure. As the gate opened completely, countless dark hands, writhing like worms, emerged, all targeting the entity that had taken residence within Lily before.
Screech!!! Screech!!!
The entity shrieked in terror, but there was no escape as the dark hands ensnared it, dragging it toward the gate. The souls entwined with it cried out in despair, but their pleas fell on deaf ears, their struggles futile. One by one, they were pulled into the abyss, and finally, the gate closed with a resounding thud.
Thud!!!!