The golden light around Aeon dimmed slowly, fading into faint embers that flickered across his body before vanishing entirely. His breathing was ragged, his muscles burning from the effort of summoning the strange, newfound energy. The battlefield around him was eerily silent, the only sound coming from his labored breaths.
He stared at the empty space where the figure had stood moments before. The cracks in the ground radiating outward from their battle glowed faintly, as though the world itself remembered the clash. Aeon clenched his fists, his mind spinning.
"What was that…?" he whispered to himself, looking down at his hands. They no longer glowed, but he could still feel a faint pulse of energy deep within him. It was unlike anything he'd felt before—wild yet calm, powerful yet restrained.
The figure's last words echoed in his mind: You have no idea what you've just unlocked.
A chill ran down his spine. Whatever he had awakened wasn't just some untapped reservoir of power. It was something deeper, older, and far more dangerous.
Before he could delve further into his thoughts, the ground beneath him shifted. The battlefield rippled unnaturally, and Aeon staggered to keep his footing. A low hum filled the air, growing louder with each passing second.
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out. "Aeon!"
He turned sharply, his heart leaping at the sight of familiar faces. Cassia and Rylen, his closest allies, were running toward him, their expressions a mixture of relief and concern.
Cassia reached him first, her green eyes scanning him for injuries. "Are you okay? We felt the surge of energy all the way back at the village. What happened here?"
Aeon opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. How could he explain what had just occurred when he didn't fully understand it himself?
Rylen stepped closer, his broad frame casting a shadow over the cracked ground. His dark hair was damp with sweat, and his hand rested on the hilt of his sword, as though expecting danger to return at any moment. "This place… it feels wrong," he said, his voice low. "What kind of battle did you just fight, Aeon?"
Aeon took a deep breath, steadying himself. "It wasn't like anything I've faced before. There was… a figure. Not a curse, not a sorcerer. Something else. It claimed to be an echo of something ancient."
Cassia frowned. "An echo? What does that even mean?"
"I don't know," Aeon admitted. "But it was powerful. More powerful than anything I've fought. It pushed me to my limits—and then beyond them." He hesitated, glancing at his hands again. "I… unlocked something. A new power."
Cassia and Rylen exchanged a worried glance.
"What kind of power?" Rylen asked.
"I don't know," Aeon repeated, frustration creeping into his voice. "It's not cursed energy, and it's not tied to my time manipulation. It's something else entirely. But whatever it is, it scared that figure."
Cassia's expression softened as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever happened, you're still here. That's what matters."
Aeon nodded, but he couldn't shake the unease that gripped him. He had survived the encounter, but the figure's words haunted him. The path ahead will not be easy.
Before they could say more, the air around them grew cold. The faint hum that had filled the battlefield grew louder, and the ground beneath them trembled once more.
Rylen drew his sword instinctively, his eyes scanning the horizon. "We need to move. Now."
Cassia nodded, pulling out her staff. "This place isn't stable. If we stay here, we'll be swallowed up by whatever's coming."
Aeon didn't argue. His body was exhausted, and the last thing he wanted was to face another threat in his current state. Together, the three of them began to retreat from the battlefield, their movements quick but cautious.
As they ran, the landscape around them began to shift unnaturally. Trees twisted into grotesque shapes, their branches reaching toward the sky like claws. The sky itself seemed to warp, the once-clear blue now a swirling mass of gray and black.
"What's happening?" Cassia shouted, her voice barely audible over the rising wind.
"I don't know!" Aeon replied, his heart pounding. "But we need to get out of here before—"
A deafening roar cut him off, and the ground beneath them split open. A massive chasm yawned before them, its depths glowing with an eerie, red light. From the chasm emerged a figure—not the one Aeon had fought, but something equally terrifying.
It was a creature of pure energy, its form constantly shifting and pulsing. Its glowing red eyes locked onto the trio, and it let out another roar, shaking the very air around them.
Rylen stepped forward, raising his sword. "Cassia, can you contain it?"
Cassia nodded, her hands already glowing with green energy as she began to chant. "I'll need time. Keep it busy!"
Rylen charged toward the creature without hesitation, his blade gleaming as he struck. The creature howled in rage, swiping at him with a massive, clawed hand. Rylen dodged expertly, countering with a powerful slash that sent sparks flying.
Aeon watched, his mind racing. He could feel the faint pulse of his new power stirring within him, but he didn't know how to access it. Without time manipulation, his options were limited.
But he couldn't stand by and do nothing.
Taking a deep breath, Aeon stepped forward, his cursed energy crackling faintly around him. "Rylen, I'll cover you!"
Rylen grinned, his focus never leaving the creature. "About time you joined the fight!"
As Aeon prepared to attack, the pulse within him grew stronger, as though responding to his determination. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, focusing on the energy. It felt like a spark waiting to ignite, and he willed it to awaken.
When he opened his eyes, they glowed faintly with the same golden light from before.
The creature lunged toward Rylen, but Aeon moved faster than he thought possible. In a blur of motion, he appeared between them, his hands glowing with golden energy. He struck the creature with a powerful blow, sending it reeling backward.
Rylen stared at him in awe. "What was that?"
"I don't know," Aeon admitted, his voice steady. "But I'm starting to get the hang of it."
Cassia's voice rang out behind them. "Keep it distracted a little longer—I'm almost done!"
The creature roared in anger, its form shifting wildly as it prepared to strike again. Aeon and Rylen exchanged a brief nod before launching into action.
Working together, they kept the creature at bay, their attacks coordinated and precise. Aeon's newfound speed and strength gave them an edge, allowing them to outmaneuver the creature's wild attacks.
Finally, Cassia's chant reached its climax. A glowing green barrier formed around the creature, trapping it in place. The creature thrashed against the barrier, but it held firm.
"It won't hold forever!" Cassia shouted. "We need to get out of here before it breaks free!"
The three of them didn't waste any time. They retreated from the battlefield, the creature's roars fading into the distance as they fled.
When they finally stopped to catch their breath, Aeon turned to his friends. "That wasn't just a random attack. Whatever's happening, it's tied to that figure—and to this new power."
Cassia nodded, her expression serious. "Then we need to figure out what it is—and fast. If more creatures like that are coming, we won't stand a chance unless we're prepared."
Rylen sheathed his sword, his jaw set in determination. "Then let's get to work."
Aeon looked at his glowing hands one last time, a mix of fear and hope swirling within him.
Whatever lay ahead, he knew one thing for certain: the battle was far from over.