Jay's consciousness blurred, his body trembling as the last reserves of his spiritual energy surged desperately within him. Yet, like water drawn from a dry well, his strength was rapidly dwindling. Struggling to lift his gaze, he saw Mara steadily advancing, an overwhelming aura pressing down on him, suffocating and inescapable.
"It's over," Mara declared coldly, lifting his hand as a dark mass of malevolent energy coalesced in his palm. The oppressive tone in his voice carried the weight of undeniable finality. "Your resistance has always been futile."
At that moment, a furious roar shattered the suffocating stillness within the hall.
"Jay! Don't give up! I'm here with you!"
The shout came from Vilk, who burst into the chamber, wielding his spear imbued with crackling spiritual energy. Behind him, Adam entered, his presence radiating a commanding aura of determination.
Vilk glared at Mara with fiery defiance, gritting his teeth as he shouted, "You think you can end him? Not on my watch!"
Mara sneered, turning his attention to the newcomers, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. "More lambs to the slaughter? How utterly tedious."
Adam wasted no words. His energy surged, and with a swift motion, he raised his spectral blade, unleashing a brilliant burst of radiant light. "[Sword of Eden]!" he roared, following it up with another devastating strike. "[Primordial Burst]!"
A massive beam of light descended like divine judgment, targeting Mara. Close behind, Vilk leapt forward, his spear gleaming fiercely as he yelled, "[Spear Thrust]!"
The two attacks intertwined, converging on Mara with deadly precision.
Mara's expression darkened, and his aura flared violently. Dark energy erupted from him in waves as he clapped his hands together. "[Dragon Surge]!"
A shadowy dragon materialized from the black flames, roaring as it collided with Adam's radiant strike. The clash sent shockwaves reverberating through the chamber, shaking its very foundation. Adam gritted his teeth as his protective shield shattered under the force, forcing him to stagger backward, his breath labored.
In a blur of motion, Mara closed the distance to Vilk, his speed nearly imperceptible. With his blade engulfed in searing dark flames, he aimed a lethal strike at Vilk's chest.
Reacting swiftly, Vilk raised his [Spirit Shield], pouring all his strength into defense. The shield absorbed the blow but cracked under the pressure, shattering as Mara's attack sent Vilk hurtling to the ground. Blood trickled from his lips as he struggled to rise.
"Vilk!" Adam bellowed, rushing to his comrade's aid. Mara pivoted smoothly, meeting Adam's advance with another vicious slash of his [Flame Blade].
Despite his speed, Adam couldn't fully evade the strike, which tore into his shoulder, leaving a deep, bleeding wound. He dropped to one knee, gripping his sword tightly as he tried to steady himself.
Mara surveyed the battered trio with an icy smirk, his voice dripping with contempt. "Pathetic. Did you truly believe your pitiful efforts would amount to anything? Let me enlighten you—despair is your only destiny."
Dark energy began to swirl ominously around him, coiling and expanding. "Since you're so determined to defy me, I'll grant you all the same end."
Vilk groaned, forcing himself back to his feet. Wiping the blood from his mouth, he glared at Mara with eyes burning with unyielding resolve. "You won't have your way! As long as Jay still stands, I refuse to fall!"
Beside him, Adam muttered, his voice low but resolute, "Vilk, we hold him off. Jay needs time."
Both men steadied their breaths, mustering what remained of their strength. Though their bodies were near their breaking point, their spirits blazed brighter than ever. Together, they charged Mara once more, unrelenting in their defiance.
The air in the hall grew unbearably tense, saturated with clashing energies of light and darkness. Amid the overwhelming shadows,faint but persistent ,a glimmer of hope began to shine.
Vilk's expression grew heavier as the faint blue glow of his spear shimmered with renewed energy. Jay stumbled to his side, his face pale but his eyes resolute. In a low voice, he said, "Vilk, we charge together. Ares and Adam will cover us. Look for the opening to end this in one decisive strike."
Vilk nodded, gripping his spear tightly. "Understood! But watch your injuries."
Mara sneered, his gaze dripping with mockery. "Fools. If you're so eager to throw your lives away, I'll gladly oblige!"
Adam launched the first attack, his fists blazing with golden light as he leapt high into the air, roaring, "[Primordial Burst]!" A blazing punch followed, aiming directly for Mara's chest: "[Fist of Revelation]!"
Mara scoffed, raising a shimmering [Shield of Abyss], its dense, dark energy deflecting the blow. Yet, faint cracks appeared across its surface.
"Hmph. Pathetic." Mara smirked as he retaliated, slashing his [Flame Blade] toward Adam.
Adam swiftly evaded with a roll, but the edge of Mara's attack sliced through his defense, leaving a deep gash across his chest. Blood stained his armor, but he gritted his teeth, holding his ground as he continued throwing punches to buy time for his allies.
Meanwhile, Ares stormed toward Mara like a raging tempest, brandishing his war spear. "[Spear of Ruin]!" he bellowed.
The destructive spear strike aimed to pierce Mara's head, but Mara coldly raised his hand, summoning a roaring [Dragon Wave].
The shadowy dragon clashed with the spear in midair, unleashing a violent explosion of energy that shook the entire chamber. Ares's momentum faltered, giving Mara the opportunity to counter with a brutal backhand strike, forcing Ares to stagger back.
Jay and Vilk seized the moment to move. Vilk raised his [Spirit Shield], summoning a powerful barrier to block Mara's line of sight, giving Jay the chance to advance. Jay, channeling the remnants of his spiritual energy, whispered a spell: "[Thunder Flash Curse]!"
Lightning bolts snaked through the air, targeting Mara's flank. Mara tilted his head slightly, letting out a disdainful laugh. "Is that all? You'll need more than parlor tricks to harm me." With a casual wave, his [Shield of Abyss] absorbed the incoming lightning.
"You pests are becoming tiresome!" Mara sneered, his tone laced with growing irritation. He retaliated with a powerful slash of his [Flame Blade], aiming straight at Vilk.
Vilk braced himself, raising his shield just in time. The impact was devastating, the force shattering tiles beneath his feet as his arms went numb. Mara followed up with another [Dragon Wave], the shadowy beast swallowing both Vilk and Jay in an instant.
"Vilk! Jay!" Adam roared, charging forward in desperation, but Mara's blade swept toward him once more, forcing him to withdraw temporarily.
As the dark energy dissipated, Vilk emerged from the rubble, staggering but upright. His [Spirit Shield] was cracked and barely holding together. Beside him, Jay knelt on the ground, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. His breathing was shallow, but his eyes burned with defiance.
"It's not over yet!" Jay rasped, forcing himself to his feet. Gathering the last of his spiritual energy in his hands, he muttered, "Vilk, we can't fall now. Just one more chance!"
Vilk raised his spear, nodding firmly. "Let's do this!"
Mara's brow furrowed slightly, his expression darkening as his irritation turned to a murderous glint. "Stubborn to the end. But no matter how hard you try, it's all futile! I'll wipe you out completely!"
The battle reignited with relentless ferocity. Jay and Vilk were repeatedly beaten back by Mara's overpowering might, yet each time they fell, they stood again, their resolve unwavering. Though Mara hadn't unleashed his full power, their sheer tenacity began to chip away at his patience.
The hall was shrouded in Mara's overwhelming aura of dark energy. His cold gaze swept over the severely injured group, a sinister smile creeping across his lips. "I've grown tired of this charade. This will be the last sight you'll ever see!"
With a furious roar, Mara's power surged violently, black energy whipping through the space like a raging storm. Even the walls seemed to tremble under its weight. Raising both hands high, he summoned a destructive force that radiated pure annihilation. "[Domain of Chaos]!"
Countless black blades of energy rained down from above like a deadly storm, tearing through the walls and floor of the chamber. The oppressive force filled the air with deafening roars and an unbearable sense of dread.
The group fought desperately to defend themselves.
Ares roared as he stepped in front of Jay, his body glowing with golden-red light. Raising his war spear, he unleashed his skill: "[Ironblood Aegis]!" A massive shield of divine energy materialized, shielding them from the falling blades.
However, the relentless assault proved too powerful. Cracks spread across the shield, and Ares was forced to his knees, his legs sinking into the ground from the pressure. Gritting his teeth, he bellowed, "Jay, I won't let you fall!"
Vilk rushed to Ares's side, shouting, "Hold on, Ares! I'll assist!" He quickly summoned his spiritual energy, activating "[Spirit Barrier]!" The combined strength of the barriers temporarily slowed the blades' advance.
Jay, pale and drenched in cold sweat, trembled as he gathered his energy, his hands shaking. He forced out the words: "[Thunder Flash]!"
Bolts of lightning clashed against the falling blades, reducing some of their power, but Jay's body wavered under the strain.
At that moment, Adam let out a ferocious yell. His spiritual energy surged to its limit, engulfing him in searing flames. "[Phoenix Blaze]!" With a mighty leap, he hurled himself toward the core of Mara's attack, aiming to disrupt its destructive force with a fiery punch.
The flames collided with the descending blades, erupting in a blinding explosion of light and sound. Yet, the fire was gradually consumed by Mara's dark energy. Adam was sent hurtling backward, slamming into the wall. He coughed up blood but struggled to his feet, refusing to give in.
Mara watched their futile efforts with disdain as his energy surged, grinding their defenses to dust. His voice, cold and mocking, rang out like a death knell: "Is that all you've got? Such pitiful resistance."
Once more, he raised his hands, summoning a massive blade of dark energy to strike down Ares and Vilk.
Vilk gritted his teeth, channeling every ounce of his strength into his shield. The force shattered the [Spirit Barrier] piece by piece, forcing him to his knees as his arms quivered under the strain.
Ares stood protectively before Jay, his battered body covered in wounds, his war spear cracked and barely holding together. Yet, he didn't falter. "Jay, get up! We can't give in!"
Jay knelt on the ground, gasping for air as his energy waned. Yet, in his eyes burned a flicker of unyielding determination. "Ares, Vilk... I won't let him win!"
Summoning every last ounce of his strength, Jay forced himself to his feet. His body trembled violently as he unleashed his final attack: "[Thunder Flash – Apex]!"
This time, the lightning surged with radiant blue and white energy, streaking toward Mara with incredible speed.
A hint of surprise flickered in Mara's eyes before his lips curled into a derisive smirk. Summoning a shield of black energy, he blocked the strike head-on. The barrier absorbed the lightning with ease. "Still struggling? It's all meaningless."
Mara released another wave of devastating energy, blasting Jay, Vilk, and Ares across the room. They hit the ground with sickening force, their blood staining the shattered tiles beneath them.
Standing at the center of the storm, Mara loomed over them like an executioner. His voice was cold and merciless. "Your resistance ends here. Embrace your deaths."
Jay barely lifted his head, blood trickling from his lips. Yet, within his eyes still burned the faint ember of defiance. "Ares... Vilk... we can't... fall..."
Vilk staggered to his feet, his face bloodied but his gaze unbroken. "We still have a change... we can't lose..."
Ares leaned on his broken spear ,his voice hoarse but resolute . "As long as we can still breathe... we won't let this monster win..."