The corrupted entity towered over the Vanguard, its shifting form a grotesque blend of shadow, fire, and metallic tendrils. It emanated an oppressive aura, and the whispers of countless voices echoed in the air, drowning out thought and filling the team with unease.
"You cannot destroy what has already taken root," the entity bellowed, its voice resonating with a malevolent power. "I am the seed, the root, and the bloom. I am eternal."
Arthur raised Excalibur, its celestial light cutting through the darkness. "No corruption is eternal. We've faced worse than you."
With that, the Vanguard charged.
The entity's tendrils lashed out, striking with blinding speed. Shadowleaf leaped nimbly between the attacks, her arrows glowing with enchanted shadow energy as they found their marks. Bandruí summoned her fae guardians, their radiant energy shielding the team from the brunt of the entity's onslaught.
Pepsi's psychic blasts tore into the entity's form, disrupting its tendrils. "It's holding something back!" she shouted.
Fantasia adjusted her equipment, scanning the core of the entity. "It's drawing energy from the structure. We need to sever the connection!"
Firebrand ignited his flames, a raging inferno surrounding him as he charged. "Then let's give it something else to burn!"
While the others fought to keep the entity occupied, Bandruí and Christopher exchanged a glance.
"It's pulling from the land," Bandruí said, her voice steady despite the chaos. "If we can weaken its connection to this place, it'll lose its strength."
Christopher lit a cigarette, his hands steady. "Distract it, contain it—sounds easy enough."
Bandruí smirked despite herself. "Since when has anything been easy with you?"
The two stepped forward, their combined powers surging. Bandruí's fae guardians converged into a swirling mass of light, their energy weaving into the ground to disrupt the entity's roots.
Christopher extended his hands, reality bending around him as he channelled his powers. The air shimmered, and the tendrils lashing toward the team slowed, caught in the distortion.
"You're not as tough as you look, mate," Christopher taunted, his voice laced with defiance.
The entity roared, its focus shifting toward them. "Fools. You delay the inevitable!"
As the entity lashed out, Bandruí and Christopher struggled to maintain their hold. Sweat poured down their faces, their combined efforts straining against the sheer power of the corruption.
"We can't keep this up forever!" Bandruí shouted, her voice trembling with exertion.
Christopher grinned, his cigarette dangling precariously. "Good thing we don't have to."
Firebrand stepped forward, his flames burning brighter than ever. "Get out of the way!" he bellowed.
The Vanguard turned as Firebrand's flames intensified, engulfing him in a vortex of searing heat.
"What are you doing?" Bandruí cried, her voice breaking.
"Finishing this," Firebrand said, his voice resolute. "It's the only way."
Firebrand charged into the heart of the corrupted entity, his flames tearing through its tendrils and striking at its core. The entity screamed, its form writhing as the flames consumed it.
"You will burn with me!" the entity snarled, its voice filled with fury.
Firebrand grinned, his flames blazing even brighter. "Not today."
With a final surge of energy, Firebrand unleashed a massive explosion, his flames incinerating the entity and its connection to the corrupted structure. The force of the blast shook the ground, sending the Vanguard sprawling.
When the dust settled, the entity was gone. Only ash remained.
The Vanguard gathered around the crater where Firebrand had stood. The ground was scorched, the corruption gone, but so was their comrade.
Bandruí knelt, her fae guardians flickering softly. "He... he did it," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.
Arthur placed a hand on her shoulder, his expression heavy with grief. "He gave us a chance. Let's make sure it wasn't in vain."
Christopher stood silently, his cigarette extinguished, his gaze distant.
As the team returned to Camelot, the skies began to clear, and the whispers of the corruption faded. But the scars it left behind were undeniable.
Arthur addressed the people of Camelot, his voice steady but sombre. "We have triumphed today, but the cost was great. Let us honour those who gave everything for our future. And let us stand united, for there are still battles to come."
In the quiet of the castle, Christopher and Alora sat together, their hands entwined.
"He'd hate the idea of us being all weepy over him," Christopher said softly.
Alora smiled faintly. "Then let's make his sacrifice mean something. Let's make this world worth saving."
Christopher nodded, his resolve hardening. "And we will. Together."