Leon stood amidst the rocky terrain, sweat dripping down his face as he gripped his sword tightly. The remains of two more moths lay scattered around him, their once-glimmering crystalline wings now dim and lifeless. His breaths came heavy, and his body ached from the strain of fighting three moths in quick succession.
'That should be all of them,' he thought, his legs trembling slightly. The red crystal within his consciousness was barely humming, its energy depleted after guiding him through the rapid calculations that had made these victories possible. He wiped his brow, scanning the horizon for any new threats.
The sound of hurried footsteps pulled his attention. Darin and Amara arrived, their faces a mix of concern and disbelief. They stopped abruptly as their eyes landed on the defeated moths scattered around Leon.
"You… you actually took down three of them on your own?" Darin asked, his voice incredulous. "Are you really in the 1st Phase?"
Leon let out a bitter chuckle, planting his sword into the ground for support. "Barely," he admitted, his voice carrying the weight of exhaustion. "Just these three alone almost drained me completely."
Amara glanced at him, her brow furrowed with a mix of respect and worry. "I don't know how you pulled it off," she said, "but we're lucky you did."
Before any of them could speak further, Garic appeared with a group of miners in tow. His face was grim, but his voice steady as he approached. "We've secured the injured miners and fortified what we could," Garic said. "What's the situation?"
Darin glanced at the miners and gave a short nod. "For now, it seems under control. No more moths have appeared."
Garic nodded and added, "We're ready to assist in any way we can. Even if we're not fighters, we won't just stand by."
The group stood in tense silence for what felt like hours, every sound of the wind or faint buzz of wings putting them on edge. Finally, the area grew still. Amara let out a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing. "Looks like it's finally over," she said, her voice carrying a hint of relief.
Just as the tension began to ease, Darin's eyes narrowed. He straightened suddenly, his hand gripping his weapon tightly. "Wait," he said sharply. "Do you feel that?"
Amara frowned, her head tilting slightly. "Feel what?" she asked.
Leon and Amara focused, their senses heightening as they concentrated on the air around them. A chilling, oppressive presence washed over them, making the hair on the back of Leon's neck stand up. He shivered involuntarily, and Amara's expression turned grim.
Darin's voice was heavy as he spoke. "This... this is the aura of a Greater Essentia Beast."
Amara's face paled. "A Greater Essentia Beast? That's on the level of the Manifestation Stage…" Her voice trailed off as her eyes darted toward the horizon. "And more moths are coming, too."
Leon's gaze shifted toward the injured miners in the distance. His fists clenched around his sword as he glanced at Darin, his resolve written clearly on his face. Darin noticed and nodded firmly. "I know," he said. "We can't just abandon them."
Amara quickly activated her Essentia Band, her fingers moving rapidly as she contacted the academy. After a moment, she turned back to the group. "Reinforcements are on the way," she said, her voice laced with urgency. "They should be here in about thirty minutes."
Darin exhaled deeply, his mind already racing. "That's still a long time," he muttered. "We'll need a plan to hold them off until help arrives."
He turned to Garic. "The miners will group up with us. Stick close, and use your equipment to support us defensively."
Garic nodded firmly, rallying the miners. Darin then looked at Leon and Amara, his expression resolute. "The three of us will handle the Greater Essentia Beast directly. Stick together and focus on delaying it. Don't take unnecessary risks—our goal is to hold the line until reinforcements get here."
Leon adjusted his grip on his sword, his exhaustion temporarily pushed aside by adrenaline. Amara stood beside him, her expression resolute. Together, they prepared themselves for the approaching threat, knowing the hardest battle was still ahead.