Reiji and Lyra unleashed their spells as they neared the horde of monsters and quickly dismounted the Faifi in preparation for the charge.
"Lyra!" Reiji called, running past Lyrien, who was just right behind Lyra.
In mere seconds, Reiji found himself beside Lyra, their movements synchronized.
Time seemed to slow in Reiji's mind. He caught a glimpse of Lyrien's distressed face trailing behind them, and then Lyra's tear-filled eyes in a storm of desperation, anxiety, and fear.
Reiji grabbed her shoulder to stop her charge, but Lyra, lost in a fury, swung her sword violently at him. She didn't care—her rage consumed her.
Reiji parried her strike with his own blade, but he felt the heat of her buffed strength seared through his arm.
For a moment, her charge faltered, but only for a heartbeat. Right after she swung her sword at Reiji, she charged toward the monsters once more.
Reiji raced after her, closing the distance and grabbing Lyra by the shoulder once more, halting her charge.
Lyra, still lost in her fury, swung her sword at him.
Reiji caught her forearm mid-swing, disarming her with a swift motion that sent the sword clattering to the ground.
He slapped her, a sharp, deliberate action meant to jolt her back to reality.
"Lyra! Snap out of it!" Reiji's voice was firm, his eyes locking with hers.
For a moment, Lyra's gaze remained wild, but then it shifted, the fog lifting from her eyes. Her rational mind returned, and she stood, panting, as the chaos receded.
Reiji, gripping his spear with a sense of purpose, stuck it into the ground, his focus never leaving Lyra as he took her by both forearms.
"Are you with me?" he asked, his tone growing more urgent.
He repeated louder, "Lyra! Are you with me?"
Lyra's breath came in ragged gasps. Her voice was faint, filled with a mix of fear and despair. "Yes… Reiji, our kingdom…"
"I know," Reiji said, his grip tightening slightly. "Keep your cool, okay?" He needed her to focus, to hold it together, despite the chaos unfolding.
Then, calling out to Lyrien, he ordered, "Lyrien! I need you too."
Lyrien, still running up behind them, fixed her gaze on Reiji.
Reiji let go of Lyra's arms and quickly retrieved her sword, returning it to her with a firm grip. "Hold onto this," he said, his voice steady but firm.
He turned to Lyrien, his eyes scanning her face for any sign of the rage that had consumed Lyra moments before. To his relief, she seemed calm, her expression focused.
"Good," he said, exhaling deeply. "You're both with me now."
Gathering himself, Reiji pointed toward the horde. "Look at those two towering stone-monsters," he began, his tone measured but urgent. "They're hurling the smaller ones into the kingdom. That's our first priority. I need you two to take them down. Can you handle it?"
"Yes!" Lyrien responded immediately, her voice filled with resolve.
"Good," Reiji nodded. "Once they're down, make your way into the kingdom, but move carefully and stay alert. Rescue anyone you can—but don't risk your lives unnecessarily. Got it?"
Lyra, still clutching her sword, hesitated before asking, "Where are you going?"
Her voice trembled slightly, laced with both concern and desperation. "Please, we need your help."
Reiji stepped closer, placing a hand gently on each of their heads.
His touch was both reassuring and resolute. "You don't need to ask," he said softly, meeting Lyra's tearful gaze and then Lyrien's determined one.
"I'm heading straight for the leader of this horde. While I'm at it, I need you two to trust yourselves and the strength you have. Save as many as you can—but promise me, you'll stay safe too."
Lyra and Lyrien nodded, their resolve hardening.
Reiji gripped the spear firmly and pulled it from the ground, turning to Lyra and Lyrien one last time. "Also, if you can, look for a girl named Tatiana. She's important to me," he said, his voice steady but earnest.
Without waiting for a reply, Reiji launched himself forward, charging straight into the heart of the horde.
As he neared the throng of stone-monsters, layer upon layer of jagged Grombles obscuring the towering leader in the distance.
Reiji moved like a tempest.
His spear became an extension of his body, spinning and slicing with unerring precision.
Each strike flowed into the next, the pole a blur in his hands.
The sound of the spear slicing through the air was rhythmic, almost hypnotic—a sharp whistle followed by the solid crunch of stone as each Gromble shattered under his relentless assault.
Reiji shifted his weight fluidly with each motion, using the spear to strike, block, and counter with unmatched speed.
His movements were a symphony of destruction, his strikes deliberate and devastating. There are points where he planted the spear into the ground, using it as a lever to propel himself high into the air. As he descended, he brought the spear down with tremendous force, the impact obliterating a cluster of Grombles in a single, resounding blow.
The horde quaked under his assault, and it wasn't long before the leader of the Grombles took notice.
The towering monster turned its gaze toward Reiji, its red eyes narrowing in hostility. A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the battlefield, reverberating like a tremor of rage.
As Reiji finished off the last Gromble around him, he twirled his spear and rested it effortlessly on his shoulder.
The battlefield fell eerily quiet in his immediate surroundings, save for the distant chaos.
His eyes locked onto the towering leader of the horde, its glowing gaze radiating menace. The creature's massive form seemed to pulsate with dark energy, its growl reverberating through the air like distant thunder.
Reiji smirked, raising his spear and pointing it directly at the beast. With unwavering confidence, he taunted, "Come at me, you giant Gallot."
His challenge hung in the air like a spark in a dry forest, waiting to ignite the next clash.
"Your terrorizing ends now."