Thalindra stepped forward with unwavering resolve, despite the dark power of Ereshkigal enveloping the battlefield. Her steps were firm, her eyes full of determination as she approached Ereshkigal, now completely trapped in the form of Fyrakhan, far from the shape she had once known. Fearless, Thalindra raised her staff—the symbol of the wisdom and strength she had gathered over the years.
"Lux et Umbra, anima mea resonet..." the incantation flowed from her lips, her voice filled with confidence. The words stirred magical energy within her. Dark shadows began to encircle her, swirling and flowing like waves, wrapping her body in terrifying darkness.
From within these shadows, her loyal familiar, Nyxaris, emerged. Beneath the slowly darkening sky that replaced the oppressive twilight, Nyxaris knelt beside Thalindra. Though his body was made of shadows, he radiated a profound sense of peace. Thalindra continued her incantation, her voice soft yet commanding.
"Eriom latha na'reithan..."
As the words were spoken, Nyxaris' body began to glow with a dark radiance. Dark energy flowed from within him, unraveling into thick mist that swirled, reshaping his form. In an instant, the mist solidified, revealing a much larger figure with a powerful, muscular build. Animal fur covered his chest and shoulders, giving him a fierce appearance. His skin was blood-red, reflecting the darkness that surrounded the battlefield.
However, what stood out most was Nyxaris' face—it resembled Thalindra's own, a bond unbroken between them.
Before Nyxaris, Thalindra accessed her perfect summoning mode. Her body was no longer cloaked in magical robes, but rather in dragon-scale armor, blood-red in color, perfectly enveloping her. The armor glowed faintly, blending with the dark aura that ruled the battlefield, remnants of the battle between Malinaara and Ereshkigal.
Her staff now extended and thickened, emanating a powerful energy. The base of the staff was adorned with a large skull that seemed alive, releasing a dark aura. A black liquid, resembling blood, flowed from the tip of the staff, tracing along its length and up her arm, stopping at her back.
There, a pair of wings began to form—wings that appeared to be a combination of dragon and demon wings. The blood-like liquid flowed with incredible speed, spreading wide, the tips sharp like claws ready to grasp anything in their path.
With a terrifying appearance, Thalindra now stood tall before Ereshkigal. There was no fear or doubt in her. Her form, wrapped in dragon armor and demon wings, signaled her readiness to face even the darkest of forces. Her eyes, filled with determination, stared at Ereshkigal standing before her.
Ereshkigal, fully detached from his awareness as a familiar, moved brutally, focused only on destruction. The dark power controlling him guided his steps directly toward Thalindra and Nyxaris, without hesitation.
With fists filled with dark power, Ereshkigal struck at Thalindra. However, Nyxaris quickly leaped forward, parrying the blow with his long, strong arms. In an instant, Nyxaris grabbed Ereshkigal's wrist and twisted it with incredible force, slamming him to the ground.
But Ereshkigal quickly rose. With overwhelming strength, he stomped his foot on the ground, launching a retaliatory strike at Nyxaris. The punch landed heavily, sending Nyxaris flying.
Thalindra, already positioned behind Nyxaris, did not hesitate. She aimed the base of her staff, adorned with the skull, at Ereshkigal's chest. A massive explosion occurred when the skull collided with Ereshkigal's chest, shaking the battlefield. Though staggered, Ereshkigal gathered his strength and prepared to continue his assault.
Without wasting any time, Thalindra spun her staff with agility, directing it at Ereshkigal. "Lux et Umbra, ignis mortis..." her incantation burst forth with great power. A red, blood-like energy ball shot forth quickly, striking Ereshkigal with a tremendous explosion. Red blood splattered, shaking the battlefield.
However, despite the explosion hitting his body, Ereshkigal rose again in ferocity. In shadow form, he surged toward Thalindra, swinging a deadly fist. Thalindra avoided it with the blood wings on her back, soaring into the air to evade the punch that slammed into the ground with destructive force.
Thalindra floated in the air, while Ereshkigal stood below, ready to strike again. Suddenly, Nyxaris appeared at Ereshkigal's side. With glowing blue eyes, Nyxaris' claws lunged, landing directly on Ereshkigal's body. The strike sent Ereshkigal flying, his body slamming into the ground with a deafening crash, shaking the earth filled with wilted flowers.
**
The battle unfolded so quickly it was almost impossible to follow. Ereshkigal, still lying on the ground after being struck by Nyxaris's attack, struggled to rise. However, Thalindra, with her blood-red wings glowing, shot toward him. In an instant, she closed the distance, accelerating, and wrapped her body in her hardened wings.
From within those wings came the chant of a spell. The wings, once liquid, solidified and transformed into sharp thorns. With immense strength, Thalindra slammed her thorn-covered body into Ereshkigal. But despite being weak from the fall, Ereshkigal quickly raised his hand. A glowing black wall formed around him, shielding him from the deadly blow.
The thorns of the wings pierced the wall, but the barrier held. Feeling the resistance, Thalindra quickly reverted her wings to their liquid form and pulled back, preparing for the next strike.
Meanwhile, Nyxaris, now on his feet, moved within the dark shadows surrounding Ereshkigal's body. Suddenly, he appeared in front of Ereshkigal, launching a fist coated in dark energy. The punch hit Ereshkigal's chin with tremendous force, sending him flying through the air and crashing a great distance away.
Ereshkigal fell hard to the ground, but the black shadows enveloping him began to reform.
**
Gerude, Helel, and Elara stood not far from the battle between Thalindra and Nyxaris against Ereshkigal. They observed every movement with sharp eyes. The tension was mounting, yet they knew this was a critical moment. Ilyrien, who had nearly perished at Ereshkigal's hands, was now trapped within a barrier of light created by Elara. Inside the cage, Ilyrien slammed against the light wall in a fiery rage, but her body could not break through.
Gerude and Helel remained silent, unmoving from their position. They exchanged occasional glances, watching the dance of darkness between Thalindra and Nyxaris. Despite the ferocity, there was harmony between the witch and her familiar.
Behind them, Elara spoke with a flat tone, yet laced with concern. "Stay quiet and watch closely. Don't interfere with Thalindra. Your interference will only complicate things," she said firmly.
Gerude and Helel understood. They knew this was a battle for Thalindra and Nyxaris. They were the perfect pair to fight Ereshkigal, and they must not disturb the rhythm of the battle that had been carefully built.
Meanwhile, Ereshkigal, though battered by Thalindra and Nyxaris's attacks, showed no signs of surrender. The shadows of his body gathered once more, and though unsteady, he rose, his eyes now gleaming with pure hatred.
**
Ereshkigal rose with a terrifying roar, his body shaking the battlefield. His legs planted firmly, fists clenched tight, and an overwhelming dark aura erupted outward, sending shockwaves through the area.
The sound of bones cracking echoed as his body morphed. His ears sharpened like those of a fox, his body grew larger, and his legs transformed into sharp claws, ready to destroy anything in his path.
Thalindra exchanged a glance with Nyxaris, who nodded immediately. Without hesitation, Nyxaris vanished into the shadows and reappeared behind Ereshkigal. He wrapped his arms around Ereshkigal's body and slammed him to the ground with immense force.
Not giving him a chance to rise, Nyxaris vanished again, reappearing in the air with swift movements, delivering a powerful kick to Ereshkigal's stomach. He showed no mercy, denying Ereshkigal any opportunity to recover.
Nyxaris quickly shot into the air, using Ereshkigal's body as a springboard. Above, he stretched out his arms, with Thalindra already prepared. Both of them focused their magical energy, feeling the flow of power rushing through them.
Nyxaris raised both of his palms, and in an instant, a dark purple orb began to form in the air. The light from the orb flickered in a sinister hue, spinning at high speed. Inside the orb, shards of dark energy broke apart, creating unpredictable flashes. With a low growl, Nyxaris directed the orb with deadly precision.
Meanwhile, Thalindra also focused her magical energy. Her right palm opened, and a blood-red liquid orb began to form, shimmering like molten lava. The orb pulsed as Thalindra infused more power into it, creating ripples of intense heat surrounding it. The flow of blood energy felt suffocating, making the atmosphere tremble.
The two exchanged a brief glance, and in an instant, their orbs moved together, merging in mid-air to form one large, darker sphere. The light emanating from it seemed to absorb everything around, dark and dangerous. The orb compacted, heading straight for Ereshkigal's chest. Before he could move, the sharp spikes formed from the orb pierced his body with immense force, seemingly tearing through every layer of defense.
Ereshkigal let out a roar of pain as his body became entangled in the dark web surrounding him, restricting his every movement. Thalindra and Nyxaris stood tall, watching their enemy trapped in the power of their magic. This was the perfect moment to end the battle.
**
The beast, Ereshkigal, howled loudly, ensnared in a dark net that bound his body. With each passing second, he became more entangled, but with one forceful shake, he broke free. The net shattered into pieces, and in the blink of an eye, Ereshkigal shot toward Thalindra with incredible speed. His eyes burned with fury, his jaws wide open, displaying sharp fangs ready to strike.
Thalindra, stunned by the sudden attack, could only freeze, unable to evade. In an instant, the deadly assault came so quickly, but just before Ereshkigal could reach his target, Nyxaris, who had been flying high, appeared with lightning speed from behind Thalindra.
Without hesitation, Nyxaris seized Thalindra's arm with his large, powerful claws. Nyxaris pulled Thalindra back with tremendous strength, throwing his master far out of Ereshkigal's reach. The speed of the movement was almost undetectable by the human eye. Thalindra, startled by the sudden tug, felt her body jerk backward as if an invisible force had compelled her to move so swiftly.
She was thrown several meters backward, cutting through the air at a speed beyond her control. In an instant, her body barely touched the ground, hovering in the empty space. Behind her, Ereshkigal, freed from the net, continued his pursuit. But Nyxaris managed to save his master just in time, pulling Thalindra far away from certain death.
However, Ereshkigal did not relent. With a swift motion, he lunged at Nyxaris's furry shoulder, biting brutally. His fangs sank deep into Nyxaris's flesh, and fresh blood began to flow. Nyxaris growled in suppressed pain, feeling excruciating agony, but he did not yield. With all his might, Nyxaris gripped Ereshkigal's neck, trying to pull him off. Using all his strength, he hurled Ereshkigal upward, forcing him to release the biting grip that was wreaking havoc.
The flesh on Nyxaris's shoulder tore, and the fur covering his skin was ripped away, disintegrating from the deepening bite. The wound gaped open, bleeding heavily. Nyxaris endured immense pain, but his resolve to protect Thalindra was stronger than the pain. In an instant, Ereshkigal, thrown into the air, regained his stance as if the air itself had a solid layer for him to land on.
Ereshkigal shot back toward Thalindra with astonishing speed. Thalindra, still suspended in the air, realized Ereshkigal's approach. With quick reflexes, she spun her magic staff, ready to block the incoming attack. The base of the staff, adorned with a skull, shimmered, prepared to strike Ereshkigal with full force.
However, Ereshkigal did not give Thalindra a chance to strike. Swiftly, he parried her staff. Then, without mercy, he landed a brutal punch to her chest. Thalindra's body, once floating in the air, crashed to the ground with an earth-shattering impact. A massive crater formed where she fell, her body crumpled and badly injured, blood flowing from her lifeless form.
Everything happened so quickly, in the blink of an eye. Nyxaris, unable to act in time, could only watch in horror. Thalindra's body lay motionless in the crater. Ereshkigal stood over her, dominating her form. He looked down at Thalindra's limp body, cold and unforgiving.
Thalindra, in her dying state, gazed at Ereshkigal with a soft look. Her weary face still held deep affection. In a faint voice, barely audible, Thalindra said, "Ereshkigal... Ian will cry if he sees you like this."
Her words, though weak, seemed to pierce Ereshkigal's soul. For a moment, his breath stopped. There was something in Thalindra's words that touched him, awakening a deep awareness within him. But in an instant, that awareness faded, and he was once again consumed by his wild instincts.
With his hand raised high, Ereshkigal prepared to deliver the final blow, bringing down a crushing strike toward Thalindra.
Nyxaris, eyes filled with worry, moved as fast as he could toward Thalindra. But Thalindra, lying in the crater, could only smile softly, accepting the fate that was coming for her. Her weakened face was filled with acceptance, realizing that there was nothing left to be done.
And then, BOOOOOOM!!!!