The air around them thickened, the grasses swayed widely. It was as if the grasses were trying to escape the immense pressure they were exerting on the landscape.
Before Pelas took a step forward, Eldwyn noticed a ripple in his shadow — two red circles glowed eerily. The instant Pelas took a step forward, those red orbs slithered into a nearby guard's shadow. Eldwyn, whose gaze was fixated on the abnormal behavior of the shadows of the guards, snapped back to reality when he heard his name, muffled and distant.
"Eldwyn!!!" Sulivan shouted, sprinting toward him.
Unbeknownst to him, the battle had already began. Pelas had already darted forward and diagonally swung his sword in Sulivan's direction. Sulivan barely evaded the slash with just a graze on his cheek and drawing blood. The shockwave from the slash surged past him — hurtling toward Eldwyn. The moment Sulivan looked over his shoulder and noticed Eldwyn hadn't noticed it, he burst toward him.
"BOOOOM!!"
The shockwave smashed into the ruined building, causing part of it to collapse instantly. The structure slowly crumbled before Sulivan who had saved Eldwyn.
He wiped the blood off his cheek."It was one thing cutting me," he seethed. "But going after my friend? Ohh you've done it now."
Without a moment's notice, Sulivan dashed forward.
Pelas barely raised his sword in time.
Sulivan's punches hammered against Pelas relentlessly. Pelas staggered, blocking some strikes with his sword but most landed— ribs and bones cracking under the assault. There's no way to counter these punches right now. I need some distance to use it.Pelas thought, scanning around.
After Sulivan's barrage attack, he growled "This will be the final one!"
The last punch sent Pelas flying. Tumbling through dirt and rubble before slamming to a halt.
"Crack!"
Pelas gasped as pain exploded through his entire body. He sustained a fracture in his phalanges as he tried to cushion his fall.
"Finally some distance." He mumbled.
With the support of his sword, he knelt, blood dripping from his mouth and nostrils, as he felt a few more fractures in his tibia and rib— where Sulivan's final punch landed.
Sulivan leapt into the sky, descending like a meteor to land the final strike.
A second before impact, Pelas snapped his fingers, blood dripping from his mouth.
"REQUIEM OF THE FALLEN!"
The air distorted.
Just then, to everyone's shock, Sulivan—who was moments away from knocking Pelas out— suddenly collapsed. His eyes turned blank before face planting into the dirt — like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
Pelas, his vision still blurry from significant blood loss, whizzed an order to his men: "Capture... them... quickly." With that, he finally succumbed to exhaustion and collapsed. His final thought *Even though it was my attack, it felt different* echoed through his mind.
As two of the guards were about to lift Sullivan, he suddenly stirred, regaining consciousness— briefly. His vision was hazy, his hearing muffled and the world around him felt distant. But just before he blacked out again,he saw them—two glowing red orbs, staring deep into his soul. An uneasy feeling crept into his chest, but before he could process it, everything turned dark.
Later, in the Qwelqia Kingdom's dungeon, Sulivan and Eldwyn sat behind iron bars.
As for Pelas, he received treatment and recovered, a bit, in the royal medical ward, bandaged from head to toe.
"How exactly did you lose Almighty Sulivan." Eldwyn mocked, leaning against the wall. Sulivan—now conscious—remained mute as he starred at the ground with unease.
The silence stretched. Before he said "Before blacking out, I–I noticed red eyes... In his shadow."
Eldwyn's eyes widened, "Wait, you saw them too? I thought I was seeing things. Haha."
"Can you fellas keep it down?!" an inmate near by yelled.
Then, footsteps echoed through the corridor. Slow, deliberate. The lanterns flickered wildly as if afraid of the presence.
A cloaked figure with astonishing beauty emerged from the shadows, her presence weighing heavy on the air.
Eldwyn's playful demeanor faded as the steps sent shivers down his spine. Sulivan, who hadn't moved for hours finally lifted his gaze.
The figure stopped in front of their cell.
Without a word, she lifted her hood, revealing her mesmerizing beauty.
"You two," she whispered. "How would you like to get out of here?"
Eldwyn and Sulivan exchanged glances.
"Under what terms?" Sulivan asked,"I know you wouldn't do this out of charity."
"All you have to do is come with me." She faintly smiled. "It's simple right?"
"Alrig–"
"Wait, wait, wait," Eldwyn interjected, raising a hand up. "You appear out of nowhere and just ask us to follow you and you think we will? Seriously?"
Sulivan tapped Eldwyn's shoulder, wearing a plastic smile toward the unknown figure. "Just give me a sec, let me talk with my friend here."
"Hey Eldwyn." Sulivan whispered. "All we have to do is leave here... and double-cross her later."
Eldwyn's eyes twitched. "And how do you plan on escaping?" he whispered back. "You do realize you're still weakened, right?"
In unison, they both turned to reassess the cloaked figure.
"I'm sure the name Lyra will convince you to come with me," she said, a curt smile tugging at her lips.
Eldwyn's body tensed. His eyes darkened as he stepped forward, fists clenched.
"What do you know?" he groaned. "What have you done?"
Sulivan glanced between them, his confusion deepening.
"Woah, woah... slow down, tiger." She raised her hand in mock surrender. "I can treat her condition. All you have to do is come with me first."
The entire dungeon seemed to shiver, waiting for Eldwyn's decision.
"Alright." Eldwyn relented, voice heavy.
The left path of the corridor fractured, a portal swirling open. The reinforced steel bars – laced with Zec stones and acient magic, instantly disintegrated like ash, allowing passage for Eldwyn and Sulivan.
The portal spat them out into a dense forest. The air brimmed with unfamiliar energy.
The moment Eldwyn stepped into the building nestled among the trees, his ring began to glow.