They all stood in a line across the floating stepping stones, facing forward, the city now far behind, the kingdom’s walls no longer in sight, and in front of them only the massive dragon that blocked the sun like a black moon.
"Now!" Alexa shouted.
And like lightning, they all moved.
Alexa swung her divine blade, the gold light shot forward like a beam, splitting the clouds as it flew.
Seoha followed imdiately, swinging her giant sword in an arc that released a burning wave of fire, flas slicing through the sky.
Daewon slamd his fists together, creating a sonic boom, then jumped high and threw a punch so strong it made the air bend, fire wrapping around his arm from the enchantnts as his knuckles aid for the head of the enemy dragons.
Min Yoon-ji swung her scythe in a spiral, a dark nova ford at its tip, and she launched it into the air where it turned into a black sphere that sucked the air around it, flying fast toward the enemy.
Choi Jieun raised both hands and sent her lotus petals flying with the speed of wind arrows, hundreds of them swirling as a tornado shaped around her, heading for the dragon formation.
Lee Minjoon cover the sword with Mana.
All at once, their attacks crossed the sky, the heat, the light, the darkness, and the wind all blending into one enormous wave of energy.
The shadow dragon opened its eyes, wide and glowing like fire.
Suddenly, a sound shattered through the sky.
It was a deep roar, louder than anything before, not just loud in their ears but shaking their bones and freezing their mana.
The black shadow dragon, the one leading the others, had opened its mouth wide, and from deep inside its throat ca a roar that didn’t just hurt it controlled.
The mont the sound reached them, sothing strange happened.
Their attacks twisted in the air. The fire in Daewon’s fist began to bend backward. The golden light in Alexa’s weapon spun wildly, and the petals around Ji-eun halted, then reversed. Min Yoon-ji’s dark mana swirled toward her, not away.
"What the—?!" Daewon shouted as the wave of heat he created suddenly turned back toward him.
Alexa’s eyes widened. "It reflected everything!"
"BACK!" Seoha shouted, but it was too late.
From all around, their own power, their strongest attacks, now flew back at them like an unstoppable wave. Even the air shook and cracked as fire, light, wind, and shadow surged straight at them.
Then suddenly, from above, a voice scread with all its strength.
"BARRIER!"
It was Lauren. Her body was glowing green, both hands lifted high, her cloak flapping like wings.
She flew in front of them without hesitation, green lights sparking around her feet and hands. The wind twisted into thick walls, and the earth itself responded to her call.
In one breath, she summoned all her strength.
A huge do of green light ford in front of them just as their own attacks slamd into it.
The impact was massive.
The sky lit up with the color of fire, gold, and darkness. The entire do shook. Lauren scread as she poured all her mana into holding it.
The wind howled, and the barrier cracked but did not fall. Rocks exploded on the sides. The fire rolled across the shield. The darkness clawed at the edges.
But no one was hurt.
They were protected.
Lauren’s body dropped a little in the air, her breathing heavy, but her eyes stayed sharp.
"I’m fine... I held it," she muttered.
The others behind her were stunned, so kneeling from the pressure, others just catching their breath.
Alexa ran across the falling stepping stones, her heart pounding in her chest as she saw Lauren slowly falling to her knees in the air, still floating but barely, her face pale and eyes dim, then Lauren suddenly coughed and blood spilled from her lips.
Alexa’s eyes widened in panic as she landed near her and saw the deep wound in Lauren’s stomach, the blood soaking through her green robes and dripping down to the floating stone beneath her.
"No... Auntie!" Alexa scread, her hands reaching out, but she hesitated to touch her, afraid to cause more pain.
"I-It’s no use... that roar... it reflected everything," one of the mages behind them stamred, falling back with tears in his eyes, his hands trembling as he looked at the massive dragon floating above like a god of destruction.
Below, from the walls and the ground near the camp, many people were watching, their mouths open in horror, unable to believe what they had just witnessed, the combined power of the top guildmasters, the strongest awakeners from across the world, all reflected by a single roar.
"No... no..." one awakener said, falling to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground beside him. "We’re dood..."
"We can’t win against that..." another whispered, holding a fellow mage who had collapsed beside him.
Lauren tried to breathe, her voice soft as she looked up at Alexa, "I’m fine... I’m still... breathing..." she said weakly, even as her body trembled from the blood loss.
But the floating stones began to break apart, crumbling into dust and falling one by one from the sky, the wind no longer supporting them as Lauren could no longer hold it.
Min Yoon-ji cursed loudly as she tried to jump to another stone, but it cracked and fell apart under her feet.
"Shit! Let’s retreat for now!"
Daewon grab Lauren and Alexa, leaping back toward the nearest piece of falling stone still large enough to hold them, but even that was crumbling fast.
And then the sky darkened even more.
They looked up.
The shadow dragon’s wings opened wide, and its massive jaw began to stretch open slowly, the mouth so big it was like staring into the night sky itself, black and endless, and inside that mouth a strange dark light gathered.
A hum echoed through the air, low and terrifying.
The dragon was going to swallow them all.
Alexa froze in place, the air heavy and crushing, and no one could move, their mana drained and their strength fading fast, and all she could do was stare as the shadow dragon’s mouth opened wider and wider like death itself.
She clutched her golden weapon. She knew there was nothing more she could do So she scread, her voice raw and filled with fear and desperation.
"SEOJUN!!!"
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