She didn't argue, her instincts kicking in as we retreated from the battlefield. The demons, sensing our retreat, let out guttural roars that echoed through the forest. Their fury was palpable, but sothing was different now—sothing beyond their rage. The air itself seed to warp around them as they moved, like they were being propelled by so unseen force.
The figure at the edge of the battlefield hadn't followed us, hadn't moved at all, but its influence over the battle was undeniable.
The ti distortions were no longer subtle ripples in the fabric of reality—they were tearing through the forest, twisting trees, and warping space. The demons, once chaotic and scattered, now moved with eerie synchronization, their bodies stretching and contracting as they lunged forward in pursuit.
It was as if the figure was pulling the strings, turning the battlefield into a stage for its own twisted performance.
Aurelia and I darted between the burning trees, the sounds of battle fading behind us as we put distance between ourselves and the chaos. My mind raced, trying to piece together what was happening. This wasn't just a simple invasion—sothing far more dangerous was at work here. The figure had control over ti itself, and that ant we were facing a force unlike anything we'd encountered before. Read latest chapters at m_v-l'e|-
"We can't keep running," Aurelia growled, her voice tight with frustration. "We need to confront that thing head-on."
I shook my head, my eyes scanning the forest for any sign of an advantage. "Not yet. We don't know what we're dealing with. Charging in without a plan is suicide."
Aurelia scowled, but she didn't argue. Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, the blade gleaming in the dim light of the forest fires. "So, what's the plan, then? Because whatever that thing is, it's controlling the demons—and if we don't stop it soon, this whole kingdom is going to burn to the ground."
She's probably right. And if my quest is about protecting her, then her quest must be about protecting the elven kingdom.
But if she didn't complete the quest, what would happen?
Would she just start over?
And if she failed, would it an that I failed as well?
Then does it an that I would need to do this all over again?
I glanced over my shoulder, my eyes narrowing as I caught a glimpse of the figure still standing at the edge of the battlefield. It hadn't moved from its spot, but its presence was unmistakable. The way it manipulated the flow of ti around it, bending reality to its will—it was a force beyond anything I had anticipated. And that ant I needed to be smarter.
I needed to understand what we were dealing with before I could make my move.
"We need to draw it out," I said, my voice low and asured. "It's controlling the demons from a distance, but it's not engaging directly. That ans it has limits. If we can get close enough, we might be able to disrupt its control."
Aurelia's smirk returned, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Sounds like a challenge. I like it."
Ignoring her enthusiasm, I turned my attention back to my creatures. The devil hobgoblin had been frozen in place, trapped by the ti magic, but the others—the undead goblin king and the chiras—were still moving, though they had been slowed by the distortions.
I could feel their power pulsing through the connection we shared, but it was as if they were wading through quicksand, struggling to break free of the temporal currents that now flowed through the battlefield.
I needed to change tactics.
I raised my hand, summoning the dark magic that had beco so familiar to . The shadows responded eagerly, swirling around my fingers as I directed the necromantic energy toward my creatures. With a sharp command, I infused them with new strength, reinforcing their connection to
and pushing them to break free of the distortions.
The goblin king roared, its massive form surging forward as it tore through the ti-bending forces that had held it back. The chiras followed suit, their grotesque forms twisting and writhing as they fought against the invisible chains that had bound them.
But even as I empowered them, I could feel the strain on my body. The ti distortions were more powerful than I had anticipated, and manipulating my creatures within this warped reality was taking its toll. My head throbbed, and I could feel the magic within
flickering, unstable. But I couldn't stop now. Not when we were this close.
Aurelia noticed the strain on my face, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she stepped closer, her voice low and steady. "You've got this, Dravis. Just keep it together."
I nodded, though I didn't trust myself to speak. The magic surged through , and with a final push, I sent my creatures forward, directing them toward the figure at the edge of the battlefield. The undead goblin king charged ahead, its massive fists slamming into the ground as it closed the distance between us and the shadowy figure.
The chiras flanked it, their mismatched limbs carrying them with terrifying speed as they prepared to strike.
But just as they reached the figure, the air shimred again—and the goblin king froze mid-stride, its massive form suspended in ti once more. The chiras, too, were caught in the distortion, their bodies twisting and contorting as the ti magic wrapped around them like a vice.
"Damn it!" I hissed, my fists clenching as I felt the connection to my creatures weaken.
Aurelia's hand tightened on her sword, her eyes narrowing as she watched the figure. "It's not going to let us get close."
I grit my teeth, my mind racing. The figure was too powerful, too entrenched in its control over the ti distortions. We couldn't brute-force our way through this. But there had to be a way. There was always a way.
And then, it hit .
The ti distortions weren't just a barrier—they were a weapon. The figure was using ti itself to manipulate the battlefield, trapping my creatures and controlling the flow of the fight. But ti wasn't just a weapon. It was also a weakness.
"What if we disrupt the distortions?" I muttered, mostly to myself.
Aurelia glanced at , raising an eyebrow. "Disrupt how?"
I didn't answer imdiately. My mind was racing through possibilities, piecing together the puzzle. The figure was using ti as a tool, bending it to its will—but that ant it was relying on the distortions to maintain control. If I could disrupt the flow of ti, break the connection between the figure and the battlefield, then maybe—just maybe—I could turn the tide.
But to do that, I needed more power. More control.
I reached for the magic pens given to
by Gilgash. Each one represented a different elental force—fire, water, devil, and psychokinesis. They had saved
before, but I had only ever used them one at a ti, tapping into their individual strengths when necessary. But this ti, I didn't need individual strength.
I needed to combine their power, to create sothing greater than the sum of its parts.
Without hesitation, I drew the pens from the pouch at my side, feeling the familiar weight of them in my hands. The air around
crackled with energy as I uncapped them, letting their magic flow freely. The ground beneath my feet trembled as the elental forces surged to life, each one pulsing with raw power.
Aurelia's eyes widened as she stepped back, sensing the danger. "What are you doing?"
"Trust ," I said through gritted teeth, focusing on the task at hand.
The pens hovered in the air around , their magic swirling together in a chaotic dance of fire, water, devil energy, and psychokinesis. It was unstable, unpredictable—but it was powerful. And it was exactly what I needed.
I reached out with my mind, pulling the energies together, weaving them into a single thread of magic that wrapped around the ti distortions like a net. The figure at the edge of the battlefield seed to sense what I was doing, because the distortions intensified, warping the very fabric of reality as they tried to push back against my magic.
But I wasn't going to let them win.
I focused all of my strength, pouring everything I had into the spell. The elental forces roared to life, each one straining against the others as they fought for dominance. The air around
crackled with electricity, and I could feel the magic tearing at the edges of my mind, threatening to rip
apart if I lost focus for even a second.
But I didn't lose focus. I couldn't afford to.
With a final push, I unleashed the spell, or about to.
But shit.
I'm a second late.
I could feel all of my hair standsas the figure appeared behind us.
I should have known.
I should have been more wary.
"I bet you didn't saw this," the voice filled with malice appeared behind us.
"Your Majesty!!!"
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