"How many more battles... how many more times do I have to wield this damn blade..." "And for what? This world doesn't even deserve to be rescued."
Edran took two steps forward through smoke, flame, and ruins as he unsheathed his blade with a sharp hissing sound. He barely felt its weight anymore. it was as if it were part of him by this point.
He roared and moved forward, stepping into the mud and blood, swinging his sword upward in a clean arc. The edge caught the underside of a beast's jaw where glistening sparks sprayed as it recoiled.
But the beast moved with a defiant roar, black tendrils whipping above its back, its red eyes shining with hunger.
"Still not enough..."
The creature came down hard, claws carving through the earth and Edran narrowed his eyes.
"Alright then."
He held his sword and, with a flick of his wrist, it shimmered as Ether spores flickered around it. The sword expanded, flattening into a broad, flowing shield.
In a heartbeat, the beast's claw crashed down.
But Edran met it head-on, his shield held high, embracing the colossal force that rocked through his whole body as his knees ground into the dirt.
Suddenly, a towering figure appeared, slamming into the beast's ribs and pushing it aside. A loud crack sounded as the beast screamed in agony.
"Not bad for a man pushing fifty," the figure said, standing next to Edran.
"Where the hell have you been, Grock?" Edran spat.
Grock had no time to reply when another tendril lashed out, but he caught it with his axe, gripping it in both hands.
"Oh come on, gramps, how would you keep all the fun for yourself?"
The beast lunged, and Grock did too. They clashed powerfully, his axe stuck between the creature's jaws as one of its horns scraped across Grock's cheek.
"Come on, Grock, push it out of the village!"
"What in the inferno you think I'm trying to do?!"
But the beast's massive force lifted him and hurled him brutally past Edran, crashing into a grain tower.
"Ugh. Blockhead," Edran muttered.
Look at this mess. Not capable of holding back a single Shadow.Of course they screwed it up.
He scanned the field through the smoke, but his team was nowhere to be found.
Toff is probably hiding somewhere like a little rodent. Flint's just flashing around through the chaos, no doubt acting like an idiot. And Ellowyn's probably trying to do more than she can handle.
Kids, he thought, letting out a long sigh. All of them.
"Why do I keep letting children drag me into this mess...?"
A loud crack sounded behind him. He turned just in time to glimpse the grain tower collapsing toward him.
His instincts kicked in. He planted his feet and raised his shield to meet the debris head-on.
Above, a falcon streaked down and landed beside him, swiftly transforming into a green-skinned figure. Arms and legs formed from feathers, revealing a small frame with long, messy purple hair and leaves tangled in it.
She slammed the earth with both palms, vines erupting from the ground and catching the collapsing structure.
"Thanks. About time you showed up, Toff."
"Hehe! Gotcha, gramps!" she grinned, raising a thumbs-up.
But the beast didn't give them time to breathe. It lunged with claws wide.
Edran swung his shield, shifting it back into a blade and meeting the claws. The strike raked across his forearm, tearing skin and drawing blood.
"Just like old times," he muttered.
He twisted his sword again, turning it back into a shield, and slammed it into the beast's skull, pushing it back.
"Toff! Where are the other two?!"
In a flash, Ellowyn surged into view, riding a wave of water, her robes trailing ash and steam. Her hands swept outward with graceful precision, casting shards of ice toward the creature.
Above her, Flint spun downward with electric talons and flashing daggers, descending to strike the beast head-on.
"Sorry old man, we were a bit busy, but don't worry, we'll take it from here," Flint said with a smirk.
The two moved in sync like a storm. Flint struck in unison with Ellowyn's ice spear, sending a surge of electricity into the beast's chest.
But the creature moved faster, slashing through both of them with a tendril. Their attempt scattered like dust.
Flint was hurled backward, crashing through the smoke with a groan, but Ellowyn slammed against a scorched wall, hitting her head and falling unconscious.
Flint gasped for air, crawling through the mud with one arm dragging as he reached her. He lifted her gently, brushing the hair from her face.
"Ellowyn? Wake up..."
She didn't move.
"Come on, don't do this to me..."
A fox darted toward them and shifted back into Toff.
I knew it. They would screw up. All flash. No brains.
The beast pressed forward to attack them, and Edran stepped in to meet it again with his shield.
"TOFF! GET THEM OUT OF HERE!" he shouted without looking back.
"But what about—"
"NOW!"
Toff froze, then nodded, turning into a large badger create. She carefully picked them up and fled into the smoke.
"Atta girl. Just us now, huh?" he said, eyes locked with the creature.
The beast snarled and slammed him to the ground, its tendrils lashing around them, throwing sparks into the air.
"Fine. Let's finish this."
He roared as Etherlight erupted from his shield, expanding it threefold in size, glowing like molten gold. He dug his boots into the mud and hurled the beast sideways through a burning house.
Flames burst outward. Tendrils flailed. Stone collapsed in a rain of ash and fury.
Then—
A scream.
A small, fragile voice.
...A child.
Edran froze.
"No no no… Not this again."
His muscles moved before thought. He sprinted toward the sound, into the burning wreckage.
Inside, the house was a collapsing furnace, walls writhing with shadow and fire. The heat closed in, suffocating.
Then— A lullaby.
"What the...? Why now? Why that damn song?"
He hesitated.
The building groaned.
He tried to dodge, but he was too slow.
A massive beam crashed onto his back, slamming him to the ground. His limbs refused to move.
Somewhere through the haze, voices shouted:
"Edran! Edran, come out!"
Was that Flint? That feather-brained has never called me by my name.
Another voice, panicked: "EDRAN!"
Yep, that was definitely Toff.
Footsteps on scorched mud.
"Quick! Help me with the beams, he's under here somewhere!"
He tried to answer, but only coughed. Blood filled his mouth.
The smoke thickened, curling into his lungs.
Dammit... I knew it. Should've stayed in my chair. Why did I listen to them?
His eyes drifted to his hat beside him. Then forward—his sword, just out of reach but able to glanse the name carved into the hilt for a moment.
A bitter smile touched his lips.
I should be finishing my brew right about now... not chasing ghosts.
The lullaby played on once more.
Can that cursed song just end?
His vision swam, blurring at the edges.
But the voices stayed.
"Edran... Edran..."
His eyes closed slowly as darkness came
I should have died that night...