Stone once polished by reverence now lay shattered beneath a sky bruised black, the air thick with the metallic taste of dark mana. Broken pillars jutted from the ground like exposed ribs, and deep cracks spread outward from the center of the plaza, glowing faintly with residual shadow energy. Every breath felt heavier here, as if the world itself resisted being inhaled.
At the heart of it all stood Azrael.
Dark mana churned violently around his body, swirling in dense spirals that tore loose fragments of stone from the ground and dragged them upward into orbit around him. His cloak had dissolved entirely, replaced by living shadow that clung to his form like a second skin. His eyes burned an unnatural blue, sharp and gleeful, and his grin was wide with confidence bordering on arrogance.
He spread his arms slightly, as if welcoming the chaos.
"You really think the three of you can stand against me?" Azrael asked, his voice smooth and mocking, echoing unnaturally across the plaza.
Across from him, Elias didn't flinch.
He stood tall amid the wreckage, feet planted, posture steady despite the pressure pressing down on him. In his hands, his bow gleamed with pure light, radiant and calm in stark contrast to the darkness suffocating the plaza. One by one, arrows of condensed light formed along the string, humming softly with restrained power.
"We don't think," Elias replied evenly, eyes locked on Azrael's center mass. "We know."
Elara let out a short, amused laugh.
She flipped a dagger lazily in her hand, catching it by the handle without even looking. Lightning crawled along the blade, dancing across her fingers and up her forearm in sharp, crackling arcs. Her grin was feral, eager.
"Besides," she said, lowering into a loose fighting stance, "it'll be fun watching you fall."
Azrael's grin widened.
Then he disappeared.
The ground detonated where he'd been standing.
A shockwave ripped outward as Azrael burst forward, his speed obscene, space itself seeming to fold around him. A clawed hand of condensed shadow reached for Elias, tearing through the air with lethal intent.
Kael moved before the attack could finish forming.
A glowing spear snapped into existence in his hands, its shaft blazing blue-white as he stepped into Azrael's path. The impact was thunderous. Spear met shadow with an explosion of energy that sent a ripple through the plaza, shattering nearby stone and carving a shallow crater beneath their feet.
"Stay behind me," Kael said calmly, voice steady despite the force hammering against him.
Azrael snarled and pushed.
Pure force surged from his arm, driving Kael backward. Kael's boots dug deep into the stone, carving twin furrows as he slid several meters, but he didn't fall. His grip tightened, muscles burning as he held the line.
Elara vanished in a crack of lightning.
She reappeared behind Azrael, dagger flashing toward his spine in a precise, lethal arc. Azrael spun instantly, shadow surging to form an arm that caught the blade inches from his back.
"Too slow, little girl," Azrael mocked.
Elara smirked.
Lightning detonated.
Electricity surged through the dagger and into Azrael's shadow arm, racing upward in a violent chain. Azrael hissed as the shock forced his shadows to writhe and fracture, muscles locking for just a fraction of a second.
"But not stupid," Elara shot back.
With a roar, Azrael forced the lightning apart, shadows erupting violently from his body and dispersing the current. Dark tendrils lashed outward, tearing grooves into the stone.
That moment was all Elias needed.
The bowstring snapped forward.
An arrow of pure light screamed through the air, aimed straight for Azrael's face. Azrael barely turned in time, throwing up a shield of shadow—but the arrow detonated on impact, bursting into a blinding flash that engulfed him.
"Focus on me now," Elias said coldly.
Azrael growled, swinging his arm violently to disperse the lingering light, eyes blazing with rage as he locked onto Elias.
Kael struck.
He surged forward low and fast, slamming the butt of his spear into Azrael's ribs with brutal force. The impact sent Azrael flying backward across the plaza, tearing through broken stone before skidding to a halt in a cloud of debris.
Elara flipped neatly beside Kael, breathing a little heavier now, adrenaline sharp in her veins. She glanced toward Elias, already drawing another arrow, posture unshaken.
"Look at us," she said, grinning. "A perfect team, huh?"
Kael allowed himself the barest smirk.
"Don't get cocky."
Azrael rose slowly, boots scraping against fractured stone. Dark mana flared around him in a massive surge, distorting the ground beneath his feet as cracks spiderwebbed outward.
"Impressive," he admitted, wiping a thin line of blood from his mouth with his thumb. His grin sharpened. "But now I'm getting serious."
He slammed both hands into the ground.
The plaza screamed.
Shadow tendrils erupted in every direction, massive spears of darkness impaling the air where they struck, ripping stone apart like wet clay.
"Dodge!" Kael shouted.
They scattered instantly.
Elara slid beneath a tendril, blade flashing as she sliced through it mid-motion. Lightning ripped along the cut, splitting the shadow clean in two as it dissolved into smoke.
Elias vaulted over another tendril, twisting mid-air as he loosed arrows in rapid succession. Each shot forced Azrael to shift and weave, preventing him from focusing his attack.
Kael charged straight through the chaos.
His spear glowed brighter with each step, smashing tendrils aside as he closed the distance. Azrael responded by summoning a massive dark blade, the two weapons colliding in a violent burst of black and blue energy.
Elara struck again.
She appeared behind Azrael mid-clash, lightning exploding from her dagger as she slashed into his side. The impact sent Azrael stumbling forward—straight into Kael's next thrust.
The spear pierced his shadow armor, digging into flesh.
Azrael hissed sharply, muscles tightening as pain finally registered.
"I see…" he growled, dark blood dripping from the wound. "You're stronger than I thought."
Elias landed nearby, bow blazing with radiant light as he charged another arrow—this one aimed squarely at Azrael's heart.
"Now," Kael said.
Azrael twisted to dodge.
Too late.
Elara appeared directly in his path, driving her heel into his chest with a crack of thunder, sending him spinning back into the arrow's trajectory.
The light arrow tore through his shoulder.
For a moment, Azrael's form flickered, shadows destabilizing as radiant energy exploded outward. He dropped to one knee, panting, one hand braced against the ground.
Then he laughed.
"Hah… you're going to make this fun, I see."
"Oh, we're just getting started," Elara replied, flicking her dagger.
Kael leveled his spear at Azrael, voice cold and unwavering.
"Stand down before it gets worse."
Azrael looked up.
Blood ran freely now, streaking down his chin—but his smile only widened.
"Worse?" he whispered. "You haven't seen worse yet."
The air screamed.
Shadow erupted from his back as massive wings burst free, tearing through the darkness. His body twisted and expanded, limbs elongating, fingers stretching into jagged claws. His grin split wider, teeth sharpening into a monstrous smile.
"Let's see if you can handle me now…"
Kael stepped forward instinctively, placing himself between Azrael and the others.
"Stay sharp."
Azrael lunged.
Faster than before.
Kael barely blocked in time, spear crashing against claw as shockwaves blasted outward, cracking the ground beneath them. Kael skidded backward, teeth clenched as the force threatened to tear the weapon from his hands.
Azrael followed through, swinging a massive claw at Elara.
She flipped over him in a flash of lightning, blade raking across his back.
"You think just growing wings makes you scary?"
Azrael roared, shadow magic surging violently as a tail of darkness lashed out. Elara blocked, but the impact sent her tumbling across the ground, sparks flickering weakly around her.
Elias didn't hesitate.
He fired.
A concentrated arrow of light tore into Azrael's path, forcing him to halt and block with crossed arms. The explosion blinded him momentarily, light flooding the plaza.
Kael burst through the flash, spear driving forward.
Azrael deflected—but Kael pivoted, slashing across his ribs in a clean, brutal arc. Blood and shadow sprayed as Azrael staggered back, fury blazing in his eyes.
"You insects!" he snarled. "I'll crush you!"
Elias appeared on a ledge above, firing three arrows in rapid succession. Azrael leapt back, wings flaring as he dodged.
Elara wiped blood from her lip, lightning reigniting around her body.
"Still alive?" she grinned. "Guess we need to hit harder."
"Stick to the plan," Kael said calmly. "Wear him down. Then finish it."
Azrael charged again.
This time, shadows split from his form, creating multiple clones that rushed outward in different directions.
Elias fired, light arrows tearing through several—others slipped through.
Kael cut two down instantly. Elara dissolved another in a burst of lightning.
The real Azrael appeared behind Elias, blade raised.
"Too predictable," Elias said calmly.
His arrow fired backward, curving impossibly through the air and slamming into Azrael's side, knocking him away.
Azrael recovered quickly, wings slashing out waves of darkness.
Kael spun his spear, blue energy forming a barrier that absorbed the assault.
Elara ran along the edge of the barrier, electricity roaring around her as she accelerated.
"When I give the signal," Kael said, "hit him hard."
"Got it."
Kael charged.
Spear and claw collided again and again, energy detonating with every strike. Azrael snarled, blood dripping freely now.
"You're persistent."
"And you're tired," Kael replied.
Azrael shoved him back—just as Elias fired.
Azrael blocked.
Kael whispered, "Now."
Lightning split the sky.
Elara hit at blinding speed, dagger charged beyond its limit, aimed straight for Azrael's chest.
Azrael turned, eyes widening.
"Didn't expect me to be this fast, huh?"
The dagger struck.
Lightning and shadow exploded together, shockwaves tearing outward as the plaza vanished in blinding light—
—and the battle reached its breaking point.