The echo of the clash still lingered in the fortress. Dust swirled through the shattered chamber, and the smell of scorched stone and black ichor burned the air.
Rihan staggered forward, his chest heaving. The glowing threads of the Soul Link faded slowly, retracting into his body. Elira was still on her knees, her twin blades trembling in her grip. Kael leaned on his axe like a crutch, sweat dripping from his forehead. Sirena collapsed against a broken pillar, her staff flickering weakly.
And yet… all of them were alive.
For a moment, silence pressed down on the chamber.
The Herald flexed his cracked arm, ichor dripping to the floor with a hiss. His glowing eyes narrowed—not with rage, but with a twisted kind of fascination. He tilted his head as though analyzing prey that had bitten back for the first time.
"This wound…" His voice resonated with dark echoes. "It has been centuries since I last bled." A low chuckle escaped him. "Amusing. Perhaps this battle may entertain me longer than expected."
The Mistress's shadowy form flickered at the edge of the chamber. "Careful, Herald. Do not let curiosity soften your purpose."
The Herald's grin widened, and with a sweep of his wings, his massive frame retreated into the deeper shadows of the fortress. "Then let them recover… I want to see how high they can climb before I crush them." His laughter faded as his presence dissolved into darkness.
Rihan's knees buckled, and he sank to the ground, sword clattering beside him. His body screamed with exhaustion, his muscles burning from channeling not only his own strength but that of his allies.
Elira forced herself to her feet and hurried to him. "Rihan!" She caught him before he fell completely, her sharp gaze softening for once. "Idiot… what were you thinking, taking all of that on yourself?"
Rihan gave a faint, exhausted smile. "If I hadn't… none of us would still be breathing."
Kael let out a rough laugh and collapsed onto a fallen stone block. "Hah! You've got guts, kid. I thought for sure we were done for. That strike… I've never seen anything like it."
Sirena pushed herself upright with trembling arms. Her golden aura flickered faintly around her. "The threads… they connected us. It wasn't just power. I could feel your will, Rihan. Your determination pulled us together, made us one strike instead of four separate fighters."
The boy's eyes widened slightly. "So that's what Soul Link Strike really was… not just my System's gift, but our bond."
Elira tightened her grip on his shoulder. "Don't get sentimental yet. That thing isn't dead. And if it was only twenty percent of its ascension form…" Her voice trailed off, the weight of the truth sinking into all of them.
Kael scowled. "Then we're in deeper shit than I thought."
Sirena shook her head. "No. We proved he can bleed. He can be hurt. That means he can be defeated."
The chamber fell quiet again. Each of them wrestled with exhaustion and fear, but also with the spark of hope that had ignited from the Herald's wound.
Finally, Rihan forced himself to stand, gripping his sword once more. His voice was hoarse, but steady. "We don't have time to collapse. The Herald gave us that chance on purpose. He wants us to grow stronger… but that means he's underestimating us. We can't waste it."
Elira looked at him carefully, then nodded. "Agreed. We need to understand this Soul Link ability before the next clash. If it drained us this much with just one strike, we can't afford to use it blindly again."
Kael smirked despite his exhaustion. "Fine. Then we train until we can throw ten of those strikes without collapsing. If the monster wants a real fight, let's give him one."
Sirena clasped her hands, her eyes shining with quiet determination. "And I will refine my blessings to stabilize the Link. The light can reinforce the threads… maybe lessen the strain."
Rihan closed his eyes for a moment, hearing the faint hum of the System in his mind. The message was clear: this power was not his alone—it belonged to all of them.
He opened his eyes, gaze hardening. "Then it's settled. We'll prepare, together. Next time… we won't just wound him. We'll break him."
The four of them stood amidst the ruins, battered but unbroken. For the first time, they had forced the shadow to retreat. And in that fragile moment, the seed of victory was planted.