Aura's sword shattered a Void core, the crystal disintegrating as she placed her swords on her back. "Finally, that's the last one," she said, relief in her voice.
She felt warmth encase her hand as Navi laced his fingers in hers. "You good?" he asked, smiling, but it didn't quite hide the worry and concern she saw in his expression.
"Yep, all good," she smiled at him while squeezing his hand in reassurance. Familiar laughter echoed, and Aura turned to see Lucas chuckle at Kai, who was staring at her.
"I told you she has wicked sword skills. Now do you believe me? Better not tease her anymore," Lucas gasped between chuckles.
"But…how…she didn't fight like that in game," asked Kai in disbelief.
"You idiot," responded Lucas. "She didn't have IR gear like us, so of course she couldn't," he said while shaking his head.
"But even in the weapons training centers, we never saw her fight like that," Kai argued.
Aura took pity on him. "There was no need, and my father forbade me from showing off. He said my skills were to protect myself, not gain glory from others."
Kai sighed dramatically, then bowed to Aura. "I'm sorry for teasing you," a grin planted on his face.
Aura couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, sure, you don't mean a word you just said."
Kai grinned wider. "You know me so well…guess I have to work on my speed now so I can escape when needed."
Aura heard Navi chuckle beside her. "Alright, Kai, enough fooling around. We need to keep moving."
Aura felt Navi squeeze her hand before letting go. She smiled and followed him as he started moving around boulders towards their destination.
The going was slow, they had to constantly backtrack or circle around to avoid spawn, the reason: they were attempting to save spells in case they were needed when they reached their destination.
The battles that were unavoidable only made the trek harder. Suddenly, Aura felt a subtle tremor through the ground. At first, she thought nothing of it, but as time went on, it got stronger and more noticeable.
"Navi, can you feel that?" she asked, her voice full of worry.
"Yeah, I can, and I don't like it," he responded.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked her.
Aura nodded at him. "Void Swarm," they said in unison.
Navi then called out, "Lucas, Kai, that high boulder at 2 o'clock, we're climbing it, fast. At the top, Lucas, center; the rest of us around him, get ready to fight."
Aura followed Navi as he raced towards the boulder, followed by Lucas and Kai. They scaled the boulder in record time, using the luminescent crystals to help them climb.
At the top, they took positions as they gazed into the distance behind them. Lightning flashed, revealing a large moving shadow, accompanied by flickering purple lights getting closer.
"Please tell me that's not what I think it is," Kai begged in a shaky voice.
[Warning: Void swarm detected 3.7 kilometers and closing.]
Chloe's voice informed everyone telepathically.
"Unfortunately, it is," responded Lucas dryly.
"Alright, guys, be ready and conserve your spell uses; only when absolutely needed," Navi ordered. Aura nodded at Navi in acknowledgment, Lucas and Kai giving quiet agreements. Silence descended as they waited, the tension heavy in the air.
Aura could feel the vibrations getting stronger, and every time the lightning flashed, the menacing black shadow with flickering purple lights got closer; growls and eerie sounds reached their ears over the thunder. Suddenly, Chloe's voice echoed in their heads again.
[Warning: Void swarm 2.5 kilometers, detecting 4 participants slightly ahead of the swarm.]
Aura's alert level rose along with the others, their postures becoming more guarded.
Aura turned to Navi. "What do you want to do? Wait and see, or assume the worst?" she asked, worry clear in her voice.
"Hmm…let's wait and see for now," he replied softly.
Lightning flashed again, and in the distance, four humanoid figures, in combat suits with glowing hair, could be seen maneuvering around boulders while trying to fend off attacks from a pack of Void Spawn.
[They are Solaryn's]
Chloe informed Aura, as she watched them get closer. She noticed that they were being slowed down by the constant attacks, and that the swarm was gaining on them.
"Navi, we should help them," she said firmly.
"I don't know…What if they attack us…can they even understand us?" he questioned, concern evident in his voice.
[They can understand; all trial participants' suits are fitted with translators.]
Chloe's voice informed them. "Okay, then I'll go. I have the best spell for surviving," Aura said. "Lucas can cover me from here, and Chloe can open a communication channel between me and him. I'll lead them back here; the more people we have to face the swarm, the better our chances."
Navi frowned while looking at Aura. He didn't want her to go but also knew that when her mind was made up, it was almost impossible to change it, and she was right—she did have the best spell enabling survival; he'd seen it in use.
"Fine," he said reluctantly, "but be careful."
"Always," Aura replied. "Chloe, open communication channel."
[Affirmative, channel open.]
Then, without wasting any more time, she made her way down the boulder towards the encroaching swarm and the four participants in the distance.
Purple lightning flashed, followed by a peal of thunder as Aura sprinted across the pebbled ground, her boots crunching. Her eyes were fixed on a Solaryn's glowing hair 300 meters ahead. Chloe's telepathic voice updated her on the situation.
[Four participants, 10 Void Spawn engaging, swarm at 2.3 kilometers.]
Growls echoed as ten wolf-like Spawn, with void crystals glowing, lunged while alternating between solid and ethereal states. The Solaryn were fighting in a diamond formation, their golden skin glinting under combat suits.
A female's fiery whip cracked, missing a core as it darted across the Void Spawn's shape. Another released a barrier of water, shielding her from attacks while stunning a Spawn.
Wind whipped as a male's wind arcs shattered a crystal slowed by another Solaryn's storm of ice crystals. But another Spawn took its place, shifting forms and tearing the male Solaryn's shoulder.
[Six Spawn engaging, 100 meters, four circling.]
Chloe warned. "Lucas, engaging now!" Aura informed him over comms, trusting his bow skills, as she activated Object Weave, ten pebbles rising from the ground and spiraling toward a Spawn lunging at a Solaryn.
The pebbles pierced its core, shattering it. Twang. Lucas's arrow, glowing brightly with his spell Radiant Coat, streaked across the distance, impaling another core, which shattered into mist.
[Five engaging, three circling.]
Aelion reported to Lucas. Lightning flashed, illuminating a Solaryn's fire whip coiling around a Spawn. Aura vaulted a boulder, landing near the Solaryn. "Friend!" she yelled over the battle, hoping that they would understand.
The male Solaryn looked surprised but nodded, flickering as an attack phased through him, but another Spawn clawed his thigh, blood seeping.
Aura's pebbles smashed the Spawn's core. "To the boulder!" she urged, pointing behind her, indicating the boulder her team was on.
Healing energy flickered as a female Solaryn casted a water barrier around a male teammate, his shoulder gash healing as he released another wind arc, scattering a Spawn's crystal. The other male Solaryn's skin rippled as it hardened, deflecting a claw attack.
[Swarm 1.8 kilometers.]
Chloe warned, the ground shaking. A Spawn's ethereal form solidified behind Aura, claws raking her calf, pain flaring. She spun, swords slashing, but it shifted again.
Using five pebbles, she pinned the core as it solidified, shattering it, and Lucas's second arrow whistled past, dropping a circling Spawn.
[Three remaining.]
Chloe reported. A Solaryn's lightning stunned one, their teammate's fiery whip destroying its crystal. A wind arc cleaved a second, while Aura's sword crushed the last.
"Run!" Aura shouted, leading the Solaryn. Lightning revealed the swarm's shadow behind them in the distance getting closer.
Aura's calf throbbed, but she kept running, the boulder getting closer. Navi appeared at the top with Kai.
[No hostiles within 500 meters, swarm 1.2 kilometers.]
Chloe reported as Aura scaled the boulder, followed by the Solaryn party. They reached the top, panting.
Navi steadied Aura, eyeing her wound. Without saying a word, he pulled out a med kit and began quickly applying bio-gel.
The Solaryn collapsed beside them, their hair dimming. "Thank you," one said in a melodic voice as they began to quickly treat their injuries.
"You're welcome," Aura replied as lightning cracked, the noise of the swarm's growls growing nearer.
[Swarm at 500 meters, Prepare for engagement.]
Chloe warned Aura and her team.
*********************
To those listed below Thankyou for the power stones.
Neublas_Juli
The_Broken_Author
Issei_
Musqit_deathstar
Reverendpeaksanity
Castle_Gifter