CHAPTER 12 : SWORD PRISM PART 1Without hesitation, Howard summoned a shield of magic in front of him, a translucent barrier of shimmering light. The spider slammed into the shield with the force of a battering ram, its fangs scraping against the magical surface as it tried to break through. The force of the impact nearly knocked Howard off his feet, but he held on, gritting his teeth as he poured more energy into the shield.“Do you really think you can hold out forever, mage? My creation will tear you apart!” Zharok’s mocking laughter echoed across the battlefield. The spider lashed out again, its legs stabbing at the shield like spears. Cracks began to form in the barrier, and Howard could feel his strength waning. His breathing was ragged, sweat trickling down his brow as he struggled to maintain the spell. The spider was relentless, and Howard knew he couldn’t hold it back much longer."Come on, think!" he muttered to himself, his mind racing. He needed a plan, something that wo
CHAPTER 13 : SWORD PRISM PART 2 “Attack them, Nerubian!” Zharok’s voice echoed across the battlefield, his command for Nerubian, the monstrous spider, to attack sending a shiver through the air.The ground trembled beneath Howard's feet as Zharok's spider lurched forward, faster and more aggressive than ever before. Its massive legs thundered across the battlefield, crushing anything in its path, venom dripping from its fangs as it zeroed in on Howard.With a single thought, Howard willed the swords forward. They responded instantly, shooting through the air like beams of divine light. The air crackled as the holy swords raced toward their target, Zharok’s monstrous spider. These weren’t ordinary strikes; each blade was infused with sacred energy capable of piercing through even the toughest dark magic, and their sharpness was unmatched by any earthly weapon.The first sword struck, slicing through one of the spider’s armored legs with a sound that echoed across the battlefield like
CHAPTER 14 : HOWARD …Howard stood his ground, eyes locked on Zharok, the weight of the battle pressing on his shoulders. The air crackled with dark energy, swirling ominously around the necromancer. Despite his exhaustion, Howard refused to back down. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to rise, even as Zharok loomed over him, dark magic pulsing at his fingertips."You without your creation… are nothing," Howard spat, his voice sharp, taunting.Zharok’s eyes burned with hatred. The taunt struck deep. His control over the battlefield had been slipping ever since Howard and Loren destroyed the spider, and now, with that single sentence, Howard had struck a nerve. The necromancer’s fury exploded.“How dare you!” Zharok roared, his voice like thunder as he thrust his staff toward Howard. “I am the greatest necromancer in existence! You are an insect compared to me!”He slammed his staff into the ground, sending cracks through the earth. From the fissures, tendrils of pure shadow erupt
CHAPTER 15 : THE SECOND CRYSTALLoren’s heart pounded in his chest as he strained against the thick cobwebs that held him fast. His legs were immobile, trapped in the sticky threads spun by Zharok's monstrous spider. He could feel the suffocating weight of panic creeping in, his breath shallow as he stared helplessly at the skeleton army approaching him. They moved with a terrifying precision, their empty eye sockets glowing with an eerie light, their weapons raised high, glinting in the dim light of the cavernous chamber.The clatter of bones echoed ominously as they drew closer, their skeletal hands gripping swords, spears, and axes. Loren's pulse quickened, desperation filling his veins. Every inch of his body screamed for him to break free, to move, but the web clung to him like iron shackles. His sword was just beyond reach, lying on the ground beside him, taunting him with its closeness. Yet, it may as well have been a mile away."Not like this..." Loren muttered to himself, his
CHAPTER 16 : DRAGON’S BLOOD“There is no shame in failure, young one.” the chimera’s voice rumbled deeply, resonating within Loren’s very core.Each word seemed to stir something ancient inside him, something raw and powerful. The chimera’s presence was overwhelming, not just in size but in the sheer weight of wisdom and authority it carried. Its eyes gleamed, full of secrets and forgotten knowledge. “But you still have much to learn. Your heart is strong, filled with sincerity and kindness, but strength alone will not be enough for the battles ahead.”Loren could feel the weight of the chimera's words pressing down on him, the truth in them undeniable. His legs trembled slightly as he stood before the beast, but he held his ground. He had come so far, faced so much, but the chimera was right. Zharok had escaped, and the second crystal was in enemy hands. Loren’s heart pounded with frustration and guilt. He had failed.Before he could speak, before he could express the maelstrom of e
CHAPTER 17 : THE ELF’S RETREATThe battle against the Death Knight had left Vy and Anfalen battered and broken, their hearts heavy with the weight of their loss. Nelaeryn, their closest friend, had fallen in the heart of the dragon temple. Her life had been taken by the relentless force of the Death Knight, an enemy they had barely managed to drive back. Though they had survived, it felt like a hollow victory, and the cost had been unbearable.As the smoke from the battlefield cleared, Vy stood over Nelaeryn’s lifeless body, her chest heaving from exertion, her twin swords still dripping with the black blood of the Death Knight. Her hands shook, not from fatigue, but from the overwhelming realization that no amount of skill, fury, or power could bring back their friend. The moment felt frozen in time. The once-sacred temple, now desecrated by the battle, seemed to mock them with its silence. The wind rustled through the broken pillars and toppled statues, the only sound in the afterma
CHAPTER 18 : THE CROSSROADSAnfalen woke to the soft sound of a blade slicing through the air. At first, he thought it might be an intruder, his instincts sharpened from years of battle, but as his senses cleared, he realized it was Vy. She was training again, by the lake this time. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, watching her for a moment. The first light of dawn reflected off the surface of the water, and Vy’s silhouette moved with fierce intensity, her twin swords cutting through the morning mist like shadows in motion.They had fought side by side for years, but this... this was different. Anfalen had never seen her so consumed by anger, by frustration. It was as if the Death Knight hadn’t just wounded her body but had left a deeper scar on her soul, a shadow she couldn’t shake. Her movements were precise, sharper than ever before, but there was a wildness in them too, a fury that threatened to consume her entirely.He watched her for a few minutes, the steady rhythm o
CHAPTER 19 : HOWARD’S SCARAfter travelling for a long time, Loren, Howard, and Anne finally settled by a gentle riverbank, the water glistening in the afternoon sunlight. The scent of the forest around them was calming, a stark contrast to the fierce battle they’d recently survived against Zharok. Exhausted and nursing injuries, they sank to the ground, relieved to have a moment of peace.They sat in silence for a few moments, each of them lost in their own thoughts as the river flowed steadily beside them, its gentle sound comforting against the heaviness of their recent experiences. Anne noticed the bruises and cuts on her companions and knelt beside them, hands hovering over their wounds.“I can’t just sit and watch you both suffer. Let me help.” she said softly.Closing her eyes, she began to chant, her voice blending with the gentle rustle of leaves. A warm glow emanated from her hands, bathing Loren and Howard in soft light as the healing spell mended their bruises and soothed