Thin and sharp, it sticks into your insides. Something akin to a needle or thorn.

I couldn't see my own status since the link with master is severed but I can tell that this what it feels like to be encroached by Void power.

"T-Tom?" Nilin stared at me. The only thing she could do.

"Don't come close to me or it will get to you too." I warned her.

Standing in between us is Indara in his human form, his hand arms splayed out. He is trying to protect Nilin from me, though I'm not sure what will that accomplish.

Besides me, Engrande was also encroached. He couldn't even move. He was just lying on his back as he wriggles in pain and despair. The only voice that came out of him were hoarse gags, signifying his unending agony.

"C-curse.... t-this...." was all the words I managed to make out from Engrande.

Bartholomew is even worse. The corruption has completely taken over his whole body. He took a full brunt of the assault, so that is only fair as the result. His chest is still rising and falling but I don't doubt it's succinct. Are the corrupted ones even alive?

And where's Cormac? I can't see him anywhere but I hope he's okay. He was hurt pretty bad too right before he dove into his shadow. I hope he didn't died in his own shadow.

Nilin is unharmed, thanks to Indara and I acting as her shield. Indara is of course unscathed but I'm paying the price of being Nilin's shield.

"R-run.... Now.... p-please" I pleaded. Even words became hard to from. My mind felt like it was grasped by a claw.

"I'm not running." She said. Her voice is trembling. Her eyes are full of fear but she's not running.

Unlike before, there's no monsters blocking the path to our exit now. There shouldn't be any problem now in making for the exit but the resolve and will is entirely another different question.

"Nilin. T-this is s-s-serious.... I don't know h-how much l-long.... I-I....."

"No~! I won't leave you~! I won't let you be a liar!" She shouted back.

She changed. She's scared, she's trembling but she's not running nor cowering. This is bravery, knowing that there are other things that took precedence to your fears. But bravery can also be just a kind word for stupidity.

She's walking on a thin line in between bravery and stupidity.

She can't help me. Not even master could get rid of the corruption.

"Nilin! Head for the exit, now!" Djin roared. Other than Nilin, Djin and Kirin are unharmed. Onyx Steel is really amazing. It can't even be corrupted. In fact, the corruption dissolved into nothing upon contact with Onyx Steel.

The corrupted Luya and her Black Crystal Spriggans are all on Djin. Luya doesn't look like she intends to finish us off. Her attention is directed solely on Djin now. Is she playing with us or does she just not attacking since we aren't a threat now?

Djin is barely surviving the onslaughts. Kirin in one arm and a red lightning blade in the other. Since he didn't have Indara, he's using a Spell Weapon. There's just too much Spriggan in the way and there's Luya who no doubt could interfere. I don't see anyway for Indara to return to Djin's hands.

Things are very dire.

"T-Tom. T-tell me, if there's anything I can do, just tell me."

"Indara will help too."

There's nothing you two can do, just run, is I want to say but.... I can't be cruel to those resolved she has in her eyes....

"Djin!"

Kirin screamed out and we all turned our heads.

Luya, who is floating in the air, rained down spears at Djin. Djin evaded all with [Storm Rush]. The red lightning isn't hurting Kirin despite being in contact with Djin's sparking body but she looks dizzy from the sudden speed pick up.

When Luya's attack was over, Djin launched himself at her. A fist clad with extreme red lightning clashes with a palish purple shield that Luya erected. Djin lost in the clash and got sent back to the ground. The Spriggans took this moment to swarm him but Djin spun like he was dancing and swatted the Spriggans away like flies.

"Mwu~~~nya~~~" Kirin is making weird sounds from all those sudden and extreme movements. I wonder if Djin remembers he's holding Kirin.

"Let me help, Tom! Just tell me what I need to do. Anything." Nilin pleaded to me with tear-filled eyes. Beside her is Indara nodding along.

Resisting the pain of having talons sinking into my brain, I yelled out my words against the rising pain. "Get Indara to Djin! He needs a good weapon!"

Nilin stuttered and looked blank for awhile before regaining herself. "R-right!"

Nilin chanted something in low whispers. Soon, the Spirits around us became visible. They are usually invisible to peoples according to master unless one has the specific ability to perceive them.

What is she trying to do?

The Spriggans and Luya became dazzled for a moment by the appearance of so many spirits.

"Show them your magnificence!" Nilin shouted and covered her eyes.

I did the same instinctively immediately.

The Spirits begin to shine brightly. Not as intense as a flash bang but it was still too bright. In that short moment. Nilin lifts Indara up with summoned vines and threw him at Djin's way with the vines.

Djin was the only one not affected by the sudden brightness and maybe because of that, he was able to follow up on Nilin's plans.

Indara reverts back to his sword form and lands into Indara's hand. When the lights died down and the Spirits disappeared, wrathful red lightning replaced the intense cyan glare.

"Well done." Djin said and brought Indara around a full circle, cutting down every thing in his vicinity. His combat performance with a real weapon in his hand greatly differs to when he has none.

Luya conjures up hundreds of those deadly spears again but Djin reacted quickly this time. He threw waves of red lightning at the spears, messing up the conjuration processes. The spear faded away as their formation was interrupted.

Luya who has more powerful stats and undoubtedly more Mana should be overwhelming Djin but Djin is just too quick with his actions and thought processes. Master said that Djin isn't smart but merely able to think faster because of having no organic brain to be strained.

Luya summoned plants of all kinds to attack Djin but he cut them all down swiftly while handling the Spriggans on the side.

It's just simply unreal. Carrying a child, overwhelmed by the difference in numbers and sheer strength, Djin is still outperforming us all.

Damn it.... He's doing everything while I could only sit and watch. I didn't want this but lifting even a finger feels heavy. Everything feels heavy from just resisting the corruption.

"It's okay, Tom. I'm here. I'm here. S-so, what's next?"

Nilin couldn't do anything for me but it wasn't stopping her from trying....

It just feels unreal. She wasn't anything like this when we first met face-to-face. She was just a cute and helpless girl but now.... for me, she's willing to be hurt. Gosh, do I deserve you?

While we unconsciously began to create our own pink space, Djin landed right beside us.

With just a few words, "take her", he tosses Kirin to Nilin. Nilin fell on her backside as Kirin was too heavy for someone her size.

"Djin?" Kirin tilted her head.

"I'll hold them back. Your highness and Nilin will run for it."

"No! I told you, no way!" Nilin refuted.

"This isn't a discussion. This is a demand. Your highness, please see reason with Nilin." While saying that, he casually deflected a few magic projectiles and fended off a few lunging Spriggans.

"Mwu." Kirin shook her head.

"Mwu." Nilin imitated her.

"Your highness, now is no time to...."

Kirin suddenly pointed to our back with widened eyes.

Djin and I both turned and witness an amazing and terrifying spectacle unfolding. Plant monsters larger than Engrande and hundreds of those spears before our eyes and all the cut down Spriggans are back to full health.

Luya has a faint look of irritation but I might be just imagining things due to my condition.

"Not good." remarked Djin. I wished he has a face instead of a visor helmet.

To make matters worse, giant roots grew out from above and around us. The roots look deadly and I don't want to know what it could do. Nilin and Kirin responded with their own magic but they could only do so much. The roots from above us is coming down. The spears are flying at us.

A sudden wave of huge energy and force blew most of the spears away.

"ORA~!!"

Came a loud roar filled with energy.

Engrande in his [Thousand Arms Shura] form punched away the roots and the roots flew into the remaining spears trajectory and acted as a shield.

"Ora" was something master kept shouting during our sparring session. I guess Engrande is sorta infected by master but now's not the time to point it out.

The corruption is still taking root but Engrande proceeds to ram his way through to Luya despite the countless attacks that Luya sent. Engrande isn't defending against all those attacks. He is letting all of it pierce into his flesh.

Judging from his state with Mana Vision, his Mana level spiked through his threshold. The Mana surging is especially strong at where his heart is. Don't tell me.....

His flurry of punches rush at Luya but her summoned plant monsters acted as her shields. Each were pulverized into pulp with the relentless attacks but they kept coming. They would sacrificed themselves just to protect their summoner. When all the monsters were wiped, branches from the Spriggan tree grew unnaturally and became a barrier to protect Luya from the rain of punches.

Despite his failure to land a hit on Luya, I see a smirk formed on Engrande's lips.

He grew even more arms and each arm grabs hold on the tree that was producing the Spriggans.

"Don't underestimate the Colossi's power of [Shura]!!!"

And with that spirited yell, he uprooted the entire tree.

Luya made an immediate exit from the tree. A slight grimace appears on Luya's face.

Huh? I wasn't imagining things? She has emotions even in this state?

Spears larger than the usual ones conjured around her. Most found its way into Engrande's skin but he's not relenting. He swung the uprooted tree at her.

I didn't know what happened after but all his arms, even his real ones, are cut off. The tree fell with a quake to the ground. I didn't know when she summoned all that but vines extended till the height of Engrande with blade at the tip were summoned. The vine whips then darted at Engrande, plunge all those blades into Engrande.

"Engrande!!" Nilin was the only one who yelled out.

Kirin was too shocked.

Djin was too calm.

I was too weak to even speak. Crap. It feels like using my ability would only accelerate the corruption. This is so frustrating.

Engrande's bravery is cut down just like that.

Divine Arts is truly terrifying.

When the giant fell, it was our turn. Luya rejuvenates the trampled Spriggans and conjures up the same kind of deadly spears. Djin tried to do his usual thing to interrupt the conjuration process but Luya effortlessly prevented it with her summoned plant monsters in the way.

She learns. Corruption isn't just turning them into mindless slave zombies. They can learn. Really not good.

The spears came at us.

Djin threw red lightning waves but it only worked while the spears are conjuring. The spears tore through the crimson thunders and headed straight for us.

Djin threw me Indara and cover Kirin and Nilin with his own body like it was only natural.

What am I going to do with Indara? I didn't use Indara to protect myself at that time but only as extra layer of insurance to protect Nilin.

"Nyu!!!"

A familiar cry entered our ears and a barrier is erected. The barrier is instantly shatter due to the overwhelming difference in ability power but Djin did the unthinkable.

Once again, as if was all too natural for him, in just a short amount of time, he grabbed Indara from me which he gave to me just seconds ago, clad the blade with condensed red lightning, he swung in an odd manner, he didn't destroy the spears but he did deflected it. With a strange but elegant dance, he deflected all the spears. He could probably only do this because of the last second barrier which slowed down the spears.

Citra is awake, still coiled around Kirin's shoulder. I'm kinda surprised she didn't woke up earlier with everything that's happening.

When looked at, Citra lowers her head in shame. Seems like she knew what she did.

"It's okay. You saved us." Nilin said while patting her.

"Kyu~?"

"Nn. Saved." Kirin nodded and patted her too.

"It's not over." Djin said.

The monsters Luya summoned once again are coming for us.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them turned red with a magic circle.

Flames erupted from the circle and burned them quite easily.

"How ya like that!?" Engrande suddenly sprouted up from where he fell.

Looks like Luya can't really make good use of her powers. I can see [Forge Fire] activating seconds ahead thanks to Mana Vision but Luya look surprised. It didn't look like she saw it coming.

I'm reminded by what master told me. "Resources are nothing if one doesn't know how to utilize it." I guess this saying fits Luya well. She is unacquainted with battles. Perhaps the corruption is working with the host's previous experience as the base of their current performances.

Engrande conjures up a single ethereal arm and sent a few palm forces. The attack was all over, it wasn't exactly aimed for Luya and most of it hit the ceiling.

After that, Engrande fell lifelessly to the ground but he fell with a slight grin and a wink at us.

Was that his last desperate attempt to exhaust all his Mana before falling out of the battle?

"Kyu~!" Citra cried.

Hmm? What's she doing? A magic circle appears in front of her mouth. She fires beams at the ceiling too. The beams were weak though.

Luya looks unconcerned. She is just summoning more plants and monsters and preparing magic.

"I see." said Djin as he unleashed lightning bolts at the ceiling too.

Ah. Is that it?

Nilin and Kirin did the same. They fire javelins made of [Spirit Magic] at the ceiling too. The whole room soon begins to tremble.

Luya caught on as her eyes darted at above her. Plants begin wrap around to act as a barrier in addition to a magic barrier that already covers her. Her plant monsters are also taking defensive position against the imminent collapse.

This is suicide for us all but..... what was it that master always screamed out when trying something daring.....? ....Oh right.

"YOLO!" I screamed and cast whatever magic my heavy body could allow me at the ceiling too. The needles and talong dug even further into me....

Damn.... this is too much.... I can't.....

Wait.....

The walls are made of Azunmite in Rising Valley but it became less and less so the further we are away from there but I still don't think the ceiling would crumble that easily. After all, didn't Engrande used a much stronger magic then and the ceiling didn't even collapse?

After awhile when nothing happened, Luya came out of the barrier. She and her summoned plant monsters are staring at the ceiling as if waiting for anything to happen any time now.

"Fool." Djin said and toss Indara who was charged with a lot of Mana, like a spear at the dumbfounded bunch.

Was all that a ruse? Did Engrande realized the naivety of Luya when she didn't saw [Forge Fire] coming?

When Luya and her summoned plant monsters realized they were tricked, they tried to stop the Indara who is coming straight at Luya.

Some vines and flexible branches failed to catch him and some monsters who stood in the way were just pierced through. Overall, that single brief moment of them letting their attention being snatched away proof to be their downfall. Just like our situation moments before.

But before Indara could reach Luya, a palish purple spherical barrier prevented his further advancement.

What? I didn't think anything could stop an Onyx Steel blade.

Djin clicked his tongue although he doesn't have a tongue but he does feel anger and frustration after all.

Indara is loosing his momentum and there aren't even any cracks on the barrier yet.

Luya launches those deadly spears at us. Now, Djin has no way of defending against us. Summoning Indara back would be too slow.

"Kyu~!"

Citra seems to have something up her proverbial sleeves.

She conjures up a simple circle-shaped shield but it then starts to spin in a spiral manner with a glow.

The spears are deflected and flew into the walls and ground. The shield against the deadly force broke but it did its job.

Did Citra learned what needs to be done from watching Djin earlier?

"Amazing, Citra!"

"Nn. Amazing."

"Kyu~"

We celebrated too early.

Indara failed to penetrate through Luya's barrier. Loosing all its momentum and power, it began to fall.

"Now." Djin said. It sounded like a command but to whom? He's looking at Luya as if he has won.

Hmm? He's not looking at her but what's below her?

A black spot appeared on the ground directly below Luya and from that black spot, Cormac emerged.

He's encroached too but not as badly as me or Engrande. His lost arm has regrew but his complexion is terrible. His whole body is wrapped in shadows. Is he forcing himself to move with his shadow magic? In his hands is his favorite weapon, Seeker.

"Eat this."

He fires a single large black arrow from below Luya, unnoticed. Not even I noticed until he appeared.

And when Luya did noticed, it was too late. The black arrow wasn't meant for her. It was for Indara. It hit the pommel of Indara and at the same time, indara absorbed the black arrow, the blade became covered in black markings, and that push was all Indara needed to penetrate the barrier, leaving a black smoky trail.

Everything was too late for Luya. The barrier is broken through and her summon monsters are useless against stopping Indara.

Luya is cleanly bisected her as Indara continues to travel upwards until he impales into the ceiling.

"Yes!" Cormac shouted.

The plant monsters withered in seconds. The Spriggans lost their color and crumbled to dust. All of Luya summons died the moment she was split in two.

Luya herself also withers but slower than her summons.

"Luya...." Kirin called out.

As Luya slowly withers away, a faint voice is transmitted to all of us like a whisper but loud enough as an echo.

"Thank you...."

A vivid cyan ball of light came out of the withered Luya corpse. Just from feeling the immense power that drifted from that ball, it is hard to mistaken the ball as something else. That's the Divine Art, Floral Matriarch, Gaia, Luya possessed. It slowly floats toward Kirin.

Djin stood in the way but Kirin assured him of his needless action.

"Untainted." She told Djin.

The power is untainted by the Void? Perhaps the Void-corrupted Luya wasn't able to draw out the Divine Art's full power which might be the reason she was sloppy.

Kirin reach out and touched the ball. The ball then melted into her through her fingers.

"Nn...."

"Are you alright, your highness?"

"Nn."

Looks like it ain't a trap.

So, Luya is truly gone.... but....

Strange, I don't feel the corruption going away. It was still progressing. In fact.... I....

"Lord Cormac, you did well." Djin praised.

"Where's Bartholomew?" Was the first thing Cormac asked.

"He's over--"

I don't know why but I clad my arm with [Blaze of the Depths] and attacked Djin mid-sentence. Of course, the black flames and my strength aren't a match against Onyx Steel. I actually hurt myself instead.

"Lord Thomas?" Djin sounds bewildered.

"Run.... It's still taking hold of me.... Run...."

I attacked again. A [Rage Blade] in my other hand, I swung at Djin but I was sent away before my blade could reach. A single effortless push from Djin was all it took to send me rolling.

"He's right. I'm not feeling any better." Cormac looked at his own hands. "How is still happening....? Didn't we killed the one who corrupted us?"

Did we? Luya was the one who corrupted us but the roots of it all is still Aedrox but in the first place, there was no telling that the corruption would stop if the corrupter is eliminated. Luya's plant monsters' case might be because they are summons.

"Danger!" Kirin yelled.

Djin spun and roundhouse kicked Bartholomew away who suddenly got up and came charging.

"Eeek~! The old man too." Nilin pointed.

Old man? Oh, Engrande?

She's right. Engrande is still resisting but it was all futile. The corruption has taken hold of Engrande as his Mana is turning to the shade of purple.

"Tin man! Finish me off!" Engrande coughed out tainted blood.

"Lord Engrande...."

Bartholomew got back up and rush at Djin again. Bartholomew's Mana is completely dark purple. Is it too late for him?

"No, Barthy!" Cormac jumped at Bartholomew and held down. "You can't! They're families!" Cormac is still resisting.

For me, I can't move. I focus entirely on resisting the corruption and any slightest attention that is not spared on resisting will have me been taken over.

"Tin man! Quick!" A scream of agony followed those words.

"Very well." Djin said and willed Indara back into his hand but Indara only flew back until before Djin and turned into his human form.

"No." He said as he looked down on his feet.

"Indara. This is dire. Dire actions need to be taken."

"No! You can't!" Indara backed away from Djin who tried to grab him.

"Indara, listen to me. You have to do this." I called out. "Otherwise, it would dangerous for all of you later."

"No no no no no! Indara won't kill his family." He cried, throwing a tantrum.

Still just a child, in the end.

"Tom. Hyx can fix you. When he comes back, I'm sure he can fix you."

Nilin too huh....

"Nilin. He can't. Trust me, I know."

"Mwu.... Wrong...."

"Your highness, I know you're reluctant but this has to be done."

"Mwu~!"

"Kyu~!"

Ah... even Citra is rebelling. Damn it.

"Indara, you have to. We would only hurt you all if you don't." I drop my soft tone.

But he's still reluctant.

"This is difficult...." Djin clenched his fist.

"Everyone!!! This is not the time to mess around! Do it quick!!!"

Engrande is screaming as he nears his limits. Some parts of his body is bending in ways is not suppose to.

"Barthy, resist it!" Cormac is still restraining Bartholomew.

"No no no no. Tom.... This isn't what you promised....."

"I know. I know. I'm sorry but you have too--"

"No no no. I want to..... I want to....."

"Nilin. I-I know.... but t-things have changed--"

A sudden explosion wave interrupted my sentence. There wasn't any real explosion but just the space around us rippling like waves.

Above the ground a few distance away from us, that particular space ripples fiercely and distorts in various ways. It then began to crack like glass.

[aaaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!]

A voice in my mind screaming, it slowly gets louder and louder!!!

[HOLY SHIT!!!!]

With that scream, the space explodes and scattered us away in all directions. Engrande was the only one not thrown away by the force. As usual, Djin already has Kirin in his arms but Nilin was left out.

When the dust and smoke settled, a beautiful woman stood in place where the space just exploded, she has a pair of wings on her back, one black, one white. Beside her, is a boy with shaved head shorter than the woman and a face similar to mine.

"Whoa.... That spell's coverage is way too much. I think it's a little bit overkill." The boy looked around. His nonchalant face turns a little sour at what he sees. "I'm back and y'all rite?"

It's master.... It's master.....

"M-master...." Cormac muttered.

Kirin just stared, a smile slowly taking its shape.

"NO! WE ARE NOT ALRIGHT!!"

screamed Engrande.