Chapter 51

Sounds of battle echoed throughout Eisanyr. From the joint-army battling the Hawkwell beasts to the keep where the Banner of the Claw made their pivotal stand against House Hawkwell and the Malum Incarnate’s phormics.

As the joint-army was gaining momentum, Grand Marshal Dink had finally arrived with the Royal Army. They moved in to assist the joint-army in their guaranteed victory. But despite having the advantage, their enemy gave no quarter and would fight to the last beast. So it would take them some time to cautiously eliminate them all while minimizing casualties.

Meanwhile, the Banner of the Claw was beginning to struggle against the endless hordes of phormics spewing out from both sides. The ant-like monsters were driven with an overwhelming bloodlust. Despite being weak, they were starting to overrun the Banner of the Claw’s defensive lines and breach through.

On the north side, Erin, his voice thundering commands, held the line with unwavering resolve, his sword an extension of his will as it sliced through the phormic hordes. Lem, his comrade-in-arms, fought beside him. Their blades moved in harmony, a testament to their battle-hardened synchrony.

"Maintain your formations!" Erin commanded, his eyes scanning the battlefield for any advantage.

Lem, grappling with a particularly large phormic, grunted in response, "We're barely holding! There’s just too fucking many!"

“Lem! We HAVE to hold out for Arlan and the others!” shouted back Erin as he pulled back into his formation.

“I know, I know! But these creatures are relentless!” Lem yelled, struggling to fend off another wave of phormics. His blade moved in a deadly arc, cutting down two of the creatures, but more quickly took their place.

“Focus, Lem! We are the Banner of the Claw! We do not falter! Push your platoon another ten meters!” Erin’s voice rose above the chaos, imbued with a determination that was as sharp as his sword.

“By your command!” Lem shouted back, rallying his platoon with a fierce cry. The men under Lem pushed forth with renewed vigor, closing the gap despite the overwhelming numbers. With Arlan’s essence barrier, there hadn’t been any casualties but the exhaustion from the constant fighting was pushing the Banner of the Claw to the brink of collapse.

At the southern portal, Yanie, Nightingale, and Yuna engaged in a dance of death, each of their unique skills adding a new dimension to the deadly ballet. Their movements were both beautiful and deadly, weaving between the phormics with an elegance that belied the brutality of their actions.

Yanie's blade flashed in the dim light, each thrust precise and lethal, while Nightingale's dual daggers were a blur, slicing through their foes with a terrifying grace.

But it was Yuna who brought a new element to the battle. She wielded a quarterstaff and channeled buff spells for her, Yanie and Nightingale.

With each strike from the wooden staff, arcs of electricity crackled and lashed out, electrocuting any phormic unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of her blows. Her quarterstaff had been enchanted with an on-hit spell activation, causing arcane attacks to erupt with each strike, further devastating their foes.

"Yuna and Yanie, stay with me and press on closer to the portal!" Nightingale shouted, her voice cutting through the din of battle. She yanked her short swords free from a fallen phormic overlord, not missing a beat as she prepared to advance towards their objective.

Yuna, her staff crackling with arcane torrents, replied, "Right behind you, Nightingale. We can't let them regroup!"

"Agreed,” Yanie added, “We won’t stop until we’ve seen this through."

Nightingale nodded, her eyes focused on the distant portal. As they pressed onward, determined to bottleneck the portal, a tremor beneath their feet shook the ground.

The trio exchanged puzzled glances before their eyes widened in realization. From the portal's swirling energy emerged a colossal figure – the Queen Phormic. Towering over the battlefield, the titanic creature was a sixth-tier white core. While it wouldn’t be an issue for the combined might of the Banner of the Claw, it was an issue since they were constantly being swarmed by the endless sea of phormic soldiers.

The grotesque behemoth resembled an ant queen of nightmares, dominating the battlefield with her sheer size and malevolence. Towering at an astonishing thirty feet in height, her immense carapace was a mottled amalgamation of sickly greens and blacks, exuding an aura of pure animalistic hunger.

Jagged, chitinous armor plates adorned her colossal frame, protecting her from any would-be attackers. Her multifaceted crimson eyes gleamed with an eerie intelligence. Enormous wings unfurled from her back, their membranous expanse stretching like a tattered, grotesque tapestry. This monstrous queen was the embodiment of primal terror, a nightmarish fusion of insect and monster.

Nightingale's voice quivered as she muttered, "What the hell is that?"

Yuna detected a massive surge of mana radiating from the Queen Phormic. "Just like Arlan’s Regalia, it’s strengthening all the phormics in the area!"

As on cue, the strengthened phormics unleashed a flurry of attacks on Yanie. She was forced back on the defensive while Yuna and Nightingale tried their best to hold the line.

“We can’t even reach the Queen, let alone the portal!” cried out Yanie as a few attacks landed on her essence barrier.

“And it looks like Lem and Erin are struggling to fight back the hordes,” added Nightingale, “We can’t ask them for help either!”

“We’ll just have to hold on until someone from within the barrier can help us!” stated Yuna with optimism.

Nightingale, Yanie, and Yuna exchanged bewildered glances, their breaths forming icy plumes in the frigid air. Then, at the heart of the sudden cold, Chrysta stirred. She had been on the ground where Marie had left her, unconscious until that very moment.

Chrysta's eyes snapped open, and they shimmered with an ethereal, icy light. The Coldheart had awakened and rose to her feet with a newfound vitality. She waltzed out from the bunker where the wounded had rested. Her otherworldly eyes fixated on the colossal Queen Phormic.

A frosty aura emerged from Chrysta as she walked past the many Banner of the Claw soldiers. This renewed the Banner of the Claw’s stamina while slowing down the phormic’s attacks and speed.

Without uttering a single word, Chrysta raised her hand, and ice crystals formed around her fingertips. They formed into ethereal shards that danced in the air. She extended her arm toward the Queen Phormic, and a blizzard erupted from her hand, perforating the monstrous creature in a swirling maelstrom of frost spears. It was [Frost Storm], a powerful sixth-tier magic spell.

And now, the Queen Phormic's struggle ceased as she became a lifeless husk. Yanie, Nightingale, and Yuna were in shock as they had watched a powerful foe get obliterated by a single spell. Having lost their hive mind that commanded them, the phormics on both fronts returned to their animalistic behavior.

Yanie's astonishment was palpable. "Chrysta! You're okay, and... what the hell was that?"

Chrysta's expression remained unfazed. "My core has become the Skadi Regalia. I'm not exactly sure how, but I remember hearing a voice who identified herself as Sophia and waking up to this new power."

Yuna recalled earlier events and spoke aloud, "The Skadi Regalia? It's just like JD earlier, and Arlan; their cores had also evolved."

Like an off switch, Chrysta immediately dropped her cold expression. With worried eyes, she grabbed Yuna by the shoulders and asked, "Arlan...? He's here and awake?! What about JD and Marie?! Are they alright?!"

"Stop... shaking me, and... I'll tell you," answered Yuna as Chrysta obeyed. "Arlan had just arrived about thirty minutes ago. JD and Marie should be alright; they're much stronger now. But they're trapped inside that demonic barrier that was erected by the Malum Incarnate."

Nightingale added, "We've been trapped outside, fighting the phormics until now."

Chrysta looked around to see the phormics retreating back inside the portals and the Banner of the Claw soldiers battling the pockets of phormic overlords. She held her hand close to her heart and prayed to Numen for the safety of her friends.

"Fiala!" cried Yanie as she hugged the approaching cleric.

"I'm so glad you're all okay," said Fiala with a soft and soothing voice. "The wounded have been fully treated."

"Great job Fiala," stated Yanie. "I'm going to inform Lem and Erin of what's happened."

"May Numen guide your path, Yanie," Fiala said, bowing her head as she offered a brief prayer for safety.

After Yanie left, Yuna asked, "So what now?"

"We're going to help Arlan and the others," stated Chrysta with determination.

While Nightingale let out a satisfied grin, Yuna remained doubtful and said, "Even with your evolved core, that barrier is ancient magic from before the Cataclysm. It's the same demonic thaumaturge as the Intertias Cannon. Arlan or Marie would've broken it down already if it was possible."

Chrysta smiled and shared her theory, "What if the demonic barrier was only impenetrable from the inside but not the outside?"

"I had already surmised as much," added Nightingale, "They would've sealed Arlan and Marie outside the barrier if it couldn't be broken from the outside."

Yuna shrugged and surrendered to the idea, "I guess it's worth a try. It beats kicking rocks out here."

"Then it's decided," stated Chrysta, her resolve unwavering. "We're not going to let them fight without us."

Within the demonic barrier was a maelstrom of clashing wills and metal. Arlan’s blacksteel claymore clashed against Luther’s mithril longsword while Duke Louis was barely defending against Duke Osmund’s unbreakable adamantium greataxe. The sound of their weapons meeting echoed like thunder across the sky.

In a moment of sheer prowess, Arlan saw an opportunity in Osmund's defense. So with haste, Arlan used [Titanstrike] on Luther and sent him back ten meters. The Kaiser Baron blocked with his own mana barrier only to see Arlan was no longer in front of him.

Osmund unleashed a flurry of attacks against Louis with his greataxe like it had weighed nothing. The gambit paid off as Louis was sent flying toward the demonic barrier. But a feeling of fear took over Osmund as if he had miscalculated something.

A swift, powerful horizontal sweep from a blacksteel claymore manifested from behind Osmund. Arlan had managed to catch Duke Osmund by surprise and dented the side of the adamantium breastplate. While the blow didn’t cut, the kinetic blunt force ruptured the insides of the Kaiser Duke. He was sent staggering back with his greataxe slipping from his grasp. Osmund fell to his knees, blood spilling onto the ground, his breaths ragged and desperate.

“Now Arlan!” yelled a kneeling Duke Louis who was holding his sides.

Without hesitation, Arlan quickly his blacksteel claymore high. Now desperate and on death’s door, the Kaiser Duke hid behind his arms in a futile attempt to block the killing blow.

But… Before Arlan could deliver the final blow, high level gravity magic interrupted Arlan’s attack. It was Luther. He was accompanied by a sinister chant that wasn’t any spell Arlan or Sophia could recognize. So Arlan prepared for the worst and took a cautious stance.

A surge of demonic energy manifested but… It didn’t go for Arlan, nor did it target Duke Louis. Instead, it enveloped his fallen father. Osmund responded with a ghastly scream of pain and was confused.

“Lu…Luther!” cried Osmund in horror, “What is the meaning of this?!”

“Father,” answered Luther with malice, “You’re not the only one who made a contract with the demons. My position with the Malum Incarnate was promised long ago… And their condition was that I absorbed your core with this spell if you were about to die.”

“But why Luther?! I did all this for you! Argh!” cried Osmund as unfathomable pain attacked spread through his body and his broken heart, “All this was so I could give you the world! And this is how you repay me?! I am your father! You will stop this right now! I still love you-”

Before he could finish, Duke Osmund’s eyes rolled back in his head. Luther had heard enough. His father’s skin and flesh began to wither as if all the essence and mana had been sucked out.

“You’d understand father,” answered Luther psychotically, “Instead of letting you die for nothing, give me your strength to accomplish what you couldn’t do. You were going to die anyway.”

Purple demonic mana pulsated and writhed around Osmund, transferring all the essence and mana into Luther. All that was left of Osmund was a dried up corpse of skin and bones.

Sophia's voice resonated in Arlan's mind as time dilated, "Be wary, my King! His core is vastly unstable and it’s now a tenth-tier with no color at all!"

“Sophia, explain!” demanded Arlan.

The Seneschal obeyed with her voice, “Luther somehow absorbed all of the essence and mana that his father possessed. This paired with the unstable demon core within him has made him incredibly powerful.”

“You didn’t think to let me know about the spell he was hiding?!” Arlan asked, frustrated.

“I’m sorry,” Sophia apologized, “I do not recognize the spell nor could I detect it. The mana manipulation method is not of our world. Likely a spell from beyond our plane of existence.”

With his sword readied, Arlan backed up cautiously in a defensive stance. As Luther was starting to transform, his body was slowly becoming a horrifying amalgam of demonic and human flesh. He then turned his gaze to Arlan. His eyes, once human, now glowed with a terrifying, unnatural dark purple light.

"My father," he began, his voice distorted by his new form, "Was nothing more than a stepping stone to greater power. In this world, it is the strong who survive, Arlan. You, of all people, should understand that."

Luther's chilling laughter filled the air as four individuals appeared next to Arlan. It was Duke Louis, Marie, JD, and Edgar. They had each vanquished their respective foes and still had fight left in them. Before the Immortal General could let out a smile, the demonic barrier behind them started to crack.

“Was this your doing?” Arlan questioned inwardly.

“Yes, my king,” Sophia's voice echoed in his mind, “They've arrived precisely as I predicted!”

“How could this be?” Luther, now demonic, voiced his astonishment and confusion. “The Malum Incarnate assured me this barrier was impenetrable from within!”

As he spoke, the demonic barrier fractured and vanished into the air. The last hour of daylight broke through, unveiling the clear evening sky to those who had been imprisoned by the magical barrier.

Despite his [Heraldic Vision] revealing the outcome, a wave of relief and joy washed over Arlan as he turned to his left and saw who had destroyed the mana barrier. Standing there was Chrysta, accompanied by Nightingale, Fiala, and Yuna. Behind them were the Banner of the Claw and a hundred Heracul Knights.

Marie and JD, overcome with emotion, teared up as Chrysta positioned herself between them. With the Embercaller on her left and the Tempest Knight on her right, the Coldheart clasped their hands, tears streaking down her cheeks as well.

“You certainly took your time,” Marie said with a teasing tone.

“I prefer a dramatic entrance,” Chrysta responded, wiping her tears.

“You're a true Balan,” Marie declared with pride.

JD confessed, “I was scared you wouldn't awaken. Without you, I doubted my will to continue fighting. Chrysta, I can't imagine a world without you.”

The Coldheart smiled at JD and gripped his hand firmly. “Once this is over... I want to see the ocean. Will you take me?”

“Absolutely,” the Tempest Knight affirmed.

Then Nightingale approached and said, “Master Arlan, allow me to serve you in this battle.”

Arlan nodded, and Nightingale positioned herself in his shadow, a symbol of unwavering loyalty. Yuna and Fiala took their places on the far right.

"Banner of the Claw!" Arlan called out, “Maintain your positions, do not enter this fight!”

“But, General...” Erin started to protest.

“Do not disobey my orders!” Arlan's voice was commanding, “You’ve done enough. Many of you will die if you enter this battle… Please stay back!”

Erin hesitated, then acknowledged Arlan's command, directing the Banner of the Claw to retreat to the bunker on the battlements.

The lineup, starting from the far right, was Duke Louis, Yuna, Fiala, Arlan, JD, Chrysta, Marie, and Edgar. They stood united against Luther, who had been empowered by a demon’s core and further amplified by absorbing and slaying his father, Duke Osmund.

Arlan composed himself and then spoke with heartfelt conviction, “Everyone… It’s time… It’s finally time that this cursed war ends! And it ends with his downfall! Remember the sacrifices of our friends, our families, and our comrades. Because they live on in our hearts, driving us. With their memories as our strength, we cannot and will not falter.”

Everyone nodded and Arlan had kindled the fire within their hearts. They were determined and filled with unwavering resolve.

“Finally got your last words in?” Luther mocked “I’ll make sure to savor the moments that I kill every single one of your friends before you.”

Eyes blazing with determination, Arlan shouted, "Luther! You will die here today!"

Luther stepped forth. The ground cracking under his form and strength. "Come then, heroes of a crumbling world. Witness the birth of a new era."

Arlan then surged forward, his allies rallying behind him. Marie, taking to the skies, soared above Luther and unleashed her formidable [Hell’s Purgatory]. Emerald flames cascaded down upon Luther, searing him with their infernal heat. The spell scorched him, leaving evident marks of damage, though it fell short of delivering a critical blow.

In the heat of the battle, Chrysta, wielding her newfound powers, channeled the icy might of her [Glacial Maelstrom]. The air around her shimmered with frost as she unleashed a torrent of freezing energy towards Luther, attempting to hinder his movements with a biting cold.

Simultaneously, the Tempest Knight charged forth with wind magic accelerating his speed and agility. He launched a series of lightning-fast strikes, each blow aimed with precision, seeking to exploit any weakness in Luther's demonic armor.

Yuna, with her staff in hand, began casting [Arcane Barrage], sending waves of torrential energy that spiraled towards Luther. Her spells, imbued with arcane power, illuminated the battlefield, seeking to disrupt Luther’s concentration and weaken his defenses.

Duke Louis, not to be outdone, maneuvered skillfully around Luther, his Mithril Longsword glinting in the fading light. He struck with a series of swift, calculated blows, aiming to complement the assault launched by his companions.

“Enough!” yelled Luther as he reached out his arm towards the Intaratas Cannon. With the same demonic mana vortex that took Osmund, the cannon melded into his right palm, transforming into a demonic artifact sword.

“Sophia!” thought Arlan, “What is that sword he is holding?”

The Seneschal answered back, “That would be the long lost artifact sword, Godsbane, the Destroyer of Worlds.”

“Destroyer of Worlds…?” asked Arlan, thinking of what may happen.

As time resumed, Duke Louis had just leapt at Luther with an overhead swing but… Before Arlan could intercept, Luther countered with Godsbane. The orange blade nearly made contact with Louis until an explosion from [Perfect Pressure] exploded out. It had sent Duke Louis flying back towards the edge of the battlements. He was unconscious and bleeding profusely.

“Father!” cried Arlan as he motioned for Fiala to heal him.

“My king, your father is still alive but barely!” answered Sophia.

“His blade went right through my essence barrier!” stated Arlan.

“Godsbane was able to make it through the barrier due to the fact that it chooses which laws of our world it wants to ignore.”

The powerful artifact sword then pulsed with an ominous energy, its blade seemed to cut through the very air itself.

“Arlan!” yelled Fiala, “My healing spells aren’t working on Duke Louis!

“Fiala, get my father out of here!” ordered Arlan as he intercepted Luther.

Sophia made note of the reason why it's called Godsbane… “Once you’re struck by the sword, you cannot recover any health or lose blood until the wielder of the Godsbane has been killed.”

The demonic Kaiser Baron swung his blade overhead down onto Arlan. As predicted, the artifact sword simply phased through all the barriers Arlan had deployed and manually blocked the attack with his blacksteel claymore. The weight and impact behind the attack was nothing Arlan had ever experienced. It sent him flying back and the kinetic force reverberated through his body, despite being an eighth-tier gold core.

“Everyone! That sword will go through any barrier!” exclaimed Arlan as he rallied his party together. “Listen! We’re going to need to coordinate our attacks!”

“By your command!” exclaimed everyone else.

In the midst of the chaotic battlefield, Arlan's team was facing off against the formidable Luther empowered by a tainted demonic core. Each member, a master of their own skills, stood ready for Arlan's command.

Arlan nodded to JD and Edgar, "Coordinate your attacks. Edgar, use your spear to create an opening for JD."

The Tempest Knight turned to Edgar, "You take the high thrust, I'll go low."

Edgar, gripping his spear tightly, responded, "On it, I’ll find you that opening you need."

They moved in unison, Edgar's spear slicing through the air, aiming for Luther's torso, while JD's sword aimed for his legs. Their movements were a deadly dance, Edgar's spear providing reach and JD's sword ensuring close combat lethality.

"Keep him guessing, Edgar!" JD shouted as he ducked under a wide swing from Luther.

"Trying to, but this guy's tough!" Edgar grunted, thrusting his spear with precision.

Their teamwork was evident, a seamless blend of Edgar's calculated strikes and JD's quick maneuvers, but Luther's demonic agility posed a constant threat.

As Edgar's spear whistled through the air, it connected solidly with Luther's upper arm, causing a momentary stagger in the demon's stance. Seizing this brief lapse, JD lunged forward, his sword sweeping low.

The blade made a swift, precise cut across Luther's leg, drawing a line of dark, ichorous fluid. Luther grunted in surprise, momentarily thrown off balance by the unexpected tandem assault, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and grudging respect for their coordinated strategy.

"Chrysta, Marie, release your spells at the same time for maximum impact!" Arlan called out.

With a focused gaze, Chrysta turned to Marie. "Just like the Siege of Rinhaven" she suggested, her hands beginning to swirl with a frigid aura.

Marie, her eyes reflecting the flames in her palms, nodded sharply. "You and I remember the Siege of Rinhaven very differently," she retorted, readying herself for their combined assault.

Chrysta raised her hands in order to conjure [Glacial Maelstrom], while Marie's [Hell’s Purgatory] roared into life. The air around them crackled as the two spells collided, creating a swirling vortex of steam and scorching heat that spiraled towards Luther.

"Burn bitch!" Marie yelled, her flames intensifying.

"For Midland!" Chrysta added, her eyes focused on the swirling maelstrom they had created.

Their dual spell was a spectacle of power, the merging of fire and ice creating an unpredictable and devastating force. As the vortex engulfed Luther, his demonic form was momentarily lost in the tumult of steam and flame. He emerged, his dark armor steaming and covered in a sheen of frost, revealing the efficacy of their attack.

The sudden change in temperature had clearly taken its toll, as Luther briefly faltered, his movements losing their earlier fluidity. Marie and Chrysta exchanged a triumphant glance, their combined forces having achieved what neither could alone – they had visibly shaken Luther, cracking his facade of invulnerability.

"Yuna, buff Nightingale with physical enhancements. Make an opening for me," Arlan instructed.

Yuna nodded and began her incantation, her staff glowing with a radiant light. "You're getting a boost, Nightingale," she said, casting the spell.

Nightingale felt the surge of power course through her, "Time to turn the tables," she said with a renewed vigor, her movements now a blur as she darted around Luther.

"Hit him where it hurts, Night!" Yuna called out, keeping a close eye on the battle.

Nightingale's daggers struck with enhanced force, each strike a testament to Yuna's magical support. "Loving this power-up, Yuna!" she exclaimed, finding new openings with her increased speed.

Their partnership was crucial, Yuna's magic enhancing Nightingale's natural agility and skill, creating a formidable force against Luther's might.

After Nightingale's swift and relentless assault, Luther reeled from the unexpected ferocity of her attacks. The precision of her dagger strikes left several deep gashes in his armor, weakening his defense.

He glanced around, momentarily disoriented, trying to pinpoint Nightingale's next position. The effectiveness of her stealthy maneuvers was evident, as Luther's usual composure gave way to a hint of frustration, a testament to the impact of Nightingale's skilled offensive

In the midst of this symphony of coordinated attacks, Arlan was the final hammer. He charged forth to go toe-to-toe with Luther, their blows echoing across the battlefield. Arlan grinned while parrying multiple vicious strikes from Luther and his Godsbane. "Pathetic," Luther retorted, countering with a swift move.

Undeterred by Luther's taunts, Arlan intensified his assault. The Immortal General’s blacksteel claymore became a blur of motion as he matched Luther's ferocity blow for blow. "What’s really pathetic is you have Godsbane and you still can’t kill me." Arlan shouted, dodging a particularly lethal swing. He struck back with precision, aiming for weak points in Luther's armor. But the demonic human’s reflexes had grown significantly, allowing him to deflect Arlan’s attack.

Luther grew increasingly agitated by Arlan's resilience and the coordinated attacks of his team. So Luther responded kindly with hundreds of arcane missiles at everyone.

In response to the incoming threat, Sophia’s voice rang out, “My King! Mapping out every route you can take to avoid the bolts! [Gigas Torrent] is an eighth-tier arcane spell that severely dampens your mana flow!”

While Arlan had no trouble dodging the arcane bolts, he still had to keep Luther busy as the others gathered together under Chrysta’s [Ice Dome] to protect themselves from the bombardment.

"You cannot hope to defeat me, Arlan. I’ve ascended far beyond even what you could do!" Luther bellowed as he increased the rate of his swings. Arlan, feeling the strain of Luther's relentless onslaught, knew he had to turn the tide soon.

As battle raged on, the clash of their weapons created kinetic shockwaves. Luther’s raw strength, endless pool of mana, and lethality of Godsbane made him the toughest opponent Arlan had ever faced. Especially since Arlan had very little knowledge of the demonic magic that Luther held. The Immortal General knew Luther was keeping a trump card up his sleeve.

But the equivalence in power and lack of knowledge was made up for by Arlan’s [Heraldic Vision], two decades of combat experience and a warforged party of his retainers. Still, the outcome of this confrontation remained uncertain, each of them pushing their limits in this duel to the death.

As the battle intensified, Luther unleashed [Teufel's Roar], a massive area-of-effect ability fueled by demonic mana. The roar resonated across the battlefield, rooting Arlan and his party in place. Each member, paralyzed, watched in horror as shadow twins, exact replicas of themselves, emerged from the ground.

Arlan, with his exceptional combat skills, quickly overcame the initial shock. He engaged his shadow twin with a series of deft strikes, easily dispatching it. However, Marie, Chrysta, JD, Edgar, Yuna, and Nightingale found themselves struggling against their doppelgängers, each twin matching their moves with eerie precision.

In the midst of this chaos, Luther seized the opportunity and charged at Arlan. Swords clashed as Arlan met Luther's assault, the sound of their battle ringing out. Despite being engaged in melee combat with Luther, Arlan remained acutely aware of his team's struggles. "Marie, Chrysta, target each other with your spells! Force your shadows to intercept!" he yelled over the cacophony of battle.

Understanding Arlan's strategy, Marie and Chrysta shifted their focus. Marie unleashed a torrent of [Arc Flares] towards Chrysta, while Chrysta conjured four [Ice Blades] in Marie's direction. As predicted, their shadow twins moved to intercept the attacks, only to be overwhelmed by the opposing elements. The plan worked, allowing them to gain the upper hand against their ethereal adversaries.

Meanwhile JD and Edgar overheard Arlan yelling out, "JD, bait your shadow with [Echo] clones! Edgar, use [Thousand Needles] where your shadow is going to be, not where it's at!"

JD immediately created a [Echo] and confused his shadow twin. Edgar, with precise timing, launched a barrage of [Thousand Needles], predicting his shadow's movements and effectively striking it down. JD then swapped places with his [Echo] and struck his shadow twin down.

Arlan then turned his attention to Nightingale and Yuna, "Nightingale, Yuna, hold on! The others will assist you!" Understanding the situation, Nightingale and Yuna focused on defense, waiting for their teammates to finish their battles and come to their aid. As on cue, Marie, Chrysta, JD, and Edgar overwhelmed Nightingale and Yuna’s shadows. It was then Arlan gave everyone a signal with a nod to Marie.

It was time they played their trump card. Upon noticing that the doppelgangers were all defeated, Luther was now on the defensive against Arlan. But a triple-cast [Arcane Torrent] by Marie, Yuna and Chrysta.

This lowered Luther’s mana barrier just long enough for Edgar, Arlan and JD to make a three-pronged attack from all sides, slicing into the thick demonic hide covering Luther. A flurry of blood escaped but it wasn’t enough damage to kill Luther.

“ENOUGH!” yelled the Kaiser Baron as he pushed Edgar, Arlan and JD back fifteen meters each with a large boon of pure demonic mana.

“Now Arlan!” yelled JD as he recovered from the knockback.

The Immortal General dashed back in and brought down [Titanstrike] with over half of his current essence, this was over a hundred times the amount of required essence to activate the ability. The potency of the attack was unheard of multiple a hundredfold. And as the blacksteel claymore reached its apex, two voices rang out.

“LUTHERRR!”

“ARLANNN!”

The two cried out each other’s names as Luther prepared to receive the attack with Godsbane. Arlan’s blacksteel claymore had moved so fast that there was a flash but no explosion or sound. The unexpected struck instead, both sides surprised and shocked at the outcome. Arlan’s blacksteel claymore had finally shattered while cleaving through but… So did Luther’s Godsbane.

“How?! Is this possible?!” cried Luther as Godsbane began to turn to dust.

Luther fell to his knees, drenched in his own blood that was now colored black. He held onto the hilt of Godsbane until it withered away into dust.

Before Luther could respond, Arlan raised his blacksteel claymore, which still had a portion of the blade on it and swung at Luther to claim his head. Luther stood back up and prepared to receive the blow.

“My liege!” cried out Sophia, “Behind Luther! It’s Moradon!”

As Sophia called out, Arlan’s attack was deflected by a mana barrier before he could kill Luther. The Immortal General could see Moradon smiling over Luther’s shoulder while channeling a high density demonic barrier. Arlan kept swinging into the mana barrier but couldn’t penetrate it.

“Damnit!” cursed Arlan under his breath for being so close.

“Large surge of mana is coming in from behind you, my king!” warned Sophia.

Arlan sidestepped a great distance using a wind spell and behind him was a large ray that was similar to the one fired by the Intaratis Cannon, but much smaller in size. It had hit Luther directly. Arlan turned to see Yuna, Marie, and Chrysta standing together and channeling their mana into another triple cast [Oblivion Surge].

The destructive ray disintegrated everything in its path and only stopped when it hit the stone tower beyond the battlements. But still standing was Luther and Moradon.

“You’ve become quite the annoyance, Ms Marie Balan,” admitted Moradon slyly.

“I’ll kill them all, Moradon,” added Luther, “I swear!”

“Oh I’m sure you will, Luther,” replied Moradon, “Just after I do this.”

Confused, Luther turned around and asked, “Do what-”

A loud scream perforated the area. A large needle device the size of a kitchen knife was stabbed into Luther’s back. Arlan had figured Luther was now going to transform into a mindless beast like the others but… He didn’t.

Luther began to revert back to his normal self but the demonic horns on his head stayed. “What did you fucking do to me Moradon!?” asked Luther as he cried in agony.

“You wanted to become a demon… And this is the final catalyst, the Blood of Teufel, the Harbinger,” stated Moradon. “Be honored that you’ve been given this gift, Luther.”

Luther now understood and knelt before Moradon while a majority of his body reverted to its human state. The only remainder of his demonic form are his purple eyes, horns and black hair.

“Thank you Lord Moradon,” said Luther as he got up.

“Now, go and kill everyone else but bring me the Ashra alive,” ordered Moradon.

“Gladly,” answered Luther with his usual psychotic smile. Moradon then left through a blue portal and disappeared.

“Sophia! What is different about Luther?” asked Arlan as he dropped his broken blacksteel claymore.

“I… I don’t know, there’s nothing different!” answered Sophia.

“Fuck!” cursed Arlan under his breath as he prepared to receive Luther once more with no information on his abilities.

“Arlan! We’re with you!” yelled JD as he and the rest of the party formed up next to Arlan.

“Wait-Stop! Run!” protested Arlan.

But before any of them could respond, a gargantuan [Gravity Well] engulfed the ramparts they stood on. The spell would’ve easily flattened everyone, including the Banner of the Claw in the back but no would was being affected by the spell at all.

Arlan had deployed all of his essence and mana to protect everyone from the [Gravity Well]. His core was using more than it could produce so he was rapidly losing essence and mana.

“Arlan, you still choose to resist?” asked Luther as he intensified the spell to an eighth-tier potency.

“Fuck you!” answered Arlan, “I’m..I’m going to get them home!”

Sophia’s voice erupted inside Arlan as she could see what he was doing and protested, “My liege! You mustn’t! You’re taking away only your essence barrier, it’ll only be a matter of time before everyone dies!”

Arlan was reducing his own barrier to protect everyone else. His body was beginning to suffer the effects of the gravitational pull. Bones in his body were beginning to snap and break but Arlan’s [Blessing of the Crown] would revert his bones back, only to break once again. The pain was excruciating as Arlan let out cries of pain.

“Stop it! Arlan! We had just gotten you back!” protested JD as he was held to the ground, unable to move like the rest of everyone else.

Chrysta and Marie began to cry as they tried to get up and help Arlan but they couldn’t resist the gravitational pull as it intensified to a ninth-tier spell.

“You selfish son of a bitch!” protested Marie, “I can’t… I can’t fucking lose you again!”

Arlan ignored JD and Marie and continued to stand on his own legs as they kept breaking and realigning.

“Master Arlan! Please lower the essence barrier on me, allow me to die!” pleaded Nightingale as she helplessly watched Arlan agonize in pain every second. Blood started to spill out Arlan’s mouth as internal hemorrhaging flooded his insides while [Blessings of the Crown] continued to keep him alive.

“General! I’m the newest addition to the Banner of the Claw! Let me die for you instead!” stated Edgar.

Sophia’s voice emerged, “My King… At this rate, we’ll be depleted of all our essence in one minute. Captain Edgar has a point. If you let him die, you’ll free up enough essence for long enough for a gambit.”

Arlan thought to himself, “No… Not one more person under my command will die here.”

“Then what is it you propose we do?” asked Sophia.

The Immortal General continued to struggle making his way to Luther who mocked Arlan, “This is why I have no attachments to anyone like this. It makes you weak, it makes you an easy target.”

Arlan simply kept walking toward Luther with his head down. Everyone behind Arlan continued to plead not to do this. No one could see the pain on Arlan’s face as he felt his entire body rupture every second only to be healed and ruptured again.

Damn… Just shut up already. You’re all so annoying and loud right now.

“It's only a matter of time before you’re all dead,” stated Luther happily, “Your hero has chosen to prolong your inevitable deaths. He can’t make a decision on who to sacrifice. We knew this would be the outcome.”

I need a weapon… Wait, I still have the adamantium dagger.

Arlan dug into his belt and pulled out the adamantium dagger he got in Oreta. Barely holding on to it and nearly fumbling it the ground multiple times.

“You can barely hold that dagger, what makes you think it’ll even break through my barrier?”

Sophia noted, “My liege, forty seconds left.”

Luther intensified the [Gravity Well] to a ninth-tier potency and Arlan stumbled to the floor, his essence barrier nearly gone.

Tears streamed down Arlan's face, the intensity of the pain so overwhelming that it clouded his thoughts. Struggling to rise, he fell back onto his knees, a cry of agony escaping his lips as he felt his kneecaps cracking under the strain. The sight of Arlan's suffering held everyone in a grip of horror and sadness, his pained yells echoing through the battlefield, his face streaked with tears.

After enduring what seemed like an eternity, Arlan, through sheer willpower, managed to stagger to his feet. Gradually, a numbness began to dull the excruciating pain in his face and mind, allowing him a moment of respite in the midst of his torment.

“My liege,” added Sophia, “You will soon faint from the overwhelming pain, your body can no longer keep up.”

“Quiet Sophia,” replied Arlan.

Arlan stopped and dropped to one knee.

I’m going to faint… I can’t do this…

Another voice added itself, “That’s our captain! He beat ‘Boss’ without even drawing his sword…!”

Trent…? I can’t let him down…

“Look after my sister… and the men.”

Your sister is so damn proud of you.

Arlan got back up and resumed his step forward with tears streaming down his cheek. Luther simply grinned with a smug smile, claiming his victory over Arlan and the Banner of the Claw already.

"...Obviously the three bulls would win because we never clarified what type of phormic, right?"

Dimitri, you always made everyone laugh and smile so easily.

“Now let's drink! I've been waiting for this moment, Captain!”

Roderic… I wish I could’ve shared one more drink with you.

“Heathen…! Do you dare get in my way…? I’m Ralph Pennington. My father is a knight…”

Ralph, I wish we had been friends after you became an honorable man.

“I, Godbert Beaumont, formally challenge Arlan Reeve to a duel…”

Godbert… I’m so sorry that I couldn’t save you from your fate.

“...My name is Anthony Lira. I’m the leader of the Nymedes party....”

Anthony, if only you could see your little sister now. Fiala is one hell of a cleric.

“Fi-fi's words are wise. I smash enemy of General Arlan.”

Mahari only spoke a few words, but those few words were meaningful memories.

Arlan was now moving faster toward Luther, his essence barrier while at a minimal, was still holding on. Luther started to worry slightly and deployed a mana barrier, confident that Arlan wouldn’t be able to penetrate it.

“...You display not an ounce of fear… Even before the King of Midland… Remarkable, especially for a young boy like yourself?”

King Richard… You truly believed in me.

“My sister has taken a liking to you. Because of that, I think it's okay for you to be around her. But don’t expect it to last forever...”

Hector Hawkwell… We would’ve been so good on the battlefield fighting on the same side…

“You must be Arlan, my new nephew… I’ve heard of your ability to command, fight, and win battles. It’s impressive for someone so young as yourself.”

Uncle Daxton… I regret not being able to spend more time with you.

Arlan was now fighting his mind from fainting to the pain. While the pain didn’t get any better, it had become more bearable. Arlan could feel the hands of everyone he’s remembered so far pushing him from behind.

“Arlan, come to me if you ever need anything. The Reeves care for our own.”

I’ve learned so much from you Uncle Emile. Your wife and daughters will be proud.

“I accept! I won’t let you down, Captain… Is it true that you’re the only student to score perfectly across five different trials…? Arlan, I’d follow you to hell and back…”

You were one hell of a friend Noah… Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you.

“I’m Iris Hawkwell, a first-year also… Amazing, the way you move and fight. It’s incredible… Come on Arlan! Let’s dance… You’ve got a lot of guts sneaking in here… I’m surprised Hector let you stay… Promise you’ll come back to Lancel High Academy…”

I could’ve saved you if I was just stronger… I’ll never forget you, Iris. You must’ve been in so much pain, fighting me against your own will.

There was only fifteen seconds left before Arlan’s essence would deplete. With only a few more steps away, Luther increased the intensity of his [Gravity Well] to a tenth-tier spell. Arlan could feel even his mithril armor start to dent in places from the pressure.

Once more, Arlan dropped to one knee from the powerful gravity magic paired with the demonic mana infusion. It was just too much for the Immortal General to handle.

“My King! Ten seconds!” yelled Sophia.

"My apologies, General Arlan. We were not expecting you today."

“Captain, look after my family will you?”

“General Arlan, I wasn’t aware that it was you.”

"We were ready to lay down our lives because we believe in your abilities to end all wars."

“Don't forget us… and carry our names with you. Make our sacrifices worthwhile…"

I promise that every one of you from the Banner of the Claw who has laid down your lives for the cause will never be forgotten. I will bring peace across Midland.

Mustering all his strength within his heart, Arlan stood up on both feet once more.

“Impossible… How the? What the fuck are you?!” asked Luther dumbfounded at what he was seeing.

He couldn’t believe Arlan still managed to walk. Arlan gritted his teeth, bleeding profusely now from his eyes, mouth and nose. The strength he carried to continue and not let anyone down pushed every fiber of his body to continue stepping forward.

Then when his strength was beginning to wane once more… A familiar female voice called out to him… He recalled the last thing she said to him.

“Ar… You can do it. I always knew you could. I will always love you.”

Miss Petrah… Today is the day that I can finally avenge you. That I can finally lay you to rest. I can do this..! I CAN do this…! I… I CAN… I CAN DO THIS!

Arlan’s entire body shot up rigid and his face locked onto Luther. Crimson red eyes emerged and out came an unstoppable force of death walking through what was perceived as an impossible obstacle to overcome. Luther froze with fear and was paralyzed. He no longer recognized Arlan.

The Immortal General pushed the adamantium dagger into the mana barrier, what would’ve been deflected is now being pushed forth against the mana shield. It reverberated kinetic force through Arlan’s constantly breaking arms, adding even more pain.

As Arlan kept pushing, he looked down at the adamantium dagger and saw ethereal hands one by one start pushing the dagger with him. It was everyone who's died so far. He felt even more hands pushing him from behind.

Arlan wasn’t the only one who saw this, everyone saw the ethereal mana and essence manifest to push forward. Pieces of everyone lingered within Arlan’s heart and the Avens power bridged them over allowing them this one last chance to help Arlan. Luther was still paralyzed and confused at what was happening with the ethereal ghosts of the people who Arlan had lost standing behind him or next to him.

Then, the voices of everyone behind him rang out.

"Destroy him, Arlan!" screamed a Heracul Knight, his armor clanking with excitement.

"You've come this far, Arlan! Don't waver now!" Edgar roared, clenching his spear.

"I believe in you, Arlan!" Yuna screamed outloud.

"Show him the might of the Immortal General!" Nightingale yelled.

"You're our last hope, Arlan!" Fiala shouted, her hands clasped in prayer.

"Finish it for all of us General Arlan! For everything we've fought for!" called out a Vanguard soldier.

“Arlan! YOU WILL FINISH THIS!" cried out Chrysta, JD and Marie.

Then a special voice from his memory played as if she was with him, “Despite what the future may hold, I’ll always stand by your side because… I love you, Arlan."

“Five seconds left, my king!” noted Sophia.

The mana barrier began to crack. With Arlan’s strength, his new found power, the memories of those gone manifesting to help and the encouragement of his allies, the mana barrier finally… broke.

“Two seconds left!” noted Sophia.

Arlan immediately grabbed Luther by the hair and shoved his adamantium dagger upward into Luther’s head from below the jaw. As soon as Luther’s life faded, the tenth-tier [Gravity Well] faded. The spirits of the fallen then faded away once more.

Everyone else immediately got up and ran over to Arlan who had just collapsed from deathly exhaustion, his muscles were torn and bruised to the point that his [Blessings of the Crown] was struggling to heal his body properly.

“Arlan!” yelled everyone.

JD ran over and held his best friend closely. With tears streaming down his eyes, JD shouted out, “Arlan, you did it! You fucking DID IT! The war is finally over!”

Everyone else was shouting, cheering and celebrating but Arlan couldn’t hear any of it once again.

Maybe it's because I’m about to die, but I’m pretty sure they’re screaming in my face and I cannot hear them. It's… it's finally over. Wait… Is that… Is that who I think it is?

Arlan looked past in the distance of everyone surrounding him and he could see the ethereal forms of the spirits who helped him. He saw everyone who he heard in his memories… But he saw Iris and Hector smiling and waving at him. They were with him pushing him to walk through the whole ordeal.

Then he saw Miss Petrah and Noah waving… It broke his heart that despite ending the war, the price they had paid to do so was immense.

Arlan barely managed to move his arms over his eyes and he started to cry like a child in front of everyone. All of the adrenaline within his body had been numbing his emotions and they finally caught up to him. Arlan’s eyes were shut as Fiala’s healing wasn’t working.

Yeah I’m pretty sure I’m gonna…

The remainder of the Stonemar-Reeve banners and the Royal Army finally caught up and joined the Banner of the Claw in securing the remainder of Eisanyr. An hour after Arlan had awoken from his curse, Duke Frank was able to wipe out the last rebels in Levencourt.

On the 9th Day of the 13th Month, 1243 Mundeas, the War of the Great houses had ended finally.