Momentous Loss

The wall at the ramparts lay shattered, a jagged scar through the once-solid stone, and through it the dominant fragment of Thaurach had poured. Black ichor slicked its massive, twisted form, limbs bending at unnatural angles, and eyes glowing with a grief and fury that chilled the blood of anyone who saw them. Around it, minions swarmed like a tide, clawing and biting. They shredded whatever dared stand in their path. The air was thick with smoke, the acrid scent of burning wood and blood mixing in a heavy fog.

Seren moved like a whirlwind through the battlefield, Barkley leaping at his side. The wolf’s teeth snapped at the corrupted spirits, while Seren’s sword ignited with his spirit magic, Earth spikes coiling around the blade as he struck. Each swing was precise, tempered with calculated rage, cutting down the minions even as he fought the growing tide.

“Noel! Cover the southern flank! I can hold this side!” Seren shouted, glancing back.

Noel gripped his staff tightly, stepping forward into the chaos. He chanted the special words he and Akari had practiced, a vibration of sound that sent arcs of purifying energy rippling along the frozen ground.

“Eternal Flame, Guide Our Bond!”

Sparks of light traced the motion of his staff, forming wards and barriers that pushed back the oncoming minions. Though he could not heal the injured, his guidance and magic kept the soldiers from being completely overrun. Mira’s cries cut through the chaos as she staggered forward, wounded but still trying to move supplies and assist where she could.

A sudden scream pierced the air. Ryoshin lunged to shield Mira from a rushing corrupted minion. The force threw her off her feet, and despite her efforts, the spirit struck true. Mira fell, battered but alive, as Ryoshin crumpled, her body broken in the snow-streaked courtyard. Noel’s mind clenched in horror, but there was no time to grieve; the battlefield demanded every ounce of focus.

Branek shouted, diving between Noel and a swarm of minions that had slipped past the front lines. He parried and struck, keeping the creatures at bay, but a massive claw caught him mid-motion. His eyes widened in shock, and then he crumpled, lifeless, leaving Noel’s side exposed.

“Seren!” Caldris roared, intercepting Thaurach, who lunged at his friend. Magic flared in his hands, a wall of force and blasts of raw energy pushing the creature back, but it was not enough. The god’s claws tore through him, and he fell beside the shattered eastern wall, eyes meeting Seren’s briefly with an unspoken apology before his life faded to nothing.

Lysandra’s hands shook violently as she cast her spells, her face pale and wet with sweat. Minions clawed at her wards, and though she repelled them, the cost was clear. A jagged scar across her shoulder and a gash along her arm reminded her - and everyone nearby - that no one was untouchable. Mira staggered to her side, breathing heavily, a shallow cut across her cheek. They shared a brief glance, exhaustion and fear mirrored in one another’s eyes.

Amid the chaos, Thaurach loomed larger, its monstrous form moving with both intent and fury. Soldiers fell around it, their screams drowned in the roar of battle. Its black ichor leaked, sizzling against the frost-covered stones, painting everything in grotesque streaks. Noel’s eyes narrowed, staff raised high, chanting steadily as waves of purifying energy radiated outward.

Akari stepped forward, her paws gripping the frozen ground, eyes locked on the enormous creature. “Noel… I can’t let it keep hurting anyone else,” she murmured, voice trembling but resolute.

“No - Akari, wait!” Noel shouted, his staff thrumming as he repeated the sacred chant. Runes glowed along its length, forming protective barriers that surged into the fragment’s minions, keeping them at bay while Akari focused on the heart of the corrupted being. He moved with deliberate precision, weaving his wards and attacks to shield her, his voice echoing the power of the chant.

Akari reached toward the creature, speaking in a voice that resonated beyond mere sound.

“Remember who you are… you are not this… you are Thaurach, not this corruption! Where is the regal ice? Where is my rival, my brother, my other half?!”

Her magic wrapped around the spirit, probing for any trace of consciousness, any spark of the being it once was. Thaurach shuddered, struggling, thrashing with power, but Akari held firm, voice and will entwined with magic.

Noel advanced alongside her, staff tracing sigils in the air, the chant flowing through him in time with the rhythm of Akari’s power. Minions crashed against their wards, sparks flying from the staff’s tip, but Noel refused to yield. Every second, he saw the toll on Akari. Her body trembled, energy draining as she poured herself into the purifying spell. Flames of her spirit magic danced along the creature, black ichor hissing as it burned away.

“Hold on… please,” Noel whispered, voice cracking, as he continued chanting, staff glowing with white-hot runes. Akari pressed on, energy searing through her. The fragment’s monstrous cries filled the air, and for the first time, a silence cut through the din - a silence weighted with pain and the struggle of a god’s fragment.

Finally, the black ichor began to dissipate, curling into smoke and ash as Akari’s magic fully enveloped it. The massive form shrank, twisted limbs crumbling under the purifying energy. Akari’s breath came in ragged gasps, eyes half-lidded, body sagging from the effort.

Noel lunged forward, reaching for her as she toppled to the snow. “Akari!” he cried, heart breaking, hands clutching her little fox form. She slumped into the frozen ground, energy spent, eyes barely fluttering open.

Noel pressed close, warmth radiating, still chanting softly to maintain the wards and protect their position, but the world seemed to hold its breath. Around them, the battlefield suddenly came to an end when Thaurach disappeared. But there were bodies strewn, cries echoing - but all he could focus on was Akari.

Her tail twitched weakly, ears flattened, and a soft, almost imperceptible sigh escaped her. Her magic faded, leaving her still and pale, the weight of her sacrifice hanging over the frozen courtyard.

Noel’s eyes filled with horror and disbelief. “No… Akari…” His voice cracked as he lowered his head, pressing against her, praying silently with his staff in hand, feeling helpless as the purifying magic drained the last of her life force.