After a few days of traveling.
They reach a large forest filled with ruins.
They go in and start navigating through the forest taking down any monsters along the way. Eventually they get to a gate that leads to the city. Art and Lutin stop in their place, as they see a big brown bear, its body wounded and strange dark aura spills out of it, its tail is two black snakes. Lutin says.
"That must be the [Everrao Guardian], it used to allow peaceful people to go into the city. But now, its mind and body has been corrupted by [Terror]"
Art asks.
"The hell is that?"
Lutin answers.
"See the weird aura coming from it, It's old and forbidden magic. Long ago someone named [Agaris] existed, he created the terror. It's like dark magic, but it slowly takes control of one's mind and body. Turning them into basically puppets. Not long after that, he fell into his own spell and was said to be sealed away from this world. But seeing the Terror here means the seal has been weakened."
Art says.
"Well, we won't know if he fully got out unless we go into the city. Come on, we have to fight it"
Art and Lutin come out of hiding and stand in front of the Guardian, it looks at them with its dark eyes and lets out a loud roar and starts charging at them.
Art uses the ring and it becomes a sword.
Art dodges it, it turns back and slams its paw on the ground. Art backs off and throws a fireball at its face. It starts flailing its head around while screaming. Art try's to strike its back, but the snakes bite his sword, the Guardian gets on its hind legs and try's to crush Art with its back . Art quickly uses wind magic and launch's himself away from it, while switching his weapon into a scythe.
The Guardian gets back on its hind legs and starts attacking everywhere. Art tells Lutin.
"Go to the snakes and distract them!. I got a plan"
Lutin goes to the snakes and starts flying around them. Art grabs a large piece of debris and launch's it at high speed. It crashes into the Guardian's face. Causing it to fall down on its face. Art rushes towards it and slides on its back. He uses his scythe and cuts the snakes that have been tangled by Lutin. The Guardian try's to get up, only for Art to quickly turns around and slides under it and slices its stomach open. It collapses one last time. Art turns around, switchs his weapon into a hammer and smashes its head into a pile of meat. Lutin says.
"Lets go!. We took out the guardian"
Both of them high five each other and Art says.
"Come on, Lets head into the city"
They both walk through the gate. They start walking through the ruined streets that have been taken over by the terror. Large plants covering the ruined buildings.
Homes collapsed, strange monsters lurking almost everywhere, dead corpses reanimated back. Art keeps slicing and killing through any monsters in standing in his way. Lutin says.
"Unbelievable, is this….really the great everrao?"
Art says.
"There's barely anything left"
They keep walking and fighting their way through until they reach a large hollowed out spiral tower. It's covered in vines and it is falling apart. They both walk inside...silence, the only sound they're hearing is the wind blowing through the cracks of the tower.
Suddenly a colossal sword falls from above and stabs into the ground it's a little smaller than Art. They both stop in their place. A tall figure falls from above and lands closely to the sword. Art's eyes widen up and Lutin's body starts shaking in fear. The figure, a knight in chipped and rusted down armor, his left arm is completely torn off and his body is leaking the same dark aura as the Guardian's. The front of his helmet is open, yet his face is completely swallowed by the terror. A large red plume rests on top of the helmet,its withered away with age. He is panting and turns to Art and says with a tired voice.
"Young one, i *cough* beg you to leave, i….soon will lose my…mind. To him. To their king."
Art try's to speak, but he is unable due to shock. The knight is suddenly surrounded by the terror. He grabs his blade and and spins around with it being still in the ground. He the leans to the right, with his right leg kneeled halfway down and his left leg spread into the other side. He rests his blade on his back and lets out a terrifying roar. As the battle begins against.
[Haliger's blessing, Sir Artorais]
Artorais rushes towards Art and slams his blade onto Art's. Art blocks it with everything he got. Artorais violently strikes multiple times and the backs off with a spin kick, sending Art flying through the Arena. Art quickly readjusts himself. He looks forward and Artorais is gone.
Lutin suddenly yells "above you!!!" Art looks up and see Artorais in the air. Artorais lands a downward strike. Art gets pushed into the ground, the ground around him starts to shake and break. Lutin blinds Artorais, causing him to back off. Art closes the distance and both of them start clashing. Art backs off and uses [Flame spear], he throws it at Artorais. Artorais swipes it away with his sword. He then stabs his sword into the ground and creates a dust cloud around himself. Suddenly his sword comes flying from above. Art gets ready to block. He notices from the edge of his left eye. Artorais running up the wall and jumps off of it and kicks his sword down to Art. Art blocks the sword, but Artorais lands and rushes to Art's leg and grabs it. He starts slamming Art around and ends it in a kick. Art is sent rolling into the other side of the arena, he adjusts himself and looks at Artorais. Artorais grabs his sword and poses with his sword, half of his face is covered from it. Dark aura starts surrounding him and an explosion goes off around him. He leaps into the air and strikes down, he then continues with multiple strong strikes, but Art retaliates with his own. They both keep striking, one after the other, each strike sending shockwaves through the tower.
Art with all his power deflects Artorais's last strike. Stabs him in the chest, the blade goes through Artorais's heart. Everything pauses. As Artorais's blade falls out of his hand, stabbing the ground. He lets out one last, not a roar but a scream, filled with agony and pain yet deep down in that scream is relief. Artorais falls to the ground, his body slowly fading away. Leaving nothing but a bright soul behind.
Both Art and Lutin collapse into the ground.
Lutin says.
"How is he so strong?. Even though he's practically half dead"
Art says.
"I dunno, maybe that's the strength of a blessing?"
Lutin says "Maybe" and goes up to Artorais's soul and seals it. He then puts it away and says.
"There's a chance that we might need it. Who knows"
Art says.
"Lets take our breath for now. We'll keep going once we are fully rested"
As both him and Lutin rest. Not knowing what awaits them ahead.
END OF CHAPTER