The first wave of evil cultivators crashed against Miguel's allies like a tide of darkness. The Forest Keepers called up walls of thorns and roots, slowing the attackers while the Water Aswang sent surges of water to push them back.
"Stay focused!" Kiko shouted, his body shifting into solid wood as he held back three evil cultivators at once. "Each of us uses our cultivation to support the others!"
The Volcano Keepers unleashed waves of protective flame, their obsidian skin impervious to the enemy's attacks. "We hold the center!" their leader, Dante's old friend Kapitan Aris, roared. "Let no one pass!"
The Plains Keepers shifted into massive boars, tigers, and eagles, striking at the flanks of the evil army. The Wind Aswang moved like ghosts through the battlefield, disarming enemies and rescuing wounded allies.
Miguel moved with the grace of a star, his Enlightenment nodes allowing him to sense every movement on the field. He appeared beside Maya as she was surrounded, his hands glowing with golden light. "Let's show them what balance can do," he said.
Together, they wove water and pure energy into a shield that pushed back a dozen attackers. Lia dove from the sky, her wings creating a vortex that scattered the enemy ranks. Rene called down streams of starlight that healed wounds and strengthened their allies' resolve.
But the evil leader watched from above, absorbing the energy of fallen cultivators—both friend and foe. "Fools," he hissed, growing larger with every life he took. "Every death makes me stronger!"
Miguel knew he couldn't wait any longer. "Hold the line!" he called to his friends. "I'll face him alone!"