Chapter 66

Xain and the black knight looked around at the chaos that was unfolding. Eirisse persistently hurled her blood towards Ercale, who defended himself with a lightning shield. Lennix lay on the ground, enduring excruciating pain, his right leg missing up to his knee, while Clarissa, battered and damaged, turned her gaze towards Xain and the black knight.

As Xain processed the chaos, his attention was abruptly drawn to Zee engaged in a duel against Karin. Confusion echoed in his mind. *What the heck is she doing here!? And why is she fighting Zee!?* Xain pondered the unexpected presence of Karin in the conflict. The black knight swiftly moved to protect Clarissa from further harm.

Due to the clattering noises produced by the black knight's armor in his rush to Clarissa, Eirisse and Ercale both became aware of their arrivals, including Xain's. "Well, well, it looks like I'm outnumbered again," Eirisse remarked, halting her assault on Ercale and leaping backward to position herself at a distance.

Ercale, finally, dropped his shield and turned to the black knight. "Help me take her down!" he commanded, and the black knight, acknowledging the order, charged toward Eirisse. Before engaging her, however, he conjured a shadow duplicate that mirrored his form, stationed protectively near Clarissa.

Meanwhile, Xain's attention remained captivated by the intense duel between Zee and Karin, both vying for dominance. Faced with uncertainty on how to contribute to the ongoing battle, Xain recalled a crucial detail, prompting him to look around again as he noticed Mari peacefully sleeping in the middle of the chaos, directly below the fountain's power mechanism, positioned within what to him seemed to be a ritual circle. In response, Xain rushed towards her.

The black knight conjured a great sword made of shadow, and swung it down towards Eirisse with a powerful two-handed swing. Eirisse, showcasing her agility even with one foot, elegantly sidestepped the powerful swing. Seizing the opportunity, Ercale unleashed a lightening bolt towards Eirisse, who, acknowledging her inability to dodge, raised her right hand to shield herself. The lightning surged through her hand, leaving it charred and emitting the acrid scent of burnt flesh.

Unfazed by the injury, Eirisse quipped, "How unfair." In response, the black knight swiftly swung the shadowy sword upward, intending to catch her off guard. However, Eirisse, displaying her cunning, dodged towards him, strategically positioning the black knight as a barrier between herself and Ercale. Ercale, however, didn't care as he stopped on the ground, channeling lightning through the ground towards Eirisse. Quick to react, she evaded the electrifying surge, prompting her to jest, "How many more tricks do you have hidden up your sleeve?" Ercale, maintaining his composure, responded, "More than you can fathom," as both he and the black knight prepared for another round of attacks.

Xain, reaching the ritual circle, attempted to step into it, only to be met with a surge of red electricity coursing through his body. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he persisted, trying to enter the circle, but the electricity intensified, forcibly propelling him away. As he staggered back to his feet, he muttered, "What the heck?" He wanted to get Mari to safety, no he needed to get Mari to safety not only to protect her but also to prevent Eirisse from evolving.

With the clock ticking towards 8 o'clock, Xain knew time was running out. Amidst the chaos, the clash of blades caught Xain's attention, and he turned to witness the ongoing battle between Zee and Karin. Doubts swirled in his mind as he contemplated Karin's involvement. *Is she being controlled?* he wondered. Despite scrutinizing her appearance, Karin didn't exhibit the typical signs of mind control, and her ability to keep pace with Zee suggested otherwise. *She's a thrall,* Xain concluded, watching intently as Karin swung the weighted metal ball attached to her weapon's handle towards Zee's skull. In a swift maneuver, Zee evaded the attack, countering with a dagger slash towards Karin's thigh. Demonstrating her skill, Karin skillfully blocked the strike with the chain of her weapon, subsequently wrapping it around Zee's hand before delivering a precise kick to the gut.

Zee gasped in pain as Karin gained the upper hand in their battle. Karin, finally getting the advantage in the fight, pressed her advantage by swiftly yanking down Zee's hand with the chain, delivering a powerful knee to her chin. Zee's head snapped backwards from the hit as she dropped her dagger, disorientated from the hit, and fell to the ground. With a triumphant smile, Karin taunted, "What's wrong? Can't keep up with me anymore, elf?" She looked down at Zee, who, despite the pain, attempted to reach for her dagger with her free hand.

Karin cruelly stepped on Zee's hand, preventing her from retrieving the weapon. "Like I'll let you get that," Karin sneered as she unwrapped the chain from Zee's hand. With a menacing intent, Karin raised the blade of her weapon, preparing to deliver a lethal strike to Zee's neck. However, just as she was about to swing, a sudden rush of movement caught her attention. Reacting instinctively, she swung her weapon behind her, narrowly missing the attacker, who just barely evaded the lethal slash and assumed a defensive stance.

Zee struggled to maintain consciousness, her vision blurry and head pounding. She weakly mumbled, "Xain?" as she saw him assuming a fighting stance against Karin. With a reassuring smile, Xain glanced down at her. "Don't fight her, she's dangerous..." Zee managed to mumble before succumbing to unconsciousness.

Karin, looking at Xain with confusion, then recalled, "You must be the real one, right?" Xain, his eyes filled with hatred, took his gaze off the unconscious Zee to look at Karin. "I don't know why you're doing this, but I do know that no parent should just let their child die!" he declared, his eyes reflecting raw, unbridled Hatred.