Chapter 20: The Shadows

*JAFET*

After confirming the order Aetherius had given, everyone started to move. The women grabbed the smaller children, and the men carried the elders who couldn't run. "Damián, go with them along with the healer, take some mages with you, and keep the rescued children safe; they must return to their parents," I ordered Damián, and he simply nodded. I turned back to fight against the Wave and saw everyone running towards the bridge.

Well, at least reinforcements aren't taking long to arrive, I thought to myself. "Keep fighting; we need to buy time until help arrives," I shouted to the other mages remaining with me. Spells started firing one after another, while I launched huge fireballs and killed monsters with my mace. It had been 2 hours since the Wave arrived, and we realized that a superior Fenrir was controlling them, so we decided to initiate evacuation.

Ten minutes passed, then twenty, thirty, forty, and an hour passed. I felt relieved as the others were far enough from the danger zone, but my body was starting to tire. I was holding back a bear with my mace when another, larger bear appeared behind me. Just as it was about to strike, it stopped, and then split in two. Swiftly, I finished off the bear I was holding.

Looking back, I saw the darn kid Aetherius behind the bear's corpse. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with the others heading towards the bridge?" I shouted furiously, knowing a child shouldn't be here. "You're welcome for saving you. As for your question, I must apologize; I couldn't leave behind those who saved me and my sister," Therius replied with a smile on his face.

I also noticed the kid was wielding a scythe, an uncommon weapon. I scrutinized him and saw his body start to glow with static, then he moved towards the next bear to our left. Wow, that was impressive, I thought to myself.

I gave up trying to make him leave, "Fine, I'll take your word for it. Since you're staying, help us however you can. When you're tired, seek shelter; help is on the way," I told him, and he simply nodded. He made several moves with his weapon, using his entire body, then released a black lightning bolt, annihilating a pack of wolves.

I chuckled at seeing what the kid was capable of. So, I followed his lead, and we began reducing the numbers, while other mages took over as they grew tired.

After half an hour, a roar echoed in the distance, and we all turned to where the noise came from. There was the Fenrir, atop a mountain to our right.

Therius looked at me, and I at him. "Take care of this place; the kid and I will see if we can buy some time with the Fenrir," I shouted, seeing no objections. They only responded, "Let's go, kid, keep up," I told Therius as we headed towards it.

*****

*AETHERIUS*

After separating from the group evacuating and leaving Elowen with Damián, I quickly enveloped my body with lightning, and static surged through me as I swiftly made my way to the village. I saw a couple of bears clustered together and quickly disposed of them. In front of me, I saw Jafet fighting to hold off a bear with his mace. Then, I noticed another bear appear behind him and swiftly propelled myself towards it before it could strike the leader.

After dispatching the bear, Jafet turned and scolded me, "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with the others heading towards the bridge?" he shouted, knowing I shouldn't be there. "You're welcome for saving you. As for your question, I must apologize; I couldn't leave behind those who saved me and my sister," I responded with a smile. I then spotted another bear and quickly surrounded myself with static before going after it.

It seemed he gave up trying to make me leave, "Fine, I'll take your word for it. Since you're staying, help us however you can. When you're tired, seek shelter; help is on the way," he said, to which I nodded in response. I saw a pack of wolves and, spinning my weapon, I launched a black lightning bolt, which should have been white. Then we began eliminating them one by one, with other mages taking over as they grew tired.

A loud roar made all monsters freeze, and we all turned to the source of the noise: it was the superior Fenrir atop a mountain to the right. The Fenrir was easily about 30 meters tall. Jafet and I exchanged glances and nodded. "Take care of this place; the kid and I will see if we can buy some time with the Fenrir," Jafet shouted, seeing no objections. They only responded, "Let's go, kid, keep up," he told me as we headed towards it.

It took us a few minutes to reach the Fenrir, which had jumped over us. When its paws touched the ground, metal spikes emerged from the ground. Jafet and I quickly dodged the spikes. I was surprised by how much my senses had improved after accepting what the shadow had proposed. Jafet and I charged towards the Fenrir, but it dodged his attacks, and even his fire magic didn't do much damage.

I swiftly enveloped my body in more static until lightning bolts started emanating from me. Once again, I felt my body glow, and the lightning that should have been white turned black around me. I lunged at the Fenrir, performing several magic attacks, but only a few landed, and they didn't make much difference.

We began moving in unison, able to sense each other's movements. A metal spike managed to wound Jafet's side as he avoided the spikes. The Fenrir then lunged at Jafet, seeing his moment of vulnerability. Quickly, I launched a black lightning bolt at its direction, making it recoil and stunned by the blow. "Boss, move from there before it recovers," I shouted forcefully, he only nodded and moved next to me. "Thanks for that, kid, you saved me," he thanked me as he positioned himself again to charge against the Fenrir.

"Don't worry, I told you, I'll help those who helped me," I smiled wearily. I felt like I was running out of energy after a long time of fighting. "Therius, are you okay?" Jafet asked me. "Yes, boss, just not used to prolonged fights," I replied, while my arm started to ache from the strain.

Apparently, the effect of the power that had been lent to me was starting to fade. Smiling, I began to channel all my body with my magic, which started to turn black, and the pressure was so much that I started to break the ground where I was standing, even Jafet started to charge his body like me.

His hair began to flow like fire, and he looked at me, "Kid, are you okay?" he asked. "Yes, why'd you ask?" I returned the question. "Nothing, it's just that your hair started turning white, and your eyes started turning red," he said with concern. I was surprised when he said that, and shadows like fire started to emerge from my feet, spreading to my arm and leg, which were the ones in bad shape.

The world stopped again. Kid, apparently, the remnants of magic I left in you began to mix with your leg and arm, along with your magic, so make use of that and hurry up; help is near, the voice said, and everything returned to normal. "Alright, let's go," I finished charging my magic and ran towards the Fenrir.

We moved at an odd speed, making my leg tremble from the pressure I exerted when jumping. Jafet and I dealt the final blow, my scythe enveloped in black lightning and shadows emerging from it like fire, Jafet's fire turned redder, metal spikes emerged from the ground and others from above like rain.

I felt the strange pressure from the last time on the mountain again, apparently emanating from the Fenrir. Jafet took care of the spikes on the ground, and I took care of the ones above. We quickly charged towards the Fenrir, landing the blows and making it fall. However, due to all the pressure in my body, my leg started to hurt, and my arm screamed in pain since it was the only thing that benefited the most from the magic.

I fell backward, and Jafet caught me. "That was excellent, kid; you did great," Jafet said, laughing tiredly. "We did it, boss," I told him while in his arms. Then, we felt the presence of the Fenrir again, and we were frightened because we were supposed to have finished it, but it wasn't so. It stood up, and its fangs turned into metal, thin spikes emerged from its back, and it charged towards us. Jafet covered me with his body, and I heard a familiar scream.

The voice shouted a word that made me laugh, "HONEY!"