Chapter 82: The Last Stand

The golden sands, dormant but pulsating with residual energy, rose like a defiant tide. The cracks in the ground widened, spewing jagged bursts of light that illuminated the destruction around them. Ryuto stood at the door of the crumbling town hall, his sword glowing faintly as he faced the growing chaos.

Inside, Celeste sat cross-legged on the floor, her staff planted firmly before her. Her lips moved in a silent incantation, and her entire body glowed with a soft golden light as she poured her remaining strength into purging the remnants of the Lady's magic. The air around her shimmered with tension, and beads of sweat rolled down her pale face.

"Hold the line," Edwin barked, his voice sharp and commanding as he stepped up beside Ryuto. His sword gleamed in the fading light, a beacon of strength against the encroaching darkness. "We can't let anything interrupt her."