Chapter 35: Shadows

This was Selina's first time in an actual battlefield, she was nervous and scared as fuck. The battlefield was chaotic, blood and demon goo getting flung everywhere. The knights eventually got off their horses and the animals were safe guarded by others. Selina stuck closely to Reinhart, helping out when she could.

Selina looked up and saw…it. The mysterious man, he was riding on a demon in the sky. The eerie figure was clad in a flowing cloak that concealed most of his form. His face was obscured by an intricate mask, its surface dark and smooth except for the faint engravings of something ancient. He snapped his finger, the sound echoing through the battleground, causing most of them to look up. The demons stopped fighting and retreated back. They were switching formations, grouping up instead of mindlessly spreading around. 

The knights stayed still; they obviously couldn't charge in blindly. The demons also stayed still, waiting for the humans to make the first move. The humans switched to long range, hurling steaming water, sending shockwaves through the ground, blasting fire, but it only did a bit of damage. The monsters had magic resistance and the toughest demons were up front, protecting the smaller creatures behind them while absorbing most of the damage. 

Selina swallowed hard, gripping the dagger at her waist. Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched the battlefield turn into a deadly standstill. The humans hesitated, their attacks barely scratching the enemy's front lines.

The masked man remained eerily still, observing from his perched position. Then, as if growing bored, he raised his hand once more.

A pulse of dark energy erupted from his palm. The ground trembled beneath them as an unseen force swept across the battlefield. The weaker knights staggered, some collapsing to one knee as the oppressive energy weighed on their bodies. Even Reinhart gritted her teeth, bracing herself against the suffocating force.

Selina gasped, struggling to breathe under the sheer pressure of it.

"Don't falter!" Troye's voice cut through the battlefield, his sharp command breaking through the panic. He raised his sword, a brilliant golden glow surrounding him as he resisted the force.

Noah was quick to react, slamming his palm into the ground. A burst of wind magic surged outward, counteracting the heavy pressure, giving the knights enough room to breathe.

The masked man tilted his head, as if intrigued. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he extended his hand and pointed, directly at Selina.

Her blood ran cold.

Before she could react, the ground beneath her cracked open. A surge of shadows erupted, clawing toward her like writhing tendrils.

"Amelia!" Noah yelled, already lunging forward.

Reinhart was faster. In one swift motion, she shoved Selina aside and brought her flaming blade down, severing the shadowy tendrils before they could grab hold.

Selina hit the ground, coughing from the impact. She barely had time to process what happened before Reinhart pulled her back onto her feet.

The monsters then lunged forward, using the momentary distraction to attack once more. It wasn't every monster for itself, the weaker groups of demons had a stronger one to protect them. Reinhart was hacking down creatures one by one, along with Troye, Noah, and everyone else. Selina simply worked as support, boosting Reinhart when necessary, and occasionally hurling ranged attacks. 

Meanwhile, while no one was paying attention, the strange man grasped at his chest and puked up blood. The dark attack he fired up earlier with seemingly ease ate at him.

Well, the strange man thought that no one was paying attention, but Selina was. She felt a weird…familiarity when she first glanced at him. Selina was helping whenever she could with support, but she was weak and her mana capacity wasn't enough for an actual battle. With Reinhart's protection, she was able to recuperate every once in a while, and she took that opportunity to fully grasp the situation, the situation that was caused by that man.

"Reinhart, I have an idea." Selina turned to Reinhart who was covered in dark gunk.

Reinhart slashed forward, cleanly decapitating a demon

"Make it quick."

"I'll use my wind magic to send you up and you deal with that guy."

"You have to much belief in me. I can't deal with that much power." Reinhart harshly declines.

"No! He's weak right now, I saw him cough up blood. The attack was everything he head."

"And what if it isn't?! What will you do then?" 

Selina hesitated. She didn't have an answer to that. But something deep in her gut told her this was the best chance they had. If they let him recover, if they let him keep controlling the battlefield like this, things would only get worse.

Reinhart clicked her tongue, slicing down another demon before glancing up at the masked man. He hadn't moved from his spot, but his hand trembled slightly as he wiped the blood from his lips.

"You're sure about this?" Reinhart asked, her voice firm.

Selina clenched her fists. "Yes."

Reinhart exhaled sharply. "…Fine. You get one shot."

Selina nodded, stepping back to focus. Selina could feel the strain in her chest, her control over the wind magic shaky. With a breathless push of her hands, a gust of air surged beneath Reinhart's feet, lifting her into the air.

Reinhart bent her knees and jumped the second the wind surged. The force of it shot her upward like a bullet, straight toward the masked man.

The stranger barely had time to react. Reinhart flipped midair, flames consuming her blade as she swung it down at him.

The masked man raised his arm just in time to block, a barrier of darkness appearing between them. The impact sent a shockwave through the battlefield, forcing demons and knights alike to brace themselves.

For a moment, Reinhart and the masked man locked eyes. Then, cracks began to form along his dark barrier.

The barrier cracked, but before Reinhart could strike again, he vanished, the shadows swallowing him whole.