Chapter 38: The Final Descent

A heavy silence settled over the battlefield as Malgrith advanced. His presence alone seemed to drain the air of warmth and light, casting a suffocating gloom over the defenders. Every step he took sent ripples of dark energy across the ground, distorting the very fabric of reality.

Lucian tightened his grip on his sword, his eyes locked on the dark lord. Despite the suffocating pressure, his resolve remained unshaken. Beside him, Lyra summoned a protective barrier around them, her hands glowing faintly with energy. Dorian, standing on Lucian's other side, twirled his blades casually, though his eyes betrayed a rare seriousness.

"This is it," Lucian said quietly. "We take him down, or we fall trying."

"Lovely choice," Dorian muttered, his usual smirk returning despite the tension. "I always did enjoy high-stakes battles."

Lyra shot him a glare but said nothing. Instead, she focused her energy, channeling the remaining power of the shard into her spells.

Malgrith stopped a few paces away, his expression unreadable beneath his dark helmet. When he spoke, his voice echoed unnaturally, as though a dozen voices spoke in unison. "You are brave, but bravery alone cannot defeat the darkness. Surrender the shard, and I may grant you a swift end."

Lucian took a step forward, his sword gleaming with a brilliant light. "We don't surrender. Not to you. Not to anyone."

"So be it." Malgrith raised a hand, and tendrils of dark energy erupted from the ground, snaking toward the trio with terrifying speed.

Lyra reacted instantly, raising her hands and creating a shimmering barrier of light that deflected the tendrils. Sparks flew as the opposing forces clashed, illuminating the battlefield in bursts of shadow and light.

"Go!" Lyra shouted. "I'll hold him off—get close enough to strike!"

Without hesitation, Lucian and Dorian charged. Malgrith unleashed a wave of dark energy, but Dorian leapt high into the air, dodging with ease, while Lucian pressed forward, his sword cutting through the encroaching shadows.

"Impressive," Malgrith mused, his tone almost amused. "But futile." He raised both hands, summoning a massive sphere of concentrated darkness above him. The ground trembled under the weight of its power.

Lucian didn't slow. He pushed forward with all his might, determination blazing in his eyes. As he reached Malgrith, he swung his sword with all his strength, aiming for the dark lord's core.

Malgrith blocked the strike with an armored gauntlet, the impact sending shockwaves through the air. For a moment, they stood locked in place, light and shadow clashing violently around them.

"You cannot win," Malgrith said, his voice a cold whisper. "The darkness is eternal."

"Maybe," Lucian growled. "But so is hope." With a surge of strength, he broke the stalemate, forcing Malgrith back a step.

Dorian seized the moment, striking from behind with both blades. His attack connected, driving deep into Malgrith's back. The dark lord let out a guttural snarl, spinning around and swiping at Dorian with a clawed hand.

Dorian barely managed to dodge, landing gracefully a few feet away. "You're welcome," he called to Lucian, his tone breathless but smug.

Lucian didn't respond. He was already moving, pressing the attack with renewed vigor. Each strike of his sword sent ripples of light through the battlefield, pushing back the encroaching darkness.

Meanwhile, Lyra focused on maintaining the barrier, her energy rapidly depleting. She could feel the shard's power waning, but she knew she couldn't falter—not now.

"Hold on just a little longer," she whispered to herself, her gaze fixed on Lucian and Dorian as they fought Malgrith.

But as the battle raged on, she noticed something strange. The dark energy surrounding Malgrith wasn't dissipating—it was growing denser, feeding off the very shadows around them.

"He's drawing power from the battlefield," she realized, horror dawning in her eyes. "If we don't stop him soon, he'll overwhelm us."

Gathering what remained of her strength, Lyra prepared one final spell—a concentrated blast of light aimed directly at Malgrith. She knew it would drain her completely, but it was their only chance.

"Lucian!" she shouted. "Get clear!"

Lucian heard her call and understood instantly. He and Dorian leapt back just as Lyra unleashed her spell. A blinding beam of light shot toward Malgrith, piercing through the darkness like a lance.

Malgrith raised a hand to block the attack, but the sheer intensity of the light forced him to his knees. His armor cracked, and a roar of rage and pain echoed across the battlefield.

"Now!" Lyra gasped, collapsing to the ground from exhaustion.

Lucian didn't hesitate. With a final burst of speed, he closed the distance and drove his sword straight into Malgrith's core. The blade erupted with light, engulfing both of them in a blinding explosion.

For a moment, everything was silent. Then, as the light faded, Malgrith's form began to dissolve, his dark essence scattering into the wind.

"It's over," Lucian said quietly, breathing heavily as he pulled his sword free.

The remaining shadow creatures let out wails of despair before vanishing into nothingness. The battlefield grew still, and a sense of calm returned.