Lightning Empress [1]

Chris stood there, cradling the unconscious Reaper as the battlefield around him fell into an eerie silence. The golden slash had cut through everything in its path, leaving a trail of devastation. For a moment, even the rifts seemed to pulsate more slowly, as if the sheer force of the attack had disrupted their connection.

But the lull was brief.

The rifts began to pulse again, and the monstrous creatures still pouring out of them roared with renewed fury. The death of the terror-ranked creature had only served to incite them further. The ground shook beneath Chris's feet as corrupted and defiled creatures surged forward, hungry for destruction.

Chris's grip on the Reaper tightened as panic set in. 'What now?' He was alone, surrounded, with no way to fight off the monstrous horde. The Reaper had unleashed an incredible power, but at the cost of his consciousness. There was no one left to protect them.

"No," Chris muttered to himself, forcing the fear down. "I can't stop here. I can't give up."

Chris hoisted the Reaper onto his back, grunting under the weight, and began moving as fast as his legs would carry him. The creatures roared behind him, and he could feel their malicious energy closing in.

Each step felt like a lifetime, the pressure of the pursuing monsters threatening to crush him. But Chris refused to falter. This wasn't just about survival—it was about making a stand, about holding onto the sliver of hope the Reaper had ignited.

Chris pressed on through the chaos, his breath ragged and his legs trembling under the combined weight of his exhaustion and the unconscious Reaper. The evacuation center was still a distant hope, but it was the only place that offered any semblance of safety. Every step was a gamble, and danger seemed to lurk in every shadow. but a corrupted creature saw them.

The corrupted creature was relentless. Chris's narrow escape through the alleyway had only delayed it. Its guttural growls echoed ominously as it pursued him, its massive form smashing through obstacles with terrifying ease. Each thud of its footsteps sent tremors through the ground, a cruel reminder of how outmatched he was.

Chris tightened his grip on the Reaper. His thoughts were a frantic whirlwind. 'Just a little farther. Just hold on'.

But the creature was faster than he anticipated. With a deafening roar, it lunged forward, its claws slashing through the air. Chris tried to dodge, but the attack caught him off guard. He stumbled, the force of the blow sending him sprawling to the ground. The Reaper slipped from his grasp, tumbling several feet away.

"Damn it!" Chris hissed, scrambling to his feet. His eyes darted toward the Reaper, but the corrupted creature wasn't going to give him time to recover. It charged again, its claws poised for another strike.

Chris braced himself, knowing he had no chance of surviving the next attack.

Suddenly, a fiery lance streaked through the air, striking the corrupted creature in its side. The impact was immediate, the creature staggering as the flames seared its flesh. Chris's eyes widened in shock and confusion as he turned toward the source of the attack.

A figure stepped into view, his movements deliberate and his presence commanding. He was tall, with a lean but muscular build, and his hand still glowed faintly from the fiery spell he'd just cast. His voice carried an edge of calm authority as he called out, "You alive over there?"

Chris nodded, still stunned. "Y-Yeah. Thanks."

The man nodded back, his gaze fixed on the corrupted creature as it roared in defiance. "Stay behind me," he instructed, summoning another fire lance to his hand.

But Chris's relief was short-lived. He turned toward where the Reaper had fallen, only to find the spot empty. Panic surged through him as he scanned the area. "Where is he?" he muttered, his voice rising in alarm. "The Reaper—he was right here!"

The man glanced at him briefly. "Reaper?"

Chris's voice was frantic. "The guy I was carrying—he's gone! He must've fallen when the creature attacked."

The man, now fully focused on the corrupted beast, didn't seem fazed. "Relax. If he's who you say he is, he'll be fine. Right now, we've got bigger problems."

Chris clenched his fists, his thoughts racing. 'How can he be so calm about this? The Reaper might be in danger!'

But before he could argue, the man unleashed another fire lance, this time striking the corrupted creature in the head. It let out a final, guttural roar before collapsing in a heap of smoldering flesh.

"Name's Aric," the man said, turning to Chris. "What's yours?"

"Chris," he replied, still distracted by the Reaper's disappearance. "Thanks for the save, but I need to find—"

"You need to get to the evacuation center," Aric interrupted, his tone firm. "The Reaper, or whoever he is, will find his way if he's as strong as you think. You, on the other hand, won't last long out here."

Chris hesitated, torn between his worry for the Reaper and the pressing need to survive. Aric placed a hand on his shoulder, his expression softening. "Look, I've got a few survivors with me. I'll get us all to safety. Stick with me, and we'll figure things out from there."

Reluctantly, Chris nodded. He glanced one last time at the spot where the Reaper had fallen, his chest tight with worry. But he knew Aric was right. He had to trust that the Reaper could handle himself.

With Aric leading the way, Chris joined the small group of survivors the man had rescued. Together, they navigated the treacherous streets of Kythera, every step a battle against the chaos that surrounded them.

As Aric navigated the streets, his sharp eyes scanning for threats, his mind raced with thoughts about the situation. The golden slash he had witnessed earlier—it had cut through a terror-ranked creature like it was nothing, leaving a path of destruction hundreds of meters long. There was no doubt in his mind. 'That attack… it came from the Reaper'.

He clicked his tongue in frustration. "One terror rank down, but there are still more out there," he muttered under his breath.

A defiled creature lunged at him from the side, its grotesque, misshapen form hissing with malice. Without breaking stride, Aric hurled another fire lance, skewering the creature mid-air. Its body crumpled to the ground in a heap of ash and charred flesh.

Aric spared a glance at Chris, who was struggling to keep up, clearly shaken by the horrors around them. The survivors trailing them were no better—some stumbled, their faces pale with fear. They were all on edge, every sound and shadow a potential threat.

But Aric's thoughts remained focused. 'Forget the terror ranks, we can't even survive the constant attacks from these defiled creatures'. He swore under his breath as he caught sight of another pack closing in on their position. The streets were crawling with them, their numbers seemingly endless. 'Hundreds of thousands… at this rate, we won't last long'.

He glanced at the makeshift group he had taken under his wing. Most of them were unarmed and untrained, clinging to the faint hope of making it to the evacuation center. Aric gritted his teeth. "We need to hold out for at least 35 minutes," he murmured.

Chris overheard and looked at him in confusion. "Why 35 minutes?"

"Supreme Zander," Aric replied, his voice steady despite the chaos. "He's on his way. If we can survive until then, we'll have a fighting chance. But until that happens, we're on our own."

Chris's eyes widened. The name carried weight—Supreme Zander, a legendary Ascender, known for his unparalleled strength and ability to turn the tide of battles single-handedly. If anyone could deal with the remaining terror-ranked creatures and the endless horde of defiled, it was him.

But the thought brought little comfort to Aric. 'Thirty-five minutes feels like a lifetime in this hell. And with the way things are going, even Zander might not make it in time'.

A loud crash echoed nearby, followed by the guttural growls of more defiled creatures converging on their location. Aric tightened his grip on his weapon, his resolve hardening.

"Keep moving!" he barked, his voice cutting through the mounting fear. "Stick together, and don't stop for anything. We just need to survive."

Chris nodded, his own determination reigniting. He glanced over his shoulder, hoping for a glimpse of the Reaper, but there was no sign of him. 'Wherever you are… please, hang on'.

Together, they pressed on, the relentless tide of monsters at their heels.