DEMON SITE APOCALYPSE

The scene exploded into chaos as the ground beneath the demon site trembled with unearthly growls and high-pitched screeches. Abyssal rats burst from cracks in the stone, their slick black bodies moving unnaturally fast, fangs gleaming in the flickering glow of the cave torches. Behind them, the strange demonic creatures from earlier — the ones who'd injured Ismere the day before — appeared again, more vicious, their claws slashing at the air.

Arslan had collapsed after casting both Shadow Stride and Dark Infusion, his body overwhelmed by the sheer force of energy he had unleashed. His body now lay motionless, twitching slightly, and his skin had begun to turn strange black-spotted patterns, pulsing with eerie veins of darkness.

"Circle around him! Now!" Tharion roared, his voice echoing through the hollowed walls of the cave.

Without hesitation, Yuna, Seris, Orien, and Tharion formed a tight shield around Arslan, backs to him, eyes scanning in every direction. The demon horde closed in, the screeches deafening now.

"We can't let them touch him!" Orien shouted, sweat mixing with dirt on his face.

Abyssal rats lunged forward, leaping at blinding speed, but Tharion stepped forward, his eyes narrowing, voice low and commanding: "Let's see how this one works."

A thunderous boom echoed through the cavern as he slammed both palms to the ground and yelled, "Earthshock Burst!"

The stone beneath his feet cracked and erupted in a devastating ripple, sending several demonic creatures flying backward into the darkness, their bodies smashing into jagged rock walls with a sickening crunch.

Yuna gasped at the force of it. "Tharion... That was incredible!"

"Keep fighting!" he barked. "We're not done yet!"

Yuna bent down beside Arslan, placing her glowing palms gently against his chest. "Stay with me, Arslan... Just hang in there... Healing Pulse!"

A warm, golden light enveloped Arslan's body. His breathing steadied slightly, but the black veins across his skin kept pulsing.

"It's not working..." Yuna said breathlessly, panic creeping into her voice.

"Let's buy her time!" Seris yelled.

Orien and Seris both rushed forward. Orien's hands blazed with soulfire while Seris's palms crackled with toxic energy. "Seris, combo! Now!"

They both slammed their palms forward. "Soul Viper Crush!"

An ethereal snake of purple-green flames erupted from their combined force and slithered violently through the air, coiling around the remaining demons and tightening with explosive pressure.

"NOW!" Seris screamed.

The soul viper constricted and detonated, incinerating the remaining foes in a flash of poisonous light and ash.

The cave fell silent except for Arslan's labored breathing. Then, from the right side tunnel, the sound of boots and clashing metal echoed. Kaelen of Obreth, Rohi, Thorne Zevak, Raskor Vendel, Zayan Taelrin, and two guards returned, blades dripping black ichor.

"What the hell happened?!" Kaelen shouted, running toward the center.

"Arslan... he used something. Something powerful," Yuna explained breathlessly, still holding her hands to his chest. "Dark Infusion. It saved us but it broke him."

Kaelen knelt down, inspecting the black markings. "This... This isn't from a skill. This is something else. Something darker."

Suddenly, the stones begin to fell ... The inside materials begin to disappear...

Tharion, lifting Arslan carefully in his arms, looked down at him. "He saved us... He gave everything."

Suddenly, Arslan's mouth opened and he coughed violently. Black blood poured out, splattering against Tharion's armor.

Tharion's eyes widened in terror. "HURRY! HE'S BLEEDING OUT!"

Yuna and Rohi tried applying healing magic again, but Arslan only convulsed more violently. The air around him grew colder.

Rohi gasped. "The magic... it's not connecting. It's like something's rejecting it."

As they came outside, the whole demon site disappeared as there were no site before...

Tharion rushed toward Aswad

"On my shoulder!" Tharion roared, hoisting Arslan up. "Come on, Aswad... Come on, buddy."

Tharion threw Arslan gently onto the saddle, holding his limp body in place.

"No, no, no! We're losing him!" Tharion screamed, his pace doubling.

Kaelen barked, "Clear the way! If anything comes near us, cut it down!"

The trail blurred as they pushed forward at full speed—through trees, across uneven dirt paths, past the old guard posts.

In the distance, the glow of the Mythic Base shimmered faintly through the morning fog. They weren't there yet—but they were close.

Arslan's body twitched once. Then fell limp again.

"STAY WITH US!!" Tharion screamed at the top of his lungs. The wind carried his yell across the valley.

"Please... Please hold on, brother..." Tharion whispered, tears streaming down his face.

The rest of the team followed, riding swiftly, the wind roaring around them.

Arslan groaned faintly, his skin pale now except for the webbing of black marks that reached his jaw and chest.