Chapter 73: The Real Vell

The monster’s claws came down. Yenna braced for the worst, but instead of the sound she expected, she heard metal clashing. She opened her eyes, heart pounding, to see Wren standing between Vell and the monster, her claws now massive, shimmering with a dark, protective aura. She had intercepted the blow, her small frame trembling with the effort.

“Wren!” he gasped, his eyes wide with alarm. He could feel a surge of power from her, a dam breaking, but it was different from his own. It was raw strength mixed with fierce loyalty, something he had never felt so directly before.

Wren didn’t respond. Her eyes were fixed on the monster, a low ’prrr’ rumbling in her throat. She pushed against the monster’s claw, buying him precious seconds. She needed to protect him, the feelings she felt when she thought of him getting hurt terrified her.

Yenna, seeing the opening, moved without hesitation. She launched herself at the monster, her gauntlets glowing with power, but even then she knew it wasn’t enough. She needed to distract it, create a bigger gap. Mia and Sia followed suit, their small forms darting around, nipping at its limbs.

’I can’t… I can’t lose you again.’ She thought back to when he suddenly disappeared, when he was accused of a crime he didn’t commit. She felt lonely, no one came to visit her, but when he came back she felt the hole in her heart being filled. She wouldn’t allow for the hole to return.

No matter what.

Vell, taking advantage of the momentary distraction, struggled to his feet. The pain in his chest was blinding, his vision was swimming, but he had to keep fighting, not just for himself, but for everyone. ’It’s time, let me take over.’ He was going to say more, but his mouth and body were moving without him. He felt his consciousness fade, a new form started to take shape.

He moved faster than he ever had before, his sword appearing back in his hand, now glowing with a dark, menacing aura. He moved, using Shadow Flicker, appearing behind the monster to deliver a powerful blow. The monster staggered, surprised by this new burst of strength.

“Not bad,” he said, his voice deeper, colder. It wasn’t his voice. His eyes glowed with a dark red light, his presence was heavy. “But that won’t be enough.”

The real Vell had taken back control.

He pressed his advantage, attacking with relentless speed and power. His strikes were precise and deadly, aiming for the monster’s vital points. He dodged, weaved, counterattacked with a fluidity that was completely different from before. It was like he was dancing with death, in perfect control.

The monster roared in frustration, unable to keep up with this new, more aggressive opponent. Its limbs flailed wildly, its attacks becoming more desperate. It tried to pin him, but he would just vanish, reappear somewhere else. Yenna, Wren, Mia, and Sia watched in awe and fear, unable to keep up with his movements.

“What… what is happening?” Yenna whispered, her eyes wide with a mix of amazement and concern.

“I… I don’t know,” Wren said, her voice barely above a whisper. But even she could sense that something had changed drastically. She stepped back, allowing her master to continue.

’Now that I take a closer look, he’s fighting more like he usually does. Then what was going on with his fighting style earlier? Not to mention his expression, that’s the Vell I know… I’m so confused,’ Yenna thought.

His attacks grew more and more brutal, driving the monster back. He was pushing it, not giving it any breathing room, slowly cutting it up, wearing it down. The monster’s once smooth hide was now covered in cuts, dark blood seeping from its wounds. It was hurt, but it wasn’t giving up.

The monster let out another blast of dark energy. It was stronger than before, but Vell didn’t even blink. He charged through it, his mana protecting him, his sword moving with inhuman precision. He landed a final blow, slicing through the monster’s torso, causing it to stagger, collapse to its knees.

“Is it done?” Mia asked, looking at the monster in fear.

“It’s still alive,” he said, his voice empty of emotion. The dark red light in his eyes pulsed. “I’m sure it won’t die unless I will it. But that’s enough training, I’m bored.”

He raised his sword high, ready to end the fight. But the monster, despite its grievous wounds, let out another deafening roar. The ground beneath them began to tremble, the walls of the temple started to crack. The air around them grew heavy, like it was being squeezed by some unknown force.

“Yes! That’s right, this isn’t over yet,” he said with a smirk, looking amused.

The monster’s form started to shift. Its body became more twisted, its limbs elongating, sharpening. The red glow intensified, casting menacing shadows all around. The black holes in its head seemed to grow wider, a dark aura started to emit from it, turning the room into a suffocating void.

The room itself started to change, the symbols on the wall started to glow, a large black circle appeared on the ceiling, as if something was about to break through it. The air vibrated with unknown power, making them all unsteady on their feet.

“What… what is happening now?!” Yenna screamed, her voice full of panic. She felt a terrifying presence, something far worse than the monster they were currently fighting. Her body trembled, she was feeling powerless.

Vell looked towards the ceiling, his smirk turning into a frown. ’Well, it seems I have no choice, let me try something new.’ He turned his attention back to the monster. ’It’s time to end this.’

The monster’s transformation was almost complete, its new form bigger, far more terrifying. The ground beneath Vell cracked with the pressure it was exerting, but he stood tall, his sword shaking as the darkness in him grew. He was going to finish this, no matter the cost.

He raised his sword high above his head, dark energy swirling around it, as he was ready to unleash his strongest attack, an attack that would destroy the whole temple.

But before he could strike, the black circle on the ceiling exploded, unleashing a torrent of pure, corrupted mana. The temple shook violently, the air was filled with a piercing screech that seemed to tear at their minds. The light around them was gone, everything became dark.

Vell felt his body being ripped apart. His form was starting to twist, his human form was changing into something else, he realized that he might have messed up. The last thing he saw was Yenna, looking scared and lost, her eyes tearing up as she reached for him.

Then everything went black.

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