Shadows of Ascension

57. The unleashing

Aiden’s rage burned hotter than anything he’d ever felt before, his aura swelling to a nearly unbearable intensity. The energy radiated from him like a storm, ripping apart his shirt, leaving him standing bare-chested, the raw power emanating from him almost tangible.

As everyone watched in stunned silence, the mark on Aiden’s chest began to shift. The letter "C" started to distort, its edges twisting and reshaping until the letter "B" emerged, glowing with a fierce, ominous light.

Erebus’s eyes widened in disbelief. "B rank… no way," he muttered, barely able to comprehend what he was seeing. Riona and Luca were equally astonished, their attention momentarily drawn away from their own battles by the impossible transformation before them. Even Shadowbane, though calm, couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

But Shadowbane’s focus quickly returned to his own fight. With a cold, calculated precision, he delivered a deep slash to Riona’s side, the blade cutting through her defenses with ease. Blood splattered the ground as Riona cried out in pain, her strength waning.

Shadowbane stood over her, his expression as indifferent as ever. "It’s time to end this," he said, raising his blade to deliver the final blow.

But before he could strike, Aiden appeared in a flash, his eyes blazing with fury. With a roar, he slammed into Shadowbane, his fists crashing down with a force that shook the ground. The impact sent Shadowbane flying, his body skidding across the dirt.

Shadowbane staggered to his feet, his wounds already beginning to heal, but Aiden was relentless. He charged forward, unleashing a relentless barrage of attacks, each strike more powerful than the last. Shadowbane’s healing powers struggled to keep up as Aiden’s blows battered him, forcing him on the defensive.

Meanwhile, Luca was locked in a desperate struggle with Erebus. Despite his best efforts, Erebus’s strength was proving too much. Every strike Luca landed seemed to take everything he had, and though he managed to wound Erebus, the toll on his own body was severe. His breaths came in ragged gasps, his limbs heavy with exhaustion.

"Why are you doing this?" Luca shouted, desperation creeping into his voice. "Why are you fighting for him?"

Erebus’s expression softened for a moment, a flash of regret crossing his features. "I told you," he replied, his voice tinged with sorrow. "He threatened to kill my brothers. I’ve already lost to him once. He spared my life on the condition that I help him. I’m sorry, Luca… but I have no choice. If I don’t kill you, he’ll kill them."

Luca gritted his teeth, struggling to process the weight of Erebus’s words. He could see the pain in Erebus’s eyes, the conflict tearing him apart. But there was no time for sympathy; the battle demanded everything they had.

Riona, meanwhile, lay on the ground, bleeding and struggling to move. Her vision blurred as she tried to push herself up, but her strength was fading fast. She could barely lift her head, let alone fight back.

"Hang in there, Riona!" Luca shouted, his voice cracking with fear. He could see her struggling, and it tore at him that he couldn’t help her.

Aiden’s power surged once more, and with it, the battlefield was consumed by chaos. His fury was a force of nature, unstoppable and all-consuming. Shadowbane’s once-untouchable composure was faltering under the onslaught.