Shadows of Ascension

64. The Battle Against Shadows

The air was thick with tension as the hunters stared at Shadowbane, processing the horrifying truth he had revealed. Could it really be possible that he could manipulate the souls of the dead, turning them into monstrous puppets? Aiden’s rage boiled over, and with a roar, he charged at Shadowbane, determined to end it once and for all. But just as his blade was about to strike, another blade intercepted his attack with a deafening clang.

Riona gasped in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief. Shin’s lips curled into an amused smirk as he recognized the figure who had blocked Aiden’s strike.

“Kaiden…” Riona whispered, her voice trembling. She couldn’t believe her eyes. There, standing before them, was Kaiden, her old companion. But something was wrong. The warmth, the light in his eyes—everything that had made Kaiden who he was—was gone. A cold, unfeeling expression had taken its place, and on his chest was the unmistakable mark of a C-rank monster.

Riona’s heart ached as she tried to reach out to him. “Kaiden… Kaiden, it’s me, Riona! Do you remember me?”

But Kaiden didn’t respond. He remained silent, his eyes empty as if he couldn’t even hear her.

Aiden tightened his grip on his weapon, his voice low and filled with bitterness. “So that’s what happened to Kaiden… Shadowbane is controlling his dead body, using him as a puppet.”

Tears welled up in Riona’s eyes as she pieced together the cruel reality. “That’s why he killed him back then… Kaiden? Please, do you remember anything?”

But there was no recognition, no flicker of life in Kaiden’s eyes. He was just a hollow shell, a weapon in Shadowbane’s arsenal.

“Riona, didn’t you say he never made it to C-rank?” Aiden asked, his voice softening with concern.

Riona nodded, her voice shaky. “He didn’t… he was close, but he never made it.”

Luca, who had been quietly observing, added, “He was close to C-rank, right? C-rank monsters are weaker than C-rank hunters. That’s why Shadowbane can use him like this.”

Before they could react, Shadowbane smirked and raised his hand, summoning a new wave of monsters. D and C-rank creatures materialized around them, their grotesque forms closing in on the hunters.

“Farewell, hunters,” Shadowbane sneered. “We’ll meet again soon. I’ve used up every last bit of my energy summoning these monsters. If I didn’t summon them, you would’ve killed me. But this isn’t over. Not yet.”

And with that, Shadowbane vanished, leaving the hunters to face the oncoming horde.

Aiden gritted his teeth and swung his blade at Kaiden, cutting him down. He moved to strike again, but Riona’s blade intercepted his attack.

“He can’t die, Riona,” Aiden said, his voice steady but filled with sorrow. “Kaiden can’t die because he’s already dead.”

Riona’s hand trembled as she held her blade against Aiden’s. “He doesn’t recognize me… Shadowbane controls his body, but not his soul… This isn’t Kaiden. It’s just his corpse, with all his strength but none of his heart.”

Aiden’s gaze softened, understanding the pain Riona felt. “He lied to us… This isn’t Kaiden. It’s just what’s left of him.”

With a heavy heart, Riona steeled herself and delivered a swift strike to Kaiden. His form shimmered and then disappeared, leaving nothing but emptiness where he had once stood.

As Aiden turned to assist Luca and Erebus, the three of them fought fiercely against the remaining monsters. It took everything they had, but together, they managed to defeat them. Oeifi and Hrie slowly got to their feet, bruised but alive.

Aiden sheathed his blade, his breath ragged from the battle. “What do we do next?”

For a moment, they all stood in silence, the weight of what they had just endured hanging heavy in the air. The answer wasn’t clear, and for the first time, they were unsure of what to do next.