Eclipsed

Chapter 78

As they flew high above the land, the wind rushing through their hair, Ren looked out over the vast landscape, the weight of his thoughts settling heavily on his shoulders. After a long silence, he turned to Sayori, his voice quiet but resolute.

"After this is over... I would like to spend some of my final moments with you if you don't mind," Ren said, his tone tinged with an underlying sadness.

Sayori, her gaze soft but unwavering, nodded without hesitation. "Of course," she replied, her voice warm. "But don't speak like it's inevitable, Ren. There will be something to stop your death. I know there will be."

Ren sighed, a faint bitterness in his voice. "I hope so... but it wouldn't make much of a difference anyway."

Sayori's eyes widened with surprise at his words. "What do you mean by that?"

Ren's expression darkened, his gaze distant. "I can't really go to any kingdoms or cities. I was accused of killing the Astrothesiai people... but the truth is, I drove them out. I saved them from Yoruzen. But now, everyone thinks I'm some messed-up killer. All the friends I made, everyone I know... they all think the worst of me. There's no place for me anymore. There's no life left for me."

Sayori's heart tightened as she heard the pain in Ren's voice. She reached out, her hand brushing against his. "You've gotten yourself into a mess, Ren," she said, her voice firm, yet filled with compassion. "But that doesn't mean you should give up on life. You still have a chance. You still have time. You can change your fate."

Ren's eyes seemed to lose their spark for a moment, and he sighed deeply. "Yeah... I guess I don't really know what to do anymore."

Sayori, sensing his frustration, gave him a gentle but firm look. "Focus on what's at hand," she said, her voice steady. "Right now, we need to beat Yoruzen. Nothing else matters. If you survive this fight, you'll have a future. But first, you have to make it through this battle. Together, we can stop Yoruzen and everything else will fall into place."

Ren nodded slowly, her words grounding him once more. The storm inside him seemed to settle, replaced by a sense of purpose. "You're right," he said, a flicker of determination returning to his eyes. "Let's finish this."

With that, they turned their focus ahead, the dark clouds gathering in the distance signaling the final showdown with Yoruzen. As Lyra soared through the sky, Ren and Sayori's bond grew stronger, the weight of their shared past and uncertain future woven into the air between them.

The battlefield was charged with tension as Magnus and Yoruzen clashed, their blows echoing like thunder in the air. Every movement was calculated, each attack deliberate, but even with Magnus's unparalleled skill, Yoruzen's power surged, his strikes relentless. The two seemed evenly matched, with neither giving an inch.

Yoruzen grinned, his eyes gleaming with dark intensity. "You are formidable," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You survived this long... and barely a scratch! However, this is where you die."

Magnus's smirk never faltered. "Bring it on, King!" he retorted, his voice confident, laced with defiance.

Without warning, Yoruzen drove his sword into the ground, sending a shockwave of invisible force through the air. Magnus gritted his teeth, trying to move closer, but the force pushed him back, his body resisting the overwhelming pressure.

"This is the first stage of EREBOS!" Yoruzen announced, his voice filled with the weight of power. The atmosphere around them seemed to thicken, the air itself vibrating with dark energy.

Alric, still locked in combat with Kaiser, was quick to notice the shift. He ducked under one of Kaiser's powerful blows, effortlessly dodging the attack, and shouted, "MAGNUS... HERE IT COMES!" His voice carried across the battlefield, urgent and filled with warning.