>>Amber

They moved towards us, their skeletal bodies slithering through the darkness as if they were part of it. The sight was both horrifying and demoralizing. It was seeing hollow eyes move towards you, because one couldn't see the body.

Lyal quickly registered the new threat. "Everyone, fall back!" He shouted, his voice cutting through the din of battle with authoritative command. "We've got more bonewraiths incoming!"

The knights, though exhausted, moved with disciplined efficiency. They began to regroup, their light barriers forming a protective wall around them to keep them save from the miasma. Hael, ever vigilant, noticed the gravity of the situation.

He didn't waste any time to summon his magic.

He raised his hands, and a new wave of flames erupted like a wall, expanding outward to encompass the approaching bonewraiths. The inferno roared to life, engulfing the new arrivals in a blaze that lit up the dark forest. The fire, though not harming the bonewraiths directly, served to illuminate their positions and keep them from closing in on us immediately.

Deus, his keen mind racing, assessed the situation with a quick glance. "We need to split up," He said, his voice cutting through the noise. "We'll have a better chance if we divide the bonewraiths and prevent them from overwhelming us. Your Highness, can you hold this position while we engage the new group?"

Lyal nodded, already directing the remaining knights to form a tighter defensive line. "We'll create a diversion. The bonewraiths will have to spread out to engage us."

Hael and I watched as Deus, with a swift motion, summoned his magic to create barriers of light that pulsed and flickered. "We'll split them up and lead them into different sections of the forest," He explained. "That should reduce the number of enemies each of us faces."

The plan was put into action with practiced precision. Hael and Deus moved swiftly, their figures cutting through the miasma as they engaged the bonewraiths. Hael's flames blazed brightly, illuminating the darkness and pushing back the bonewraiths, while Deus' light barriers created distinct zones within the forest.

I felt a surge of determination as I prepared to follow the plan. With Hael's assistance, I would take on a separate group of bonewraiths, my holy power ready for another assault. The forest, though shrouded in darkness, now had sections illuminated by Hael's fire and Deus' barriers, creating a patchwork of light and shadow.

As the bonewraiths approached, they hesitated momentarily, disoriented by the shifting barriers of light and fire. Hael's flames provided a beacon, drawing their attention and leading them away from the knights. The bonewraiths began to move in segmented groups, their hollow eyes reflecting the light as they followed the trail of flames.

Deus and Hael worked seamlessly together. Deus created paths of light that forced the bonewraiths to move in specific directions, while Hael's fire created walls that guided them into the desired areas. The bonewraiths, unable to adapt quickly to the new strategy, were forced to split up, their movements becoming more erratic.

I joined the fray, stepping into one of the newly illuminated sections of the forest. The bonewraiths in this area seemed more focused on me, their hollow eyes glowing ominously as they advanced. I could hear the screeching of their bones and the clattering of their skeletal forms because they were on fire, normally there wouldn't even be a sound, but the light from Hael's flames made it easier to track their movements.

I took a deep breath, focusing on the holy power within me and I channeled her strength into a new arrow of light. The arrow formed, its brilliance cutting through the miasma as I drew it back, aiming for the thickened part of the bonewraiths' necks.

The first bonewraith lunged at me, its claws reaching out with frightening speed. I released the arrow, the light cutting through the darkness and striking the bonewraith with unerring accuracy. It shuddered, its body convulsing as the holy power tore through it. The impact made the beast pause, I guess it didn't register to it that I destroyed the miasma core.

Two knights that were there took advantage of that and killed it

I moved to the next target, my heart pounding with adrenaline. The battle was far from over, but the plan was working. The bonewraiths were being divided and drawn away from the main group, reducing the pressure on the knights. The coordinated effort was beginning to pay off, the tide of battle shifting in our favor.

Hael's flames continued to blaze, casting a fiery glow over the battlefield. He moved with a determined look, guiding the bonewraiths and keeping them from overwhelming the knights.

Deus and Lyal coordinated their attacks with precision, their light magic slicing through the darkness. The bonewraiths were forced to adapt to the new strategy, their movements becoming more erratic as they tried to navigate the shifting barriers of light and fire.

"We need to create barriers to contain them," Hael said, his voice carrying over the din of battle. "We can't let them overwhelm us." But he was mainly talking to me.

I nodded, my heart pounding with the weight of responsibility. "I'll set up the barriers," I replied, focusing on the holy power within me. The knowledge that my barriers could keep the bonewraiths at bay gave me a sense of purpose.

Alright Amber

You trained for this! Loid and May aside, Hael gave me some really tough training for this!

With a deep breath, I extended my hands, calling forth the holy power. The light gathered around me, forming into a radiant barrier that expanded outward. The barrier shimmered with a pure, celestial light, and as I wove it into place, I could feel its protective energy enveloping us.

The bonewraiths, sensing the shift in the environment, hesitated as the barrier took shape. They moved closer, but the barrier repelled them, the light acting as a formidable shield. The creatures clawed at the barrier, their skeletal appendages scraping against the holy light, but they could not penetrate it.

"Keep them contained" Hael said, "The barriers will buy time."

Then I created additional barriers of light, setting up zones that divided the bonewraiths and forced them to move in different directions. The bonewraiths, though powerful, were unable to breach the holy barriers, their movements becoming more erratic as they tried to find a way through.

I focused on maintaining the barriers, my hands steady despite the fatigue setting in. The light of the barriers cut through the darkness, creating safe zones where we could regroup and strategize. Each barrier formed a protective bubble, pushing back against the encroaching darkness and providing a brief respite from the relentless assault of the bonewraiths.

Despite the barriers holding strong, the battle continued to rage on around us. The bonewraiths, unable to pass through the holy barriers, began to split up, their numbers dwindling as they were forced to confront different groups of our forces. The knights fought valiantly within the protected zones, their light magic cutting through the darkness and driving the bonewraiths back.

Hael moved beside me and watched as I maintained the barriers, his eyes filled with admiration. "You're doing great," He said, his voice a steady. "Keep those barriers up, and we'll push them back."

His words bolstered my resolve, and I continued to focus on the barriers, ensuring that they remained strong and impenetrable. The bonewraiths continued to claw at the light, their hollow eyes reflecting the intensity of their frustration. The barriers held firm, creating safe zones where our forces could regroup and strategize.

Lyal, recognizing the effectiveness of the barriers, began to direct the knights with renewed confidence. "We'll use this opportunity to drive them back," He shouted. "Advance through the barriers and push the bonewraiths further away."

The knights moved with determination, their light magic cutting through the darkness as they advanced through the protected zones. The bonewraiths, unable to penetrate the barriers, were pushed back, their numbers dwindling as our forces pressed forward.

The forest was now a battleground of light and shadow. The barriers I had created formed islands of safety amidst the chaos, and the bonewraiths were gradually being driven back by our combined efforts. The holy light of the barriers cut through the miasma, creating a stark contrast to the darkness.

As I continued to maintain the barriers, I could feel the weight of the battle slowly lifting. The bonewraiths were being pushed back, their advance halted by the protective light that surrounded us. The knights, though weary kept fighting.

Despite the progress we were making, the battle was far from over.

My barriers held strong, the holy light pushing back the bonewraiths and providing moments of respite. But amidst the chaos, something strange began to happen.

At first, it was subtle—a flicker at the edge of my vision, a shadow moving against the backdrop of darkness. But then it became undeniable. I saw them—more eyes, glowing hollowly from the darkness.

!!!

What?

They appeared in greater numbers than before, their eerie light multiplying as if a legion of bonewraiths was emerging from the void.

Oh No...

My heart dropped

I looked at Hael, he had already noticed.

"Keep the barriers up," He flew up, "I'll light up the other ones too." And he went out of the barrier once again.

I saw him try to locate the new wraiths, then he threw the huge fire balls at them. With his actions, the others realized that more had come.

Fear grew, and so did the thought that how many more of them were going to come.

How many were there?

"Keep fighting!" Lyal commanded, "We can do this!" To show that he was right, he threw his sword away and summoned his magic.

A lightning bolt materialized in his hands and he threw that towards a wraith. It went and hit the center of the beasts face, splitting it open. But it didn't finish it off. So he summoned another one, then hurled it towards the same wraith, cutting off its neck, along with its core.

And it fell to the ground, dead.

He then looked at his knights, "What are you waiting for!! Go!!!"

The knights started summoning their magic, Deus targeted the ones no one else was working on but the fear didn't die.

We started seeing more eyes.

It was like for one kill, we were seeing four more of them.

And the thing was. We all were merely human. And it was tiring us all out. Maintaining so many holy barriers wasn't easy and I could feel my strength waning.

At this rate. We'll never be able to find the rift.

We're all gonna perish here!!

The bonewraiths tried to claw at the barriers. There wasn't much they could do to it but it was pushing me backwards.

After a while when they saw that they couldn't penetrate them, they moved to fight the knights who were fighting outside the barriers.

Seeing that they could get surrounded, the knights came running back in.

I had made a total of five barriers, including the one I was in but I had started to sweat now.

The barriers would last as long as I kept concentrating, but purifying doesn't take up this much mana as maintaining these shields do.

I'd say I made the shields in the form of a V. With me being at the last and two-two barriers on my left and right going diagonally.

I began to breathe heavily.

Hael was burning each and every wraith he could spot. Making it easier for the light magic users to kill them

And that's when it happened, an unexpected sound cut through the din of battle—a soft, ethereal voice, singing a hauntingly beautiful melody.

Hmmm?

It didn't register in my mind immediately. The voice was like a whisper of the wind, delicate and soothing, and it seemed to weave its way through the chaos and darkness, directly to my ears.

I froze, my pounding heart began to calm down. The singing was so unlike the harsh sounds of battle, so serene and calming that it felt like a balm to my frayed nerves.

No one else seemed to have noticed it. I was looking ahead and saw how the battle was raging on.

The melody flowed around me, and as its soothing notes filled my mind, a wave of tranquility washed over me. The tension in my shoulders eased, and all my fear seemed to dissipate, replaced by an otherworldly calm.

I could hear the cries

I could hear the shouting

I could hear the violent strikes of lightning

When the flames burst

The battle cries. The sound of magic infused swords slashing, the noise of ripping, the blood slpahsing-

But at the same time, I stopped hearing all of it

It was like it was there but wasn't there at the same time. Because the hauntingly beautiful melody took away all my focus.

Without realizing it, I lowered my hands, the barriers of holy light flickering.

The melody was hypnotic, drawing me in with its gentle embrace. I turned around slowly, searching for the source of the enchanting voice. My movements were languid, as if I were under a spell, my mind lulled by the hauntingly beautiful sound as everything else seemed to slowly fade away.

The barriers then vanished entirely.

The forest around me seemed to blur, the darkness becoming a mere backdrop to the melody that captivated me. I wandered, my steps unsteady, following the sound as if it were a guiding beacon in the oppressive gloom. My surroundings became a blur, the bonewraiths' presence fading into insignificance compared to the spellbinding song.

I walked away from everyone

No idea where I was going, I just kept going.

I had no idea what was happening, not till it was too late.

The forest's deceptive gloom had concealed the perilous drop, and as I took another step, my foot slipped. The ground gave way beneath me, and I fell, the sudden jolt snapping me out of the trance.

The shock of the fall jolted me fully awake, my senses returning with a rush.

What is this!?!?

I tumbled through the darkness, the singing fading into the distance, replaced by the sound of my own panicked breaths. The fall was disorienting, and my surroundings became a chaotic whirl of shadows and miasma.

I reached out desperately, trying to catch something, anything, to stop my fall. My hands scraped against the rough surface, but there was nothing to grasp and I kept falling down

"Hael!!!!"