The second dawn broke over Bloodwood Valley, bringing with it a false sense of peace. Zane, thanks to the Bloodwood Trees' energy and Kai's minor healing, began to stir, his eyes fluttering open. He groaned, his body still wracked with pain, but his breathing was much steadier.
"Zane! You're awake!" Arthur exclaimed, the tension on his face easing.
Elara quickly brought him water. "Don't try to talk much. You're badly injured."
Zane coughed, attempting to shift. His gaze landed on Kai, his eyes widening in astonishment. "The Emblem... you... you absorbed it?"
Kai nodded, a familiar energy from the Ancient Soul Emblem faintly resonating in his chest. "It came to me after you fell, Zane. I don't know why."
Zane closed his eyes, a bitter smile gracing his lips. "Fate... it chose you... Good. So the Shadow Syndicate... won't get it easily." He paused, coughing again. "Listen... there's no more time. I failed. The Shadow Syndicate... they are hunting something else. Something... even more dangerous than the Emblem."
He tried to sit up, pain twisting his features. "When I activated the Crystal Dragon Hall... I tried to seal the entrance, but... they arrived too quickly. That Dark Assassin... he stole a piece of the Hall's Crystal Heart."
Arthur frowned. "Crystal Heart? You mean the thing that controlled the Golem?"
"Exactly," Zane rasped. "It's not just a controller. It's a fragment of the Shadow Seal! My enemies... they are the Shadow Cult. They are trying to collect all the fragments of the Seal to unleash an ancient monster... the World Devourer."
Zane looked at Kai, his eyes filled with despair and urgency. "They have a piece from the Dragon Hall. They will use it to find the next fragment. You... with the Ancient Soul Emblem... you are the only hope."
Just then, Kai's "Keen Senses" flared again. Not one, but dozens of malicious energy signatures were approaching at terrifying speed. They were coming from all directions!
"Trap!" Kai roared, his voice echoing through the valley. "Not the Dark Assassin! Something else! From the air!"
From the cliffs surrounding Bloodwood Valley, dozens of colossal, red-eyed Blood-Screech Bats Level 8 descended like a dark storm. They weren't flying alone; each Bat carried an armed Black-Cloaked Bounty Hunter Level 9 on its back, armed with bows and sharp daggers.
Enemy: Blood-Screech Bat Level 8 (x15)
HP: 90/90 each
Enemy: Black-Cloaked Bounty Hunter Level 9 (x15)
HP: 110/110 each
This was a perfect ambush. They hadn't pursued them into Bloodwood Valley immediately, but patiently waited, using the Blood-Screech Bats to attack from above, trapping them in the valley.
"Protect Zane!" Arthur roared, shielding Zane, swinging his hammer to fend off the diving Bats. "Elara, aim for the hunters! Kai, use your magic!"
Elara quickly reacted, firing precise arrows at the Hunters on the Bats' backs, a few of whom fell.
Kai didn't falter. He now had the Ancient Soul Emblem and the powerful "Crystal Manipulation (Water)" skill. He couldn't fight in the air, but he could turn the ground environment to his advantage.
He unleashed a series of "Tidal Bursts," creating powerful waves of water on the ground, stunning and pushing back the Bats and Hunters attempting to land. A few Bats hit hard lost their bearings, crashing into the cliff face.
[-15 HP per Bat/Hunter!]
Then, Kai focused his mana, activating a new skill from the Crystal Golem: "Crystal Water Dome." A transparent, sturdy dome of water appeared, enveloping Zane, Arthur, Elara, and himself. Inside the dome, the green light from the Bloodwood Trees still radiated, protecting them from enemy attacks.
Creating 'Crystal Water Dome'. Physical Defense +30, Magic Resistance +20. Mana Cost: 20 MP/second.
"What is this?" Arthur stared at the water dome in amazement.
"A new skill!" Kai said, feeling his mana rapidly drain, but it was worth it. "It will protect us from ranged attacks!"
The Hunters on the Bats' backs fired arrows and threw daggers at the dome, but they simply bounced off harmlessly. However, the dome also limited their ability to attack.
"Kai! You can't maintain it forever!" Elara said. "We need to counterattack!"
Indeed. The dome was only temporary. Kai needed a plan. He looked at Zane, who was breathing faintly. Zane had entrusted him with a monumental task.
With the Ancient Soul Emblem and now the knowledge of the "World Devourer," Kai understood that this battle was not just about survival. This was part of a larger war, a destiny that he, Arthur, and Elara had been drawn into. And to protect Aethel, they had to fight.