The fog of London had always carried an air of mystery. Tonight, it carried fear.
Big Ben's clocktower loomed over the Thames, its hands frozen at midnight as the sky split apart above the city. Darkness spilled from the rift, pouring shadows across the river. The hum of cars turned into panicked screams as people scattered into the narrow streets.
From the rift descended three demons, their roars shaking the ancient city.
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The Demons of London
Morvak, the Gravehound (Low-Rank). A skeletal beast of rotting flesh, ribs glowing with green fire.
Skill: Death Howl — unleashing waves of terror that shattered resolve.
Trelith, the Marionette (Low-Rank). A spindly figure of wood and sinew, strings dangling from its fingers.
Skill: Puppet Snare — binding victims and controlling their bodies.
Zegron, the Pale Duke (Mid-Rank). Cloaked in black velvet, a noble-like demon with hollow eyes.
Skill: Eternal Dusk — swallowing entire streets in a curtain of darkness.
The Thames churned as their auras spread. Lights across the city flickered out, leaving only the glow of fire and chaos.
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Sophia Carter – The Radiant Wielder
In the shadow of Westminster, a figure stepped forward.
Her golden aura shimmered faintly, casting light through the smoke.
Sophia Carter.
Her steps were quiet but firm. Her hair glowed faintly under the aura, and her calm eyes reflected the light she carried. She raised her hand, and a sphere of radiance bloomed above her palm, pushing the shadows back.
"London has survived plagues and wars," she whispered. "It will survive you."
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The First Clash
Morvak lunged first, his skeletal jaws snapping.
"Death Howl!"
A wave of necrotic energy rolled outward, shattering glass and freezing civilians in place. Fear gripped the air like chains.
Sophia raised her hand.
"Radiant Ward."
A dome of golden light flared outward, enveloping the nearby civilians. The howling wave struck, but the light held, fear dissolving like morning mist before the sun.
Trelith's strings shot out, binding her ankles, wrists, pulling her like a puppet.
"Puppet Snare!"
Sophia's glow dimmed as the strings tightened. But her voice remained steady.
"You cannot bind the sun."
Her aura burst outward.
"Solar Flare!"
Light erupted from her body, burning the strings to ash. Trelith shrieked, stumbling back, its wooden form catching fire from the brilliance.
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The Pale Duke
Zegron finally stepped forward, his cloak spreading wide. Shadows cascaded like a curtain, drowning the city block in darkness.
"Eternal Dusk."
Every lamp went out. Big Ben vanished. Even the moon was swallowed. Only the demons' glowing eyes remained.
For a moment, London was gone.
But then, light bloomed again.
Sophia stood at the center of the darkness, her aura blazing brighter.
"Where there is shadow… light will follow."
She lifted both hands.
"Radiant Nova!"
A surge of golden light exploded outward, slicing through the veil of dusk. The entire square lit up as if dawn had arrived.
Zegron hissed, shielding himself with his cloak, but the light burned through it.
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The Judgment
Morvak leapt once more, but Sophia moved faster.
"Spear of Dawn!"
A lance of pure light pierced the Gravehound's skull. The green fire guttered out, and the beast collapsed into ash.
Trelith tried to flee, dragging its flaming body along the ground, but Sophia's hand stretched toward it.
"Sunray Sever."
A thin beam of light cut clean through its frame, splitting the puppet in half.
Zegron remained, his voice echoing with venom.
"You shine brightly, little star. But even the sun sets."
Sophia's aura flared, brighter than ever. Her voice rang clear across the ruined streets.
"Then I will be the dawn that never ends."
Her body lifted slightly from the ground, hair and cloak glowing like fire.
"Judgment of Sol!"
A colossal beam of light descended from the heavens, engulfing Zegron in radiant fire. His screams echoed through the city, until only silence and drifting ash remained.
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Aftermath
The light faded slowly, leaving London trembling but alive.
Civilians stared in awe as Sophia lowered herself gently back to the ground, her aura dimming. Her face was pale, her breathing heavy, but her resolve unbroken.
Above, the rift still pulsed. The shadows deepened.
Sophia looked up, whispering softly.
"…If even my light cannot close it… then something far darker is coming."
And far away, in the abyss between worlds, the Upper Demons shifted in their slumber.