Lumenreach loomed ahead, no longer just a distant dream but a massive reality, its mirrored surfaces reflecting the final light of the setting sun. Just ten kilometers to go. Safety was almost within reach.
"Ten minutes," Kaito announced, maintaining his composure despite the tension brewing in his stomach. The LuminaDrive's countdown loomed in his sight: [TIME UNTIL NIGHTFALL: 00:10:14].
The Sun-Strider creaked under him, a constant reminder of their grueling speed. The engine was overheating, and the left rear leg had developed an alarming limp. They were pushing the machine to its absolute limits.
"Just a little further, girl," he whispered, giving the console a reassuring pat.
They raced onto a long, straight causeway leading directly to the city's outer gates. It felt too easy. Kaito's instincts were on high alert.
Then, just five minutes later, his instincts proved correct.
The ground didn't simply shake; it erupted. A section of the road ahead buckled, and a massive creature burst forth from beneath the pavement. It was a giant, mole-like Lumenkin, its tough hide resembling layers of rock and packed earth, with claws that looked like gigantic, rusty shovels.
[SPECIES: GRAVEMOLE]
[LEVEL: 15]
[TYPE: EARTH]
[HP: 200/200]
[STR: 35]
[AGI: 4]
[END: 40]
[COR: 8%]
Level 15. A formidable beast, and it was furious.
The Gravemole let out a thunderous roar, a sound of scraping rock and rage. Lowering its head, it charged—not at them but at the highway itself, its massive claws shredding the road effortlessly.
The Sun-Strider jolted violently as the ground gave way beneath it. Kaito struggled to maintain control, but it was futile. With a sickening crunch of metal and a spray of sparks, the vehicle's front right leg collapsed. They skidded, spun, and overturned on the shattered highway.
Chaos erupted, filled with the sounds of creaking metal and blaring alarms. Kaito was thrown against the cockpit's side, the air knocked from his lungs. Auri chirped in alarm, her light flickering.
Shaking his head to clear his vision, he pushed aside any pain or panic. He needed to think.
The Gravemole was circling around for another attack. It was too powerful to battle head-on, too resilient to drain. Winning this confrontation was impossible.
But he didn't need to win.
"Auri, get out! Now!" he shouted, kicking the damaged cockpit door open.
Auri bolted into the sky just as the Gravemole slammed into what was left of the Sun-Strider. The metal frame groaned, crumbling further. Kaito scrambled out, aching and in pain, and took cover behind a twisted piece of guardrail.
He surveyed the scene before him. Off to the side, he spotted a nearby overpass, its concrete supports weakened by years of neglect. A ruthless plan crystallized in his mind.
"Here's the strategy," he thought, focusing utterly. "Auri, do you see that overpass? The big one?"
Auri chirped, her eyes locking onto the target. 'Weak. Cracked.'
"Exactly! I need you to draw its attention. Lead it right beneath. When it's in position, take it down. Use your strongest Gleam Dart on the primary support."
It was a risky move, certain to deplete her energy completely. But it was their only shot.
"Let's go!" he shouted.
Auri understood. She swooped down, chirping provocatively, and launched a small spark of light at the Gravemole's head.
Enraged, the creature's beady eyes fixed on the golden bird. It abandoned the destroyed vehicle and charged after her, massive claws tearing through the ground.
Auri led it in a swift pursuit, flying low and fast toward the vulnerable overpass. The Gravemole followed, a force of nature tearing apart the earth behind it.
"Now, Auri! Now!" Kaito commanded.
Auri turned mid-air, her body glowing as she gathered her remaining energy. She unleashed a single, radiant Gleam Dart—not aimed at the monster, but at the cracked concrete pillar of the overpass.
[AURIWREN STA: 5/30]
The light struck the pillar. Cracks spider-webbed across the concrete, emitting a groan of stressed material, and then, with an explosive roar, the entire overpass gave way. Tons of concrete and steel cascaded down, entombing the Gravemole in a cloud of dust and debris.
Without waiting to assess the damage, Kaito sprinted away.
"Auri! Let's go!" he yelled, rushing down the highway.
Exhausted yet determined, Auri landed on his shoulder, her heart racing in sync with his.
[TIME UNTIL NIGHTFALL: 00:02:43].
Two minutes left. Lumenreach's gates were now visible, less than a kilometer away. The colossal walls promised safety as Kaito pushed his body to its limits, lungs burning and legs pleading for relief.
One minute remaining. The sun hung as a thin sliver on the horizon. Shadows stretched out like grasping claws.
Thirty seconds. The gates were close; he could see the guards stationed on the walls. Five hundred meters. Four hundred. Three hundred.
One hundred meters.
Then the sun disappeared.
Instead of fading to twilight, the world plunged into total darkness. An all-consuming blackness swept over the land, snuffing out the light in an instant.
Kaito stumbled, his world abruptly engulfed in terrifying darkness. Though still running toward the unseen wall, he realized he was five hundred meters from safety as the night fully descended.