The sky tore open again—rifts jagged and bleeding, spilling twisted creatures into the world. The air crackled with raw energy as the Hollow King's army advanced.
Artemis stood at the forefront, Beacon blazing like a beacon in the storm. Her white hair whipped wildly, red eyes glowing fierce and unyielding.
"Hold the line!" she shouted, claws extending, gleaming like molten steel.
The first wave surged forward—monsters with serrated limbs and snarling maws. Artemis met them head-on, a blur of motion and fury.
She slashed through flesh and shadow, the ground cracking beneath her feet as her bond flared. Her skin shimmered with an ethereal glow, veins pulsing with newfound power.
Behind her, Elara fired precise shots, her tech gear buzzing as she supported the front line.
"Artemis! The Hollow King's coming!" Elara warned, voice urgent.
Artemis growled, eyes narrowing as the towering form of the Hollow King emerged—cloaked in darkness, eyes burning with malice.
He lunged, and Artemis met him with a roar—her form shifting, claws morphing into razor-sharp talons, wings of shimmering energy bursting from her back.
They clashed with earth-shaking force.
The Hollow King's blade slammed against Artemis's talons, sparks flying as raw power collided.
Around them, the battlefield raged—monsters, bonded, and hunters locked in chaos.
Artemis twisted midair, ripping through the Hollow King's defenses, landing a savage blow that sent him staggering.
But he wasn't finished.
With a guttural roar, he summoned dark energy—tentacles of shadow lashing out toward Artemis.
She dodged, twisting her form with superhuman agility, then countered with a devastating strike that shattered his armor.
The Hollow King fell to one knee, snarling in rage.
"This ends now," Artemis declared, her voice echoing with the power of the Beacon.
She charged, unleashing a final, blazing slash that tore through the Rift's edge—sealing the tear and banishing the darkness.
The battlefield fell silent.
Breathing hard, Artemis turned to Elara.
"We did it," she whispered.
Elara smiled, stepping close.
"Together."
The fight was far from over, but in that moment—hope burned brighter than any Rift.