The village's defenses had been pulled tight inside Drathan's massive void dome. The barrier hummed faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat as the battle raged outside. From his perch atop the wall, Drathan made a show of maintaining the dome, arms folded, pretending to be focused while, in truth, he lounged lazily against a parapet. Gotta make it look like I'm workin'. No way I'm goin' out there while those two are havin' their fun.
Kenshin and Seme were in their element.
Kenshin blurred through the ranks of monsters outside the dome like a living thunderbolt. Each flash of his movement was punctuated by the crack of lightning and the sharp scent of ozone. He darted between wolves, serpents, and stragglers, carving arcs of electricity through their bodies, leaving charred husks in his wake. "Yo Seme! You're movin' too slow!" he called, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Seme slammed her greatsword down, splitting the skull of a serpent that had slithered too close. "Shut up and keep zappin'! I'll handle the heavy hitters!" She pivoted, sweeping her blade in a wide arc that cleaved through a pack of wolves with a single strike. Blood sprayed across the muddy ground, glinting in the red light of the signal fires.
The two of them tore through the enemy ranks like a pair of natural disasters—thunder and steel working in perfect, chaotic harmony. Their synergy was undeniable. Kenshin would stun and scatter, Seme would crush and cleave. The monsters thinned under their relentless assault, their frenzied howls slowly fading to panicked cries.
Inside the dome, Mira and Velra worked tirelessly. Mira darted between the wounded, her quick hands wrapping bandages and applying salves with practiced efficiency. Her tail flicked anxiously as she checked vitals and whispered calming words to terrified villagers. Velra moved like a commander in control — redirecting squads, organizing defenses, making sure everyone was where they needed to be. Her sharp eyes flicked between the forest and the dome's edge. This is too organized. They're being driven by something…
Drathan stretched his arms with a fake yawn. "Y'all got this," he muttered to himself, maintaining just enough void energy to keep the dome steady. From the wall, he watched as Kenshin zipped through a line of skybleeder wasps, cutting them down midair in a burst of light. Seme followed by bulldozing through the remaining ground beasts with terrifying strength.
Gradually, the frenzied swarm began to thin. The ground outside the dome was littered with bodies — wolves piled against the barrier, serpents coiled in death throes, wasps scattered like burnt leaves. The night air was thick with the stench of blood and ozone.
Then the forest went still.
The silence that followed wasn't peaceful — it was heavy, oppressive. Even the wounded stopped groaning for a moment as if the entire battlefield was holding its breath.
A deep rumble emanated from the treeline. The trees shook violently as something massive pushed its way through. Splintered wood flew in all directions. A shape emerged—twisted and monstrous. Its body resembled a wolf, but stretched, warped by veins of pulsing crimson light that traced demonic sigils along its hide. Its eyes glowed with malevolent intelligence, and black steam hissed from its jaws. A wave of demonic aura burst from its body like a shockwave, washing over the battlefield. The grass wilted under its pressure, the temperature dropping as if the forest itself recoiled in fear.
Mira's ears flattened against her head. "That… that's not natural."
Velra's grip on her sword tightened. "Demonic energy. It's controlling the beasts."
The mutated beast let out a roar that rattled the dome, the sound vibrating through every bone in the defenders' bodies. Wolves that had been retreating suddenly turned back, reinvigorated by its presence, rallying like soldiers under a commander.
Kenshin cracked his knuckles, lightning crawling eagerly up his arms. "Finally. The boss decided to show up."
Seme slammed her blade onto her shoulder with a grin. "About time. I was gettin' bored."
Drathan sighed dramatically from atop the wall. "Guess break time's over."
The real fight was just beginning.