Requiem of the Abyss & The Dawn's Call

The battlefield reeked of blood and fire.

Dain tightened his grip on his sabers, muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike. Across from him, the Hollow Revenant stood motionless, its form shifting like a nightmare given shape. It did not prepare to attack. It did not assume a stance.

It didn't need to.

Then, with a voice that dripped with condescension, it spoke.

"One against me? Foolish. No… unfair."

The air around them twisted. Two identical figures stepped forward from the original, their forms pulling away as if shadows had simply peeled from its body.

Three Hollow Revenants now stood before them.

Dain's jaw clenched. "That's new."

One of the clones turned toward Seraphina, its hollow eyes fixating on her with mock amusement.

"Ah, the priestess. I shall be your executioner."

The second clone slowly faced Elias, Lucian, Seric, and Lira. Its empty gaze swept over them before letting out a hollow chuckle.

"So many… yet so weak. No matter. I enjoy watching insects squirm."

Then they moved.

Too fast.

A shadow rushed toward Seraphina, and she barely had time to react before its claws collided with her Divine Ethrion barrier, shattering the golden light like fragile glass. She gritted her teeth, pushing back with another surge of energy.

"Lucian!" she called.

Lucian's blade ignited with Holy Ethrion, and he lunged toward the second clone just as it appeared in front of him, its form flickering like a mirage.

The clash sent shockwaves through the battlefield.

Elias moved as well, his instincts screaming—he barely dodged a swipe meant to split him in half. Lira loosed an arrow mid-dodge, but the Hollow caught it midair and snapped it effortlessly.

"That's just insulting," Lira hissed.

Seric darted behind the clone, twin daggers flashing. The strikes landed—and passed through air.

The Revenant's voice curled around them like smoke.

"Foolish."

It backhanded Seric with terrifying force, sending him crashing into the dirt.

Elias charged forward, his sword carving through the darkness. This time, the clone let it land. The blade sank into its chest—only for the wound to knit back together instantly.

It tilted its head, as if disappointed.

"How tragic. A swordsman without teeth."

Elias ripped his sword free, breathing hard. He had fought monsters before. He had fought people before. But this… this wasn't something he could fight.

This was something beyond him.

Meanwhile, Dain had no time to think.

The original Hollow Revenant stood before him, still unmoving, still mocking.

Dain struck first. A silver blur, his sabers moving faster than most could see. His blade cut straight through the Hollow's form—only for it to reform like mist.

A chuckle.

"Pathetic."

Then it struck back.

Dain barely had time to react before a crushing force slammed into his ribs, sending him hurtling backward. He flipped midair, catching himself before impact, but the pain surged through him.

The Hollow wasn't even trying.

Seraphina wasn't faring better. She poured more Divine Ethrion into her spells, golden light erupting from her fingertips. She burned through her reserves faster than ever, refusing to hold back.

The Revenant's clone simply walked through it.

She felt her energy beginning to wane, but she gritted her teeth. She could not stop.

Lucian and Elias fought together, their blades clashing against the second clone in perfect synchrony. Strike. Dodge. Strike again.

It was useless.

The Revenant was playing with them.

Seric and Lira moved in from the flanks, trying to find any weakness. Every strike, every shot, every desperate attack amounted to nothing.

Then, the Hollow Revenant—the real one—grew bored.

"Enough."

Its form flickered—and suddenly it was in front of Dain.

Dain barely had time to register before he felt something hit his chest like a collapsing mountain.

"Abyssal Perdition."

The world exploded.

Dain was sent flying, his body crashing through debris, through bodies, through stone.

He did not move.

Seraphina saw it happen. Saw Dain fall.

Something inside her broke.

She roared, golden light bursting from her body as she pushed beyond her limit.

The clone before her faltered, the sheer force of Divine Ethrion finally burning through its form.

Seraphina raised her staff, gathering all her remaining energy. "I WILL NOT FALTER!"**

She struck.

The clone finally took damage, its form breaking apart—

And then Seraphina collapsed.

Her body trembled violently, blood dripping from her nose, her mouth. She had pushed too far.

Lucian turned in horror. "Seraphina—"

He barely dodged as the second clone swiped at him, fast as death.

Seric and Lira were on their last breath, unable to even lift their weapons.

Elias felt his fingers tremble against his sword hilt.

Lucian's vision blurred from exhaustion.

The battlefield was silent.

They had lost.

The Hollow Revenant looked down at them.

And laughed.

"Is that all?"

They were covered in blood.

Broken.

Defeated.

And the Abyss stood victorious.