Ethan's legs gave out, the moment the last of his Spiritual Body Manifestation faded completely, everything he had endured crashed down upon him like a collapsing mountain. His sword slipped from his fingers, clattering against the ground. His knees buckled. His body bloodied, exhausted and trembling, began to fall forward.
Arthur caught him.
One arm wrapped around the boy's shoulders, steadying him, holding him upright. Ethan's head lolled, his eyes struggling to focus, his breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps.
"Easy," Arthur said softly. "I've got you."
Raven appeared at Arthur's side, her eyes scanning Ethan's injuries. Her gaze stopped at his arm the one that had been severed, the one that was now whole, its skin pale and new.
"His arm is back..." she said, her voice carrying a note of surprise.
Arthur glanced at her, with a smile. "Regeneration is part of his powers, losing limbs is not a big deal." He paused. "So now, do you have something to say?"
Raven's cheeks flushed. She looked away, her arms crossing defensively.
"Okay," she said, her voice grudging. "You were right, sorry for doubting."
Arthur's smile widened, then he turned back to Ethan, his hand moving to rest on the boy's forehead.
"This might hurt a bit," he said, "but it will bring you back to one hundred percent."
Ethan's eyes fluttered open. His voice was barely a whisper.
"Maybe... let the Hunters heal me... instead," he said. "I don't think I can handle any more pain..."
Arthur laughed.
"Well, alright, you deserve that much."
Ethan managed a weak smile.
The Hunters rushed toward them, their boots pounding. They converged around Ethan, their voices a chorus of concern and amazement.
"Good God, kid..."
"You actually that boss on your own."
"Are you alright? Can you move?"
The raid leader pushed through the crowd, his face a mixture of relief and awe. "Ethan! You crazy son of a.."
"I'm fine," Ethan said, his voice still weak. "I'm... I'm okay."
The flame-haired Hunter the one who had spoken earlier knelt beside him, her staff already glowing with healing light. "Let me take a look at you. I'm an S-Rank healer, I can heal you in a minute.."
Ethan nodded.
The Hunters looked at Arthur, at the Shadow Monarch, standing casually among them, his shadow armor still glowing with violet light. Some of them had never seen him in person. Some of them had only heard stories.
The healer shook her head slowly and pressed her hands to Ethan's chest, her healing magic washing over him in a wave of golden light. Ethan's eyes closed, his body relaxing as the wounds began to close, the exhaustion beginning to fade.
Arthur stepped back, giving them space.
Then he felt it.
A presence, his eyes snapped toward the sky.
A figure descended from the smoke and ash in a blur of motion, a flash of steel aimed directly at Ethan's heart.
Arthur moved.
He crossed the distance between himself and the attacker in less than a moment, his hand closing around the blade of the descending sword. The impact sent a shockwave across the plain, throwing the Hunters backward, scattering them like leaves in a wind.
Arthur's grip tightened.
The sword stopped.
The figure, a woman, tall and regal, her features sharp and cold stared at him with eyes that held the same terrible light as her father's. Her armor was dark, her hair was dark, and her smile was the smile of someone who had been taught that she was above everyone.
Arthur sent her flying, she crashed into the volcanic mountain, tumbling end over end, her sword skittering across the ground. Before she could rise, Arthur was there standing over her, his eyes blazing violet, his spear already forming in his hand.
"Who are you," Arthur said, his voice flat, "and what are you doing here?"
The woman rose slowly, brushing dust from her armor. Her smile didn't waver.
"The Shadow Monarch," she said, her voice smooth and amused. "This is the first time we meet face to face." She inclined her head, a mockery of respect. "My name is Grail, and I'm sure you know my Father."
Arthur's spear solidified in his hand.
"You are here because of Steppenwolf?"
Grail laughed, "Who?"
She kept laughing, her eyes dancing with amusement.
Raven appeared beside Arthur, her hands wreathed in dark magic, her eyes narrowed with fury.
"Who is this bitch?" Raven demanded.
Arthur's voice was cold. "Darkseid's daughter."
Raven was surprised, then immediately she felt disgust. "Well, that explains why she is ugly."
Grail's smile didn't waver. "Trigon's daughter." She looked Raven up and down, her eyes gleaming. "Well, this keeps becoming interesting."
Arthur's spear rose.
"I'll ask again," he said, "And for the last time, what is your business here?"
Grail's smile faded. Her eyes met his. "I will not share with you why I'm here and I'm not here to fight you," she said. "Unlike stupid Steppenwolf, I am fully aware of my limits." She glanced at the Hunters, at Ethan, at the dead dragons scattered across the plain. "I can't kill you, but I can kill the others." Her smile returned. "So I wanted to take a head or two of the strongest humans out there. But..." She sighed dramatically. "Too bad you got in the way."
Arthur's eyes narrowed. "You think you can escape?"
Grail's smile widened. "I can."
She raised her hand.
"You made my job easier, by the way," she said. "Since you killed those dragons and all."
A Boom Tube opened behind her, and she stepped backward, toward the portal.
Arthur moved, his spear shot forward, a blur of violet lightning, aimed directly at her heart
She teleported, not away from the dungeon but only a short distance, just far enough to avoid the blow.
Arthur pursued her, Raven at his side.
But Grail was already moving toward one of the dragon corpses, the largest of H'El's kills, its body still steaming with residual heat. Her hand closed around its tail, and she pulled, dragging it with her toward a new Boom Tube.
"Good work killing these dragons by the way," she said, stepping through the portal, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Arthur Blackwynd."
Arthur's hand shot out, a shadow blade, thrown at superhuman speed, aimed directly at her throat.
The Boom Tube closed.
The blade passed through empty space.
Grail was gone, the dragon was gone.
The battlefield was silent and Raven's voice was sharp with frustration. "She took a dragon corpse? Why?"
Arthur's eyes were fixed on the space where the Boom Tube had been. His expression was grim.
"I have a bad feeling about this," he said.
The Hunters had witnessed everything. Some of them had tried to attack Grail, but they were slow, exhausted, too far away to do anything. They stood in silence, their eyes wide, their weapons still raised.
Arthur turned to them.
"Leave," he said. "Now, take Ethan and get out of here. I'll deal with the aftermath."
The raid leader's throat worked. "But, we still need to collect..."
"Now."
The word carried no room for argument.
The Hunters moved, the healer who was interrupted by Grail was still working on his wounds, her hands glowing with golden light.
Ethan's eyes found Arthur.
"Mister Arthur," he called out. "What was that? Who was she?"
Arthur didn't turn.
"Someone I'll deal with later," he said. "Rest now, you've earned it."
Arthur walked toward Veythur's corpse.
"Good thing she didn't grab this one," he murmured.
He raised his hand.
"Arise."
The shadows surged.
Darkness poured from Arthur's feet, flooding across the ground, wrapping around Veythur's massive body like a shroud. The dragon's corpse twitched and then a giant shadow began to move.
Shadow Veythur rose.
He was magnificent, a colossus of shadow and light, his wings spreading across the sky, his presence pressing against the Hunters. The S-Ranks stumbled backward, their faces pale, their weapons rising reflexively.
"Monarch," Veythur rumbled, his voice carrying across the plain.
Arthur smiled. "Veythur."
He looked up at the massive dragon, his expression thoughtful.
"It seems Kamish has competition now."
Veythur's eyes narrowed. "Kamish?" His voice carried a note of old irritation. "A name I haven't heard in a long time." He paused. "It will be irritating to see him. But for you, my Monarch, I'll try to get along."
Arthur sighed. "Didn't know you two had history.."
Veythur's shadow-form shimmered. "I will try not to speak of it."
Arthur then dismissed Veythur with a wave of his hand, and the dragon dissolved into shadow, returning to the darkness from which he had come.
Raven appeared beside Arthur.
"We're leaving?" she asked.
Arthur nodded. "Yeah."
He turned to the Hunters one last time.
"Get back through the Gate," he said. "All of you."
The raid leader nodded. "Of course, sir."
Arthur walked toward Ethan, who was still being supported by two Hunters. The boy's eyes were open now, and was more than able to walk.
"Thank you," Ethan said, his voice barely a whisper.
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
Ethan's smile was faint, but genuine. "For everything."
Arthur studied him for a long moment. Then he smiled.
"You'll need your strength. This was only the beginning." He said.
He turned away and Raven fell into step beside him.
And they disappeared in a gust of shadows.
The Hunters stood in silence, staring at the space where Arthur had been.
"Did that really just happen?" one of them asked.
The raid leader shook his head slowly.
"Arthur Blackwynd," he said. "The Shadow Monarch." He looked at the sky, at the volcano, at the bodies of the dragons scattered across the plain. "I've heard the stories, but I never witnessed something like this.."
The flame-haired Hunter stepped forward, her eyes still wide. "He just... he just appeared. Killed an ancient dragon with one swing. Killed three more outside, and fought a stranger who appeared out of nowhere, and then he just..." She gestured helplessly. "Left."
"It makes you wonder if we are needed at all," the raid leader said.
Ethan smiled weakly.
"Of course we are needed," he murmured.
The Hunters turned to him.
"With that kind of power? He could clear all the dungeons on his own." someone asked.
Ethan's eyes closed.
"He can," he said, he then opened his eyes, and they held a new warmth. "But he's just... a man. Trying to protect everyone, in his own way." And the Hunters got silent again.
/-\
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