Eamon tried to force his eyes open, but everything around him looked blurry. The world spun slowly above him while pain crawled through every inch of his body. His back burned from Haizer's slashes, his chest felt torn apart, and blood continued dripping from his wounds onto the cold forest ground. Every breath felt heavier than the last. He wanted to get up. He wanted to fight. But his body simply refused to move.
The sounds of battle echoed through the forest. Steel clashed against steel. Trees cracked and flames roared nearby. Through his fading vision, Eamon barely managed to see Damien being thrown through the trees by Haizer's monstrous strength.
A deep fear gripped his chest.
Damien crashed against the ground violently, rolling several feet before stopping. Blood spilled from his mouth as he coughed painfully. His entire body shook from the impact. For a moment, even he struggled to breathe properly. The blow had been devastating.
But then Damien looked toward Eamon.
He saw his friend lying helplessly on the ground, covered in blood.
Something inside him refused to give up.
Damien clenched his fists tightly. His arms trembled as he forced himself back onto his feet. Every muscle screamed in pain, but he ignored it.
Not now.
Not while Eamon was dying.
Nearby, Roneth watched everything unfold with frustration burning inside him. His own wounds still ached terribly beneath the bandages wrapped around his body. Every movement caused pain to shoot through his chest. He hated feeling useless. He hated standing back while others fought in his place.
But even injured, he knew he could not stop now.
Damien wiped the blood from his mouth and extended his hand again. Crimson liquid gathered around his palm and twisted violently. Within seconds another sword made entirely from blood formed in his grip.
At the same moment, Haizer's wings spread wide once again.
The Seraphim's cold eyes locked onto Damien.
Then he moved.
A loud burst of air exploded beneath his wings as he charged forward at terrifying speed. Wind spiraled around his sword this time, far stronger and deadlier than before. The air surrounding the blade whistled violently, sharp enough to slice through flesh before the sword itself even touched anything.
Damien's eyes widened. He raised his blood sword immediately. Deep inside, he already knew. He could not fully block this attack. Not alone. But even then, he refused to step back. If he died here protecting his friends, then so be it.
Haizer grinned wildly as he closed the distance between them.
"You're finished!"
The Seraphim swung his sword downward with monstrous force.
And then—
Clang!
A loud metallic explosion echoed through the forest. Haizer's sword stopped inches before Damien's face.
Roneth stood between them.
Despite the bandages covering his body and blood dripping from his wounds, the adventurer held both his katanas sideways, blocking Haizer's strike with everything he had.
The impact shook the ground beneath him. Roneth's arms trembled violently from the force.
Haizer looked genuinely surprised for the first time.
Roneth gritted his teeth.
"You're not killing him that easily."
Damien immediately understood the opening Roneth had created. Without wasting even a second, he slammed his free hand onto the ground. Dark crimson magic exploded outward.
"Noctis Serpent's Rage!"
A horrifying serpent made entirely of blood burst from the earth beneath Haizer. The creature hissed loudly before wrapping its jaws around the Seraphim's body.
Haizer's eyes widened slightly.
The blood serpent twisted violently and hurled him away across the battlefield.
Haizer crashed through several trees before landing roughly near the burning remains of the forest.
Damien quickly turned toward Roneth.
"What are you doing here? You're already badly injured. Stay with Korran's family and protect them."
Roneth lowered one of his swords slightly while breathing heavily.
"I know I'm injured. But if you and Eamon die, then none of this matters anymore. Those people will die anyway."
He glanced toward Korran, Felis, and Orzen hiding nearby.
"You think I can defeat that monster alone?"
Damien stayed silent for a moment.
Then he sighed.
"Fine. Then let's think of a way to kill him."
Roneth narrowed his eyes seriously.
"There is a way."
Damien immediately looked at him.
"What?"
Roneth pointed toward Haizer's massive wings in the distance.
"Those wings. Burn them."
Damien frowned.
"What?"
"Seraphim wings are incredibly strong, but they have weaknesses too. Once their wings are badly burned, they become useless for some time. Without those wings, his speed and aerial advantage will decrease greatly."
Damien slowly understood.
"And out of the three of us…"
"Only Eamon can use fire magic."
Damien looked back toward Eamon lying motionless nearby.
His expression darkened.
"But he can barely even move."
Roneth clenched his jaw.
"There is no other choice."
Damien suddenly remembered something.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Wait…"
Quickly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a strange herb wrapped in cloth.
Roneth looked confused.
"What's that?"
Damien stared at the herb for a moment before answering.
"Eamon gave this to me earlier. He said it's called Pulam Lilies. Apparently it's an extremely powerful healing herb."
Roneth's eyes widened slightly.
"Then use it quickly!"
Damien hesitated.
"But even Eamon himself wasn't sure if it would work. He said the curse inside his body rejects most medicines."
Roneth looked toward the unconscious Eamon.
"Curse or not, if we do nothing, he dies."
Damien nodded immediately.
The two men rushed toward Eamon.
Damien gently lifted Eamon's head onto his lap while Roneth supported his body carefully.
Eamon's breathing was weak.
His skin looked pale from blood loss.
Damien quickly placed the herb near his mouth.
"Eamon… chew it."
Roneth spoke urgently as well.
"Come on. Stay awake."
For a moment there was no response.
Then slowly, Eamon chewed the herb.
The reaction was immediate.
"AAGHHHHH!"
Eamon suddenly screamed in agony.
His body arched violently.
Veins appeared across his neck and arms as if something inside him was burning alive.
Damien stepped back slightly in shock.
"What the hell?!"
Eamon continued screaming.
His entire body trembled uncontrollably. Steam-like heat rose from his wounds while dark cursed energy flickered faintly around him.
Roneth stared in confusion.
"What's happening to him?"
Neither of them understood.
Then suddenly—
The screaming stopped.
Complete silence fell.
Eamon's breathing slowed.
Slowly, he opened his eyes again.
This time, they looked clearer.
He turned toward Damien and Roneth weakly.
"Did… you feed me Pulam Lilies?"
Damien nodded quickly.
"Yes."
Eamon let out a weak laugh despite the pain.
"Thanks a lot, Damien."
Roneth frowned.
"You're thanking him after screaming like a dying animal?"
Eamon smirked faintly.
"My curse rejects most medicines. I honestly didn't know if Pulam Lilies would even work on me. Even grandfather Arvin was unsure if they would work the second time."
Roneth's expression changed immediately.
"Curse? What Curse?"
Before Eamon could answer, Damien interrupted.
"We'll discuss that later. Right now we need to deal with that flying monster."
Roneth stared at them suspiciously but eventually nodded.
Damien quickly began wrapping cloth around Eamon's deeper wounds while also tightening the bandages around his own body. Blood still leaked from many places, but at least the bleeding had slowed.
Eamon slowly sat up while breathing heavily.
The Pulam Lilies had not healed him completely, but they had numbed the pain enough for him to move again.
Then Eamon reached into his dimensional pocket ring and pulled out a small jar.
Inside were strange herbal pieces glowing faintly green.
"What's that now?" Roneth asked.
"Energy herbs," Eamon replied. "My grandfather's friend, Arvin gave them to me before I left Verdelane Forest."
He handed one piece to Damien and another to Roneth before eating one himself.
The effect was almost immediate.
Warm energy spread through their tired bodies. Not enough to fully restore them. But enough to stand. Enough to fight.
Eamon slowly rose to his feet. His body still shook slightly from exhaustion, but his eyes had regained their determination.
Damien stood beside him.
Roneth adjusted his grip on both katanas.
Eamon looked toward Haizer in the distance.
The Seraphim had returned to the battlefield. Blood dripped from his left arm where Damien's blood serpent had bitten into him earlier. Though the wound was not too deep, anger burned across his face.
Eamon cracked his neck slightly.
"Alright then. How exactly do we kill this bastard?"
Roneth answered immediately.
"We burn his wings. Right now those wings are his greatest strength. Once they're burned, he'll weaken. Then the three of us together might actually stand a chance."
Damien looked toward Roneth curiously.
"You know way too much about Seraphims."
Roneth glanced at him calmly.
"And you know way too much about curses and vampires. So I guess both sides have too much information which should be shared equally."
Damien narrowed his eyes.
Roneth smirked faintly.
"We talk after this fight. Fair trade. Works for you guys?"
Eamon suddenly laughed weakly beside them.
"Sounds fair to me."
Damien sighed heavily.
"Yeah alright. I already lose every argument against you, Eamon. And, now there's another loudmouth standing beside you."
Roneth rolled his eyes.
"Oyi, I heard that."
Eamon chuckled despite his injuries.
"Good. Means you're both still alive."
Then his expression slowly hardened again. The laughter disappeared. The battlefield around them burned brightly beneath the dark sky.
Haizer stared at them with killing intent.
Eamon slowly raised both his fists.
"Arcana Blazing Fists."
Flames suddenly exploded around both his hands, wrapping around his fists like burning gauntlets. The fire illuminated his face in yellow light.
Damien created another blood sword beside him.
Roneth pulled out both his katanas fully.
The three men stepped forward together.
Across from them, Haizer spread his wings once more. The air around the Seraphim began to tremble violently.
Both sides prepared themselves. The final showdown was about to begin.