The attack began at midnight.
Kaze's forces launched a frontal assault, screaming war cries and banging their shields. The Demons, arrogant and bloodthirsty, charged out of their camp to slaughter the "weak humans."
Razer, the High Demon, laughed as he swatted soldiers aside with his massive club. "Is this the best humanity has? Weak! Pathetic!"
That was when the sky turned green.
"Arcanum Barrage!" Cho screamed from the ridge.
Seventy sorcerers unleashed a volley of fireballs and lightning. The spells slammed into the exposed flank of the Demon army. The explosion was blinding.
"Ambush!" Razer roared, shielding his face. "Find the mages!"
Before he could move, a shadow blurred past him.
Reynold didn't run; he exploded into motion. "Core Ignition: Third Step - Flashover."
His sword was a blur of steel. He severed the tendons of the two mid-tier demons guarding Razer before they could even lift their weapons.
Razer swung his club. It was a blow that would have shattered a boulder.
Reynold didn't dodge. He parried.
CLANG!
The ground beneath Reynold cracked into a spiderweb. His bones groaned, capillaries in his arms bursting under the strain. But he held.
"Impossible," Razer hissed. "You have no mana!"
"I don't need mana," Reynold gritted out, blood leaking from his nose. "I have physics."
He exhaled, a visible plume of steam escaping his lips. He shifted his weight, redirecting the demon's force, and lunged.
The blade pierced Razer's obsidian chest armor, sinking deep into the black heart.
As the demon crumbled into ash, Reynold fell to his knees, gasping for air. His vision blurred.
And for a split second, he saw it.
The sky above the burning forest flickered. A grid of white lines appeared for a microsecond, revealing a cold, artificial void behind the stars.
"What..." Reynold whispered, reaching out.
Then it was gone. The stars returned. But the feeling of being watched... that remained.