The Duskrath—spectral horrors born from the depths of the Eternal Void—were among the most dangerous creatures lurking in this forsaken expanse. Each one possessed an uncanny ability to glide effortlessly through the violent, chaotic currents of the void stream, their ghostly forms unbothered by the turbulence.
Seeing dozens of them rapidly approaching, Tolaro's voice cut through the rising panic like a whip. "We need to get away from them!! Hurry!!!"
Ery reacted instantly, channeling his spirit reading into the Hexalu platform, his senses stretching out to navigate the treacherous currents while simultaneously steering them away from the incoming horde.
The spectral creatures were terrifyingly fast, gliding over the void currents with a grace that defied reason. Despite Ery's efforts, the first Duskrath reached them within seconds.
BAMMM!!!
The creature collided violently with Tolaro's enhanced barrier, erupting in a pulse of dark energy. The impact shook the entire platform, nearly causing Ery to lose control of the artifact. His grip on the situation tightened as Tolaro shouted again, his voice carrying raw desperation.
"Fly faster! Or we will all die!!"
More Duskrath closed in, their hollow, flickering eyes fixed on the Hexalu like predators drawn to prey. Ery knew he had to act. Focusing deeply, he activated the divine technique bestowed upon him by the celestial entity—[Prism of Light].
A radiant glow suffused Ery's being, reinforcing his soul and sharpening his control over the platform. He issued a precise command with renewed focus, causing the artifact to surge forward with blistering speed. But even at maximum acceleration, six spectral creatures still managed to latch onto the outer barrier.
Ery caught a chilling glimpse of them up close—wispy, translucent forms with faces twisted in endless agony. Their ghastly hands clawed at the barrier, and to his horror, parts of their spectral forms began to seep through, pushing against the protective ward with unnatural force.
Tolaro raised his bone sword, its blade glowing, and unleashed freezing spells that encased the creatures in jagged ice sculptures. His voice was sharp and urgent.
"Finish them off! Now!"
Without hesitation, Ery abandoned his position and activated his half-transformation, furs and claws sprouting across his limbs. Relying on his [Immortal Gate], he launched himself at the frozen specters. His blade-like claws tore through their icy prisons, shattering them into glittering shards of crystal dust.
But the two last Duskrath broke free before Ery could deliver the final blow.
SHRIEEEKK!!!
The creature emitted a piercing screech, an ear-splitting sound that tore through Ery's ntal defenses like a dagger. The psychic backlash montarily froze him in place. In that vulnerable mont, the creature lunged, passing through the barrier and striking Ery square in the chest.
His claws slashed wildly in retaliation, but they hit nothing but air. A terrible sensation washed over him—cold, hollow, and draining. Ery's eyes widened in shock as he felt sothing leaving his body. The Duskrath's ghastly touch was siphoning away his life force.
Ery struggled to break free, but the spectral creatures' ghostly grip seed to seep into his very soul, paralyzing him. One of them wrapped its shadowy claws around his arm and, with unnatural strength, tore it apart as if it were made of paper.
"ARRGHH!!!"
Agony surged through Ery, his vision blurring from the searing pain. His physical strength was failing him; he couldn't push the creature away. But deep within his core, the light of the [Prism of Light] still burned brightly. Drawing upon that divine strength, Ery's soul surged with power, and his eyes ignited.
[Spectral Gaze]
The spirit attacks stroked the Duskrath and sent them recoiling backward, their ghastly forms flickering before being pushed away. Tolaro seized the mont, his hands tracing intricate sigils in the air before unleashing freezing magic. The spectral creatures froze solid, and with his spatial wheels, Tolaro shattered them into shards of frozen darkness.
There was no ti to rest. Tolaro barked out a command, urgency lacing his every word.
"Keep flying! Don't stop!"
Ery's mind, still reeling from the pain, refocused on the flying platform. He channeled his energy into the artifact, pushing it to its absolute limits. But as the platform surged forward, Ery realized sothing horrifying—it was taking far more effort than expected to regenerate from his wound. The Duskrath's attack hadn't just been physical; they had drained his soul, disrupting his body's ability to absorb and circulate spirit energy.
It dawned on him that this must have been what had happened to Tolaro earlier. These creatures didn't just tear their prey apart—they devoured their essence, their very souls, leaving behind a wound that spirit energy could barely nd.
Realizing the gravity of their situation, Ery turned to Tolaro, his voice tense with urgency.
"What's the plan? Where are we going?!"
Tolaro's eyes were sharp and focused as he replied.
"We're leaving this cursed place... Any realm would be better than this nightmare!"
As if responding to their desperation, the void stream ahead suddenly split into two distinct paths, each twisting into unknown darkness. There was no ti to deliberate or scout ahead—they would have to rely on instinct and trust.
Ery tightened his grip on the platform controls, guiding it down one of the two paths. The challenges didn't relent. Flying debris—jagged fragnts of shattered rock—black lightning bolts that cracked and hissed through the darkness, and more Duskrath lurking at the edges of their vision continued to hound them relentlessly.
Each threat pushed them to their absolute limits. Ery's mastery of the platform improved with every close call, his reactions becoming sharper, his focus more unyielding.
Hours turned into days, an unrelenting blur of desperate flight and survival. Ery remained locked in concentration, the strain of navigating the void weighing heavily on both his mind and body.
Finally, Tolaro's voice cut through the tension, filled with a mix of hope and desperation.
"There!! There's a gateway ahead!!"
Ery stretched out his divine sense and, sure enough, felt it—a tear in the void stream wall, faint and flickering, like a crack in a mirror reflecting endless darkness. But beyond that tear, there was… nothing. No energy, no presence. Just an empty void.
Ery hesitated. "I can't sense anything… Are we sure about this?"
Tolaro's voice rose sharply. "It's either that or we keep facing the sa nightmare!"
With a deep breath, Ery focused all his will and energy on the platform. The artifact turned, angling itself toward the tear.
But as they drew closer, sothing erged from the flickering gateway.
Two massive, glowing purple eyes pierced the void. Then ca the colossal silhouette of a serpentine beast—its scales pitch-black, glossy, and reflective, blending seamlessly with the void stream. Its jaws, lined with fangs the size of swords, opened wide as crackling black lightning danced across its imnse form.
Tolaro's voice was raw with fear.
"It's a GOD-level beast!! RUN!!"
Before Ery could react, the snake-like monstrosity slamd its colossal body against the platform.
BAMMM!!!!
Hairline fractures splintered across the Hexalu's surface, the sheer force of the impact nearly knocking Ery and Tolaro off balance.
ROOAARR!!
The beast let out an earth-shaking roar, its body coiling back as arcs of black lightning coursed across its scales. Its glowing eyes locked onto them again, and it lunged forward for another strike.
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