Bella then replied. "I think I can"
Ethan turned toward her with a nod. "Okay, good. You’re coming with then."
She nodded as well.
Eduardo exhaled in relief because atleast the young master had a strong back up now.
Ethan looked around at the rest of them. "Anyone else?"
No one answered at first.
Then Rayleigh suddenly spoke up. "I can’t conceal myself, but I’m also not letting my sister out of my sight. So I’m coming with."
Ethan’s eyes turned him, and he said in a raised tone, "Christ! Ti’s running out here. Unless you can move undetected, I’m sorry but no."
Rayleigh looked like he was about to make a fuss, his mouth opening to argue, when Isabella cut him off. "I can handle myself, Ray, Just go with the others."
"But..." Rayleigh started to protest.
Isabella gave him this glare that stopped him mid-sentence and Rayleigh’s mouth went shut.
"Moving on from that," Ethan quickly continued, not wanting to waste another second on this argunt. "The plan on the other house stays the sa with a few minor tweaks."
Then he turned toward Valerie and asked, "Can you cast that spell?"
He was talking about a certain sealing spell from Jenner’s grimoire that he was supposed to cast when he got to the compound.
It was ant to counter Martina’s relocation gimmick. But since he wasn’t going anymore, Valerie was the next best thing.
Valerie nodded but had to still state, "although I don’t know how long I can hold it for."
Without answering her at first, Ethan called out, "Albedo."
A purple magic circle materialized beside him, and motes of light swirled together before solidifying into his demon summon.
Albedo appeared with her usual grin, then tilted her head as she looked around at everyone’s faces. "Jeez, what’s with all the serious faces?"
But right then, the bond skill connected between her and her summoner. Full instructions started running through her thoughts as she went quiet.
Ethan reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, looking directly into her eyes. "I’m counting on you."
Albedo stared at him for a mont without saying anything. Perhaps it was the bond link that let her understand just how severe this situation really was, or perhaps it was sothing else.
But whatever it was, she nodded obediently without needing to be commanded to do so.
Ethan then turned toward Valerie and said "Albedo here will carry out the major tasks I was supposed to handle while you anchor the spell to her."
Valerie nodded as she perfectly understood what that ant.
Ethan looked down at his watch again and cursed when he saw how much ti had already passed. He had only fifteen minutes left now.
"Shit,"
Then, he turned back toward everyone gathered around him. "Joe will be in position at the right mont."
There was a brief pause as his gaze swept across one last ti before adding: "I want to thank you all for willingly risking your lives on this. Now... let’s move out."
They all seed to be in agreent as everyone began moving toward the vehicles.
Percival walked up beside Ethan and extended his fist toward him with a grin on his face. "Be safe, man."
Ethan bumped his fist with Percival’s before his friend turned and jogged off to join the others heading toward their assigned car.
Ethan’s eyes t Hayley’s for a brief mont as she walked toward the driver’s seat, and they exchanged a silent, acknowledging glance.
She was going to be driving her uncle and cousins to their designated spot.
Right before Eduardo left, he said one last ti, "Master Ethan..."
Even though he knew the princess was with it, he couldn’t wave that feeling of worry completely.
Ethan nodded at him. "I’ll be fine, Eduardo, I trust you to finish the task."
"Oh, Master Ethan," Eduardo began as he turned and walked to his car. "No one’s walking out alive."
His eyes had taken on a reddish amber hue at this point.
Ethan then turned toward Isabella, who had at this point removed the bracelet that placed a curb on her reawakened powers.
The mont the it left her wrist, the air around her distorted for a second and her long hair began drifting upward into the air.
The mana around her being poured out in waves so thick and oppressive that even those several paces away or already at the gates felt the pressure bearing down on them.
Then suddenly, darkness gathered around her, coating her entire being in a pure, ethereal shroud that seed to consu the light itself.
Her form beca less human and more like a silhouette carved out of the void, with only the faint outline of her shape remaining visible.
Ethan watched in complete awe, unable to look away from the transformation happening before him.
And once again, he gained even more surprise when suddenly she, who now looked like a silhouetted form of herself, flattened entirely into pure darkness essence and slipped directly into Ethan’s feet.
"What are you d—" Ethan began to say, but before he could finish the question, a system screen appeared before his vision:
[The Princess has rged with the darkness in your shadows]
His eyes widened as he stared at the notification.
Right then, he heard Isabella’s voice from sowhere around him, as though it didn’t co from any specific direction. Her voice carried this eerie double tone to it when she said;
"Let’s go, babe."
Ethan smiled and without hesitating any further, he walked into the courtyard.
A purple magic circle glowed beneath his feet for just a brief mont before he suddenly launched into the air.
The force of his takeoff left a gust of wind in its wake. He reached a point mid-air, then flew forward so fast in a certain direction that it created multiple sonic booms as he flew through the sky.
——
A few minutes later...
CRASH!
There was a sudden violent impact on the ground caused by Ethan’s arrival on site.
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