The battle raged on, with Maxwell relentlessly firing arrows at Einar, who struggled to avoid them while using over half his mana to protect us.
The air was electric with tension as the two clashed, their movements a blur of speed and power.
Einar was grazed by several arrows, his body jerking with each impact, but he refused to yield. His determination was palpable, his will to protect us driving him forward despite the overwhelming odds.
Eventually, Einar fell to his knees, an arrow piercing his leg and sending a wave of pain coursing through his body. Maxwell took advantage of Einar's weakness and charged, his eyes blazing with a fierce light. He slammed Einar into the ground with incredible force, the impact shaking the earth and sending tremors through the air. The ground cracked and splintered, the sound echoing through the landscape like thunder.
The impact woke Lyra from her unconscious state, and she stumbled towards me, rubbing her red, tear-stained eyes. Her gaze was unfocused, her expression drowsy, as if she was struggling to remember where she was and what was happening.
I exclaimed with relief, "Lyra!" But her response was not what I expected.
"Hmm...? Who are you?" she asked, her voice drowsy and confused. I tried to remind her of who I was, but she looked at me with genuine confusion, her eyes searching mine as if trying to recall a distant memory.
"This can't be happening," i muttered to myself, while her expression puzzled, her voice laced with a hint of fear.
My heart sank, and I felt a pang of desperation. Had she truly forgotten me? The ground beneath us began to rumble once more, drawing my attention back to the battle. Einar, despite his injuries, had managed to overpower Maxwell and was now attempting to destroy his angelic wings. The sound of shattering feathers and snapping bone filled the air, and I winced in sympathy.
With a fierce cry, Einar stepped on Maxwell's back, shattering his wings and sending shards flying everywhere. Maxwell's eyes widened in shock, and he rushed at Einar with a shard, intent on stabbing him. But Einar was too powerful, and with a swift motion, he disarmed Maxwell and put him in a chokehold, his violet eyes blazing with bloodlust.
The barrier around us dissipated, and the shadows merged with Einar, forming a gigantic serpent-like creature with six glowing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth. The creature radiated a dark fog that seemed to feed on Maxwell's fear of death, its presence suffocating and oppressive. Einar's voice was cold and distant as he asked, "Tell me...are you afraid to die?" The words hung in the air, heavy with menace, as Maxwell struggled to respond.