The light born from within Aurelia changed drastically.
It was no longer just a golden gleam as before.
The flash now contained something far purer, deeper even felt like the first breath of a power that had long slumbered.
The air around trembled.
The red pressure that had pressed down on the entire area began to crack, as if unable to withstand the presence of this new light.
The creature before her narrowed its eyes.
Its gaze, once full of control, now held a different kind of interest.
"So this… is your true form."
Its voice was lower, heavier.
Aurelia did not answer.
She stepped forward without hesitation.
Each footstep left a thin trail of light on the cracked ground.
The Blood Pact bond resonated, but was no longer the center.
This power came from a deeper layer.
Ragnar felt the change.
His laughter burst forth—loud and full of fervor.
"Now we're talking!"
He slammed his fist into the ground, surging forward without holding back his strength.
The next blow was no longer easy to avoid.
The red creature was forced to block it.
The heavy impact rang out with a deafening sound.
Cracks appeared on its arm.
Kael did not waste the moment.
His body vanished, reappearing on the other side with a fast, sharp strike—taking advantage of even the smallest opening.
Every movement of his was now more synchronized; no longer just following instinct, but drawn into a new rhythm emanated by Aurelia.
Orion moved more quietly.
Each step was calculated.
The strikes he unleashed were not many, but always precise.
His targets were not large sources of power.
He aimed for breaking points.
Aurelia remained at the front line.
Her hand rose slowly.
The gathered energy was no longer wild.
It was directed.
Dense.
The red creature stepped back once.
Then stopped.
A smile appeared on its face again.
"Interesting… very interesting."
It raised its hand.
Two figures behind it trembled.
Red energy flowed more heavily.
Aurelia sensed the pattern.
She did not wait.
Her hand lowered.
"Now."
A burst of light struck directly at the center of their connection.
BOOOOM.
The shockwave spread wide.
The two slender figures were thrown back.
The energy link was severed for a moment.
The red creature staggered.
Ragnar immediately seized the opening.
His blow struck harder than ever before.
CRASH.
The creature was pushed back several steps.
The ground cracked beneath its feet.
Kael appeared right behind it.
A flurry of strikes hammered down without pause.
Orion closed in from the other side.
Giving no room to breathe.
Aurelia stepped closer.
Her eyes blazed bright.
But her expression remained calm.
She raised her hand once more.
Energy around her swirled—not just light.
Something else flowed with it.
Something that made the air feel cleaner.
Sharper.
The red creature realized it.
It laughed softly.
"You really are the key."
Aurelia stopped right in front of it.
"And you are something that should have stayed locked away."
Without warning.
She attacked.
Light struck directly.
The creature tried to block.
But this time
It was pushed back.
The cracks on its body widened.
The red light within it pulsed unsteadily.
Ragnar whistled sharply.
"There we go!"
Kael grinned.
"Finally some real effect."
Orion stayed focused.
"Don't give it time."
The assault resumed.
Faster.
More coordinated.
Every movement of theirs connected without needing words.
Aurelia was the center.
Rhythm.
Direction.
Everything flowed from her.
The red creature finally growled.
For the first time—
Its expression was no longer casual.
Energy in its body surged wildly.
The two figures behind it rose again.
They did not attack immediately.
Instead, they stood their ground.
The red light from all three pulsed in unison.
Aurelia felt the change at once.
"Get back!"
But it was too late.
BOOOOOOM.
A massive explosion erupted.
Red energy swept across the entire area.
The ground was torn up.
The air was shredded.
Ragnar was thrown backward.
Kael was pushed several meters away.
Orion knelt, holding back the pressure.
Aurelia remained standing.
But her body was pushed back.
The light around her trembled.
The red creature stood in the middle of the destruction.
Its breathing was heavier.
But its aura grew wilder.
"You are strong…"
It said softly.
"…but not enough."
Aurelia stared at it.
Unwavering.
"Enough to stop you."
The creature smiled faintly.
"You still don't understand."
It slowly raised its hand.
Red energy gathered denser than ever before.
"This isn't about winning or losing."
The light around it changed.
Darker.
Deeper.
"It's about awakening."
Aurelia narrowed her eyes.
"And I won't let that happen."
She stepped forward again.
She was not alone.
Ragnar stood at her left.
Kael at her right.
Orion behind, maintaining balance.
Their bond stabilized again.
Stronger.
Sharper.
The red creature took notice.
Then laughed.
"Four against three…"
It tilted its head.
"Still feel superior?"
Aurelia did not answer.
She simply raised her hand.
Light gathered again.
But this time.
Quieter.
Deeper.
Not explosive.
But… pressing.
Slowly.
The red creature felt it at once.
Its expression changed.
"What is this…"
The light did not attack.
Did not destroy.
It held back.
Pressed down on the red energy from within.
Like a seal.
Aurelia spoke softly.
"You won't get away."
Ragnar grinned widely.
"Now that's a good plan."
Kael let out a small laugh.
"Locking up what wants to break free."
Orion stared with intense focus.
"Hold it steady."
The red creature growled.
Its body trembled.
Red energy tried to burst out.
But Aurelia's light held it back.
The cracks on its body grew wider.
The light within it was unstable.
For the first time.
It was truly cornered.
But.
In the middle of the pressure.
It laughed.
Softly.
But clearly.
"You learn…"
It whispered.
"…faster than we expected."
Aurelia did not lower her hand.
"We will stop you all."
The creature lifted its face.
Its eyes gleamed deeper.
"No."
It murmured.
"This cannot be stopped."
The red light in its body suddenly pulsed stronger.
Not to fight back.
To send something out.
Aurelia felt it at once.
The bond within her trembled violently.
"He's sending a signal…"
Orion said quickly.
"To the core."
Kael muttered softly.
"So that's its real purpose."
Ragnar clenched his fists.
"Then we destroy it right now!"
Aurelia gritted her teeth.
The pressure in her hand increased.
But.
The creature smiled.
"Too late."
Red light exploded.
Not an attack.
But a release.
Its body began to crack.
Breaking apart from within.
Aurelia realized.
"He… sacrificed himself."
BOOOM.
A burst of energy spread out.
Not large.
But enough to break the seal she had created.
The creature collapsed.
Vanished into fragments of red light.
The other two figures also disappeared.
Silence fell.
But there was no victory.
The Blood Pact bond still resonated.
Stronger.
More… restless.
Aurelia slowly lowered her hand.
Her breathing was heavy.
Her eyes remained fixed on where the creature had vanished.
"He succeeded…"
She said softly.
Orion nodded.
"He told the core."
Kael sighed.
"Now they know we're coming."
Ragnar grinned.
"Good."
He rolled his shoulders.
"Let them be ready."
Aurelia did not smile.
Her gaze was distant.
Deep.
"No…"
Her voice was lower.
"…this means something bigger is waiting."
The wind blew again.
But this time.
Carrying a different kind of pressure.
Heavier.
Wider.
As if the entire world was beginning to respond.
And far to the north.
In a place they had not yet seen.
Red light blazed brighter.
Stronger.
As if welcoming their arrival.
The journey was not over.
In fact.
It had only just begun toward the true heart of it all.