Page 140 of Ecliptic

Suddenly, Indrasyl rumbled again, shaking every warrior and beast where they stood. A blast of Light shot skyward like a distress signal to the heavens, and a web of glowing roots illuminated the ground. The silver network spread across the soil like horizontal lightning.

Anywhere a Voro-Kai stood, hoof to root, they incinerated into smoke. Plumes of black dust erupted all around the field. It was as if the ground had become sanctified in holy Light, and Erovos’ darkness could not walk upon it.

Luneth was fighting back.

But it still wasn’t enough. The demons were catching on, avoiding the roots as they continued to scratch and claw and bite.

Suddenly, a light fell from the sky, piercing a Voro-Kai through the heart. The demon didn’t even have a chance to blink before it exploded into a fine mist.

Another light fell, and another, and soon, it was raining stars.

Indrasyl had called for help, and the Elder Spirits answered. The stars pierced through demon and after demon in a murderous meteor shower.

I wove through the chaos, whirling Mithrion in elliptical arcs that carved through the remaining Voro-Kai.

A familiar cry caught my attention, and my head whipped to see Dyani sprinting across the battlefield. Her blades glowed like captured starlight as she ran like an Olympian, pumping her arms and legs with dire urgency. I followed her line of sight to what—or who—she ran to.

Rayal was covered in a swarm of premature demons. They were small but quick and ferocious. They latched onto her arms and legs and crawled up her back, biting into her armor. She couldn’t shake them; for every one she pulled off, another took its place.

The fear on Dyani’s blood-stained face was palpable. Claws and talons swiped at her, but she dodged every one, her eyes never wavering from her target. She charged onto a fallen Voro-Kai and used it as leverage to launch herself toward Rayal. In a series of impossible-to-see swipes, her blades danced over Rayal’s flesh, slaughtering the demons that clung to her.

Rayal collapsed, but Dyani caught her in her arms, not letting the queen fall to her knees.

Rayal’s golden eyes snapped to Dyani. Her face radiated with relief and something more than gratitude as she realized who’d caught her and kept her upright.

The fourth Sunshade plummeted to earth, shooting up bits of raw earth and rock.

I brought up my arm to shield my face, and when I lowered it, I saw a Voro-Kai encasing Callum’s head in his giant palm. Its talons dug into the Viltarran warrior’s face and scalp. Suddenly, a scrap of Ever-burn shot from deep within the trees and hit the Voro-Kai in the forearm. The beast hissed and released Callum, giving Rowen’s friend the reprieve he needed to thrust his sword into the demon’s chest.

My eyes darted to the tree line where I saw a tuft of white. I squinted, making out Ven with a slingshot, hurling bits of Ever-burn into the skirmish. Sabra was beside him, guarding him in a protective stance.

How the hell did they get here?

I shouldn’t be surprised, but I would have to murder Ven later for sneaking into war-torn territory.

Suddenly, that iridescent ripple of light shot past my vision again, and I whirled around just in time to see a beast swiping at me. I ducked under its arm and used the momentum to kick up and around its back, hooking my legs around its beefy neck. I whirled around its head, bringing myself atop its shoulders. And with its head between my thighs, I did a forward roll down itschest, forcing it to flip over me and fall on its back. I landed in a crouch and plunged Mithrion into its heart.

I stood from my crouch, spinning in a slow circle to see the Wyn, Viltarran, and Hara’dune soldiers shouting in victory. Standing among them, to my relief, was Takoda, Nepta, and Alvar.

One by one, the Voro-Kai were defeated. Whether by earth, sky, or blade, they were ejected from this land forever.

Cheers erupted as the battle slowly ceased and the earth and heavens calmed.

Erovos was seemingly unbothered as his brood perished in front of him. The world eater smiled as our eyes locked across the field.

Rowen was suddenly beside me, and I squeezed his hand, telling him to stay.

I was exhausted, depleted, and worn, but I stepped forward, my gaze never wavering from the world eater’s burning eyes.

“Erovos!” I yelled, flicking demon blood off my blade. “Let it all come down to me and you.”

His razor-sharp smile widened as we met in the center of the field. “Very well, little light. Let us end this once and for all.”

I charged at Erovos, winding Mithrion into a killing blow. The world eater vibrated and warped the air around him, causing my strike to miss. I swirled around and plunged again, but my weapon only cut through trails of mist.

“You think you can defeat me?” he asked in a humored laugh that chilled my bones. “Your armies, weapons, and Light are useless against me.”

He was right. Even with our armies and Ever-burn blades, there was no defeating a black hole that could absorb the lifeand light out of everything. He dodged my attacks again and again. I couldn’t get my hands on him. It was like trying to grab smoke and nail it down.

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