The ground trembled.
Dust rose in choking clouds as the air thickened with dread.
Ari, Gray, Dawn, and Tracey stood frozen — eyes wide, hearts pounding. From the horizon, hundreds of dark figures surged forward, their silhouettes shifting like living shadows. The rumble beneath their feet was like an army's roar — relentless, endless.
Behind them, reinforcements gathered. The Commanders of the CA stood ready: Silver, Vince, Ezren, and Mirae, each flanked by their five soldiers — faces hardened, magic already flaring.
To their right, the BladeHex approached — led by Aden Hale, the Blade of Wind, his cloak whipping in the storm of power. Beside him:
Sasha, the Blade of Earth, her arms already sheathed in stone.
Mich, the Blade of Water, calm but deadly.
Rosa, the Blade of Light, radiating defiant brilliance.
Sana, the Blade of Lightning, sparks dancing across her fingertips.
And then, from the shadows beyond — Erika Rowan arrived with her squad. Zeran Drake followed, his squad armored and grim. Magna came last, leading his unit with silent intensity.
Thirty-eight warriors in total. Each one a storm on their own.
The dark tide drew closer. The Hollowborn army howled — a chorus of despair and fury.
Ari's voice broke through the tension.
"Gray… command us. Take the lead."
Gray's eyes narrowed. Without a word, he reached over his shoulders and drew his twin blades — the steel catching the flicker of dawn and the shadows of oncoming doom.
He stepped forward, the wind swirling around him.
Then, in a single breath — he charged.
Behind him, all thirty-seven others followed.
Magic flared.
Steel gleamed.
The earth shook beneath their united assault as the army of light and will clashed against the endless dark.
The final war had begun.
Erika was the first to move.
Her magic surged — scarlet flares bursting around her as she dashed forward, slashing through Hollowborns in a blinding start run. Each strike left trails of glowing red arcs, cutting through darkness like fire through smoke.
Above her, Zeren Drake commanded the skies. His flame bow gleamed with molten heat as he drew the string back.
"Burn them all."
Flame birds erupted from his arrows, soaring high before raining down from the heavens — explosions of crimson fire devouring the oncoming swarm.
On the ground, Magna unleashed devastation of his own. He stomped forward, both hands slamming into the earth.
"Lava Field!"
The ground cracked and a river of molten magma burst outward, melting Hollowborns in waves of fiery destruction. The air sizzled with heat, ash rising like smoke from a battlefield of hell.
Their teams fought fiercely beside them — soldiers clashing against the darkness, forming walls of magic and steel to cover their captains' assaults.
And on the other front — the Blades of BladeHex carved their own path of annihilation.
Aden Hale, the Blade of Wind, danced through the horde. His slashes were silent yet deadly, wind blades slicing Hollowborns apart before they could even touch him.
Sasha, the Blade of Earth, swung her massive sword and the ground answered — roots and stone coiling up from the soil, wrapping the Hollowborns tight before crushing them.
Mich, the Blade of Water, summoned a roaring water dragon, its serpentine body weaving through the battlefield and devouring Hollowborns whole.
Rosa, the Blade of Light, shone like a fallen star. She channeled her hidden power — ice magic born from her light, freezing hordes of Hollowborns into crystal statues mid-charge.
And then came Sana, the Blade of Lightning.
In a flash — she vanished.
Her speed broke the air.
In the next instant, Hollowborns shattered — those Rosa froze, Sana shattered into shards; those Sasha trapped, she sliced apart with lightning precision. Her blade sparked through the mist like a thunderbolt from the gods.
Ezren led the assault, his eyes sharp, his hands pressed firmly into the earth.
"Stone Eruption!"
Jagged pillars of rock burst upward in violent waves, impaling Hollowborns and shattering their advance. Each tremor carried the weight of his fury, turning the battlefield into a graveyard of stone.
Beside him, Mirae's chains flashed through the air — glowing with ethereal light.
"Binding Magic: Heaven's Grasp!"
Her enchanted chains coiled like serpents, snaring Hollowborns mid-leap, dragging them screaming into the ground.
Then, Silver and Vince moved in perfect sync.
As Mirae's chains tightened around their trapped enemies, Silver raised his hand — shards of light-blue crystal forming around his palm.
"Crystal Drive."
He snapped his fingers — and razor-sharp crystal spears erupted from the chains, piercing every captured Hollowborn in a flash of shattering brilliance.
"Vince—now!" Silver shouted.
Vince spun forward, his wind magic spiraling into motion.
"Wind Magic: Crystal Hurricane!"
His gusts twisted around Silver's shards, turning them into a whirling storm of slicing crystal blades. The storm swept through the Hollowborn ranks, tearing them apart in a symphony of wind and light.
The four commanders — Ezren's unyielding stone, Mirae's divine bindings, and the twin storm of Silver and Vince — fought as one, carving devastation through the darkness.
Their teamwork was flawless.
Their power, unstoppable.
And then — the focus shifted to the core group.
Tracey charged through the chaos in his half-beast form, his aura flaring wild and untamed.
Beside him, Ashenfang roared — scales glimmering under the fading light — while the twin traveling beasts, Re and Ro, lunged alongside him.
Together, they tore through the Hollowborn ranks, claws and fangs ripping through shadowed flesh, sending dark energy scattering into the air like smoke.
Gray followed close behind, twin blades in hand — the Blades of Mercury.
Every slash gleamed silver, and wherever the blades struck, Hollowborn limbs turned to liquid metal, their forms melting and collapsing under their own corrupted weight. His movements were precise, his strikes calm — but his eyes were sharp, reading every threat before it reached his team.
Nearby, Dawn fought with fierce determination — her iron rod spinning like a cyclone as she shattered Hollowborn after Hollowborn.
But suddenly, her vision wavered.
The battlefield blurred. Her breath caught.
She stumbled — just as a Hollowborn swung a heavy strike toward her.
Before it could land, Gray appeared in front of her, blocking the blow with crossed blades. Sparks flew.
"Are you all right?" he asked, voice firm but low. "If you're not okay, you can rest in the ship."
Dawn shook her head, gripping her rod tighter.
"No… I'm fine. I guess it's just travel sickness. It'll pass soon. But… thanks for helping me."
Gray gave a small nod, then turned back to the fight.
They rejoined the others — their rhythm returning, blades and magic once again flowing in sync.
Then the view shifted — to the center of the battlefield.
Ari stood alone, surrounded by Hollowborns on every side.
Her golden hair fluttered in the wind; her eyes glowed with unshakable light.
"Light Magic: Octagon."
Eight radiant sigils formed around her — spinning in a perfect circle.
In an instant, she vanished.
Then — eight beams of light struck simultaneously, tearing through the Hollowborns from eight directions. The explosion of light burned through the darkness, leaving only glowing ashes behind.
Yet even as the 38 warriors dominated the battlefield with overwhelming strength, the truth was cruel —
the Hollowborns were immortal.
Their bodies regenerated, shadows stitching themselves back together as if mocking every effort to destroy them.
Still, the alliance pressed on.
Every commander, every blade, every mage — fighting in perfect patterns, pushing deeper into the empire, forcing the Hollowborns back inch by inch.
The battle was endless, the enemy unyielding.
But so were they.
The battlefield trembled.
Even through the chaos, something felt wrong — deeper than the noise, deeper than the endless clash.
The dark magic gathering within the heart of the Empire was no longer just energy.
It was alive.
Each pulse sent a tremor across the land, each breath of wind carried whispers — voices of the dead echoing from the shadows. The air was thick, suffocating, and heavy with despair.
Silver raised his hand, halting the formation. His eyes glimmered faintly under the stormlight.
"Everyone, stop. The concentration of dark magic ahead is rising fast. If we all go deeper together, we'll be overwhelmed."
He turned sharply toward the center group.
"Ari. Gray. You two will go with Lady Erika, Sir Zeren, Lord Magna — and take Tracey and Dawn with you. Seven of you. Head straight for the Emperor's core."
He exhaled, his voice steady despite the roar of battle.
"Whatever's controlling these Hollowborns… it's there. End it."
Aden stepped forward, resting his wind-forged blade on his shoulder, wind swirling faintly around him.
"He's right. Go on, Ari. We can handle things here. These Hollowborns aren't truly strong — just cursed to rise again. The real fight's where you're going."
Ari met his gaze and nodded once, her golden eyes glowing in the dimness.
"We'll stop this at the source."
Gray sheathed one blade and extended his hand to Dawn, who looked a bit pale but determined.
Tracey tightened his fists beside Ashenfang, the beast's low growl echoing through the mist.
Erika, Zeren, and Magna stood ready — the veterans of countless wars, their expressions solemn.
Then Jack stepped forward from the rear lines, his hands already glowing with teleportation sigils.
"Everyone ready? I'll open the path. But it'll take multiple jumps — the dark field ahead is resisting space travel."
Ari nodded.
"Do it."
The ground beneath them lit up with glowing circles of light.
One by one, their bodies were wrapped in radiance — and then, in flashes of magic, they vanished.
Teleport.
Reappear.
Again.
And again.
The air was no longer air — it was darkness, alive and humming.
Each breath burned with pressure, each heartbeat echoed against the heavy silence.
The seven — Ari, Gray, Tracey, Dawn, Erika, Zeren, and Magna — finally stepped into the heart of the Empire.
A vast, ruined courtyard stretched before them. Blackened walls rose like the ribs of a dead god.
At its center stood a massive pillar, etched with glowing runes, and at its base — a crystal, pulsing with raw dark magic.
Five figures stood around it, forming a perfect circle — the Five Emperors.
Their presence alone distorted the air.
Before anyone could speak, Erika moved first.
Her twin blades gleamed as she dashed forward in a blur of crimson light.
The Emperors stirred.
From the air and ground, two colossal beasts emerged — one born of storming winds, the other of boiling water — while another figure appeared beside them, Finn, his crystal eyes cold as ever.
Eight forces in total.
Then, from the opposite side of the field — a familiar voice.
Kai Alden stepped into the light, lightning crawling across his blade. His aura was sharp, refined, and merciless.
Erika's eyes widened — then narrowed.
She leaped high, clashing midair with him — but at the last moment, she spun and dodged.
BOOM!
Kai's blade struck the ground instead, and the entire courtyard split apart, cracking like glass under divine pressure.
From the sky, Zeren fired — his flame bow drawn, the air around him turning red-hot.
"Flame Phoenix!"
A fiery bird roared downward, wings spread wide, diving straight for Kai.
Kai deflected it with a swing of his lightning blade, scattering embers across the broken ruins.
When the smoke cleared — Zeren was already in front of him, bow lowered but gaze sharp.
Zeren smirked faintly.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Kai. But maybe this is fate. A perfect place for our rematch… I've been waiting for this moment."
Kai tilted his head, lightning flickering across his hand.
"Waiting for the moment you lose again?"
They moved at once — Zeren drawing another flaming arrow, Kai charging through the sparks. Their powers collided, fire and lightning tearing through the air.
At the same time, Erika clashed blades with Magnus, one of the five emperors. Her strikes were fierce but calculated — while Gray joined her flank, blades of mercury gleaming in the distorted light.
Magnus smiled, snapping his fingers.
The world shattered around them.
In an instant, Erika, Gray, and Magnus vanished — teleported into another realm.
A rocky, barren dimension under a blood-red sky.
Magnus laughed softly, rolling his shoulders.
"Two versus one… how unfair."
He smirked. "Unfair for you two, that is."
Erika lowered her stance, her aura rising.
"Are you sure you want to face him?"
Gray stepped forward, his twin blades humming.
"There's no choice now."
The three of them charged — their battle echoing through the empty dimension.
________________________________________
Back in the Shattered Empire, the others faced their own enemies.
Ari stood across from Celestia, one of the Five Emperors. The woman's silver hair glowed faintly, her presence suffocating.
"So… you finally came."
Ari's blade burned with radiant light.
"Now I know the truth — you were behind it. Behind my parents' capture. Because of you, they suffered."
Her voice trembled with fury.
"And now, you'll pay."
Celestia smiled faintly, her tone mocking.
"You talk too much. Let's see if your rare light magic can actually entertain me."
Ari's eyes narrowed. Her blade ignited with light.
"You'll see more than that."
________________________________________
Tracey and Ashenfang faced the two beasts — the ancient storm and tide creatures.
The ground shook as both roared, lightning and water colliding in a deadly tempest.
Tracey clenched his fists, his aura fusing with Ashenfang's.
"I know they're your old friends, Ashenfang. But right now, we fight together."
He looked up at the beasts, his eyes burning.
"Because when we defeat them… I'll finally fulfill my promise to my grandfather — to become the strongest beast wielder by conquering the two greatest beasts of legend."
Ashenfang roared in agreement, lightning veins running through his scales. Together, they charged into the storm.
________________________________________
Magna faced Finn, their clash shaking the ground beneath them.
Lava and crystal — two forces born of destruction — collided in a blazing storm.
Magna grinned.
"You again… perfect."
Finn raised his crystal arm, eyes glowing faintly.
"This time, you won't stop him."
Their power erupted, the air between them bending with sheer force.
________________________________________
And lastly — Dawn.
She stood across from a woman whose mere presence made her tremble.
Seraphina — the Emperor of Shadows. Cold, graceful, with eyes that seemed to look through her soul.
Dawn's fingers tightened on her iron rod.
"Why… why do I feel this fear? This… familiarity?"
Her mind blurred — and suddenly, memories flashed.
She was a child again — hiding behind a broken wall — watching as her village burned.
The elders — her guardians — fell one by one.
And through the flames… stood the same figure.
Seraphina.
Dawn's breath caught.
"It was you…" she whispered, her voice trembling. "You're the one who killed them…"
Seraphina's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Ah… so you finally remember."
________________________________________
The seven heroes had arrived at the core —
and now, each faced a battle that could decide not only their fate, but the fate of the entire Empire.
Light and shadow, past and present — all colliding in one final storm.