The cavern trembled violently as the Abyssal Harbinger tore through the fabric of reality, fully emerging into the mortal plane.
Its grotesque, towering form pulsed with chaotic energy, obsidian-black flesh shifting like living shadows.
Jagged protrusions of bone lined its back, each one glowing faintly with eerie crimson light—a manifestation of the abyssal power that sustained it.
Twin sets of blood-red eyes locked onto Adrian and his team, their gaze carrying a malevolent intelligence far beyond that of a mindless beast. Then, a voice—deep, guttural, and impossibly vast—seeped into Adrian’s consciousness, an invasion of thought and will.
"Mortal… your defiance amuses me."
It wasn’t just a voice. It was a presence, an overwhelming force clawing at his sanity. His vision blurred, his mind slipping into an abyss deeper than any nightmare.
Then his instincts roared.
Adrian gritted his teeth and activated Dragon’s Might. Golden draconic energy surged through his veins, burning away the encroaching darkness with sheer force.
His heart pounded, his body burned, but his mind remained his own.
"Tch. Just its presence is corrosive," Adrian realized.
Beside him, Seraphina planted her staff into the cavern floor. A brilliant wave of golden light erupted from its tip, expanding into a vast dome of divine energy.
The pressure in the air lifted slightly, the oppressive weight of abyssal corruption momentarily pushed back.
“Stay inside the barrier! Its energy can erode your very soul if you let it!” Seraphina’s voice was sharp, commanding—a stark contrast to her usual calm demeanor.
The Abyssal Harbinger moved.
Despite its colossal size, it was disturbingly fast. In an instant, it closed the distance, one of its massive clawed hands swinging downward like a hammer. The sheer force of the attack cracked the stone floor beneath them, sending shockwaves rippling outward.
Seraphina did not move.
Instead, she raised a single hand. The source of thɪs content is novel⟡fire.net
The moment the creature’s claws met her barrier, the golden dome twisted, warping space itself. A sharp crack rang out, and with a burst of force, the Harbinger was repelled backward, its own strength turning against it.
Its eyes narrowed. The being tilted its head, as if finally taking Seraphina seriously.
“I’ll handle this thing,” she said, her voice colder than Adrian had ever heard. “You two—” she pointed at Adrian and Isabella, “—take out the cult leader. Everyone else, deal with the minions.”
Adrian nodded. “Mother, let’s go.”
Isabella didn’t need telling twice.
As Seraphina strode forward, her golden aura flared, expanding outward like an ocean. The barrier around her shifted, no longer merely defending—it was attacking.
She was done holding back.
The Harbinger lunged, claws glowing with abyssal flames. But with a flick of her wrist, Seraphina redirected the monstrous energy with her own barrier, bending space around her like a shield and a weapon combined.
The creature tried again, slashing with both hands. But every attack was met with the same response—its own power twisted, manipulated, and turned against it.
Seraphina was a Barrier Attacker.
Not just a defender, but a warrior who weaponized the very concept of protection.
A golden ripple pulsed outward from her form, carving visible gashes into the Harbinger’s body. Its abyssal mist recoiled from the divine energy, writhing as if in pain.
"You don't realize it yet… do you?" she murmured.
She wasn't just attacking the Harbinger's body.
She was attacking its connection to the abyss.
The beast let out a distorted, guttural growl, its form flickering between realms. But Seraphina didn’t stop. She pushed forward, her barrier pressing against it like an invisible force, disrupting its very existence.
But the cult leader watching from afar merely chuckled.
"Impressive, but pointless."
His violet eyes gleamed with amusement as he raised a hand, abyssal energy swirling to form dozens of writhing chains.
“Scatter!” Adrian ordered.
He Shadow Vein Stepped forward, weaving between the attacks before appearing directly in front of the cult leader, sword thrusting toward his heart.
A barrier of abyssal energy flared into existence, stopping Adrian’s blade inches from his chest.
Before Adrian could react, the barrier detonated—a pulse of dark energy blasting him backward.
Isabella was already moving. She tore through the abyssal chains with brute strength, her greatsword glowing with divine light. With a powerful swing, she brought her blade down, aiming to split the cultist in two.
But the man merely raised a single finger.
A shockwave of abyssal power burst from his body, halting her strike mid-swing.
Isabella’s eyes widened. “What—?”
“Your strength is impressive,” the cultist mused, examining her. “But brute force alone will not be enough.”
Adrian gritted his teeth as he pushed himself up. “Then let’s see how you handle both of us.”
He activated Dragon’s Might once more. Golden flames erupted around his sword, roaring like a living entity.
Isabella’s greatsword blazed with divine energy.
The cult leader chuckled. “Ah, a mother and son fighting together. How touching.” His smirk widened. “I suppose I should put in a little effort, then.”
Dark mist pooled around his feet, abyssal glyphs forming beneath him.
Adrian’s instincts screamed.
Both he and Isabella leaped back just as the entire area they had been standing on collapsed into darkness, swallowed by the abyss.
“Come, then. Let’s see if your mortal bloodline is truly worthy of standing against the abyss.”
Adrian didn’t respond. Instead, he launched forward, his sword carving through the air in a series of rapid slashes. Each strike was backed by the force of a dragon, golden flames trailing behind his blade like celestial arcs.
The cultist dodged everything.
Adrian clicked his tongue. "Tch. He's fast."
Isabella exploited the opening. She moved like a blur, her greatsword shattering the sound barrier as it came down toward the cultist. The ground beneath them cracked from the sheer force.
This time, the cultist didn't dodge.
Instead, he caught her blade with two fingers.
Adrian's eyes widened.
The abyssal power around the cultist flared, and in a heartbeat, he twisted his fingers—snapping the trajectory of Isabella’s attack and sending her flying into a nearby rock formation.
A deep crater formed where she landed.
Adrian's rage ignited. His golden aura expanded violently, the cavern walls shaking from his unleashed energy.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Adrian said, his voice low, dangerous.
“Show me your true power, then, Everhart.”
Their duel had only just begun.