(Chapter 384)
The Shadow Lord's low growl deepened into a menacing rumble. The shadowy figures surrounding him surged forward, a grotesque wave of corrupted flesh and dark energy.
"Protect the Luminary!" Elara shouted, drawing Whisperwind. The silver blade, though no longer glowing brightly, still felt like a source of resilience in her hand.
Liam met the first wave of attackers head-on, Dawnbreaker a whirlwind of golden light. Each strike cleaved through the shadowy forms, causing them to shriek and dissipate. But for every one he felled, two more seemed to rise from the swirling darkness around the Shadow Lord.
Elara moved with agility, weaving through the fray, her blade a silver arc against the encroaching shadows. She focused on the gaps in Liam's defense, striking down the creatures that managed to slip past his guard. Their movements were fluid and synchronized, honed by countless battles fought side-by-side.
However, the sheer number of the Shadow Lord's minions began to take its toll. Liam grunted as a shadowy claw grazed his arm, and Elara narrowly avoided a bite from a creature with razor-sharp teeth. The oppressive heat of the lava cavern and the suffocating aura of the Shadow Lord made each movement more difficult.
"We need to reach him!" Elara gasped, deflecting a blow with Whisperwind.
"Easier said than done!" Liam retorted, pushing back a particularly large, hulking figure. "He's using them as a shield!"
The Shadow Lord remained on his dais, his red eyes fixed on them, his staff pulsing with dark energy. He seemed content to let his minions wear them down.
Suddenly, the Shadow Lord raised his staff, and the flow of lava in the river intensified. Jets of molten rock erupted upwards, raining down on Elara and Liam.
"Look out!" Liam yelled, pulling Elara closer as they sought cover behind one of the crystalline structures jutting from the cavern wall. The heat was intense, and the air crackled with the energy of the molten rock.
"He's trying to separate us!" Elara realized, peering out from behind the crystal. The shadowy figures continued their relentless assault.
"We can't stay here," Liam said, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I need to create an opening."
He closed his eyes for a moment, drawing upon the power of the Luminary within him. A brilliant golden aura began to emanate from his body, pushing back the oppressive shadows. Dawnbreaker blazed with renewed intensity.
With a roar, Liam charged out from behind the crystal, his light searing the shadowy creatures. They recoiled, hissing and dissipating as he moved towards the dais.
Elara followed closely behind, using Liam's radiant light as a shield. She focused her own inner energy, channeling it into a burst of focused light from her hands, targeting the creatures that threatened Liam's advance.
The Shadow Lord watched their progress with cold fury. As Liam drew closer to the dais, he finally made a move. With a swift gesture of his staff, he unleashed a bolt of pure shadow energy.
The bolt struck Liam squarely in the chest, sending him staggering back, a gasp escaping his lips. The golden aura around him flickered and dimmed.
"Liam!" Elara cried out, rushing to his side.
"I'm… alright," he grunted, clutching his chest. The dark energy seemed to be sapping his strength.
The Shadow Lord raised his staff again, preparing to unleash another attack. Elara knew they were running out of time.
An idea sparked in her mind, a desperate gamble based on the lore she had studied. The Shadow Lord was a being of pure shadow, empowered by the darkness. But even shadows had their weaknesses.
"Liam," she said urgently, her eyes fixed on the Shadow Lord. "You need to unleash your purest light. Focus all your power."
Liam looked at her, his face pale but his eyes filled with determination. He understood.
Ignoring the pain searing through his chest, he closed his eyes again, drawing upon the deepest reserves of his Luminary power. The golden light around him intensified, becoming blindingly bright. Dawnbreaker pulsed with raw energy.
The Shadow Lord recoiled slightly, a flicker of surprise in his red eyes. The shadows around him seemed to writhe uncomfortably in the face of such pure light.
"Now!" Elara yelled.
With a mighty roar, Liam unleashed a torrent of golden energy. It erupted outwards from him in a searing wave, engulfing the shadowy creatures and slamming into the Shadow Lord.
The creatures shrieked as they were consumed by the light, dissolving into nothingness. The Shadow Lord roared in fury as the pure energy struck him, his dark armor crackling and smoking. He staggered back on the dais, his staff wavering.
Taking advantage of this moment, Elara surged forward, Whisperwind held high. She channeled the last of her inner light into the blade, focusing her will and her ancestral power.
She leaped onto the dais, her silver blade aimed at the Shadow Lord's exposed chest, where the dark energy seemed to be concentrated.