The battleground was a frenzy of chaotic energy, with Rey and his squad holding their ground, expertly coordinating ranged attacks to keep the Vond forces at bay.


    Rey''smanding presence at the center provided a sense of control amid the turmoil. He continuously fired powerful, precise sts from his sword, creating arcs of energy that tore through the lines of advancing enemies.


    Nearby, Elora''s ice attacks and Aiden''s me strikes created a continuous assault, forcing the Vond soldiers to stay at a distance despite their artillery strikes hammering down from all sides.


    Above the frontlines, Freya activated her [Light Array] skill, spreading radiant, empowering light over the soldiers around her. She directed the glow carefully, infusing as many fighters as possible with just enough strength and resilience, their spirits lifted even as the sh wore on. Meanwhile, Marce darted through the ranks, distributing her glowing potions to anyone in need, her calm efficiency a wee balm in the heated fray.


    "Hey, watch out!" someone shouted, barely avoiding a strike. The chaos of attacks and defenses was reaching a fever pitch, but despite the relentless bombardment, the line was holding, and both sides seemed locked in a precarious stalemate.


    "They really won''t give up, will they?" Rey muttered, his eyes scanning the Vond troops.


    "Huh…" Elora squinted, something catching her eye amidst the surging enemy ranks. She nced over her shoulder, her frustration visible. Her brother Aiden, grinning amid the intensity, threw her a teasing look.


    "What''s wrong, sis? Not having fun?" he quipped.


    "Shut it, you moron," Elora snapped back, a sigh of irritation escaping her. "Concentrate."


    Rey noticed her tense expression and turned to her, sensing she was on the verge of something important. "What is it, Elora?"


    She gestured toward the Vond forces. "Look at them. They''re not making any advances, even though they clearly have the manpower to push us back. It''s almost like they''re…"


    "Stalling for time?" Rey finished her thought, a calm realization in his voice. His eyes narrowed as he observed the opposing troops'' cautious, almost restrained movement. "Yeah, I noticed that too."


    "Ugh…" Evelina panted, her breaths bing strained as she infused her aura into each arrow she released. Despite Cedric''s warnings to conserve her energy, she pushed herself to maintain the barrage. "Has anyone seen Asher?" she asked between shots, her voice tinged with worry.


    "Asher?" Rey echoed, but his question was cut short by the sudden, unmistakable crack of a re lighting up in the distance. Its sharp sound pierced the battlefield, causing Rey and his team to look up in unison.


    High above, the re''s red glow burned bright against the sky, signaling a call from Asher.


    ''Could it be?'' Evelina''s mind raced, her heart pounding as she bolted toward the direction of the re, her legs carrying her almost instinctively. She didn''t wait for the others, and before long, they were trailing behind, struggling to keep up.


    "Evelina, wait up!" Elora''s voice called out, but Evelina barely nced back, her focus unwavering. Determination fueled her steps, pushing her forward with an intensity her friends had rarely seen.


    Rey, needing to catch up with Evelina and the others, turned briefly to address John, giving him a quick excuse. "I just need to check if my friends are okay."


    John frowned, suspicion evident on his face. "And where exactly is ''there''?"


    "I''m not sure," Rey replied, already moving away, "but we''ll be back soon."


    Freya took a step forward, her voice urgent. "I''ming too," she insisted, but Rey held out a hand, stopping her.


    "Stay with them," hemanded, his tone firm.


    "What? Rey!" Freya protested, frustration shing in her eyes as she watched him vanish into the distance. "I can help too, you know…" Her voice trailed off, lost amid the chaos, and she gritted her teeth. "Reyyy!" she shouted after him, but he was already out of earshot.


    *****


    "Evelina, slow down!" Elora called, her voice edged with concern as she tried to match Evelina''s relentless pace. The echoes of the ongoing battle still filled the air behind them, a constant reminder of the urgency, but Evelina was unstoppable.


    "We won''t get there in time, even if something''s wrong," Aiden warned, attempting to inject some reason into the situation.


    "You''re lying!" Evelina snapped, her pace increasing, her voiceced with a desperation that silenced the others momentarily.


    Rosa, usually calm and collected, softened her tone. "Please, Evelina, try to calm down. We''ll make it. Just…"


    "Don''t tell me to calm down," Evelina interrupted, her voice breaking as tears pooled in her eyes. "You know as well as I do that he wouldn''t call for help unless he thought he might… he might…" She couldn''t finish the sentence, her breath hitching as she pushed herself harder.


    Watching her with mixed feelings, Rey felt a twinge of guilt. ''Ugh… Asher''s going to kill me for this,'' he thought, a memory of Asher''sst words surfacing in his mind: a private request that Rey had promised to keep. But with the situation as it was, he shoved the thought aside. ''No… I can''t worry about that now,'' he resolved, focusing on catching up to Evelina.


    "Hold on!" Rey called out, finally catching up to Evelina.


    Evelina barely nced at him, her expression fierce. "Don''t try to stop me," she warned, her tone sharp and unyielding. Rey took one look at her face and knew she wasn''t in the mood for any arguments. Her eyes, steely and determined, left no room for persuasion: she was going, no matter what anyone said.


    He let out a resigned sigh, a hint of amusement breaking through his otherwise serious expression. "I know a shortcut," he said, his voice calming yet purposeful. "You guys, follow me."


    Without waiting for questions, Rey led the way through a winding path until they reached an old, hidden tform by the wall. It was the very spot Asher, Finn, Matthew, and Seraphina had used earlier to make it to the other side. The mechanism was cleverly disguised, tucked behind arge pir and half-covered in overgrown vines.


    "What is this ce, and how do you know about it?" Rosa asked, her eyes darting around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.


    Rey didn''t spare her a nce, his focus on activating the tform''s controls. "Not important right now, is it?" he replied dismissively, concentrating as he pulled the lever. A hum of power pulsed through the tform, and within seconds, they felt the familiar pull of teleportation whisking them across to the other side.


    *****


    An hour earlier.


    The battlegrounds were a frenzy of motion as everyone fought to suppress the enemy''s advance. The shouted orders filled the air as they held their line, sending volley after volley of counterattacks to keep the onught at bay. Freya was in the midst of it, casting a [Light Array] to empower their side, while Marce hurriedly handed out potions to anyone who needed them, darting through the chaos.


    In the midst of this, Asher approached Rey, tapping him on the shoulder. "Hey, I need you to do something for me."


    Rey didn''t even look up, his attention focused on infusing mana into Cedric''s device to keep it running. "Can it wait?" he muttered, sparing only a fraction of his concentration. "Pretty sure you can see I''m busy here."


    "Just listen," Asher pressed, his tone insistent. "I''m leaving to check something, but I need you to promise me something."


    Rey finally paused, curiosity tugging at him. "What?" He raised an eyebrow, watching Asher''s serious expression.


    "No matter what happens, make sure Freya and Evelina are safe. Better still, keep them as far away from me as possible." There was a subtle shift in his voice, an unspoken weight in his words that Rey couldn''t ignore.


    "Huh… Freya, I understand, but Evelina…" Rey trailed off, a sheepish grin forming as he nced over to where Evelina was working. "Oh, for a second there, I thought you were giving me yourst will or something…"


    He turned back, only to find that Asher had vanished without a sound. Rey rolled his eyes, a chuckle escaping him despite the tension of the moment. "Damn it, what is he? Batman?" he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "I really hate when he does that."


    *


    *


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    I''m Batman (≧▽≦)