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| DESOROCK HIGHLAND |
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(ROVER'S POV)
The inside of the statue was nothing like Rover imagined.
The air pulsed slowly, and rhythmic, like the inside of some colossal creature.
Fractured stone walls curved inward like ribs, and suspended above them hung that thing… that second "moon," glowing with warped appearance.
Jiyan stepped forward first, "It seems the culprit is hidden deep within this statue," he said, voice echoing through the chamber. His eyes to Rover. "This will be our final battle with the Threnodian. Rover… are you ready?"
Rover rolled her shoulders, flexing her fingers around her blade. Despite the tension twisting in her stomach, a grin tugged at her lips.
"Ready to kick some Threnodian arse."
Jiyan huffed the faintest laugh.
"That's the spirit."
Her grin faded into thin smile. "There's no turning back," she murmured, glancing toward the path they came from. Toward Jeff. "I've gotta get back to Jeff quickly… and fulfill my promise."
Jiyan noticed the changed in her tone more resolved than before. He smiled gently. "Indeed. We've come too far to turn back now."
Rover inhaled slowly. "We must answer their expectations, we can't let them down."
"Yes," Jiyan said. "So many have placed their faith in us."
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous." She said.
Jiyan's expression softened — not as a general, but as a mentor. "Being nervous isn't a weakness," he said calmly. "Sometimes it sharpens the blade." He adjusted his grip on his spear. "Take a deep breath."
Rover did.
"Now," Jiyan finished, eyes blazing with conviction, "let's end this war. Once and for all."
The chamber trembled.
The glowing orb above them split.
"That's… another moon," Jiyan whispered, eyes narrowing. "What on earth is happening—"
A distortion tore open in front of them.
The Crownless emerged.
Its frequencies shimmered erratically it reconstructed and twisted.
"The Threnodian rebuilt it…" Jiyan muttered.
The monster's voice vibrated through the chamber.
"FIGHT… ABSORB… EVOLVE…"
Rover dashed first.
Her blade flashed golden as she slid low beneath its first swing, sparks bursting where metal met warped energy. She pivoted on her heel, slashing upward — spectro resonance spiraling around her strike.
Jiyan followed seamlessly.
"Now!"
He thrust his spear forward — emerald wind exploding outward in a vortex. The Crownless staggered, pinned mid-motion as Jiyan's resonance locked it in place.
"It's immobilized!" he shouted.
"Strike!"
Rover leapt without hesitation. Her body twisted mid-air, blade carving through the Crownless's core. A shockwave rippled outward— But above them, the "moon" pulsed.
Jiyan's eyes widened.
"Those frequencies we shattered— the moon is drawing them in!"
The fragments spiraled upward like moths to flame.
The Crownless convulsed.
And then—
It was consumed.
The chamber darkened once again.
Something new descended.
Jiyan's voice dropped to a whisper.
"That moon… it cannibalized the Crownless."
The form that emerged was sleeker. Sharper, and more defined. Its silhouette almost… human.
"I saw it once," Jiyan murmured. "During the Battle Beneath the Crescent…"
A distorted voice screeched—
"DON'T YOU DARE… COME CLOSE…"
Rover's pulse spiked.
The creature moved.
Fast.
It wielded a blade — familiar in stance. Familiar in structure.
Jiyan's eyes flared with fury.
"That's our swordsmanship!" His voice thundered across the chamber. "The techniques we teach our recruits— how dare you!"
The creature mirrored a Jinzhou form perfectly.
Rover blocked just in time, metal shrieking as the impact forced her backward. Her boots scraped across the stone.
"Watch its ranged attacks!" Jiyan warned.
The monster flicked its wrist — blades of condensed resonance shot outward like crescent moons.
Jiyan stepped in front of Rover instantly, spear spinning.
A wall of wind erupted, deflecting the projectiles.
"Rover," he said urgently, "have you noticed?"
She parried another strike, breathing hard. "It's avoiding attacking the moon behind it."
"Yes. That moon is the core."
He slammed his spear into the ground — a massive wind barrier expanded outward, forcing the creature back.
"I'll shield you!"
His resonance surged, forming a whirling tempest around him as he intercepted every incoming strike.
"Find your opening!"
Rover nodded.
She sprinted.
The monster copied Jiyan's spear mid-motion.
Jiyan scoffed, almost amused despite the danger.
"…Copied my weapon already, huh?"
The creature split into bladed afterimages.
Then its voice distorted.
"Blade of Extinction: MOTHER… NEEDS WEAPONS…"
Multiple spectral blades formed behind it.
"Careful!" Jiyan barked.
The barrage came.
Rover ducked, rolled, slashed through two projections. A blade grazed her shoulder — she hissed but didn't slow down.
"MORE WEAPONS… STRONGER… WEAPONS…"
It lunged.
Rover anticipated it.
She feinted left — then used her resonance to propel herself straight upward, blade glowing brilliantly.
Jiyan created an opening — a focused wind burst that staggered the creature just long enough.
"Now, Rover!"
She plunged downward.
Her blade pierced through the creature's chest — But she twisted at the last second and hurled her weapon into the glowing moon behind it.
The blade struck the core.
The chamber screamed.
Light fractured.
The creature shrieked—
"PAY FOR YOUR INSURRECTION… IN BLOOD…"
The moon cracked.
Energy destabilized violently.
"THE WAR… NEVER CEASE… WE… WILL RETURN…"
And then—
It vanished.
Rover landed roughly, knees buckling slightly. She steadied herself, breathing hard.
Jiyan exhaled slowly. "As the conceptualization of war itself…" he murmured. "And yet it chose to flee."
Rover wiped blood from her lip.
"It seemed weak."
Jiyan shook his head slightly.
"No… it was avoiding us."
A faint sound echoed in the distance.
"Zzz… zzz…"
Rover's head snapped up.
"Did you hear that?"
Jiyan looked toward the trembling ceiling.
The statue groaned.
Cracks spidered across the walls.
"This place is collapsing," he said sharply. "We need to leave. Now."
He grabbed Rover's arm, pulling her toward the exit path as debris began raining down.
The broken moon above them flickered one last time— And then the entire chamber began to fall apart.
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The statue collapsed behind them.
The sky split open.
And for a single suspended heartbeat, the world held its breath.
Then—
Light.
A brilliant spear of sunlight tore through the blackened clouds that had smothered Jinzhou for so long. The rain ceased mid-fall, droplets turning to mist as warmth touched the battlefield for the first time in days.
And below—
Yangyang stood at the edge of ruin, feathers of her hair whipped by wind, blades drawn, surrounded by the last desperate swarm of Tacet Discords.
Her chest rose sharply.
She was tired.
But she did not retreat.
Behind her, Jeff stood firm.
His coat was torn, streaked with ash and blood. His pistols smoked faintly in his hands, and the rectifier floating at his back like a guardian spirit.
He stepped forward. "You picked the wrong battlefield," he muttered.
The final wave lunged.
And then—
The statue exploded outward.
A shockwave blasted across the valley.
Stone disintegrated mid-air.
And from the collapsing monument emerged two figures backlit by blinding sunlight.
General Jiyan.
And Rover.
Yangyang's breath caught. Jeff's eyes widened — relief crashing into him like a tidal wave.
The Ovathrax's colossal form convulsed in the distance — fractured, destabilized — and then shattered into fragments of dying resonance that scattered like fading stars.
The war… was over.
For now.
Jiyan landed first, cloak billowing behind him like a banner of victory. He drove his spear into the earth, steadying himself, eyes scanning the field with vigilance.
Rover followed. She hit the ground hard, rolling once before rising — breathless, dirt-streaked, exhausted…but alive.
Her eyes searched immediately.
And found him.
Jeff didn't move at first.
He just looked at her.
All the tension he had buried during the battle cracked silently in his chest.
She was breathing. She was standing. And most importantly she was safe.
Rover broke into a run. Jeff barely had time to brace before she crashed into him, arms wrapping tightly around his neck. He staggered half a step back, catching her by the waist instinctively.
For a moment—
They just held each other.
"You're late," Jeff muttered finally.
Rover pulled back just enough to glare at him — eyes glassy, lips trembling despite her smile.
"You're lucky I came back at all."
He let out a breathless chuckle.
"Told you I was waiting for my reward."
Without hesitation, she kissed him.
Harder this time.
Yangyang turned away politely, though a soft smile tugged at her lips. Jiyan pretended not to notice — but the corner of his mouth lifted faintly.
Above them, the clouds continued to break apart.
Sunbeams spilled across Jinzhou like blessings long overdue.
In the distance, soldiers emerged from cover, staring in disbelief as the monstrous presence that haunted them for so long simply… vanished.
Cheers began softly.
Then grew.
Then thundered.
Jinzhou lived to see another day.
High above, faint remnants of resonance flickered and died like embers swallowed by dawn.
Jiyan stepped forward, voice carrying across the field.
"This battle is over."
He looked at each of them — Yangyang, steady and proud. Rover, fierce and unyielding. Jeff, unwavering eyes even in exhaustion.
"So many placed their faith in us."
His gaze lifted toward the recovering plains. "We answered."
Jeff adjusted his grip on his pistols before holstering them, glancing up at the clearing sky.
"Guess fate's not done with us yet," he said quietly.
Rover slipped her hand into his.
"No," she agreed. "It's just getting started."
And beneath the starlight that would soon return to Jinzhou's skies, four figures stood where ruin once reigned.
Heroes, not because they were fearless—
But because they moved forward anyway.
And as the sun finally claimed the horizon, their shadows stretched long behind them.
The war had ended.
Their legend had only begun.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
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Hello everyone, feel free to leave your collections, powers, reviews, and comments as you see fit. That's all; thank you for reading this fanfic, and I hope you have a good day.