Chapter 49: The Breaking of the Eclipse
The two remaining Witches drifted toward the massive oak doors of the mansion. As they touched, their forms began to blur and liquefy, merging into a single, towering monstrosity of shadow and bone.
"They're merging!" Lira shouted, her voice laced with dread.
Ren didn't wait to see the final form. He raised his Golden Revolver, aiming right at the center of the swirling dark mass.
BANG!
The bullet tore through the heart of the merger. A horrific screech echoed through the courtyard as the two Witches were forcibly ripped apart. But the backlash was immediate. A surge of cursed electricity traveled down the path of the bullet, slamming into Ren's arm.
"GAH!" Ren cried out as the electric shock jolted through his nerves. His fingers went numb, and his revolver clattered to the damp ground.
The Real Witch recovered instantly. She raised her hand high and brought it down in a violent slashing motion. A massive bolt of black lightning crackled into existence, aimed directly at the defenseless Ren.
Suddenly, a blur of blue static intercepted the bolt. Adam Lee, using the very last of his Vane reserves, activated his Thunder Strike one more time. He tackled Ren, rolling them both into the safety of the fog just as the lightning scorched the earth where Ren had been standing.
Ren gasped, looking at Adam. "You... you saved me. Thanks, Adam."
Adam didn't respond. The blue glow in his eyes flickered and died as he slumped over, losing consciousness from the sheer exhaustion of his power. Ren pushed himself up onto his knees, checking Adam's pulse.
"Thank God... he's still alive," Ren whispered. He scrambled to grab his revolver, his hand still trembling from the shock.
Across the courtyard, Lira and Mika were dominating the second servant Witch. Lira moved with lethal grace, her enchanted knife flashing as she sliced through the Witch's arm. Seizing the opening, Mika lunged forward, her hand glowing with concentrated Vane energy as she drove it straight through the Witch's head. With a final, choked gasp, the servant dissolved into ash.
But the battle wasn't over. The Real Witch, enraged, delivered a brutal kick to Kimo's chest. The force was so immense that Kimo was launched backward, his body slamming into a massive, ancient tree at the edge of the clearing.
The Witch took flight, her claws extended as she dived toward the dazed Kimo for the killing blow.
BANG!
A single shot rang out. Ren, standing firm despite his injuries, had fired a perfect shot. The bullet caught the Witch squarely in the forehead. Her body jerked mid-air and crashed to the ground, motionless.
Silence finally fell over the mansion. Ren let out a long, ragged breath, his lungs burning. He holstered his revolver and ran toward the tree. "Kimo Sir! Are you okay?"
Kimo was leaning against the trunk, coughing slightly as he tried to stand. "I'm... I'm fine, kid. Just a bit of a backache. That Witch had a hell of a kick."
Mika and Lira arrived soon after, carrying the unconscious Adam between them. "How is he?" Kimo asked, his voice full of concern.
"He's stable," Mika replied, wiping sweat from her brow. "But the Thunder Mode took everything out of him. He needs a hospital, and fast."
As if responding to the death of the Witches, the oppressive "Dark Vane" began to lift. The bruised purple sky dissolved, and the cold moon vanished. In an instant, the world shifted. The sun was hanging low on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and gold. It was 4:00 PM—the nightmare was over.
Kimo stood tall, his expression turning professional once again. He bit his finger, drawing a fresh bead of blood. "Line up, everyone. Stay within the circle."
Mika shifted Adam's weight onto her shoulder as they all gathered around Kimo. He drew the final crimson line on the ground, the Vane energy humming with power.
"Teleport!"