Bab 29: Chapter 29: The Final Confrontation
The moment they charged, the world around them seemed to tremble. Azathar's dark magic roiled through the air, suffocating, heavy with centuries of corruption. The temple's very walls seemed to bend and groan under the weight of the malevolent power that pulsed from the central heart. Elara's breath quickened, the pressure of Azathar's dark influence closing in on her like a vice, but she refused to falter.
Beside her, Rowen's eyes burned with fierce determination. His hand gripped his star-metal blade tightly, the weapon glowing faintly in the overwhelming dark. His footsteps were heavy, but his resolve was unwavering.
The battle was upon them.
The shadows around Azathar surged, stretching like tendrils eager to devour them. Elara drew her sword, the golden light of the Heart of the Forest gleaming in the darkness. This was not the time for hesitation. With a growl, she surged forward, Rowen beside her, and together they rushed toward Azathar, their blades and claws cutting through the thickening air.
Azathar's laugh echoed through the chamber—deep, malicious, mocking. "You think you can defeat me? You think you have the power to stop the inevitable?"
Elara's heart pounded as she gripped her sword tighter, feeling the surge of energy from the Heart of the Forest inside her. This was it. The final stand.
Rowen shifted next to her, his body rippling as his bones stretched and fur sprouted in an explosion of power. The sound of bones snapping and reshaping filled the air as he fell to all fours, his wolf form more massive and muscular than before. His star-metal blade remained in his clawed hand, glowing with the magic of the weapon. The transformation was seamless, and the moment he was fully in wolf form, he charged ahead, his claws and teeth ready to tear through whatever came their way.
Elara felt the magic flood her as well. The Heart of the Forest had already altered her, its magic bonding with her, sharpening her senses. In an instant, her body rippled with fur, her bones cracking as they transformed. A painful but familiar sensation. In seconds, Elara stood before Azathar as a massive wolf, her eyes glowing with the same golden light that shone in her sword. She let out a fierce growl, her claws digging into the stone floor, ready to fight for the world she'd sworn to protect.
Together, Rowen and Elara stood side by side, their forms now as one—creatures of nature's fury, bonded by the power of the Heart of the Forest.
Azathar sneered at them, his form pulsing with an aura of malignant power. "Foolish children. You are nothing but prey to me. Come, let me show you the depths of your own destruction."
Before they could react, the ground beneath them cracked open with a roar, and dark energy erupted from the cracks, coiling around them. Azathar stretched his hand forward, and the shadows leaped toward them, like creatures on the hunt. The shadows came alive, rushing with blinding speed toward Rowen and Elara, but they were ready.
Rowen leapt forward, his claws slashing through the air with a ferocity that shattered the nearest shadow, while Elara twisted, her sharp claws raking through another tendril of darkness that tried to ensnare her. They moved in a coordinated dance of power and grace, their attacks like a storm—raw, primal, and relentless.
Azathar raised his hands, and the ground shuddered violently, sending waves of dark magic at them. Rowen and Elara leapt to the side, the air crackling with dark energy as they narrowly avoided the blast. The force of the magic shattered nearby pillars, sending jagged stone fragments flying in all directions.
"We need to get to the heart," Elara barked through her wolfish growl, her eyes flashing with determination. "Marek! Erynn!"
Erynn moved swiftly to the right, her form a blur as she darted between shadows. Her daggers gleamed in the low light, her movements practiced, each strike deadly. She wasn't a wolf, but the magic of the forest infused her, giving her the agility to keep up with the wild fury of Rowen and Elara.
Marek, standing at the back, raised his staff high. "I've got you covered," he shouted, his voice steady, even as the air around them thickened with dark energy. The staff crackled with arcane power, releasing pulses of energy that pushed back the encroaching shadows. With each wave of his hand, the magic of the Heart of the Forest stirred, clashing against Azathar's will.
But even Marek's magic was being overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of Azathar's power. The dark sorcerer's laughter echoed again, filling the chamber, and with a forceful gesture, he released a massive blast of shadow at Marek, sending him skidding backward. His staff shattered the stone floor beneath him, but he rose again, determination hardening his features.
"Elara! Rowen!" Marek called. "We need to break his connection to the heart!"
Azathar sneered. "You cannot win. This place is mine. Your magic is nothing compared to mine. I have been feeding off this land for millennia!"
With that, Azathar unleashed another wave of shadow, this time aimed directly at Elara and Rowen. They both dodged, the darkness swirling around them like a living entity, but this time, the shadows came for them in droves. Azathar was summoning them all at once, and they were relentless.
Rowen let out a guttural snarl, leaping into the fray, his claws raking through the air with deadly precision, cutting down shadows as they leapt at him. His star-metal blade was an extension of himself, cutting through the darkness, but it was impossible to keep up with the sheer number of Azathar's minions. They kept coming, faster and faster.
"Elara! Now!" Rowen's voice came to her through their shared bond, the urgency clear in his tone.
She responded instantly, charging into the thick of the shadows with a deafening howl. With every swipe of her claws, more shadows dissolved, but it wasn't enough. She had to get to Azathar's heart, the only way to sever his power.
Marek raised his staff again, the air around him shimmering with raw magical energy. "We need to destroy it! It's the only way to stop him!"
Azathar's grin widened, but there was something else in his gaze—a flicker of doubt, a fear that hadn't been there before. He wasn't as invincible as he had hoped. Elara could feel it. The power of the Heart of the Forest was waning, but with every strike, it grew stronger, feeding off her and Rowen's fury. Their combined power was something Azathar couldn't comprehend.
With a roar, Elara leapt toward Azathar, her claws raking through the air. She was almost there, so close to him, but the shadows surged forward once more, attempting to engulf her in their suffocating grasp. Rowen was at her side, moving as though they were one. His claws slashed through the nearest tendrils, while Elara's sword cleaved the darkness in half. Together, they were unstoppable.
The final push came as Rowen moved beside her, his claws raking through the last of Azathar's defenses. With one last growl, Elara lunged at the crystal, her sword cutting through the dark magic that surrounded it, plunging deep into its center. The crystal pulsed with dark energy, but Elara's sword, infused with the Heart of the Forest's power, met it with a bright flash of golden light.
Azathar let out a screech of rage as the crystal shattered, its dark magic dissipating into the air, leaving the room in complete silence. The shadows that had once enveloped them were gone, reduced to nothing.
For a moment, everything was still. Then, the sound of crumbling stone filled the chamber. Azathar's form faltered, his body flickering as the power that had once sustained him collapsed into nothingness. His eyes widened in disbelief, and with a final scream of fury, his body disintegrated into dust, vanishing in the air.
The temple shook violently, the ground cracking beneath their feet as the entire structure began to collapse. The shadows that had once suffocated the land now scattered, leaving only the echoes of Azathar's dark reign.
"We need to get out!" Marek shouted, urgency in his voice.
Rowen and Elara exchanged a look, both of them breathless but determined. Together, they turned and raced toward the exit. Behind them, the temple crumbled, stone falling and debris scattering as the foundation gave way.
They burst into the open air, the light of the setting sun streaming down as the dust settled behind them. They had done it. Azathar was gone. His power shattered. The world was free.
But there was still so much left to rebuild. Still so much left to heal.
As Elara stood there, breathing heavily, her body returning to its human form, she knew the fight was over for now—but it would never truly be finished. And with her companions by her side, she would continue to protect the land they had saved.
For Talia, for the forest, and for all those who had fallen before.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Kelvin_Isaiah
Kelvin_Isaiah We come to the end of this arc! what do you guys think thus far? lemme know your sincerest thoughts. thanks.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone