AK : RISING MYTHIC

Location: Mythic Base, Early Morning

The golden sun rose slowly over the horizon, casting a calm orange light over the stone arches of the Mythic Base. A gentle breeze swept through the courtyard where birds chirped and flags waved gently above the polished walls. The King's Order had come just an hour earlier—a royal command for the Mythic-ranked knights to investigate and eliminate the remaining three demon sites across Lumisgrave.

Inside the base, excitement and determination buzzed in the air.

Vaelith stood near the stables, adjusting the straps on his armor. "We've seen what these demon sites can do," he said grimly. "Let's be sure we end this properly."

Seris stretched her fingers, green energy flowing through them. "This time, no injuries. We go in. We clear. We return."

Tharion cracked his knuckles with a loud pop. "Let's finish what was started."

Malrik, marking formation scrolls on the table, nodded. "We'll split into three teams, each targeting one of the sites—Farmlands, Lumberyard, and Iron Quarry."

Arslan, still recovering in the infirmary, had sent a final message with a quiet smile, "Bring back victory... and don't let me miss the action for nothing."

Team 1 (Farmlands): Tarric, Seris, Milo, and Elyra

Team 2 (Lumberyard): Vaelith, Malrik, Yuna, and Kyren

Team 3 (Lake District): Tharion, Ravik, Ismere (recovered), and Zhalya

Orien and Nirela will stay in Base

As the gates of the base creaked open with a grumbling metallic sound, the three teams mounted their horses. The horses neighed and pawed at the ground, their armor shimmering in the sun.

Yuna, riding beside Vaelith, smiled softly. "Let's bring back peace... and a few shiny crystals."

[Farmlands Demon Site – Team 1]

The lush Farmland once used for wheat and vegetables was now eerie and dry. The soil was cracked; birds avoided the area completely. A red mist hung low like a curse.

Tarric raised his sword. "Stay sharp. We don't know if this site holds the same tricks."

Suddenly, a group of crimson goblins emerged from beneath the ground with a screeching hiss. They moved in erratic patterns, fast and snarling.

Elyra grinned. "My turn."

She launched a spiral wave of emotion-based energy, confusing the goblins long enough for Seris to step in. With her Toxin Manipulation, vines surged from the earth and snapped the goblins like whips.

Milo formed a kinetic barrier around the team as Tarric led a strike forward.

Within five minutes, all hostiles were down. They discovered a new green crystal, humming with subtle life energy.

"Another for the vault," Tarric whispered.

As the crystal was collected, the red mist vanished. The farmland's soil began to look normal again.

---

[Lumberyard Demon Site – Team 2]

The lumberyard was quiet—too quiet. Massive trees, half-chopped, leaned in odd angles. Birds remained dead still.

Malrik, sensing magical traces, said, "There's a lingering aura… Not demonic. Elemental corruption."

Suddenly, cracks in the ground opened, and stone-limbed demons with timber masks burst forth. Their roars echoed like falling logs.

Kyren raised both hands. "Let me heat this up!"

His Heat Pulse technique flared, burning vines and weakening the rocky shells of the demons.

Yuna stood back and sent waves of Healing Pulse into her teammates as Vaelith rushed forward with Life Restoration energy, slashing and purging the corrupted roots that powered the demons.

Malrik carved a Rune of Explosion into a tree trunk and launched it like a spear, shattering the remaining two enemies.

As the final roar died down, the trees began straightening, and the energy shifted. They retrieved two orange crystals, pulsing softly.

[Lake District Demon Site – Team 3]

This site was partially underground. Dark, silent, cold.

Tharion's boots clanged against the stone floor as he led his team downward.

"Feels like a trap," whispered Zhalya, scanning with Blood Sight.

They were right.

Imps with jagged metal limbs pounced from ledges above.

Tharion stepped forward with his Thunderstep, shocking the cave and blasting two imps off balance. Ravik unleashed Stone Armoring, shielding the others.

Ismere, back in form, activated Blood Echo, her blade mirroring attacks she dodged.

The battle was intense but clean. Coordination was perfect. One by one, the enemies fell, until silence filled the cave again.

They collected a dark gray shard, unlike the others—cold to the touch.

The moment it was stored, the cave trembled and collapsed slowly inward, sealing the site naturally.

The three teams returned in the evening, their horses galloping across the stone bridge. Flags fluttered, and guards at the base gates welcomed them with cheers.

Orien was the first to speak. "You all made it back safely?"

Tarric smiled. "Not a single scratch."

Tharion stepped down from his horse and nodded. "Three sites. Three victories."

Yuna went straight to Arslan's ward and whispered, "Mission complete."

[At the Royal Capital]

Inside the Grand Hall, the Council gathered with King Farhan, who stood tall beneath a luminous chandelier.

Kaelen of Obreth and Julius stood beside him.

The Mythic team, along with their collected crystals, were brought forward.

King Farhan looked over the table of colored shards. "So… they're all gone?"

Vaelith stepped forward. "Yes, Your Majesty. All three remaining demon sites have been cleared."

Kaelen asked, "Any injuries?"

Tharion responded with a proud smirk. "None."

The King nodded and turned toward the Council. "They've done what we feared might take months... in a day."

A loud applause echoed in the chamber.

Julius stepped forward. "This is more than victory. This is progress. Let the people of Lumisgrave know—they are safe."

Back at the Mythic Base, the teams celebrated modestly with warm food, laughter, and stories exchanged under the twilight sky.

Though the threat wasn't fully gone—the strange crystals, the origins of the sites, and the mystery around Arslan's black spots—for now, there was hope.

And peace, at least temporarily.