Gorgoyle's body creaked with a bone-crushing sound that echoed painfully through the air. Elara felt as though the very air around her was suffocating, holding her breath. Her eyes were fixed on the massive form that began to stir. A sense of dread crept over her, far more terrifying than anything she had imagined.

  "No... no!" she whispered, though fear had already gripped her soul. Cold sweat trickled down her back. Her body felt stiff, as if wrapped in an inescapable black cloth.

  From within Gorgoyle's body, dark energy radiated, thick and menacing, like an unstoppable current. The energy crawled outward, darkening everything around it. The black mist enveloped Gorgoyle's body, while nature itself seemed to hold its breath, not daring to move. Elara took a few steps back, her eyes wide, filled with shock and anxiety. Every fiber of her being screamed to cry out, but no sound came. What was happening? Why was she still alive?

  "This... this can't be..." she murmured, her voice lost in the wind that swallowed everything. Her fear continued to take over, and deep inside, she knew—there was no other choice. Gorgoyle, who had once seemed helpless, was now rising with terrifying power. His body, covered in wounds, grew larger, more menacing. Rough fur sprouted, covering his body like a natural armor.

  But the most striking change wasn't just his body—it was his face. Gorgoyle, once resembling a stone creature, had become darker, more terrifying. His face now shifted into a blend of human and wolf. His jaw extended, full of sharp fangs, ready to tear through anything. His red eyes glowed fiercely, radiating power that pierced Elara's heart.

  "What… what happened to you?" she whispered, barely able to speak from the tension that almost choked her. She stared at the creature, now resembling a demon more than a mere beast. The world seemed to trap her in a terrifying darkness.

  Gorgoyle—or whatever it was now standing before her—laughed. His voice echoed like a scream from the depths of hell. "You still don't understand, Elara?" His words were venomous, seeping into her soul. "I am a power older than this world. No one can defeat me, especially not a witch like you."

  With a movement so fast it was almost imperceptible, Gorgoyle stomped his foot onto the ground. A massive explosion shook the earth, trees cracking, dirt flying into the air.

  Elara had only a few seconds to react. Before she could move, Gorgoyle leaped toward her, his enormous claws poised to strike. Elara was startled and leapt backward, but the attack came too swiftly. The giant claw struck the green energy shield she had formed, shattering it in an instant. Elara was thrown backward, her body hurled as though hit by a storm.

  Pain immediately enveloped her body. She was pinned beneath rubble, a large gash in her abdomen, blood pouring from the wound. Her shoulder was broken, and the blood that flowed clouded her vision. Every movement felt futile, her body no longer obeying her commands.

  But what tormented her more than the physical wounds was the dark energy from Gorgoyle seeping into her, worsening every injury. It felt like fire igniting within her, spreading through every part of her body.

  The world seemed to fade into darkness, hope slipping away. Yet Elara bit her lip, fighting back the scream of agony. There was no time for weakness. No time for tears. I must protect them, she thought, clinging to the last remnants of her resolve. With the little strength she had left, she struggled to rise, her body trembling, but her eyes burning with determination. Fear, pain, and despair merged as one.

  Gorgoyle, standing tall with hatred in his eyes, grinned menacingly. "You're still holding on, huh?" His voice trembled with malice. "But this is the end for you, Elara. No one can defeat me."

  Elara knew, deep within her heart, that she had to last longer. If she fell now, it would all be over. Pain gnawed at her body. Each second felt like an unreachable future. But she understood—she had to keep fighting. For Ian. For Gerude. For the world that still held a flicker of hope.

  **

  Breathing heavily, her body on the verge of collapse, Elara felt the last of her strength flicker like a small flame at her fingertips, fighting against the relentless darkness of the night. Every movement was the final struggle.

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  The dark power flowing from Gorgoyle gnawed at her, making each breath feel like torture. But deep inside, there remained a spark of hope. She closed her eyes, trying to sense the natural energy that had once been so close to her, now smothered by the black fog that dominated everything.

  Shaking, Elara raised both hands, calling upon the elemental forces that had always been her true companions. But the energy felt dead, oppressed by the darkness emanating from Gorgoyle. Her eyes opened, and despite her body on the verge of collapse, her heart remained resolute.

  "Vernitharez! Aelorae! Luminathis!" Her voice echoed, a call more than just a spell—it was a cry from her heart. But the natural power only responded faintly. Gorgoyle grew stronger, and the darkness overtook everything.

  A sphere of black energy flew from Gorgoyle's palm, emitting a rumbling sound that sent chills through the air. Unable to avoid it, Elara felt its heat, nearly burning her skin. Despair began to creep in, but in her heart, hope remained—hope to protect the world she loved.

  With breath nearly gone, Elara whispered another incantation, "Thyronis! Yelathar! Cindrathis!" Her voice was nearly inaudible, but the natural forces began to tremble. Still, it wasn't enough. The ground beneath her shook, and Gorgoyle showed no mercy. Every second felt closer to destruction.

  As the sphere of energy neared, Elara knew this was the final battle. With her body on the brink of collapse, she raised one hand to the sky, shouting, "Solusara, Latharun, Zaelar!" Her voice was growing weaker, but her resolve never faltered.

  The sky rumbled, and massive tree roots shot up at incredible speed, wrapping around the dark energy sphere that approached. They struggled to hold it back, but the power was too great. The roots began to crack, and the sphere pushed forward.

  In unimaginable pain, Elara realized the natural force she called upon wasn't enough to defeat Gorgoyle. Her body felt like it was burning, her bones almost shattered, and her breath was tight.

  With one final, desperate push, the dark energy sphere broke through her defenses. An explosion shook the earth, and Elara was thrown to the ground, her bones breaking. Blood flowed freely from her wounds. She was buried in suffering, but in her eyes, there was an unyielding courage.

  "Ian... Gerude..." her words were barely audible, but there was hope in her gaze. "Run... Save yourselves..."

  Gorgoyle laughed, his voice booming throughout the forest. "You're too weak for this world!" he sneered, glaring at Ian and Gerude with contempt. "No one can save you now!"

  In her final moments, Elara knew she had given everything. Even if she had to fall, she knew there was no sacrifice too great if it was for those she loved. With her last breath, she closed her eyes, ready to face eternal rest.

  **

  Elara fell. Silence engulfed the air, seeping into the cracked earth beneath. In the darkness of the night, the battlefield felt like a hell awaiting a terrible end. The night wind whispered around Gorgoyle's body, creating flashes of purple light that danced, signaling the rise of dark power.

  Gorgoyle's attacks grew more brutal, like a storm running wild. Waves of black energy shattered the ground, tore apart trees, and tormented every creature too close. Each strike was a devastation. He was like a terrifying shadow in the darkness, the greatest violation of natural law. The world seemed to resist, fear seizing every soul around him.

  Elara lay on the cracked earth, gravely wounded. Her once hopeful eyes were now tightly shut, her breath ragged, carrying the weight of a world that had collapsed. In that pain, hope seemed to vanish, trapped in the deepening darkness.

  On the other side, Ian and Gerude stood frozen, their bodies trembling from the terror that gripped them. A sense of loss enveloped their hearts. A cry of despair echoed in their silence, their breaths heavy and full of hopelessness. Gerude felt her heart pounding, as if her soul were ripped away by the reality that Elara was on the brink of death. Ian, his eyes empty, no longer knew what to do.

  Gorgoyle stood tall, a dark smile on his face like a mark of victory. His glowing red eyes stared at them, savoring the suffering he had created. "Those of you who were so confident, now you can only witness the destruction I've brought," his voice resonated, full of arrogance.

  But in the midst of their despair, the ground suddenly trembled. A powerful magical force surged, turning the wild winds into an unpredictable vortex. Something ancient, something greater than anything in this world, was approaching.

  Gorgoyle turned. His calm began to fade, replaced by tension. Something greater than him, something that could destroy the dark power he held. A soft yet majestic voice rang out, filled with wisdom: "The balance you have shattered... will be restored."

  The words sank deep into their souls, even Gorgoyle's. He searched for the source of the voice, but saw nothing.

  "And the price you will pay, Gorgoyle, will be higher than you can imagine."

  Gorgoyle's eyes widened, his expression shifting from victory to wariness. Something great was coming. And in that moment, a figure emerged—a woman of immense grandeur, with an indescribable aura. Every step she took carried an extraordinary authority, as if the world itself bowed before her. She walked slowly toward them—Ian, Gerude, and Elara, still lying on the ground.