Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 163: Children of Mana, Part Forty-Six

{Lianna}

Lianna stood amidst her allies. Her heart was still beating so loudly due to the possibility that Caroline could have been absorbed.

Thankfully, they came just in time to stop it.

[Okay, we did that,] she thought, her sweaty palms shifting around her bow. [Now what?]

As she caught her breath, Lianna’s mind raced with thoughts of what other nefarious schemes Jack might have devised.

He’d managed to think this far ahead. She couldn’t imagine that his plans ended here, with no other alternatives or contingencies after failing to absorb Caroline.

Sure, her companions’ presence offered a small amount of solace, but beneath the surface, Lianna felt the weight of responsibility settling on her shoulders.

[This is probably far from over.]

Lianna steeled herself for the challenges ahead.

Then, her eyes flickered with concern as she glanced at Caroline, who lay exhausted on the ground after the intense struggle against Jack.

Turning to Miss Taylor, Lianna called out:

"Miss Taylor, please, get Caroline out of here," she implored, her voice laced with urgency.

Miss Taylor met Lianna’s gaze with a solemn nod, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"I’ll make sure she’s safe," she affirmed, her tone resolute despite the chaos around them. "But, please, be careful!"

"I know."

Jack wasn’t about to just sit around and let that happen, though.

Dark mana began to crackle around him as he aimed his hands at them.

[Crap.]

Lianna watched with a mixture of dread and determination as Jack focused his malevolent energies on preventing Miss Taylor from carrying Caroline to safety.

Dark tendrils of Fiendish magic lashed out, crackling dangerously as they sought to hinder their escape.

Someone stepped up.

In that moment, Mel took the stage. She surged forward, her movements swift and decisive. Lianna’s eyes widened.

Channeling her formidable magic, she erected shimmering barriers that intercepted Jack’s spells, creating a protective shield around Miss Taylor and Caroline.

The spells were clearly powerful, though. Mel’s barriers quivered under the onslaught of dark energy.

And yet, her shields held firm.

Lianna’s heart swelled with admiration. She was smiling like an idiot.

"Mel!" Lianna called out, her voice a blend of relief and gratitude. "Keep it up!"

Mel shot Lianna a brief but determined nod, her focus unwavering as she maintained the protective barriers.

Her brow furrowed in concentration, channeling her magic with precision to hold back Jack’s relentless assault.

Encouraged by Mel’s resilience, Lianna tightened her grip on her bow, eyes scanning the battlefield for any openings or weaknesses in Jack’s defenses.

She knew they couldn’t afford to falter now, not when so much was at stake.

At that moment, Fiends surged relentlessly. Lianna could see them pouring in from a distance as if Jack had perhaps called them here, pulling them away from the fight at Garriden.

[I guess that makes sense,] Lianna thought, eyes narrowed. [If his plan revolved around absorbing Caroline, then he probably doesn’t actually care about sieging Garriden. Not yet, anyway. That would come after.]

Behind her, Xi and Desmond, valiant but visibly overwhelmed, fought desperately against the encroaching darkness, their efforts strained as the tide of enemies seemed unyielding.

Lianna knew they had to turn the tide swiftly.

With the influx of Fiends looking endless, every passing moment risked further escalation beyond their ability to contain.

Amidst the chaos, Jack’s relentless assault threatened to breach Mel’s defenses. Lianna’s eyes narrowed with determination.

With a decisive nod to Enverna, Lianna leaped into action, her bow taut as she loosed arrows at Jack. It wasn’t as much about landing them, though several did come dangerously close, as it was about trying to distract him.

Enverna, moving up in a flash, surged forward with her spear, her movements fluid and precise as she rained thrusts upon Jack. Finally, Jack stopped his torrent of spells as Enverna drove him back with relentless determination.

As they pressed the attack, Lianna used {Lover’s Intuition}.

"Enverna, go for his left side, now!" she barked, her tone urgent yet composed.

Enverna responded in kind, shifting her stance and adjusting her attacks to exploit the opening Lianna had identified.

"Spin and sweep low!" Lianna’s command came swiftly as she observed a momentary lapse in Jack’s defenses.

Enverna executed the maneuver flawlessly, her spear carving a calculated arc towards Jack’s legs, forcing him to shift his weight defensively.

She could see Jack click his tongue, a surge of annoyance on his features.

He was apparently so annoyed that he aimed a hand at Lianna instead of the woman attacking him.

Lianna’s eyes widened.

Funnily enough, {Lover’s Intuition} echoed the same sentiment that came naturally to Lianna at that moment.

"Uh, E-Envy, help!"

Enverna reacted instantly. While Lianna dodged out of the way, Enverna quickly ran right back up to Jack and took his attention off her once more.

[Scary.]

"High guard, Enverna, he’s going to go for an overhead strike!" Lianna’s strategic foresight was uncanny as she anticipated Jack’s offensive shift.

Enverna adjusted her stance, bracing herself for the incoming attack. Jack abandoned his magic briefly and went to slam his fists down on her. Enverna stopped and intercepted his blows with her spear.

"His left shoulder, now!" Lianna’s command was a split-second decision as she spotted an opening in Jack’s defense.

Enverna pivoted smoothly, driving her weapon towards the indicated target with precision honed through countless battles.

The blade of her spear dug into Jack’s flesh.

It was the first wound they’d managed to cause on him. Lianna hoped it wouldn’t be the last.

Their coordinated assault forced Jack onto the defensive, his sinister aura momentarily eclipsed by the fierce determination of Lianna and Enverna.

But just as victory seemed within reach, a chilling voice echoed through Jack, resonating with a dark resonance that sent shivers down Lianna’s spine.

The Demon’s voice emanated from Jack’s lips, a woman’s voice spilling out.

"You fight in vain, little mortals," the voice hissed, its cadence carrying an otherworldly weight. "Saren’s resurrection is inevitable. Your struggles are but fleeting sparks against the encroaching darkness."

Lianna’s jaw clenched as she heard those words, her eyes narrowing in defiance.

She exchanged a glance with Enverna, their unspoken resolve echoing louder than the Demon’s words.

"We’ll fight until our last breath," Lianna shot back, her voice unwavering despite the tremors of magic and malice in the air. "You’ll have to get through us if you want to make that happen!"

"Gladly, you little whore!"

Suddenly, Jack charged at her.

Lianna’s eyes widened as she took in the sight of his own eyes, purple with Fiendish power.

The air crackled with arcane energy as Jack unleashed one dark spell after another, each one fueled by murderous intent.

Lianna and her companions fought valiantly, but the sheer power behind Jack’s onslaught threatened to overwhelm them.

Enverna danced amidst the chaos, her spear a blur of calculated strikes and defensive maneuvers. She avoided every incoming magical attack, and yet, for every spell she deflected, two more surged forth, pushing her back.

Mel’s hands crackled with raw arcane power as she countered with her own spells. Bolts of Fiendish lightning were traded back and forth between her and Jack, but it was clear Jack’s possessed more power.

Just when it seemed like they might falter under the relentless barrage, the sound of a car speeding through the terrain caught Lianna’s attention.

The vehicle skid to a stop. Zura, Athene, and Vayn all jumped out immediately.

[YES!]

Athene and Zura both instantly went to interpose their shields between the group and Jack’s spells, forming a protective barrier that absorbed much of the magical onslaught.

Vayn, with her unparalleled agility, quickly darted around the battlefield like a whirlwind of steel, striking at Jack from his flanks alongside Enverna.

Lianna looked around.

[Miss Taylor still hasn’t come back...]

Despite their coordinated efforts, Jack’s power still seemed insurmountable.

Lianna gritted her teeth, her mind racing for a solution.

The imminent danger became palpable as Jack’s focus turned towards Enverna once more, his hands glowing ominously with dark energy.

[He’s going to try again!]

In that critical moment, Mel, seeing this from the side, acted on pure instinct, pushing Enverna out of harm’s way just as Jack’s spell activated.

In that moment, Lianna’s fear turned into curiosity.

Something appeared.

{Target Analysis}

[Analyzing...]

[Analysis Complete]

[Target Analysis - Absorption]

Absorption - 0 MP - 30 Sec. cooldown

{Spell}

{Unique}

{Class: None}

{Description: Ability that allows Jack to drain the life force, magical abilities, and attributes of another individual, ending their life and stealing their power. The spell targets a single individual within range, whether a Fiend or a Human and begins a process of energy transfer from the victim to Jack. Jack can only target one individual at a time with this spell, requiring very close physical proximity to initiate the absorption process. If the target sees this ability coming, it can be resisted.}

Lianna’s eyes widened.

She knew what this meant. It had happened several times now, after all.

She was now immune to the ability.