Depth Level 3, North-east side
The group of Lucas, Harrison, Leonora, Arthur and Sean was moving forward when suddenly Arthur pulled out his dagger and slashed.
An invisible flying dagger clashed against his blade.
“They are here!”
He warned.
The group pulled out their weapons.
They dodged while Leonora chanted a Spell.
The area was quickly covered in faint mist.
It allowed them to see the trajectory of the daggers flying at them.
Suddenly, Harrison turned around.
He stared at the empty air far from them.
“Found you!”
Condensed golden lightning crackled around him.
Skill Invincible.
He disappeared from his position, leaving behind a trail of lightning, and slashed.
“Unique Skill: Invincible.”
Black lightning surged.
The air rippled and Arthur’s Shadow was revealed.
It blocked Harrison’s attack with his forearm.
Harrison clicked his tongue and disappeared from his position as he reappeared back at the group’s location.
“The Shadow can use the Skill even though I used it first.”
His face contorted.
Arthur’s mastery over lightning was higher than him.
Far higher.
Which was why he could use the skill.
Harrison could not accept it.
The truth in front of his eyes — that an illegitimate holder of Zeus’ bloodline was better than him — made his blood boil with anger.
“I’ll deal with him alone.”
“That wasn’t the plan—”
“Shut up!”
Harrison disappeared, leaving behind a trail of lightning.
He clashed with Arthur’s Shadow.
Black and golden lightning danced around the battlefield.
They were too fast to be seen with naked eyes.
The others were about to join the fight when suddenly another trail of black lightning rushed towards Harrison and Arthur’s Shadow.
Harrison’s Shadow, having activated Invincible, attacked.
He barely had time to block Arthur Shadow’s attack when the blade hit his back.
It didn’t penetrate his body since Invincible increased all stats, including durability, greatly.
However, it threw him away like a rag doll.
His body bounced once and a black portal suddenly appeared before him, transporting him to another place.
Harrison’s Shadow followed him into the portal before the portal closed.
“Damn it. They teleported Harrison away,” Arthur said.
He clenched his teeth and tried to block his approaching Shadow.
Suddenly, Sean shouted.
Something invisible grabbed him and pulled him into a portal that appeared next to him.
“Follow the plan! We’ll defeat them individually!” Lucas shouted.
He used his portal to teleport himself.
And jumped into the portal where Sean was pulled.
It closed as soon as Lucas entered.
Only Arthur and Leonora were left.
They faced Arthur’s Shadow.
…
Depth Level 3, South-east side
Lucas looked down.
Two daggers pierced his torso and one was stabbed into his thigh.
“I couldn’t react on time.”
Just before Lucas entered the portal, Arthur’s Shadow threw daggers at him.
The speed and force behind the attacks took Lucas by surprise.
Lucas scanned his surroundings.
He was sent to a forest at the edge of the floating land.
His gaze shifted to Sean on the ground.
“Get up.”
Sean groaned as he tried to stand.
The two prepared to fight when the air far ahead of them distorted.
Two Shadows — Clara and Sean’s Shadow — appeared after the invisibility casted on them disappeared.
“C-clara? You are alive?”
Sean’s voice broke.
The Shadow did not attack.
They waited.
As if they knew Sean would break.
“It’s m-me, Clara. Your brother.”
Sean lowered his sword.
He staggered towards the Shadow.
A portal suddenly appeared below him and Sean fell into it.
“It doesn’t look like he is going to help. Might as well send him somewhere else,” Lucas said.
He could see Sean was not in the right state of mind.
Lucas did not care about Sean.
He was worried Sean would do something stupid and cost them both their life, and thus teleported him away.
“Neo warned me you two are undefeatable when you fight together. I wonder if that’s true.”
Lucas maintained his smile.
His eyes gleamed with confidence as he stared down at Sean and Clara Shadows.
Sean Shadow’s eyes narrowed.
Despite being a monster, it had basic intelligence.
It was capable of understanding Lucas’ words.
And knowing Lucas’ Shadow it knew he was right.
The odds were stacked against them.
Lucas’ ability to create portals allowed him to control the battlefield with ease.
He could strike from any direction, retreat when needed, and return at any moment.
But Sean and Clara’s Shadows were not helpless.
They gained the experience of the original Sean and Clara that they honed over years after fighting side by side.
They didn’t need words.
They were always in perfect sync.
Clara’s Shadow twirled it spear and pointed it at Lucas to taunt him.
In a blur, Lucas vanished.
He stepped into a portal as if stepping into another room.
The moment of stillness that followed set Sean Shadow’s on edge.
Clara’s Shadow spun around, and Sean’s Shadow raised its sword just in time.
Lucas emerged above them.
Sean’s Shadow barely managed to deflect his sword with the shield, but the force of the attack sent it stumbling backward.
Lucas didn’t give it a moment to recover.
Another portal snapped open behind Sean’s Shadow, and Lucas lunged through it, his fist aimed for Sean Shadow’s back.
But Clara’s Shadow was already there.
Its spear struck out like lightning, aiming for Lucas’ ribs.
He dodged, slipping through another portal, and appeared at Clara Shadow’s side in an instant.
His hand shot towards her in a vicious arc.
Clara’s Shadow parried, but the impact jarred its arm, forcing the Shadow back.
Lucas continued to smile, amused.
“Try to keep up,” he taunted.
He vanished once more.
His voice, seemingly echoing from all directions, disoriented both Shadows.
Sean’s Shadow gritted its teeth.
It scanned the field, the sword ready, as it tried to predict where Lucas would appear next.
But Lucas was everywhere and nowhere, emerging from portals with blinding speed, striking and retreating.
His attacks grew more relentless with each passing moment.
Each time Sean or Clara’s Shadow attempted to counter, Lucas would vanish before they could land a solid blow.
It was as though they were fighting a phantom.
As if he was the monster, not them.