Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Chapter 326: Ten Seconds Then



Swoosh-!

Without warning, a wave of oppressive energy washed over the group, bringing with it a chilling sensation that dug into their minds.

'M-My head...'

Adrian's vision blurred, and he staggered, feeling as if his head was being split in two.

"KAKAkA! KAkaKA!"

The Wraith's laughter grew louder, more maddening, echoing in their minds.

"ARGHHHH!" " Nooo...!"

Around him, Adrian saw his companions clutching their heads, their faces contorted in pain. Lyra, Kale, and Nora were on their knees, struggling to maintain their concentration. Lara and Jax had dropped their weapons, their expressions dazed and unfocused.

"D-Dammit!" Adrian cursed under his breath. He fought against the hallucinations that threatened to overtake him, forcing himself to focus. He could feel the Wraith's malevolent presence in his mind, trying to break him down, to make him succumb to fear and despair.

'T-This much is n-nothing...!'

Suddenly white light enveloped his whole body, and the next moment, his thoughts became clearer and his pain faded away. Gradually, the fog in his mind lifted, and his vision cleared.

'W-What is this light?' He muttered inwardly.

But he had little time so he put it aside and glanced over at Thalia, who was similarly struggling but quickly recovering. She met his gaze and gave a determined nod, her grip tightening on her flaming spear.

Adrian moved to her side, shielding her from the newly formed ghoul. He quickly formed a plan in his mind, smiling to himself.

"Hey, do you have a finishing move?" he asked out loud, his voice urgent. "Enough to one-shot kill the Wraith?"

Thalia nodded, her expression serious. "I do, but I need time to prepare. It's a spell that will take everything I've got. Once I start, I can't stop."

Adrian glanced at the massive ghoul and the Wraith behind it. "Right, of course," he thought, knowing that stalling for time against such formidable enemies was risky. But they had no choice.

He turned back to Thalia, his resolve hardening. "I'll stall for you. Please be quick."

Thalia opened her mouth to say something, likely to protest, but seeing the determination in Adrian's eyes, she nodded instead. "Be careful," she said softly, then closed her eyes and began chanting, her spear glowing brighter with each word.

Adrian faced the massive ghoul, readying his sword. "Alright, big guy, let's see what you've got," he muttered, stepping forward.

The ghoul lunged at him with surprising speed for its size, its massive claws swiping through the air. Adrian ducked under the attack, slashing at its legs to slow it down. The creature roared in anger, its movements sluggish but powerful.

Adrian dodged another swipe, then another, moving like a shadow around the ghoul. His focus was solely on buying Thalia the time she needed, evading attacks rather than landing them.

The Wraith floated behind the massive ghoul, its form flickering ominously. "You can't defeat me, human," it hissed, its voice filled with malice. "Your resistance is futile!"

Adrian didn't respond, his eyes locked on the ghoul. He could feel the Wraith's magic pressing against his mind again, but he pushed it back with the sheer force of will and the help of the previous misty white light, refusing to be overwhelmed.

Behind him, he could hear Thalia's chanting growing louder, the energy in the room intensifying. He glanced back briefly, seeing her spear now blazing like a star, the air around her shimmering with raw power.

"Just a little longer then," Adrian thought, focusing back on the ghoul. He needed to keep it distracted, to keep it from interrupting Thalia's spell.

The ghoul lunged at him again, and this time Adrian didn't dodge. Instead, he sidestepped at the last moment, bringing his sword down on its arm, severing it cleanly. The creature roared in pain, its remaining arm swinging wildly.

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Adrian jumped back, barely avoiding the swipe. "Thalia, how much longer?" he called out, his breath coming in short gasps.

"Almost there!" she replied, her voice strained with effort. "Ten more seconds!"

"Ten it is."

"AHH!" The Wraith hissed, "I won't allow it!" It raised a bony hand, dark energy crackling around it. "My Servant, finish her!"

The massive ghoul roared in response, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light as it charged toward Thalia, intent on obeying its master's command. Adrian's eyes widened, his heart racing as he realized what was happening.

"Dammit!" he cursed under his breath, his mind racing. He couldn't let the Wraith or the ghoul get to Thalia—not when she was so close to completing her spell.

Without hesitation, Adrian activated Phantom Step, his body blurring as he moved with lightning speed. He appeared directly in front of Thalia, his sword already raised to strike. "Hey we were fighting just fine!" he shouted, swinging his blade at the Wraith. "Why did you leave me behin-! Shoot-!"

But as his sword sliced through the air, it passed right through the Wraith's ethereal form without resistance, even though the blade was imbued with Aether. The Wraith's cold, hollow eyes locked onto Adrian's, its expression mocking.

"Foolish human," it sneered. "Your efforts are meaningless."

The Wraith's form shifted, ignoring Adrian completely as it reached for Thalia with its other hand, dark magic swirling around its skeletal fingers. Adrian's heart pounded in his chest as he watched, knowing he had to protect her, but his sword seemed useless against the Wraith.

'If only this white light could help me touch that wraith,' he thought desperately. But before he could think further, the ghoul's massive claw came down toward Thalia, its deadly intent clear.

"Tch! Just in time."

Adrian clicked his tongue, knowing he couldn't dodge—if he did, the attack would land squarely on Thalia, disrupting her spell.

"Damn it all!" he growled, raising his sword just in time to block the ghoul's claw.

BOOOM-!

Swooosh-!

The impact reverberated through his entire body, the sheer force of the blow nearly knocking him off his feet. He gritted his teeth, pushing back with all his strength, refusing to let the ghoul through. The ground beneath him cracked from the pressure, but he held firm.

The Wraith, seeing its opportunity, lashed out with its dark magic, tendrils of shadow reaching for Thalia.

"Thalia, watch out!" Adrian shouted, his voice strained as he struggled to hold back the ghoul.


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