As the ground shook beneath their feet, Liam's expression remained stoic, his mind already working through the situation. He knew that getting to Edith and Lucian in time was impossible, at least not with Karla. The Titanborne was too close, and the time it would take to reach them would be too long if he moved with Karla but, he alone could reach them in just one blast of his flames .
"Robin, we won't be able to reach Edith and Lucian in time," Liam's voice echoed through the Whisper spell, his tone calm. "Even if they can hold their own for a moment, they can't do any damage on that thing. You're the only one who can get close enough to that demon. I need you to target its eyes, we need to blind."
Robin's stomach churned as he hovered above, the wind biting at his face. His hands gripped his bow tighter, but his voice trembled with uncertainty. "M–me? I–I can't… I'm not strong enough…"
Liam's voice cut through Robin's head again, colder this time, as he continued to sprint through the forest with Karla. "I understand your fear, Robin, and I'm not forcing you to do this. However… will you be able to live with yourself if one of our teammates gets injured, knowing you could have done something to stop it?"
Robin froze midair, the words hanging in the air like a heavy weight. His heart pounded in his chest, the once comforting breeze now feeling too heavy, too suffocating. His eyes darted nervously across the horizon, the Titanborne's massive form still looming in the distance, relentlessly advancing.
Liam's voice cut through the silence, "You have the power to make a difference, Robin. You've trained for moments . Don't let fear control you."
The forest seemed to hold its breath as Robin hesitated, his grip tightening on his bow. The weight of Liam's words gnawed at him, and for a moment, he could almost hear Edith's voice in his head, her words of encouragement. 'We trust you, Robin…'
Swallowing his nerves, Robin finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "...Okay. I'll do it."
Liam's voice came through the Whisper spell again, still stoic. "Good. Take your shot, Robin. Aim for the eyes. We'll handle the rest."
Robin's hands tightened around his bow, his fingers steadying as he prepared to release the first arrow. His heart pounded, but his resolve had solidified. The others were depending on him now. There was no turning back.
With a final deep breath, Robin shot forward, his air magic propelling him toward the Titanborne.
Liam and Karla pushed harder, their feet pounding against the earth as the roar of the Titanborne echoed through the trees.
Robin hovered above the Titanborne, heart pounding as it lumbered closer to Edith and Lucian. From his elevated position, he pulled an arrow from his quiver, aiming it directly at the demon's eyes. Taking a deep breath, he channeled his air magic, imbuing the arrow with a burst of speed and precision before letting it loose.
The arrow streaked through the air like a bolt of lightning, striking the Titanborne square in the eye. For a fleeting moment, Robin's heart lifted. But the moment the arrow connected, it shattered into splinters, leaving the demon unscathed.
The Titanborne slowly turned its massive head, its eyes locking onto Robin. Its sheer presence was overwhelming, a force that seemed to grip Robin's very soul. He hovered there, frozen in midair, unable to move as the colossal creature raised its enormous hand.
The shadow of its swing grew larger as it loomed closer. Robin's breath caught in his throat, his limbs refusing to obey.
The voice from below snapped him out of his paralysis. Instinct took over, and he thrust himself backward with a surge of air magic, narrowly escaping the giant's crushing blow. The force of its hand moving through the air sent a shockwave that knocked Robin off balance, sending him spinning through the sky.
Before he could fully recover, a deafening crash echoed through the clearing. A massive, cone-shaped projectile hurtled upward, slamming into the Titanborne's hand mid-swing. The impact was devastating, forcing the demon's arm back and sending ripples of energy through the air. Robin, still airborne, struggled to stabilize himself amidst the chaos.
When he finally steadied, his eyes darted downward. The forest below was scarred, a massive clearing now carved into the terrain from the Titanborne's earlier attacks. His gaze fell on Edith and Lucian, standing side by side in the heart of the devastation.
Edith held her shield at the ready, her sword glinting faintly. Beside her, Lucian stood with his right hand still outstretched, steam rising from his gauntlet, evidence of the immense power he had just unleashed.
"Was that Lucian… who threw that huge rock?" Robin thought.
Edith's voice cut through the tension. "ROBIN, YOU DID GREAT! NOW WE KNOW HOW STRONG ITS DEFENSES ARE!"
Robin's eyebrows furrowed. 'Why is she shouting? Whisper would be so much easier.'
He reached out to activate the Whisper spell, but to his shock, the magic didn't respond. Panic began to creep in.
'What? Why can't I use Whisper? Did something disrupt it?'
Robin's voice shook slightly as he yelled back, "A–ARE YOU GUYS OKAY?"
"YEAH! DON'T WORRY ABOUT US!" Edith shouted back, her shield glowing faintly with myst as she prepared to defend. "JUST KEEP SHOOTING THAT THING! WE'LL COVER YOU!"
Robin nodded, forcing himself to push the rising panic aside.
"Hey, Lucian. Are you okay?" Edith asked, glancing at him with concern as the tremors of the Titanborne's movements rattled the ground beneath them.
Lucian wiped the sweat off his brow, his expression serious. "Y-yeah, don't worry about me. These gauntlets amplify my magic far beyond its usual limits. I can handle this, so focus on the fight."
Edith nodded, though her thoughts briefly drifted elsewhere. "Understood. I just wonder where Liam and Karla are…" Her gaze shifted eastward, scanning for any signs of their teammates.
Lucian let out a sharp breath, his eyes fixed on the Titanborne. "To be honest, the last thing you should worry about is them." With a grunt, he clenched his fist, channeling his myst. Five massive boulders erupted from the earth and launched themselves toward the demon.
'From what I've seen so far, I can certainly say that bastard will make it through, no matter what. Even if the world's against him, Liam always pulls through. Tch, such an annoying, smug bastard.' He thought with a hint of envy and annoyance.
"Alright then," Edith said, breaking him from his thoughts. "If you say so, we'll just focus on distracting that thing while Robin keeps up the pressure." She took a deep breath, myst swirling around her as she activated her enhancement magic. Her strength and speed surged, and without hesitation, she charged toward the Titanborne's towering feet, her shield and sword glinting with energy.
Meanwhile, a few meters away, Liam and Karla raced through the forest, dodging shards of boulders sent flying by Lucian's earlier attack.
Liam's eyes locked onto the massive figure in the distance, its presence undeniable. 'We're close now,' he thought, ducking and rolling to avoid a splintering chunk of debris. 'It's just as massive as Mystica described.'
Something else gnawed at him, though. 'Why can't I use Whisper anymore? Is it the Titanborne? Some interference?' He glanced up and spotted Robin in the air. 'At least he's still holding his own. That's good. But now that we're closing in… time to switch tactics.'
"Karla!" he called out. "You head straight to the others. I need to take care of something first."
Karla's pace faltered as she turned toward him, confusion evident on her face. "W-what do you mean? We're almost there—"
"Just tell Lucian and Edith to target its feet," Liam interrupted. "Like we did with the wolves. I'll catch up with you soon."
Before she could respond, Liam veered off, sprinting toward a different path that led slightly away from the Titanborne. Karla hesitated, frustration bubbling up, but she clenched her fists and continued toward the others, trusting Liam's instincts.