Chapter 16 Song of Anri
ARC III THE BLOOD WRAITH
The night was breaking apart. Darkness and moonlight collided above the mountains. Below, the forest burned. Ancient trees shattered. Stone cliffs collapsed. Rivers boiled beneath waves of demonic power. And at the center of it all stood Moon.
The hunt had finally caught them. Matias, the Laughing Reaper, hovered upon a ruined cliff. His enormous scythe rested across his shoulders. Behind him stood hundreds of corpse puppets. Warriors stolen from forgotten battlefields. Knights. Mercenaries. Kings. All dancing to the Reaper's strings.
Beside him stood the masked giant.The Blood Wraith. The warrior who looked impossibly similar to Toivo. His black cloak whipped violently in the wind. His Azuran sword gleamed beneath the moon.
And beyond them Watching silently from the darkness waited countless Shadow Wolves. Eyes glowing silver. Waiting for a command.
The air felt heavy. Oppressive. Wrong.
Toivo gripped Frostfang. His hands trembled.
Even Gret looked uneasy.
"This keeps getting worse."
"That is generally how hunting works."
Kev replied dryly.
The red-haired steward stood in human form beside Moon. Crimson eyes fixed on the enemy. For once he wasn't smiling.
Moon stared toward the gathering darkness.
dark eyes unreadable.
Then he quietly spoke.
"They've become stronger."
The words sounded almost sad.
Matias laughed.
A terrible sound.
"Oh, Moon."
The Reaper spread his arms dramatically.
"You disappeared for centuries."
"We had to find hobbies."
Corpse puppets surged forward. Thousands. The earth shook beneath their advance.
Toivo charged.
Gret charged beside him.
Axe and greataxe struck together.
Frostfang shattered skulls.
Gret's runic weapon crushed entire groups with a single swing.
Kev vanished. One moment he stood beside Moon. The next he appeared among the enemy. Shadows exploded. Limbs flew.
The corpse army collapsed in dozens. Yet more continued coming. Endless. Relentless.
The Shadow Wolves joined them. Darkness flooded across the battlefield. The heroes slowly found themselves overwhelmed.
Toivo fought desperately. Gret roared like a northern beast. Kev became a crimson blur. But still the enemy advanced.
Moon watched. Silent. Still.
Then his eyes lifted toward the moon. High above. Bright. Perfect. Full. And finally Moon raised one hand.
The battlefield froze. The wind stopped. The wolves stopped. Even Matias became silent. The moonlight itself seemed to answer him. Silver radiance descended from the heavens.
Moon's long black hair rose around him. His robes fluttered. The world became quiet. Then light emerged from his back. Not an explosion, Not a spell. A gentle light. Warm. Beautiful. Like dawn arriving after a thousand years. Feathers drifted into the night sky. One. Then ten.Then hundreds.
White feathers began falling from the heavens. Toivo stared upward. The others did too. Something was appearing behind Moon. A small figure. Child-sized. Radiant. A young angel. Short platinum-blond hair glowed like silver sunlight. Blue eyes shone softly. Small white wings spread behind him.
The cherub floated above Moon's shoulder. Beautiful. Pure. Ancient. Anri had returned. The boy angel opened his eyes. And smiled.
"Hello."
His voice sounded like distant bells. The battlefield itself seemed to brighten. Even the wounded felt strength returning.
Matias stopped laughing.For the first time. The Reaper looked uncomfortable.
"No."
Moon lowered his hand.
"Anri."
The cherub nodded. Then gently folded his hands together. Like a prayer. His small wings unfolded completely. And he began to sing.
The song carried across mountains. Across forests. Across rivers. A language older than kingdoms. Older than history. Older than memory. The voice was soft. Yet impossible to ignore. White feathers filled the sky. Moonlight intensified. Thousands of fairies emerged from Moon's shadow. Tiny winged beings woven from pure moonlight. Dragonfly-like wings shimmered silver. Bodies formed from living light. Not living creatures. Constructs. Weapons. Guardians. Moon's eternal army. The fairies swarmed across the battlefield. Like a river of stars. The song continued. And the effect was immediate. Shadow Wolves howled.
Their bodies began weakening. Darkness peeled away from them. Corpse puppets stumbled. Ancient curses cracked. Even Matias staggered.
The Reaper's smile disappeared.
"What is this?"
Anri continued singing.
Feathers drifted endlessly around him. The song became stronger. Brighter. More beautiful.
The Blood Wraith dropped to one knee. His sword trembled.
Moon watched silently. Silver eyes glowing. The fairies circled around him. A living constellation.
The Reaper attempted to move. Failed. The Shadow Wolves retreated. The darkness itself seemed to recoil. For a brief moment the power of the Dark Trinity weakened.
Not defeated. Not destroyed. But weakened. Held back by something they had not expected.
Hope.
Matias stared at the cherub. Fear flashed across his hidden face. Then he laughed again. Though less confidently.
"So."
His eyes narrowed.
"You're using him now."
Moon's expression became unreadable.
Anri's song continued.
And for the first time since the hunt began the hunters were no longer in control.
Moon had finally revealed one of his greatest secrets.
And beneath the rain of feathers and moonlight the tide of battle began to turn.
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