Now I have even more questions. Leo furrowed his brow, his eyes darting around the battlefield. They all have the same evo... and levels. What the hell is a Blessed Emissary anyway? Where did all the other Voidlings go? This just doesn't make sense... Nyx?

  The feline wasn't fairing much better than him. She didn't even turn away from the battle when he called out for her. She looked like she was in a trance, and he had to shake her for a few seds to eartention.

  'Leo? Tell me you feel this too,' Nyx muttered, ign all his previous questions. 'This shouldn't be possible. Not on this scale. Not yet. Not here.'

  Unsure if they were on the same page, he asked again. What? The evolution? Voidlings? Levels? The Treant? You o be a bit more specific. There is too much shit happening here.

  'No, that's not it.' The feline shook her head before her gaze went back to the fighters in the distaheir race is iroubling. But Leo, focus on their Essence, feel their power. Those ons are only a small part of it.'

  Leo frowned but did as he was told. He squi the group, studying their every move, every teique. The bright gold, almost white, Essence caught his attention first. After all, they all used it, and the longer he watched, the more obvious it became that, just like Nyx said, it didn't e from their ons.

  It looks familiar, almost like Ether, but there is no way that it be it. How the hell do you evehe ability to wield it for the entire group? That seems even less likely than finding another shard of an Old Ohough, what else could be this effective against Voidlings?

  Yet, with each attack that hit the Treant, Leo received more and more proof that it couldn't be Ether. Despite doing some damage to the beast’s Vetilim skin, it wasn't enough to even slow it down. Even the few flesh wounds that went deeper looked like they were already healing, and the monster didn't have a regeor ranking.

  her would cause much more harm. Especially when those people are always trying to hit the same areas. He narrowed his eyes, his mind once more seeking the right answer. So what is it? There is no way in hell I feel anything from this distance... Wait a sed...

  A memory that seemed so distant at this point suddenly resurfaced, washing away all the questions in his head. This golden-white Essence, he now uood what it was, or at least he had an idea. Hopefully, Nyx would firm it.

  It's light affinity. Leo stated, pretty sure of his answer. I had seen it before the Outbreak came, in my dreams. Geron, Nikra's brother, wielded it... Shit, does it mean...

  'I don't know,' the feli him off. 'Thanks to Nikra's memories, I could never fet how his power looks and feels. What we are looking at is definitely light affinity. A much weaker ohan the one Geron used, but I have no doubt in my mind this is it. I just... No... This shouldn't be happening. He is supposed to be dead.'

  Nyx! He shouted over their link and tugged at her fur. Calm down. Stop overreag. A few people using a weaker version of light affinity doesn't mean he is involved. Maybe they just got lucky? Maybe the System gave it to them as a reward for surviving in this hellhole. We don't have enough information to jump to clusions like this.

  Yet, even as he said that, a doubt entered his mind. Which was soon followed by Nyx's hollow chuckle.

  'Don't you see it, Leo?' She growled. 'A human is the first Old One's shard, being her legaot that much ter, he es to the major city and enters people capable of using Geron's mai. The same person who fought a war against Nikra before their tentative alliance. You 't tell me this is a ce. Maybe if it was one person, without an unknown evolution, I could believe that, but this in aire group!'

  Whe it like that, it really became hard tue. After all, what were the odds of two of the main powers of the Universe finding their way to Earth and then London? Most likely not much rger than a big fat zero.

  Still...

  Okay, I get your point, but we 't take this franted. Like you said, Geron should be dead. We need more information, and we won't get it if we don't step in soon.

  True to his words, the group of Blessed Emissaries wasn't fairing too well any longer. Somehow, the Treant mao split a small part of itself and create tiny minions that flowed around the Vetilim enviro like the wind. The survivors tried to fight back, but between the massive beast in the middle and its dozen spores, they couldn't do much.

  Sooner or ter, they would have to run or die.

  'So be it. What's the pn then?' Nyx stood up straight, her worries fading from their link for the moment.

  Good question. Leo grimaced, his mind going a hundred miles per hour to e up with something reasohey are using an affinity that should be naturally strainst Voidlings. We don't have anything simir, so there is really one way to do this. We o immobilize the big guy and then pray that the others will cut it down.

  'That's a lot of maybes.'

  He snorted. Yeah. I know. Unfortunately, this is the only det idea I have. Devour, or maybe blood fire, could also help, but the fht fail pletely while I would o ramp up the tter. So, let's leave that as pn B.

  'Any pn C?'

  "Yeah," Leo leveled her with a firm stare. "If everything fails, run. I want answers, but our lives are more important."

  Nyx gave him a feline equivalent of a grin. 'The's make sure we don't fail. What do you need from me?'

  Essend distra. He expined as they desded from their perd ran towards the battlefield. I practiced this a bit during the night, but I will ime and a lot of power to make it work. Help the group with the minions, but be careful. They might… No, they will most likely attack you.

  'As you wish. And what are you pnnily?'

  Leo simply smirked. You will see. Just open your Esseo me when I give you the sign.

  Without another word, the duo each other and separated. Nyx tinued onto the battlefield, shadows already swirling arouails, while he sneaked around the rooftops, searg food spot. He had to find a pce close enough to the Treant but also one where he wouldn't be spotted instantly.

  Time and preparation were of the essence here.

  Alright, let's get the show started. Leo took a deep breath as he took pside a building with a view of the battle. He had already mao spot Nyx, and thankfully, aside from a few shouts, the group hadn't attacked her yet. Let's keep it that way.

  He closed his eyes and pced his hands on the floor. Bits of Essence spilled out, eg with the shadows of the dark room. Instantly, the drain on his energy increased as the link tried to expand to the entire building.

  Just like during st night, Le in and isoted the e before direg his power toward the battlefield. Like a spiderweb, they flowed out, c every surface, seeking all tiny shadows oreet and surrounding buildings. In a matter of seds, he had a mental image of the entire area, with his affinity lying in wait.

  Third of my Essence just for that. Not good. He grimaced but kept the teique active. This was still cheaper than if he used his own shadows to cover the etlefield.

  No bag off now. Leo swallowed and called out. Nyx! Give me your Essenow, and go hide. Focus oransfer!

  'On it!'

  Instantly, the floodgates in their link opened, and waves of energy spilled over. He took it all and eled it into the spiderweb he had created.

  Shadows exploded all over the battlefield, thousands upon thousands of tendrils rushing out of every hidden dark pce. They all went straight for the Treant, starting at its limbs befoing up, slowly ing most of its body.

  Leo gritted his teeth, sweat c his entire form as the massive beast outside struggled against his hold. Already, he had used all Essence delivered by Nyx, and now only his own meager reserves remaio keep the Treant in pce. He even tried activating Devour with his shadows, but the skill refused to work.

  e on! Do something, you fuckers! I didn't save your asses just so you watch!

  Chaos65