The battle had taken its toll. The forest around them was scorched and broken, as if the earth itself had recoiled at the violence. Yuki stood tall, his massive form looming over the battlefield, but his eyes were focused on the figure in the distance—the figure who once was a peaceful, unaware soul now twisted into a nightmare.
The lost sister—Sieris's sister, once a harmless village girl—stood before them, her body shrouded in shadows, her eyes empty and lifeless. The dark aura swirling around her was unmistakable. She had been taken over, controlled by the dark energy of the entity that had orchestrated all of this chaos.
Yuki's heart wrenched. **This is a trap, isn't it?**
He glanced at Sylvaeria, who was hovering nearby, her expression grim. She didn't need to say anything. The look in her eyes told him everything.
"This is no longer her," Yuki whispered, his voice low.
Sylvaeria nodded, her voice equally soft but laced with determination. "The one you saw in the forest is gone. What stands before us now is a shadow of that person."
Lumi stepped forward, her hand gripping her sword tightly. She was always the first to charge in, but even she hesitated, sensing the deep sadness in the situation.
"Yuki," she began, "I don't care who or what this is. We save her, we end this, and we don't leave anyone behind."
Elira, eyes glowing with her witch's power, spoke next, her voice filled with an almost eerie calm. "It won't be easy. Whatever this force is, it has a grip on her. If we fight her now, we might lose her forever."
Yuki's claws clenched into fists. "Then we have to stop it."
They had come to the heart of the dark entity's influence, and Yuki could feel it—this was where their paths would either diverge or solidify. He wasn't about to let Sieris's sister slip away, especially not in this way.
---
### **The Fight for Her Soul**
The air grew thick with tension as the shadow around Sieris's sister pulsed and expanded. Her voice, distorted and hollow, echoed through the forest.
"Do you really think you can save me?" she mocked, her eyes flickering with malicious intent. "I am beyond salvation. This is my destiny."
Yuki growled, taking a step forward. "We decide our fate. Not some twisted force."
Lumi was the first to react, charging forward with her blade drawn, the bright, shimmering edge cutting through the darkness. "If you're beyond saving," she said with a grin, "then I guess I'll just have to carve my way through!"
The sword's light flared as Lumi leaped toward the corrupted sister, her ultimate skill **Celestial Blade Dance** surging forth. The air cracked with the energy, and the light of her blade turned into a dazzling series of arcs, slicing through the dense shadows.
"Stellar Slash!" The first sub-skill unleashed a radiant cut that tore through the darkness, but it only seemed to regenerate around the sister's body.
"Radiant Fury!" Lumi pressed on, channeling more of her energy into the next attack, but again, the shadow only distorted and reformed. It was like fighting an immovable wall.
Elira joined in, her voice invoking a mystical chant as she lifted her hands. "Lunar Void!" Her magic ripped a hole in the fabric of space, summoning a vortex that sought to devour the shadows consuming the girl.
Sieris's sister gasped, momentarily breaking her composure, and in that instant, Elira struck.
"Astral Binding!" The ethereal chains, glowing with moonfire, snaked around the girl's limbs, locking her in place. For a moment, it seemed as though they had won.
But then, the girl's form twisted, and a cruel, dark laugh echoed out of her mouth.
"You think you can bind me with magic?" she sneered. "My power is beyond your petty tricks."
Yuki narrowed his eyes. This was no longer just a physical battle. They were up against something far more insidious—a power that twisted not just flesh but will itself.
---
### **Breaking the Chains**
Yuki moved forward, his wings stretching wide. He flapped them once, and the ground beneath him cracked from the force. "Enough!"
The darkness recoiled at his roar, but it did not retreat. Instead, it expanded, enveloping the area like a black hole pulling them toward it.
"Yuki!" Sylvaeria's voice rang out. "Your presence is giving her more strength! You have to focus!"
Yuki's eyes flashed with the glow of his **Warden of Kindred Flames**. The ultimate skill surged within him, and with it, his power extended beyond just his own form. He could feel the weight of his companions' souls, their determination. **If we are to save her, it's not just through force.**
He extended his claws, reaching for the girl with a single, sweeping motion.
"Soulflare!" A wave of energy erupted from Yuki's body, glowing with golden light, and for the first time, the shadows hesitated. The very air shifted as Yuki's power directly clashed against the corruption.
The girl cried out, her voice caught between desperation and rage. "Why... Why won't you let me go?"
Yuki's heart ached, but he didn't falter. "Because you matter. You always have."
In that moment, the shadows collapsed, and the girl—no longer a twisted shell of herself—collapsed into Yuki's arms, her eyes blinking in confusion.
"Yuki..." she whispered, and her voice was no longer hollow. "Where... where am I?"
Lumi, Elira, and Sylvaeria rushed to Yuki's side, relief washing over their faces.
"You're safe now," Yuki said gently, lifting her from the ground. He could feel the warmth of her soul returning to her. She was free. "We're here. You're with us."
The girl looked around, disoriented but safe. Then, she blinked again, her eyes softening as she met Yuki's gaze. She frowned slightly but then smiled. "Thank you… I don't remember what happened. But… I feel like I've been lost for so long."
Sylvaeria stepped forward, her voice calm. "You've been saved. And now, we will help you find your place again."
The girl smiled. "Then, I'm coming with you. I owe you all."
---
**End of Chapter 7 – The Forgotten Sister**
As they made their way back to the heart of Yuki's domain, the bond between the group had deepened. But this was just the beginning—there was more to uncover about the dark force that had manipulated the girl, and Yuki's growing power was attracting even greater forces.
The third arc had only just begun, but the shadows of the past were starting to fade—and in their place, a new strength was forming.