The Awakening Of The Shadows
Chapter 36: Portal Break

Chapter 36: Portal Break

The alarm echoed throughout the base, a sharp and relentless sound that made the ground tremble slightly. Soldiers ran in all directions, adjusting their armor, carrying weapons, and organizing formations. The chaos was evident, but everyone knew exactly what to do. Red Hollow was no place for hesitation.

Lian, with Oblivion already in hand, looked at Viktor, waiting for instructions. The veteran studied him for a moment, his face as expressionless as stone, before finally speaking:

"You arrived at the right time, kid. You’re going to learn the hard way how things work here. Portal Breaks don’t wait for anyone to be ready." Viktor raised his massive sword and stepped forward, pointing at Lian. "Consider this part of your training."

"You want me to go with you?" Lian asked, clenching his fists.

"No, I want you to stay here and write an essay on what it’s like to die without fighting," Viktor replied sarcastically, walking toward the base gate. "Of course, you’re coming, kid. The only way to learn is to be on the front lines."

Lian gritted his teeth but followed Viktor. He wasn’t afraid, but he could feel the weight of the moment. The energy around them was different, suffocating, as if the air was thick with the expectation of something terrible.

The team moved quickly out of the base, following a rugged path that led to a clearing. The sky was dark despite it being daytime, and a vibrant energy seemed to pulse in the air. It didn’t take long for Lian to see the source of this strange atmosphere: an immense portal floated in the middle of the clearing, distorting the space around it like a wound in the fabric of reality.

Unlike the portals he had seen at the Academy, this one was unstable. Its edges flickered violently, and sparks of magical energy crackled around it. The portal looked on the verge of exploding, a storm of energy about to unleash something terrible.

"Portal Breach," Viktor explained, stopping beside Lian. He pointed at the portal with his sword. "When a portal’s energy grows too strong to be contained, it collapses. And when that happens, everything inside comes out."

"How many monsters are we expecting?" Lian asked, gripping Oblivion tighter.

"We don’t know," Viktor answered calmly, as if he was used to this. "It could be a dozen. It could be a hundred. All you need to know is that when they come out, you kill. Quickly and without hesitation. Don’t think. Don’t hesitate. Just cut."

Lian nodded, but his eyes were fixed on the portal. He could feel Oblivion reacting to the energy around them, the shadows around the blade pulsing irregularly. It was as if the sword was... excited.

"Hey, kid. Lena told me about you," Viktor called, placing a heavy hand on Lian’s shoulder. "If you let your power control you again, I’ll end you myself before you become a problem. Understood?"

Lian swallowed hard but met Viktor’s gaze firmly. "Understood."

The portal finally exploded.

A wave of energy surged through the clearing, forcing everyone to brace themselves. Lian drove Oblivion into the ground, using the shadows to stabilize himself against the impact. When the light faded, he saw the first creatures emerge.

They were enormous monsters, their bodies twisted and their glowing eyes full of malice. Their forms were a grotesque mix of beasts and nightmares, razor-sharp claws, jaws filled with teeth, and fast, predatory movements. There were at least a dozen, and more kept pouring out of the portal.

"Form a defensive line!" Viktor shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Hold the first wave! Don’t let them advance toward the base!"

The soldiers followed orders, forming a barrier with their shields and weapons. Lian positioned himself beside Viktor, feeling the shadows around him grow even more restless. It was as if Oblivion was hungry.

"Time to show what you’re worth, kid," Viktor said, charging toward the monsters without hesitation.

Lian wasted no time. He ran after Viktor, Oblivion glowing with a dark aura as he launched himself into battle. The first monster to reach him was a wolf-like creature with three heads and spines protruding from its back. He dodged its claws and, with a swift motion, severed two of its heads with Oblivion.

The shadows wrapped around the blade, extending the strike to hit another nearby monster. But as soon as the attack ended, Lian felt the sword draining his energy. He knew he couldn’t rely solely on Oblivion, he needed to be more strategic.

"Don’t lose yourself in this," he muttered to himself, moving toward the next enemy.

The battle was brutal. Monsters attacked from all sides, and the soldiers fought desperately to keep them at bay. Viktor was like an unstoppable force, his sword cutting through enemies with lethal precision. Lian, despite his exhaustion, fought alongside him, using Oblivion’s shadows to cover the flanks and deliver quick, decisive attacks.

But no matter how many monsters they killed, more kept emerging from the portal. "Is this ever going to end?" Lian shouted, dodging a creature that lunged at him.

"It’ll end when the portal collapses completely," Viktor replied, spinning his sword to decapitate a larger monster. "Until then, you keep fighting!"

Lian felt a surge of adrenaline as he saw a larger monster charging at him. He focused his shadows, creating a barrier to slow its advance, then delivered a powerful slash with Oblivion. The blade sliced through the creature’s flesh like butter, but the effort left Lian breathless.

"You’re burning too much energy, kid," Viktor commented, cutting down two more monsters with a single swing. "Use your head. It’s not just about strength, it’s about survival."

Lian nodded, trying to steady his breathing. He adjusted his stance, shifting to more calculated attacks, focusing on the monsters’ weak points instead of relying purely on Oblivion’s brute power.

After what felt like an eternity, the flow of monsters began to slow. The portal, unstable from the start, started to shrink, its edges closing in until it finally disappeared in a final burst of energy.

Lian collapsed to his knees, exhausted, as the soldiers around him cheered their victory. Viktor approached, offering a hand to help him up.

"It wasn’t perfect," Viktor said, evaluating Lian with a critical look. "But you survived. That’s more than I expected."

Lian took Viktor’s hand and got to his feet, feeling the weight of Oblivion in his grasp. He looked down at the sword, its shadows now calm, almost as if they were satisfied.

"This was just the beginning," Viktor continued, patting Lian’s shoulder. "You still have a lot to learn. And here in Red Hollow, every day is a lesson."

Lian nodded, gazing at the horizon. He knew this journey would be long and difficult, but for the first time in a long while, he felt like he was on the right path.