Elias' grip on Acedia tightened further, and without hesitation, Elias unleashed another torrent of blows
"Shut up and just die" Elias said, his voice cutting through the chaos as he pummeled Acedia with relentless force. Each punch landed with devastating impact, sending shockwaves through the sky, rippling outward in waves of raw power. The force of the blows was so immense that it sent clouds far and wide
But in the midst of the barrage, something shifted. Acedia's eyes, which had been clouded with pain and surprise, suddenly focused. His hand shot out, catching Elias's fist mid-strike, halting the momentum of his attack with a jarring suddenness. The grip was ironclad, Acedia's fingers wrapping around Elias's knuckles like a vice.
"Enough," Acedia hissed, his voice low and dangerous. The laziness that had characterized him moments before was gone, replaced by a cold, lethal determination. "I've had enough of this."
With a surge of power, Acedia pushed Elias back, creating a gap between them. The demon king's wings unfurled as he flew higher into the sky, leaving Elias momentarily suspended in the air. The distance between them grew, Acedia's form shrinking as he ascended, his silhouette framed against the darkening sky.
As Elias steadied himself, he watched warily, his senses attuned to every movement. Acedia hovered above, his arms slowly stretching outward. The sky around him darkened, and with a ripple of demonic energy, countless poison sacs began to materialize out of thin air.
They appeared like ghostly apparitions, translucent at first, then solidifying into grotesque, pulsating orbs filled with a sickly green fluid. The sacs spread across the sky, casting an ominous shadow over the entire kingdom of Eldoria.
Below, the citizens of Eldoria looked up in awe and terror, their faces pale as they took in the sight. Every direction they turned, they saw the sacs of poison hanging overhead, a deadly threat poised to rain down upon them at any moment. The atmosphere was thick with fear, the very air trembling with the weight of Acedia's presence .
Acedia's laughter echoed in his ears, a constant reminder of the stakes. "You can't save them all, Elias! No matter how fast you are, you'll miss one. And that's all it takes."
But Elias didn't listen. He refused to let Acedia's taunts sway him. His focus was absolute, his movements sharp and calculated. Each sac he took was a victory, a life saved, and he pushed himself harder, faster, his mana burning through him like wildfire.
The people of Eldoria watched in awe as their savior darted through the sky, a blur of motion and light as he fought to protect them. Hope flickered in their hearts, a fragile ember against the looming darkness, but they held on to it, praying that Elias would succeed.
As the minutes ticked by, Elias began to feel the strain. His muscles ached, his mana reserves dwindling with every attack. Sweat poured down his face, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he continued his relentless assault. But there was no time to stop, no time to rest. He had to keep going, had to take out every last sac before Acedia could trigger them.
Above, Acedia's expression darkened as he realized Elias was not faltering, not giving in to the pressure. The demon king's confidence wavered, his smile fading as he watched Elias destroy sac after sac with an unyielding determination.
"You're persistent," Acedia muttered, his eyes narrowing. "But it won't be enough."
With a wave of his hand, Acedia activated the remaining sacs. They began to pulse with a sinister glow, their surfaces rippling as the deadly poison within them prepared to be released. The sky above Eldoria darkened further, the sacs growing more volatile by the second.
Elias saw the change immediately, the sacs reacting to Acedia's command. His heart skipped a beat as he realized he was running out of time. The sacs were about to burst, and if they did, the entire city would be engulfed in a cloud of lethal poison.