Dark Whirlwind, armed with one of her formidable swords, charged forward with menag grace. Her i was clear – to strike down the group down without any mercy.

  Risebelle, qui her feet, summoned her on with a determined cry of "on!" She i with the power of water, and a high-pressure stream shot forth towards Dark Whirlwind. However, the dark foe evaded the attack with agility, using the opportunity to distance herself from the group.

  With a pointed hand, Dark Whirlwind unleashed a beam of darkness, aiming directly at the group. Alden stepped in front of Risebelle. He held out the Cross of Judgment. A blinding beam of holy light erupted from the cross, meeting the dark energy head-on. The csh of opposing forces created a dazzling spectacle, but it was clear that Alden was being overpowered.

  Runebelle acted swiftly. She used her enhanced abilities to move everyone who was still immobilized to the sidelines, keeping them out of immediate danger.

  Meanwhile, Roselle called upon her massive on with a shout, "on!" She gathered electricity and fire energy, bining them into a powerful barrage of bullets. These projectiles, crag with bined elemental power, streaked towards Dark Whirlwind, aiming to overwhelm her defenses.

  However, Dark Whirlwind expertly wielded her two dark bdes, intercepting Roselle's shots with astonishing precision. She deflected the bullets without breaking a sweat.

  “Cleave of the abyss” Dark whirlwind decred. With a sweeping motion of her arms, she jured a colossal bde using a terrifying fusion of dark and light energies. This enormous on tore through the battlefield with a dreadful force leaving a trail of destru in its wake. The sheer power and scale of this attack were awe-inspiring a shockwaves through the group.

  Risebelle summoned her own teique. “Aqua Whirlwind!” The swirling tempest of water and magic cshed with the dark and light energies of the massive bde. For a moment, the battlefield was awash in a dispy of elemental might. Risebelle's Aqua Whirlwind held its ground, pushing back against Abyssal Cleave's destructive force. It became a struggle between Risebelle’s water energy and Dark whirlwind’s light and darkness.

  However, Risebelle's Aqua Whirlwind was torn asunder by the relentless force of Abyssal Cleave, leaving her vulnerable to the impending strike. Just before the colossal bde desded upon her, Alden jumped in the way.

  With a swift motion, Alden summoned another Cross of Judgment, and used the inal as a shield to protect Risebelle from the devastating blow. The powerful impact sent shockwaves through the area, and the inal Cross of Judgment shattered uhe immense force of the attack.

  Runebelle expertly wielded her two small guns, her shots were imbued with green energy, creating explosive impacts upon striking their targets She fired rapid, highly accurate shots towards Dark whirlwind; however, Dark Whirlwind skillfully dodged each bullet.

  With fidence, Dark Whirlwind charged straight toward Runebelle. She held a bde raised for a sshing attack. Runebelle ged her giant needle against Dark Whirlwind's on. The csh sent shockwaves through both batants, pushing Runebelle backward.

  Runebelle's attention shifted to the ominous arena of swords that surrouhem. With a sudden realization, she grazed against one of the swords, and an unbearable surge of pain shot through her body from the mere scratch. Her face torted in agony.

  Dark Whirlwind, having observed Runebelle's rea to the pain inflicted by the arena of swords, took a step bad allowed a sinister smile to creep across her face. She raised her bde aured to the seemingly endless array of dark and light swords that encircled them.

  "This arena of swords is a testament to my power and trol over both light and darkness. Each of these swords is a maion of my abilities, and they serve as both a barrier and a on. When you crossed their path, you experienced just a mere fra of the pain they inflict."

  She tio expin with her gaze fixed firmly on Runebelle, "These swords will respond to my will. I and them to move, to strike, and to protect me. They are aension of my power, and within this arena, I am virtually invincible. Your every move is restricted, and every step you take could lead to your downfall."

  Runebelle’s eyes fell towards the ground. Her eyes, once filled with a gentle smile, now ged to a growl. With a deep breath, Runebelle began to tap into her inner reservoir of power. Her aura, oranquil green, started te and . The energy around her spiraled like a tempest, creating a whirlwind of vibrant greehe grouh her trembled as the magical energy surged within her, elevating her abilities to a realm beyond their previous limits.

  Runebelle, her aura surging with the power of her Mencholy Surge, lifted her needle high. She then called out, "Needle of empathy!"

  Dark Whirlwind, with her bdes of light and darkness, met Runebelle's needle head-on. The collision unleashed a brilliant burst of magical energy, illuminating the battlefield in a vivid dispy of colors.

  Runebelle's purple energy cshed with Dark Whirlwind's swirling aura of bdes, creating a dazzling, chaotice of power. The force of their csh sent shockwaves rippling through the air.

  Runebelle held her ground, eling the full might of her Mencholy Surge into her needle. Her eyes now bzed with an intense purple light. She kept her eyes locked on Dark whirlwind.

  With a single hand, Dark whirlwind summohe bdes before her, switg her focus from wielding two bdes to maniputing the others surrounding the entire arena.

  To Runebelle's shock, the bdes, which had formed an unyielding perimeter around them, suddenly came to life. They moved with malevolent i, verging upon Runebelle from all dires. Like a storm of sharp, glinting rain, they bombarded her, stabbing into her body relentlessly.

  Despite the onsught, Runebelle's resolve remained unbroken. She ehe pierg assault. Her eyes keenly observed Dark Whirlwind's movements. She anticipated a brief pse in her foe's focus, a split-sed where Dark Whirlwind would be forced to divert her attention momentarily.

  That moment came uedly, as Dark Whirlwind moved to reposition the swords around them. Runebelle seized the opportunity with lightning reflexes. She lunged forward, her Needle of Empathy glowing with intense purple energy.

  Dark Whirlwind, caught off guard by the sudden assault, was forced to react. She raised her bdes in a defensive maneuver, attempting to intercept Runebelle's attack. The needle cshed against the swirling aura of bdes, unleashing a burst of magical energy that crackled through the air.

  The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, causing the bdes to momentarily falter in their assault. Runebelle pressed on, driving forward with all her strength.

  The needle pierced through Dark Whirlwind's defenses, elig a cry of pain from the them. Dark Whirlwind staggered back, clutg the wound where Runebelle's attack had struck true. Her face torted with anger and agony.

  "AWAY, away, AWAY!" Dark Whirlwind screamed. With a furious thrust of her hands, she ahe bdes surrounding them to strike. tless swords verged upon Runebelle from all dires, overwhelming her defenses.

  Runebelle, caught off guard by the sudden onsught, was uo defend herself in time. The bdes pierced through her, sending her flying backward with tremendous force. She crashed to the ground hard, causing blood to go flying from her mouth.

  “RUNEBELLE!” Roselle and Risebelle shouted in unison.

  The swords that had surrounded Runebelle abruptly removed themselves from her, their relentless barrage ceasing. However, the damage had been done.

  [[System message]]

  Lifeforce: 15%

  Runebelle, bloodied, battered and wounded, was on the ground nearly unscious; however, she refused to succumb pletely to the pain and exhaustion. She she pushed herself back up to one knee, her breath heavy. She had one eye closed in pain. One of her hands were pced up, clutg her chest.

  Alden excimed, "Oh no!"

  Dark Whirlwind remarked coldly, "You got sloppy. I just told you I have trol over those very bdes, didn’t you get the warning?"

  Risebelle, ed by anger, unleashed a barrage of water shots at Dark Whirlwind. Dark Whirlwind responded by spinning the bdes surrounding her in a deadly arc, then sending them charging towards Risebelle.

  In response, Risebelle dropped her on and charged straight at Dark Whirlwind with her fists enveloped in water energy. She bined with the freezing power of elemental fusion. She aimed to strike her foe with all her might; however, to her astonishment, Dark Whirlwind seemed to effortlessly evade her attack without even moving.

  With a taunting tone, Dark Whirlwind asked, "What's wrong?" Risebelle was left bewildered by her oppo's speed and agility. Dark Whirlwind took advantage of this momentary fusion, pg one hand on Risebelle's chest and repelling her with a surge of dark energy. Risebelle went flying backward but miraculously escaped unscathed.

  "Why am I still in one piece?" Risebelle wondered. She had seen the devastating capabilities of Dark Whirlwind.

  Risebelle shook off the shock of Dark Whirlwind's sudden attack. She pushed herself up from the ground. Her mind raced with questions, but she khere was no time to dwell on them. She lunged forward, ready to strike at Dark Whirlwind.

  Dark Whirlwind, sensing Risebelle's renewed resolve, met her head-on. With blinding speed and agility, she engaged Risebelle in close bat, her bdes moving with lethal precision. Risebelle fought using her water and ice abilities to create a puddle beh Dark Whirlwind's feet, hoping to trip her up and gain the upper hand.

  However, Dark Whirlwind anticipated the move. With a graceful sidestep, she evaded the trap. She tered swiftly, ung a series of rapid strikes that pushed Risebelle back.

  Risebelle gritted her teeth. She was outmatched in close bat against Dark Whirlwind's superior skill and speed, but she had a pn f in her mind. She o create an opportunity.

  Gathering her water and iergies once more, Risebelle shifted her strategy. Instead of directly attag, she focused oing a distra. She summoned a deluge of icy water, aiming not at Dark Whirlwind directly, but around her, creating a slippery field of ice.

  The ground became coated with a thin yer of frost. Dark Whirlwind was momentarily caught off guard by the sudden ge in terrain. She adjusted her footing with a slight frown. She sed her surroundings with foarrowing on Risebelle who stood poised for her move.

  With a swift gesture, Risebelle sent a powerful torrent of water and ice towards Dark Whirlwind, expeg to catch her off guard. Dark Whirlwind responded with ued prowess. She gathered dark energy into her hands and intercepted the torrent, not only blog it but maniputing its dire with eerie trol.

  With a swift motion, Dark Whirlwind raised her hand, direg the redirected torrent towards the icy terraih her feet. The impact shattered the delicate frost, sending shards of ice flying in all dires. The oable ground now cracked and fragmented uhe force of the elemental csh.

  Before Risebelle could recover from the sudden reversal, Dark Whirlwind closed the distaween them with supernatural speed. She appeared before Risebelle in an instant. Her hand oised towards Risebelle's chest, ready to unleash a devastating bst of dark energy.

  The bst erupted with a surge of malevolent power, aimed directly at Risebelle's heart. Yet, to everyone's astonishment, Risebelle remained unharmed. The dark energy surged around her, swirling with a menag iy, but it did not infliy damage.

  Risebelle staggered back from the impact of the bst and fell once again to the ground. She looked up at Dark Whirlwind with fusion. "You could have destroyed me," Risebelle muttered under her breath. "Why didn't you?"

  Meanwhile, Roselle hurried over to Runebelle with in her eyes. "Runebelle, are you okay?" Roselle asked with worry.

  Runebelle managed a weak smile. "I'll be fine. I'll create an opening for us."

  Roselle was still ed. "But Runebelle..."

  Runebelle interrupted gently, "Roselle, you have the power to at least cause some damage. We o work together."

  Roselle nodded. Runebelle eled her overwhelming sadness. An aura of mencholy began to emanate from her, enveloping the battlefield. Dark Whirlwind found herself having to front a wave of emotions. Fear, sadness, and doubt crept up on the monster. She struggled against them and her usual posure began to slip. "No... This 't be happening. I won't let these emotions trol me…not again!"

  But despite her efforts, the overwhelming power of Project Rune began to break down her mental defenses. Dark Whirlwihe weight of her past, the memories she had buried deep within, resurfag with painful crity. "I won't... I won't yield to this despair, No…" she whispered. Dark Whirlwind ched her fists and grit her teeth.

  Roselle ran towards Dark Whirlwind with her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the overwhelming sadhat Project Rune had unleashed, but she remembered Runebelle's advice: "Ighe sadness you might feel. Stay positive, and this won't affect you." With these words eg in her mind, Roselle pressed on.

  Summoning all her strength and resolve, Roselle called upon lightning to surround her body and bi with the element of fire. The air crackled with electricity as a rapidly spinning fan of lightning formed around her. With pinpoint accuracy, tendrils of lightning homed in oarget.

  "Firestrike Thundercp, SURGGGEE!!!!!!!"

  The fan of crag electricity, now infused with the destructive power of fire, shot towards Dark Whirlwind, creating a spectacur dispy of lightning and fmes.

  Dark Whirlwind, still struggling with the emotions that Project Rune had unleashed, attempted to defend herself. But the bination of fire and lightning proved to be too overwhelming. The attack struck with incredible force, enveloping Dark Whirlwind in a bzing storm of destru.