Chapter 35

In the dimly lit alley where the desperate struggle between Geoffrey, Alara, and Ikky raged, a shroud of confusion hung heavy in the air. Geoffrey, a once-trusted friend, had inexplicably turned into a merciless assailant. As blows were exchanged and the sound of steel on steel echoed, Ikky's mind raced to find a way to save Geoffrey from whatever had taken control of him.

"Geoffrey, snap out of it!" Ikky shouted, his voice filled with desperation. "You're not yourself! We don't want to hurt you!"

Geoffrey's eyes, wild and unrecognizable, darted between Ikky and Alara, his grip on the weapon trembling. "I... I can't... control it," he stammered. "It's like... like I'm trapped, drowning in darkness."

Alara, bruised and battered, knew that time was running out. She could see the anguish in Geoffrey's eyes, the tears that mingled with the blood on his face. With great determination, she made a risky decision. "Ikky, hold him back as long as you can. I'm going into his mind. Maybe I can find whatever's causing this and set him free."

Ikky nodded, engaging Geoffrey in a fierce duel to buy Alara the time she needed. As Alara closed her eyes, her consciousness began to meld with Geoffrey's troubled mind. She found herself in a nightmarish landscape, a twisted maze of memories and emotions.

"Geoffrey," she called out within this surreal mental realm, "I'm here to help you. Show me where this darkness is coming from."

Tears streamed down Geoffrey's mental projection as he led Alara through a labyrinth of shadowy memories. "It's from the past," he whispered. "A deep, buried pain I've tried to forget."

As Alara delved deeper into Geoffrey's subconscious, she unearthed a traumatic event that had haunted him for years. It was a betrayal, a wound that had never truly healed. This betrayal was the source of the darkness that had taken hold of him, twisting him into a malevolent force.

Back in the physical world, Ikky strained to keep Geoffrey at bay. "Alara," he panted, "please, hurry! I can't hold him much longer."

Inside Geoffrey's mind, Alara confronted the specter of his past. "Geoffrey, you need to release, to let go of this pain. It's the only way to break free."

Geoffrey's mental projection hesitated, but slowly, the darkness that had enveloped him began to dissipate. He sobbed, the weight of years of anguish pouring out. "I can't keep hurting the ones I want to care about," he admitted.

Alara's heart ached for her friend as she embraced him within his own mind, her empathy acting as the catalyst for his release. "You're not alone, Geoffrey. We'll face this together."

Suddenly, the alley was filled with a blinding light, and Geoffrey's trembling hand dropped the weapon. His eyes, once vacant, regained their clarity. He blinked as if emerging from a deep sleep, confusion giving way to recognition. "Alara, Ikky... What happened?"

Ikky stepped back cautiously, his weapon lowered. "You're back, Geoffrey. It's over."

With a collective sigh of relief, the three of them embraced, the darkness that had torn them apart finally dispelled. As they left the plain, they knew that they had not only saved an ally but had also strengthened bonds that would hold them together.

Little did they realize that this ordeal was just the beginning of a much greater adventure, one that would test their friendship and challenge them in ways they could never have imagined. But for now, in the pale light of the moon, they walked away from the alley, united by a newfound resolve to face whatever trials lay ahead.

Geoffrey had been saved again from the grasp and control of lord Alista, this time around, he volunteered to join their little avengers team and set to find Lysanna. They travelled weeks and yet fate had brought them back to their former ally and friend.

Lysanna had been on a relentless journey, her footsteps echoing through the dense forest as she crossed paths with three individuals who would unwittingly become pivotal in her quest. Ikky, Alara and Geoffrey, startled by her sudden appearance, exchanged wary glances. Lysanna appeared in a hooded cloak hiding her face and above her in the night sky swirled a dead dragon following her every steps

"What do you want, stranger?" Ikky demanded, his hand inching towards the hilt of his sword. Geoffrey had made an attack on her bruising her arm, Lysanna stood there unfazed.

Alara who is a mage, quickly realizes and called out, "sister is that you? Lysanna pls come back to us"

Lysanna's dark eyes bore into Alara's, and with a flick of her fingers, she lifted the unsuspecting girl into the air, the tendrils of her dark magic wrapping around her like a vice. "I don't know you," she hissed, her voice laced with a warning, "and you don't know me."

With a powerful gesture, she flung Alara through the air, the girl landing with a sickening thud. Pain shot through Alara's body, and she realized that a bone had been broken in the fall. But even as she cried out in agony, she watched in astonishment as Lysanna healed herself with a mere wave of her hand.

Lysanna wasted no time. She continued her journey, traveling far to the north on the back of her new companion, long dead but preserved by zephyr's dark arts. For weeks and then months, she scoured the desolate landscape, searching for something that remained rather elusive.

But then, fate took a curious twist. Mordred, a shadowy figure from her past, came to know of her destiny. He had learned that she was the only one capable of wielding a legendary sword of great power, the very weapon that could tip the balance in their favor.

Lysanna's journey had taken her through a world of secrets and power, and with each passing day, the stakes grew higher. Little did she know that her path would cross with Alara's again, and the two would be bound by a destiny they could neither foresee nor escape.