Chapter 179: Battles unfolding

Lucian and Indra stumbled back, momentarily stunned. They blinked, their vision clearing as the dust settled. The barrier was gone. Gareth and Edwin, disoriented but free, stood blinking in the fading sunlight. The women, however, were a different story. They lay sprawled on the ground, their beautiful facades flickering, revealing grotesque, monstrous forms beneath. Their shrieks had morphed into guttural growls, their eyes glowing with a malevolent red light. Reality had shattered like the barrier, revealing the true nature of their captors. Adrenaline surged through Lucian,replacing his initial shock with a renewed resolve to protect his companions. He reached for his sword, the familiar weight a source of comfort in the face of this unnatural threat. But before he could draw it, Indra was already in motion. With the agility of a phantom, she darted forward, her short swords flashing in the dying light. She moved with a deadly grace, weaving through the snarling creatures, her bla