Alpha Instinct

Evelyn dashed ahead, leaving Leonard behind, visibly perplexed by his own reaction and the hidden meaning of the word "Kori." As she distanced herself, heading toward the battling Neumonds, Mikaela and Kaleb caught up to Leonard.

"Are you alright, Leonard?" Mikaela asked with a concerned expression. "That seemed like... a pretty bad fight between you and Evelyn."

Leonard shook his head, a bit embarrassed. "I'm fine. I just... misinterpreted something. I was rude for no reason."

"Ah, the famous 'male interpretations'!" Kaleb mocked, with a crooked smile. "They always make for good stories... or good scars. But, hey, speaking of danger, shouldn't we stop Evelyn from facing a bunch of unknown Neumonds alone? You know, 'damsel in distress' and all that..."

Mikaela rolled her eyes at Kaleb's joke but nodded. "He has a point, as annoying as it is. You can't trust anyone in desolate places. Only the Goddess of Light."

Without further ado, they spurred their horses, setting off at high speed after Evelyn. But the heat of the Skull Volcanoes, now intensified by their speed, became almost unbearable. The dry, scorching air whipped at their faces like sandpaper, and the acrid smell of sulfur burned their nostrils, making breathing a painful effort.

Evelyn, however, had already reached the battle site. With her ELEV activated, she used Subterfuge level 1, moving with the speed of a leopard. She transposed herself from the shadow of a nearby rock to the shadow of one of the Neumonds, who, judging by his stance and the immense tower shield he carried, appeared to be a knight of the "Shield Breaker" class.

"Hello, cutie! Need any help?" She said, suddenly appearing behind the man and, in a swift movement, leaping in a front somersault over him. She landed on the back of the Diabolus Impetus he was fighting and, with a precise backstab to the neck, severed its spine.

The man, with a deep but surprisingly gentle voice, startled. "What the hell is this? Where did you come from, woman?"

Evelyn grinned, a playful and somewhat dangerous grin. "There's always a helping hand for those in need against Leirions," she replied, her tone dripping with irony.

The irony was evident. In a devastated world, where humanity struggled for survival, mutual aid in battle was a rarity. The motto seemed to be, "Every man for himself, and the Gods of Humbra for all."

"Everyone!" shouted the man, his voice amplified by ELEV energy. "We have help! Let's fight with fury and show them what we're made of!" He activated an area-of-effect taunt ability. "War Shield!" A sonic wave reverberated through the area as he slammed his immense shield on the ground, creating a deafening roar.

Evelyn smiled. "That's the spirit, big guy!" she shouted back, excited by the energy of the battle. Quickly, she assessed the situation. Besides the Shield Breaker, she identified a warrior wielding two short axes, a crossbowman positioned further back, and... a woman kneeling in the middle of the battlefield, praying.

"What the hell is that crazy woman doing there?" Evelyn wondered, perplexed.

All the Diabolus Impetus in the area, attracted by the shout and the sonic wave, turned their attention to Raviel.

"Careful, Raviel! There are too many of them!" shouted one of his companions, the warrior with the axes.

Raviel, belatedly realizing the mistake he had made by drawing the attention of all the Diabolus, cursed softly. "Damn it, I'm screwed. I got carried away with the appearance of a helper..."

"Idiot… he wants to kill himself and everyone else..." Evelyn thought, shaking her head. She then realized he had used an area-of-effect taunt.

When, suddenly, a battle cry echoed in the background, coming from the direction Evelyn had come from: "Spiro Blast!"

Evelyn looked in the direction of the shout and slapped her forehead, exasperated. "Does he really have to shout the name of his abilities every time?" she muttered to herself.

It was Kaleb. He had cast an area-of-effect spell: twenty-five small fireballs swirled in a whirlwind before separating and whizzing towards the Diabolus Impetus, like a deadly fireworks display.

The small fireballs hit the imps with considerable force, but, being an area-of-effect fire ability, the damage was distributed. The Diabolus Impetus, accustomed to infernal heat, wouldn't be killed by something like that; they only suffered some damage.

"They're my friends. Everything will be alright!" Evelyn shouted, trying to reassure the unknown group.

Still, confusion reigned. The Neumonds, caught off guard by Evelyn's sudden arrival and Kaleb's pyrotechnic attack, and now the arrival of 2 more, were slow to process the situation. Even the Diabolus Impetus, momentarily stunned, seemed to hesitate.

Mikaela, taking advantage of the brief lull in the battle, raised her arm towards the sky. A ray of light, familiar and comforting, descended and banished into her hand, materializing the legendary Kalendor. "Kalendor..." she whispered, the name of the sacred sword almost a prayer.

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Mikaela's disgust for those creatures was palpable, an almost physical aversion, as if the very light she emanated repudiated the darkness of the Diabolus Impetus.

The woman who, until then, had been kneeling in the center of the battlefield noticed the familiar glow and Mikaela's whisper. Her eyes widened, and she stood up abruptly. "Mikaela..." she murmured, incredulous. "The wielder of Kalendor... My Saint!"

The crossbowman, who was next to the woman, looked from one to the other, confused. "Is that Inquisitor Mikaela?" he asked, hesitantly.

"Don't call her that, it's rude..." the woman reprimanded, with a stern but reverent tone.

Mikaela, ignoring the exchange, advanced with impressive speed towards the nearest Diabolus Impetus. With a single, fluid movement, Kalendor sliced through the air, leaving a trail of blinding light. The sacred sword split the imp in half, as if it were made of butter.

Everyone, the unknown Neumonds, Kaleb and Leonard, and even Evelyn, watched, dumbfounded, the overwhelming display of power.

What they hadn't noticed, however, was the subtle but crucial change in Mikaela. Her eyes, once gentle and compassionate, now glowed with a feverish intensity. A cold, ruthless smile, very different from her usual one, formed on her lips.

The Inquisitor, her second personality, had awakened. And she was thirsty for battle.