Astral Point: Summoners Dimensional War

Calius's body, now transformed into something no longer entirely human, appeared increasingly terrifying. A dark aura surrounded him, his mere presence intimidating even in stillness. His single black wing resembled an incomplete emblem of destruction. Jeanne, Thomas, and Pharnaces watched cautiously, bracing themselves for his next move. 

"Navigator," Thomas spoke inwardly, "What is this?" 

The Navigator's voice sounded more serious than ever. "He is a half-vampire. Creatures like this require many blood sacrifices to reach their perfect form. You and your team are lucky—he hasn't fully transformed yet. But even so, this is extremely dangerous." 

Thomas clenched his teeth as pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. The orphanage children, taken into the church and never seen again—it all struck him like a cold wave. "So all those children… They were used for this?" 

Behind Calius, Abner stood calmly, like a director observing actors on stage. "It's not yet time for his full transformation," he said, his tone almost regretful. "But you've forced my hand. There's no other choice. Jeanne, Thomas, Pharnaces… you'll be the next offerings. With your blood, Calius's transformation will be complete." 

Jeanne clenched her fists tightly, her eyes burning with anger—not out of fear, but from an intolerance for injustice. "The children," she said softly, her voice trembling. "You took them… for this?" 

Abner gave a small, dismissive smile. "Sacrifice is a part of life. Did you think this world could survive without loss?" 

"You're a monster," Jeanne muttered, gripping her sword tightly. Her anger now consumed all her doubts. She no longer cared about hurting a human or even a creature like Calius. "If I let this continue, how many more will suffer?" 

Calius moved suddenly, like a lightning strike. His movements were faster than before, now wielding dark vampiric magic that enveloped his blade. Thomas barely managed to dodge as Calius's sword swept through the air mere inches from his body. 

"He's stronger now," the Navigator warned. "And the longer you delay, the more dangerous he'll become." 

Pharnaces charged forward, intercepting Calius's attack with his sturdy blade. The clash of metal echoed through the underground chamber, reverberating off the iron bars. "Jeanne, Thomas! Focus! We don't have time to hesitate!" he shouted, countering Calius with ferocious strikes. 

Thomas raised his hand, casting a water spell aimed at Calius. The magic managed to halt the creature briefly before he resumed his assault with even greater speed. 

Calius now turned his attention to Jeanne, launching a brutal attack. But this time, Jeanne didn't back down. She raised her sword, parrying the strike with strength born of anger and resolve. "I won't let you hurt anyone else!" she shouted, her voice echoing with fiery conviction. 

Though out of breath, Thomas noticed Jeanne finally taking the initiative. He felt a mix of admiration and relief. "She's finally fighting." 

Pharnaces rejoined the battle, coordinating his attacks with Thomas and Jeanne. The three of them now faced Calius with full force, their fighting styles complementing each other. However, even as their assaults began to match Calius, the creature seemed increasingly bloodthirsty, his energy showing no signs of depletion. 

Abner watched quietly from the back, as though savoring the climax of a play. "You can fight as hard as you like," he said, "but in the end, the Goddess Mephisa has already determined your fate."

Jeanne ignored his words. With every swing of her sword, she thought only of the faces of the lost children. To her, this was no longer just a battle against a dark creature—it was a fight to stop evil from claiming more innocent lives. "I won't lose. Not today." 

The battle in the church's underground chamber reached its peak. The clash of swords and bursts of magic filled the space, blending with heavy breaths and cries of combat. Jeanne, Thomas, and Pharnaces poured all their strength into facing Calius, now a half-vampire—a creature faster and stronger than before. 

"Jeanne, coordinate with Pharnaces!" Thomas called out, casting water magic to slow Calius's darting movements. His spells hit their mark but only momentarily delayed the creature. "He's too fast. We need to split his focus!" 

Jeanne gripped her sword tightly, her gaze determined despite the fatigue weighing her down. "I know!" She stepped forward, adjusting her movements to synchronize with Pharnaces's more aggressive attacks. 

Pharnaces charged with his massive sword, targeting the gaps in Calius's defenses. His strikes were precise, inflicting wounds on the creature's shoulder and abdomen. Jeanne followed with a slash from the opposite direction, forcing Calius to remain on the defensive. 

Yet, no matter how many wounds they inflicted, Calius didn't seem to slow down. Blood dripped from his injuries, but instead of weakening, he grew more aggressive. He began using basic blood magic, unleashing sharp crimson spikes that pierced the air toward them. 

"Watch out for those!" Thomas warned, forming a water shield to deflect some of the blood spikes. "This magic isn't fatal, but it's enough to throw us off!" 

Jeanne and Pharnaces continued their coordinated attacks. Whenever Pharnaces launched a heavy strike, Jeanne filled the gaps with quicker blows. But Calius moved with unnatural speed, evading most of their attacks. 

"I won't let you win!" Jeanne shouted, swinging her sword with full force. But as her blade neared its target, Calius's crimson eyes glared at her, and the wounds on his body glowed with dark red light. Before Jeanne realized what was happening, the blood magic erupted. 

The explosion hit Jeanne with tremendous force, sending her flying backward. She crashed against the stone wall with a loud thud, her sword slipping from her grasp and clattering onto the floor. 

"Jeanne!" Thomas yelled, launching attacks to draw Calius's attention, but the creature was already preparing to strike again. 

Pharnaces moved swiftly, placing himself between Jeanne and Calius. With relentless strikes, he forced Calius back several steps. "Jeanne, get up!" he called without turning. "We can't win without you!" 

Jeanne tried to stand, her body heavy and aching from the impact. Tears streamed down her face—not from pain, but from frustration and anger. The children… everything that had happened… If I can't stand and fight now, who will protect them? 

Thomas moved closer, shielding Jeanne with a magic barrier while launching water spells at Calius. "Jeanne, this isn't the time to doubt yourself. You have to get up! You're Jeanne d'Arc—the woman who never backs down!" 

Thomas's words struck a chord in Jeanne. She pressed her hands against the cold stone floor, forcing her trembling body to rise. Taking a deep breath, she stood and reclaimed her sword. Her gaze was now unwavering, filled with determination. 

"I won't give up," she said quietly but firmly. Standing beside Thomas and Pharnaces, she prepared to face the creature once more.

Jeanne tightened her grip on her sword as she stood tall once again. A golden light suddenly surrounded her, forming several ethereal shields that softly orbited her body. Pharnaces and Thomas turned to her, their expressions brimming with newfound hope. Jeanne, who had previously wavered, now radiated an unshakable confidence.

"Calius!" Jeanne shouted, charging forward with newfound speed. The shields around her deflected the blood magic attacks Calius unleashed, forcing the creature to retreat a step. Jeanne struck relentlessly, her sword swings now faster and more powerful, targeting the exposed weak points in her foe's body.

Pharnaces quickly joined in. "Great job, Jeanne! Keep the pressure on!" he called, swinging his massive sword with renewed vigor. His attacks were bolder, more aggressive, perfectly coordinated with Jeanne's movements. Together, they cornered Calius, stripping him of the advantages he once held.

Calius, who had moved with lightning speed before, now showed signs of faltering. The wounds on his body widened, and though his dark aura still lingered, his movements were no longer as swift or precise.

Meanwhile, Thomas stood back, observing the battle closely. Navigator's voice echoed in his mind, urgent and commanding. "Thomas, now is the time. Activate your ultimate. It's now or never!"

Thomas nodded, taking a deep breath. He raised his hand skyward and shouted with a booming voice, "Leviathan's Grasp!"

The ceiling seemed to tremble as a colossal hand made of water emerged from the shadows above, surging toward Calius with overwhelming force. The hand seized Calius, lifting him off the ground. The creature roared in pain, struggling to break free, but the grip was too powerful. His body trembled, and the dark aura surrounding him began to dissipate.

"Jeanne! Pharnaces!" Thomas shouted, straining to maintain his skill. "Finish him now!"

Jeanne glanced at Thomas and then at Calius, trapped in the giant watery grasp. She knew this was their chance. With a determined cry, she activated her skill, Holy Vanguard. Her sword glowed brilliantly, enveloped in a golden light that burned like sacred fire.

"For all the innocent souls you've destroyed!" Jeanne screamed, leaping toward Calius. She swung her sword with all her strength, striking his body. The golden light erupted, piercing through the remnants of the dark aura shielding him.

Pharnaces wasted no time. "My turn," he murmured, his voice steady and resolute. He activated his skill, Last Stand at Zela. His body radiated a bronze aura, embodying the majesty of his past as a warrior king. With his massive sword, he leaped into the air and delivered a final, devastating slash.

The blow cleaved through Calius, severing the dark magic that bound him. His body fell to the floor with a resounding thud, motionless. The oppressive dark aura dissipated entirely, leaving an eerie silence in the room.

Behind them, Abner, who had been calm and composed, now appeared panicked. His eyes bulged as he stared at Calius's lifeless form. His lips moved as though to speak, but no sound emerged.

Pharnaces stood tall, his breathing heavy. "It's... done," he said coldly, casting a glance at Calius's remains. Jeanne nodded silently, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She still held her sword tightly, though its radiant light had dimmed.

Thomas approached them, lowering his hand slowly as his ultimate faded. The massive water hand dissolved into mist, leaving the floor damp. "It's done," Thomas said quietly. But deep down, he knew their fight wasn't over yet.

***

Skill Details:

Jeanne d'Arc "La Pucelle" (SSR)

Active Skill 1 – Holy Vanguard

Description: Jeanne raises her sacred banner, inspiring her allies and suppressing her enemies.

Effect: Increases the ATK and DEF of all allies by 50% for 1 minute. Additionally, it deals damage equal to 50% of her attack power to all enemies within a specific area around her.

Passive Skill – Faith Unyielding

Description: Jeanne is a symbol of unwavering courage and faith, ensuring she never loses her fighting spirit.

Effect: When Jeanne's HP drops below 30%, she gains the Divine Shield effect (reduces all incoming damage by 50%) for 30 seconds and restores HP equal to 20% of her maximum HP. This effect can only be activated once every 10 minutes.

***