The battlefield was a vortex of chaos. Adrian and the goddesses unleashed their power, causing the air to crackle with energy as the shadowy soldiers from the barracks fell one by one.

Yet, the tension only mounted as the man in charge rallied his forces. Hera's griffin, Solis, hovered above, its golden wings beating furiously, scattering debris and ash across the barracks.

"Enough!" the man roared, his voice carrying over the din.

He raised his hand, and shadowy tendrils shot out from the ground, encircling his remaining forces. Their forms began to shift and twist, growing larger, darker, and more monstrous.

"What is this?" Adrian growled, his fiery chains slashing through the dark tendrils trying to ensnare him.

"They're enhancing themselves," Ava shouted, her staff glowing brighter as she deflected a surge of shadow energy aimed at the group. "Be careful—they're stronger now."

The shadow-enhanced soldiers charged, their speed and ferocity forcing the group to regroup quickly. Adrian planted himself at the center of the formation, his chains lashing out in fiery arcs, keeping the creatures at bay.

"Hera, Medea, Abyss—focus on the big ones! Eris, Lilith, take the flank. Ava, Selene, and Hestia—support and shield!" Adrian barked orders, his voice steady despite the chaos.

Adrian's fiery chains flared, their golden glow intensifying as he channeled the combined energy of the goddesses.

He felt their power coursing through him—Medea's destructive flames, Hera's radiant precision, Hestia's stabilizing warmth, and Abyss's lethal sharpness.

The chain-links glowed with multiple colors, each swing creating a powerful wave that cut through the enhanced soldiers.

One soldier, twice the size of an ordinary man, lunged at Adrian with inhuman speed. Adrian spun on his heel, his sword igniting with golden fire. With a single upward slash, he split the creature in two, its shadowy form dissolving into ash.

Lilith's whip crackled beside him, the crimson energy rippling as it wrapped around another soldier's legs, toppling him. She darted forward, her eyes glinting with mischievous glee. "Try to keep up, husband!" she teased, striking the creature with a sharp crack of her whip.

Adrian smirked. "Watch and learn."

He drove his chains into the ground, sending a pulse of fiery energy through the earth. The flames erupted beneath a cluster of enemies, engulfing them in a blazing inferno. The air was hot, and the soldiers' screams could be heard as they were consumed.

"Not bad," Eris quipped, her emerald daggers slicing through an enemy's chest. "But don't steal all the glory."

Above, Hera and Solis rained golden lightning upon the battlefield. Hera's spear struck, piercing through the heart of an enormous shadow beast attempting to flank the group. Solis roared, its talons slicing through a group of archers who had been aiming at Adrian.

"Pathetic," Hera muttered, her voice carrying over the chaos. "You dare challenge us?"

The griffin let out another deafening cry, scattering a wave of dark creatures that had been swarming toward Lilith.

With a graceful leap, Hera dismounted, landing amidst a cluster of enemies. Her spear spun in a blur of golden light, her movements a deadly dance of precision and power.

Medea's black flames roared to life, forming a massive orb of concentrated energy in her hands. "Adrian, clear a path!" she shouted.

Adrian's chains lashed out, striking down the soldiers blocking her line of sight. Medea hurled the flaming orb into the crowd, the resulting explosion sending shockwaves through the barracks.

Soldiers screamed as the flames consumed them, leaving charred shadows in their wake.

Nearby, Abyss moved with silently, her violet blade slicing through enemies. She seemed almost detached, her focus entirely on eliminating threats. When one soldier tried to attack her from behind, she spun, her blade severing his weapon arm in one clean motion.

"Stay down," she muttered coldly, plunging her blade into his chest.

Ava's golden light formed a protective dome around Selene and Hestia, shielding them from a barrage of arrows. "Selene, now!" she ordered.

Selene stepped forward, her silver hair glowing faintly as she summoned grabbed one soldier and hurled him to hit a group advancing towards them.

"Impressive," Ava said with a small smile. "Now keep it up."

Hestia, true to form, yawned as she summoned a wall of blue fire to block an advancing group of soldiers. "Can we wrap this up soon?" she asked lazily, though her flames were anything but lackluster.

The soldiers recoiled, unable to penetrate the barrier.

"Stop complaining and keep the barrier up!" Ava snapped, her tone sharp.

Hestia shrugged. "Fine. But I'm taking a nap after this."

The man in charge snarled as he watched his forces dwindle before his eyes. He raised his arms, and shadowy tendrils erupted from the ground, converging into a massive, writhing creature.

"You think you've won?" he bellowed. "You've seen nothing yet!"

The creature lunged at Adrian, its shadowy maw opening wide. Adrian didn't flinch.

Instead, he raised his sword, his fiery chains wrapping around the blade. The combined energy of the goddesses surged through him, the blade glowing with an intense golden light.

"Enough!" Adrian roared, slashing downward. The blade connected with the creature, releasing a blinding explosion of light and fire. The creature let out a bone-chilling shriek as it dissolved into ash.

The man stumbled back, his confidence shattered. "Impossible..." he whispered.

Adrian approached him slowly, his sword still ablaze. "You had your chance," he said coldly.

Before Adrian could deliver the final blow, the man collapsed to his knees, clutching his head. Shadowy tendrils erupted from his body, dragging him into the ground. His final screams echoed as he was consumed, leaving only silence in his wake.

The battlefield was eerily quiet, the once-bustling barracks now reduced to smoldering ruins. The group came together again, breathing heavily but feeling triumphant.

"That was intense," Lilith said, coiling her whip. "But satisfying."

"Too easy," Eris muttered, though her smirk betrayed her satisfaction.

Adrian surveyed the destruction, his jaw tight. "This wasn't random. The Shadow Court is testing us."

Hera nodded, her golden spear shimmering faintly. "And they'll continue to test us until they find a weakness."

"Let them," Medea said, her black flames flickering as she crossed her arms. "They'll regret it."

As the group prepared to leave, a faint rumble echoed in the distance. Adrian turned, his eyes narrowing. "What now?"

Adrian sheathed his sword. "Well, for starters, they have horses."

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