The soldiers charged, their black armor glinting ominously in the fading light. Jin-woo felt a surge of adrenaline, his programmer's brain kicking into overdrive. He wasn't facing lines of code this time; he was facing lines of soldiers, and they were armed to the teeth. But Jin-woo had a few tricks up his sleeve, too.

  "Elara, Ryuu, back to back!" he yelled, already weaving his fingers in the air, tracing glowing runes. "Defensive formation!"

  Elara, sword drawn, moved seamlessly into position, her back pressed against Ryuu's flank. Ryuu, still shaken by the visions of his past, roared defiance, a blast of fire erupting from his nostrils, momentarily halting the soldiers' advance.

  "Firewall_v3.0_deployed!" Jin-woo shouted, completing the spell. A shimmering wall of fire erupted from the ground, encircling them, forcing the soldiers to either retreat or risk getting roasted.

  "They're not backing down," Elara yelled over the crackling flames. "They're flanking us!"

  Jin-woo saw it too. The soldiers were splitting into two groups, attempting to outmaneuver them. "Ryuu, air support!" he commanded.

  Ryuu, understanding instantly, launched himself into the air with a powerful beat of his wings. He soared above the battlefield, a fearsome silhouette against the darkening sky. "Target_acquisition: Flanking_units," he rumbled, his voice echoing through the valley. "Commencing_aerial_bombardment."

  A series of fireballs rained down on the flanking soldiers, disrupting their advance and forcing them to scatter. Jin-woo, seeing an opportunity, focused his magic. "Code_Disrupt(target=soldier_armor)," he muttered, his fingers flying through the air.

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  Several of the soldiers stumbled, their armor flickering with an eerie light. "What's happening?" one of them yelled, his voice distorted by his helmet.

  "Their armor is enchanted," Elara explained. "Jin-woo's disrupting the enchantments."

  The soldiers' movements became sluggish, their attacks uncoordinated. Jin-woo pressed his advantage. "Elara, now's our chance!" he yelled.

  Elara, a whirlwind of motion, darted through the disrupted ranks, her sword flashing. She moved with a precision and grace that Jin-woo could only admire, taking down soldier after soldier with swift, decisive strikes.

  Jin-woo, meanwhile, focused on maintaining the firewall and disrupting the remaining soldiers' armor. He felt a thrill, a sense of power he had never experienced before. He was a programmer, yes, but he was also a mage, a warrior, a force to be reckoned with.

  The battle raged, the air filled with the clash of steel, the roar of fire, and the crackle of disrupted magic. Jin-woo, Elara, and Ryuu fought as one, a team, their strengths complementing each other. They were outnumbered, but they were not outmatched.

  Finally, the last soldier fell, his armor flickering and dying. The battlefield fell silent, the only sound the crackling of the firewall and their own ragged breathing.

  Jin-woo, exhausted but exhilarated, lowered his hands, the firewall dissipating. "We did it," he said, his voice hoarse.

  "We did," Elara agreed, sheathing her sword.

  Ryuu landed beside them, his scales steaming from the exertion. "They were strong," he admitted. "But we were stronger."

  They surveyed the battlefield, the fallen soldiers scattered across the ground. Jin-woo felt a pang of guilt, a sense of regret for the lives lost. But he knew they had had no choice. They had to defend themselves, to protect their friend, to continue their quest.

  "We need to go," Elara said. "They'll send more."

  Jin-woo nodded. "Ryuu, lead the way," he said. "Take us to Aethelos."

  Ryuu spread his wings, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "Follow me," he said. "And hold on tight."

  They climbed onto Ryuu's back, gripping his scales tightly as he launched himself into the air. They soared above the valley, leaving the battlefield behind, heading towards the unknown, towards Ryuu's past, towards their destiny.