Sol stood in the distance, watching.
The fear that had once gripped his face had vanished, replaced now by a quiet and helpless frustration.
Icy winds howled around him, slicing against his face. His black hair whipped in the air. His eyes were fixed on the scarred battlefield where Jaz and Alex had fought moments ago.
Sol's eyes twitched, his jaw clenched. Just standing there while they fought with everything they had. He hated this feeling - The feeling of being weak and useless.
His fists clenched.
He wanted to move. Every part of him wanted to fight with them. But he didn't. Because he knew...he knew that he would only be a burden.
The guilt of being weak. It weighed on him heavier than any wound could. The confidence he gained through four months of hellish training — about to shattered as shaken to its core.
His face dulled, expression hollow. His black eyes dropped to the ground, clouded with shame.
Then, for a heartbeat, as he sensed. He snapped his head up. His eyes widened when they met a pair of green, emerald eyes staring straight at him.
In that moment, something clicked. As if all of the frustration, all the guilt weighing him down—vanished. The boy moved without hesitation.
Leaping across shattered ice, vaulting over chunks of frozen sea devastated by the ongoing clash, he pushed forward with everything he had. The blocks beneath him groaned and cracked, but he didn't stop. His aura flared to life, crackling blue and wild.
As Sol neared him, Alex raised a hand. A glimmer of white energy surged through his arm, and with a single motion, a massive ice block materialized mid-air.
Sol didn't slow down. His aura flared even brighter as he launched himself at the rising block.
Alex called out, "Grab on, kid!"
Saying so, the block shot forward with a flick of Alex's wrist.
But Sol didn't grab. He just simply held on, crouched low against the ice as wind whipped through his face. His body was cloaked in shimmering blue aura, his black eyes sharp, locked ahead.
As Sol spotted Jaz - swayed on her feet in exhaustion. Without thinking, he leapt from the speeding block.
"Arrgh.."
He landed hard. The ice was slick beneath his feet, and the momentum threw him off balance. He slipped and struggled—but forced himself upright.
Without hesitation, he ran toward Jaz. His eyes locked on her swaying form but...he stopped.
Jaz's expression changed. Her eyes were strangely wide, not in pain—but in shock.
But she wasn't looking at him—she was staring past him. Noticing that Sol followed her gaze and slowly turned.
What the---?
His own breath caught.
The ice block he had jumped from—and all the others trailing behind it—were suspended in mid-air.
Not falling. Not moving. Just… frozen in place.
A breathless stillness settled over the battlefield, unnatural and heavy. Even the wind, which had been howling through the battlefield moments ago, had fallen silence.
-CRACK -CRACK -CRACK
Then, unknowingly, cracks began to appear across every block. At first, they were barely visible - thin fractures running through the ice.
But as they quickly spread. The cracks deepened and thickened, and then –
-BAM!!
With a sudden burst of force, every block exploded. Shards of ice flew in every direction, scattering like glass under pressure.
A cold, silent mist swept across the battlefield, cloaking everything in a pale-icy veil. As if the very air itself was trying—desperately—to blind them all.
Sol rushed to Jaz's side, planting himself beside her without a word.
In one swift motion, he unsheathed his sword—the steel glinting faintly in the icy haze—as he gripped the hilt with both hands.
His black eyes moved constantly, scanning every direction.
A jolt of cold terror shot down his spine. His head throbbed, his thoughts spiraling under the sudden pressure.
It finally here!!
But this time, Sol didn't waver. He tightened his grip around the hilt, his breath steady. His eyes focused and locked sharply in one direction.
Then—Sol stepped forward, cautious but steady, his narrowed eyes locked on the haze ahead.
The mist began to thin, slowly receding as the battlefield grew slightly clearer. Within the shifting veil of fog, a twisted and unnatural silhouette emerged.
Just for a second, Sol hesitated.
Even though he had never seen the world beyond, something about that shadow felt...unnatural and wrong...Deeply wrong. But still, he didn't stop.
Each step he took, the air grew heavier—like a force pressing him down. An eerie pressure settled in his chest, thick and suffocating.
He gripped his sword tighter. A single bead of cold sweat traced a slow path down his cheek and hit the frozen ground.
Then the shadow moved. Barely. But it moved.The fog still blurred everything, yet Sol felt the shift in the air.
He immediately stopped. His body became tensed, and tightens his grip as he didn't need to see clearly to know that – it was going to attack.
Then the creature did something strange.
It lifted a clawed hand, strangely sniffed it, then it moved its head and curiously tilted , as if surprised to see a child.
What the hell is it doing...?
Sol's focus wavered for the briefest moment. Confused by the creature's behavior, his guard almost slipped.
As he blinked his eye. In that moment every nerves of his screamed. A cold spike of terror jolted down his spine.
The creature that was behind the mist. Now - It was standing front of him. But before fear could root him, his instinct took over.
His sword flared with brilliant blue aura, crackling with energy. In a single breath, he swung.
—CLANG!
Thunderous sparks burst into the air. His blade had struck something solid and metallic?
For a second, Sol faltered, eyes wide with confusion. But he quickly snapped back.
Pivoting, he dragged his sword to the side, shifted his footing, and freed one hand from the hilt. He clenched his fist and punched.
—BOOM!
The impact rippled through the air like a shockwave. But even as the wind burst around him, he knew—it did nothing.
His jaw clenched. Frustration welled up. With a growl, he pushed himself backward, retreating.
Water splashed at his heels as he created distance, but it didn't matter. The creature was already there.
Again, Sol jumped back—only to find it ahead of him once more. And again...and again...
It was like a game to the creature. It danced around him, toying with him.
Sol's face flushed red—part fury, part shame. He couldn't even see the damn thing clearly, let alone fight it.
And then he smirked.
A sharp, cocky grin cut across his face.
"Got you, idiot."
From behind the creature, a voice—low, steady, and approving.
"Good work, kid."
Alex emerged, his blade gleaming in green aura like wildfire. The edge of his weapon hovered just inches from the creature's neck.
Just then a calm, yet fierce voice came from Sol's back
"Aura Armament I: Descent Arc"