"Die Vel'Mahlian!" A Dravareth soldier with a sword in hand screamed and charged at two Vel'Mahlian knights.
Heart pounding, sweat stinging his eyes, the soldier forced calm into his shaking hands. 'Just survive,' he reminded himself fiercely, 'just a bit longer!'
The two knights noticed him immediately, their dark armor gleaming menacingly under the fiery glow that engulfed the battlefield. In a blur, the soldier appeared before them, surprising them with his speed.
His downward slash proved ineffective as one knight blocked while the other countered.
He jumped back, trying to gain distance, but the knights pressed their advantage, rushing toward him. As the knights closed in, the soldier pointed his blade at them, channeling his mana until it began to glow with an intense yellow light.
"Stavrazhr!"
A wall of flame erupted from the sword, searing and blinding the knights. Seizing the moment, he vanished in a blink, reappearing behind them.
A flash of steel, a rush of wind, and the following instant, two armored heads thumped onto the scorched grass, helmets clanging as they rolled.
Scanning the chaotic battlefield strewn with fallen warriors, the soldier's eyes finally settled on a familiar figure amid the carnage.
"General Teka!"
The general's face was smeared with blood, his sword dripping fresh blood from defeating nearly a dozen knights single-handedly.
He turned his hard gaze toward the soldier.
"Sir, apologies, but we have no information on the Sentinel's location yet," the soldier reported hastily, still panting heavily.
General Teka grunted in frustration, "We must find the Sentinel quickly."
He grimly surveyed the embassy's ruins, broken toys and torn banners fluttering weakly amidst the wreckage, memories scattered like ash across the scorched earth.
Corpses of soldiers and innocent civilians littered the battlefield.
Gripping his sword tighter, he turned back toward the chaos. "So that these sacrifices weren't for nothing."
The soldier's breath caught at his general's words. "Understood, sir! Reports from the southeast indicate large stone pillars attacking our forces. While it's not confirmed, that may be our best chance at locating the Sentinel—"
The soldier stopped abruptly, noticing General Teka's gaze fixed elsewhere, towards the horizon.
"Sir, what are you looking at—"
"Speak of the devil," Teka growled.
Instantly, General Teka unleashed the full force of his mana. The air surged violently around him, and the ground cracked beneath his feet, nearly overwhelming the nearby soldier, who was flung violently backward by the sheer force.
"Soldier, inform the others—the Sentinel is here!" General Teka roared.
As he hit the ground gasping for air, the soldier watched in horror as massive stone pillars erupted violently from the earth, aiming toward General Teka.
"Durburam!"
Atop the tallest pillar stood a dark-armored figure silhouetted against the bloodied sky. Eyes glowing fiercely beneath a hooded helm, it locked onto General Teka with unmistakable intent.
With terrifying speed, the Sentinel surged forward, descending like an avenging shadow toward the general.
Back at the competition grounds, Raka sprinted through the open field. Mana shield flickering weakly in his hand.
He glanced around, trying to spot any enemies that might be in his way. Smoke filled his lungs, choking him with every gasp.
The air was thick, reeking of burnt wood and melted metal, making each breath heavy and painful.
He ducked down beside the burning remnants of the main stage, coughing violently as he tried to steady his breathing.
'Damn, this Shield Base is really draining.' The mana shield flickered, barely holding its form.
Panting, he took a deep breath and forced himself to focus again. Sarah could be close by; he couldn't afford to stop now.
He just needed to hold out a little longer.
'Alright, I should search near the food stands next. That was where I left Sarah last…I hope she's okay.' Shaking his head, he prepared himself to run again.
But before he could move, a deafening explosion erupted far behind him.
BOOM!
"What the hell—fuck!" He barely ducked in time, narrowly avoiding a metal street sign hurled through the air by the blast.
The shockwave slammed into him, stripping away all sound except a high-pitched ringing that deafened him.
It was hard to see, dizziness overtaking him as he desperately gripped the earth, fingernails scraping painfully against the rubble. The powerful wind threatened to tear him from the ground.
The fierce gust lasted nearly ten agonizing seconds, each second stretching painfully as debris battered against his body.
As the ringing in his ears finally began to fade, a piercing scream cut through the lingering chaos.
Raka's heart dropped. He recognized that voice immediately.
'Sarah!'
He didn't even care if he was spotted; he stumbled to his feet the instant the wind died down and sprinted toward the direction of the scream.
He spotted one of the buildings ahead, half-collapsed and on fire, with smoke billowing from its windows.
'In here!' he thought desperately, rushing inside. Flames crackled around him, and his eyes stung from the thick smoke.
The smell of burning fabric and scorched wood filled his nose, nearly overwhelming him. Coughing and covering his mouth, he scanned the destroyed interior.
"Sarah! Are you there?!".
A brief silence followed, broken only by the crackling of nearby flames.
He was about to yell again. But then a response.
"Raka! Over here!"
His heart leaped. Following her voice to the back rooms, he shoved aside a fallen beam blocking the door.
With shaking hands, he threw it open and nearly collapsed from relief at the sight before him.
Their eyes met, and he rushed straight to her, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Sarah trembled against him. She gripped him tightly like she was scared he might disappear any second.
"Raka! You're alive!" Her relief turned to immediate concern as she pulled back slightly to look at his face. "Y-you're bleedin'!"
"I am, but it's fine! Really, don't worry." He tried to give her a reassuring smile despite the throbbing pain, but she wasn't falling for it.
He quickly let go to inspect her condition.
Sarah's face was pale, and he noticed immediately the severe gash running up her right calf. Blood had seeped through the makeshift bandage she had managed to wrap around it.
"Fuck, this looks serious. Come on, we have to get you out of here. Find a healer or doctor.".
He moved to pick her up, but Sarah weakly pushed him away, shaking her head. "No, Raka! You can't carry me and still run from whoever's attacking. It's way too risky!"
He was hearing none of it and lifted her up anyway.
She opened her mouth again, but he gently pressed her head into his chest. "Listen, I have no idea what's going on out there. Maybe staying put would be safer, maybe not. But everything is exploding around us, and this building could be next. We need to move."
He felt her shiver slightly in his arms. Tightening his hold, he continued, "Trust me, okay?"
Sarah didn't reply immediately, but he felt her nod softly against him, dampness soaking into his shirt as she cried silently. "O-okay."
Taking a deep breath, he focused again, forcing his mana shield back to life. Carefully moving back to the building's entrance, he peered cautiously outside, assessing the safest path through the rubble-strewn battlefield.
'I need to reach the lobby,' he thought. He took another deep breath, feeling Sarah's heart beating rapidly against him. He couldn't afford mistakes. Sarah's life is in his hands now.
'Alright, let's do this'