The battle raged on.
Spells cracked through the air like lightning. Arrows whistled. The ground was littered with scorch marks, frozen patches, torn roots, and fallen fighters—both human and elven.
In one part of the battlefield, Alexia squared off against an elven ranger, his bow drawn taut with focus, a dozen arrows already nocked.
She stood her ground, unwavering. "Rozet Kinichi Azim Astanya!" she chanted.
Immediately, the mana from her wand exploded in a flourish of snowy wind. A dozen swirling gusts, tipped with ice, danced above her—hovering, waiting.
The elf smirked.
"A combo attack, eh?" he said, raising a sharp brow. "Let's see if it's a match for my barrage."
Without warning, he let loose a rapidfire volley of arrows, each one whistling toward her like sharpened lightning bolts.
The air between them became a storm.
Wind and snow clashed with steel mid-air, scattering shards and shards of mana and metal. Both dodged and weaved between the stray projectiles, rolling, ducking, sliding behind fallen logs or rocks.
Alexia's heart pounded, her focus intensifying. With a fierce scream, her mana spiked, glowing visibly around her body. Her attacks surged, growing in both power and number, until finally, her swirling gusts overwhelmed the elf's arrows.
One ice-laced gust struck his bow, breaking it. Another slammed into his shoulder, knocking him flat.
He didn't get up again.
Alexia stood, panting, frost still swirling faintly around her. "That's what you get for underestimating me."
—
Elsewhere, Florence found himself squaring off with an elf wielding a curved blade. The elf advanced with agile movements, dancing forward with a slash aimed at Florence's chest.
Florence dodged and backpedaled. He spun his wand and whispered a quick chant:
"Invisiqué."
A flash of shimmering mana surrounded him—and then he vanished.
The elven warrior cursed and looked around, slashing wildly at the empty air.
"Coward! Face me like a man!"
A moment passed.
Then, a whisper from behind him—"I'm right here."
Florence reappeared in a blur, spear in hand, and drove it directly into the elf's chest. The enemy choked, eyes wide, before collapsing to the forest floor.
Florence let out a breath. "Maybe next time, don't shout your weakness."
—
A short distance away, Jasmine and Kenneth were in sync, facing off against an agile elven warrior who darted through the trees with a chained blade.
Jasmine focused her mana and yelled: "Azim Azim!"
A thick pink fog burst from her wand, curling through the air like smoke and surrounding their foe. The elf spun in place, suddenly losing all sense of direction. The fog disoriented him—his steps faltered, his swings off balance.
Kenneth followed up.
"Illumetio Astranya!"
A radiant whip of light formed from his wand, the handle glowing hot in his grip. With practiced precision, he cracked the whip forward.
CRACK!
The light whip lashed across the elf's chest, sending her flying backward through the fog and knocking him unconscious.
Kenneth lowered his wand. "Nice setup," he said calmly.
Jasmine smiled. "Teamwork."
—
The battle had mostly calmed.
Scattered across the forest clearing were elven knights who had either fallen or retreated, and exhausted candidates still standing or helping others to safety. Some humans had been lost—some friends, others unknown. The weight of that sacrifice sat heavy on everyone.
But there were still two fighters left standing against the strongest opponent.
Ymir and Rowan remained locked in battle with the head knight, Elvis—his armor scuffed, his expression wild, and his grin as wide as ever.
The forest around them was torn apart—trees slashed in half, roots exposed, leaves still falling like ash.
Ymir's mana spear had been thrown.
Elvis had caught it.
Without even looking.
Now, the spears came in a barrage, each one slicing through the air with speed. Elvis sidestepped and twisted around them with unnatural grace, his blade slicing a few away mid-spin.
He retaliated with a slash of wind and earth, the two elements forming a crushing wave. Both Rowan and Ymir dodged to opposite sides just in time.
Ymir stood, panting, sweat trailing down her cheek. "He's strong… but we can still—"
"That's it," Rowan cut her off. His voice was cold, annoyed.
"I'm done playing games."
He shrugged off his royal cloak, letting it fall to the scorched ground. His mana flared, sparking heat around him.
"I'll show you the power of a royal," he growled, stepping forward.
He pointed his wand to the earth.
"Now, Ko: Inferno Leo!"
From the circle of fire conjured at his feet, three flaming lions erupted. Each one roared as it materialized, manes flickering wildly. Their molten paws scorched the ground as they circled Rowan, ready to attack.
From a short distance away, Ymir's eyes widened.
"He also knows advanced magic like me…?" she muttered. "Well, I guess he really is strong."
The three lions lunged forward in unison, flames trailing behind them like comets. They tore through the space between Rowan and Elvis, heat burning the air around them.
Elvis stood firm, not moving an inch.
He grinned.