A moment of silence filled the church, broken only by their shallow breaths and cautious steps on the cracked floor.
Leora moved forward slowly, her hands still tense, faint magic glowing between her fingers.
Beside her, Mia raised her head and muttered anxiously,
"Do you think they're coming?"
Kai smiled—that eerie smile that comes before a storm—and said in a calm, unsettling tone,
"If they're not coming… then let's go to them."
Leora lifted her gaze toward a statue at the end of the hall, traces of fire still flickering upon it.
The others stared at her silently, not understanding the sudden stillness that overcame her after everything. Even Mia and Kai exchanged glances without a word.
Suddenly… Leora clapped her hands together!
She turned to them with a strangely childlike excitement lighting up her face.
"Well then…"
Mia asked in confusion,
"What just happened?"
Leora looked at her innocently, a soft smile playing on her lips, then said quietly,
"I was talking to Toto."
Mia and Kai exchanged glances for a moment, then simultaneously had a mental slap from Leora's response and shouted together in disbelief,
"To… Toto?!"
Leora smiled proudly, raised her finger and pointed at the scepter, and said in a playful tone,
"Yes, Toto!"
Mia slowly reached out and placed her palm on Leora's forehead, as if checking for a strange fever, then said with clear concern,
"Leora… my friend, are you okay?"
Kai stepped forward quickly and bent slightly, staring at her suspiciously,
"Did one of the guards hit your head during the fight? Do you… need any kind of help? Medical? Mental? Emotional?"
Leora blinked at them with an innocence that raised suspicion, then smiled,
"I'm completely fine. I was just… talking to Toto."
Suddenly, a strange voice boomed from the scepter itself. It was deep and slightly annoyed, as if a creature had lost its patience:
"You all… be silent now!"
Mia froze where she stood, and Kai's mouth slowly opened as if struggling to comprehend what he just heard.
Leora looked at them proudly as if she had just introduced the star of the show, smiling brightly,
"Toto… doesn't like being interrupted."
Kai stared at the scepter in shock, then said with labored breath, as if trying to process the surprise,
"I think… I might die! I can't believe this!"
Mia looked at the scepter in disbelief and said sarcastically,
"Since when does that thing talk?"
Toto shouted with excitement and wild pride,
"Don't speak about me that way! I am the Supreme Scepter, nothing less!"
Leora giggled softly and said in a calm, soothing tone,
"Alright, Toto, calm down a little."
Then she turned to Mia and Kai and said frankly,
"Even I was shocked when he started talking."
She added innocently,
"And how is he talking? Honestly… I have no idea."
Mia fidgeted, her tone half teasing, half annoyed,
"Looks like we've got a weirdo with us… and a wild one too."
Suddenly, they stopped. Their breathing grew heavier, their eyes widened, and they began to feel a terrifying aura enveloping the place.
They all said tensely:
"What is this?!"
From the end of the hall, the sound of soft clapping rose, followed by a gentle male voice speaking calmly and with astonishment:
"Well, well… looks like I've finally found our dear guests."
A handsome man approached, dressed in a sleek white suit. His steps were confident, and his eyes held a mysterious calm.
He spoke with a soft smile and a composed voice:
"My name is Leif."
As soon as he said his name, the heroes shifted into combat stances, their energies rising without hesitation.
But Leif raised his hand calmly and gave a light smile,
"No, no… I don't like being hit. Let's relax a bit, shall we?"
His tone remained gentle… but something behind it made the air feel heavier for a moment.
Leora looked at him steadily despite the sudden tension and asked coolly,
"What do you want from us?"
Leif smiled—a quiet smile hiding something—and responded lightly,
"Nothing at all… I was simply instructed to deal with the intruders."
Then tilted his head and added with a wider grin,
"I mean… our honored guests, of course."
Mia stepped forward, her eyes burning with a sharp gaze, and said firmly:
"So you're the enemy… and there's not a single reason we should go easy on you."
The atmosphere went still for a moment before a strange smile spread across Leif's face… as if the threat amused him more than fear.
Leif's gaze suddenly changed… no longer calm and smug, but cold and dark—as if it sliced through their souls.
He stepped forward, his voice dropping to a terrifying whisper:
"Seems… you still don't understand."
His eyes widened slightly, and with them, his expression changed. He was no longer the handsome young man… but something else. Something dangerous.
He continued, his voice like venom as he stared them down:
"What I'm saying… is not a joke. It's a threat.
And you have only one option…"
A chilling silence fell… then he spoke coldly:
"To die… without resistance."
Kai stepped forward, anger exploding from his voice:
"You bastard… who do you think you are?!"
Leif smirked subtly, biting his lower lip like something was about to erupt inside him—
And suddenly—he vanished.
Mia screamed in shock,
"Where did he go?!"
They all spun around quickly, but no one was there.
Then—
BOOM!!
Leif appeared behind Kai in an instant, landing a powerful strike to his back. Kai flew like his body had lost all weight, crashing hard into the stone wall, causing deep cracks and a burst of dust.
Mia ran toward Kai, screaming:
"KAI!!"
But Leif… stood there as if nothing happened, adjusting the collar of his white suit and saying coldly:
"I told you… I don't like resistance."
Kai shouted from where he was, rising slowly:
"Leora! Don't go near him alone!"
But she didn't listen.
With eyes blazing with fury, Leora leapt toward Leif, her scepter glowing with dark red energy, shouting:
"I won't let you hurt anyone else!"
But Leif didn't move.
As her strike nearly landed, he raised his hand with unbelievable grace and blocked the attack with a single motion… as if her power was no more than a summer breeze.
He smiled calmly, then retaliated swiftly, forcing her back several steps, nearly losing her balance.
He spoke in a chillingly quiet voice:
"Brave… but naive."
Leora was on the ground, her hand trembling as she leaned on her scepter, trying to stand.
She looked at Leif, her eyes filled with disbelief, and whispered:
"Impossible…"
Then muttered, staring at the shock rebounding from her:
"What is this…? He's not just blocking magic… he's reflecting it—stronger!"
Leora slowly stood, gripping her shaking scepter, her face covered in dust and energy backlash.
She looked at Mia and Kai, then at Leif, who still stood calmly like nothing had happened.
She whispered bitterly, breathing hard:
"Looks like we're in real trouble…"
Leif (with a cold smile):
"There's only one thing for you to do… surrender now.
I really don't enjoy hitting women."
Leora (with defiant eyes and a sarcastic smile):
"I almost believed you."
Mia (with focus and determination):
"Verahil!"
She unleashed a glowing magical wave toward Leif.
Leora (shouting in warning):
"No, Mia! Magic attacks don't work on him—he'll reflect it back!"
The spell hit Leif, who, with a single motion, reflected it back even stronger—
And it flew toward Mia at devastating speed.
In that moment, Leora dashed forward, raising her hand and chanting:
"Arcalium!"
A transparent magical shield appeared, trying to block the attack, but the force was too great—
The shield shattered, the magical wind burst through, and Leora was thrown back in smoke and dust.
Leif smiled coldly, looking at Leora with a challenging gaze as he said calmly but full of confidence:
"It's impressive that you figured out my magic…
But don't think that'll stop me."
Leora wiped blood from her lips, replying with a determined smile:
"Bastard."
She heard Toto's whisper clearly in her mind, hesitated for a moment, then firmly gathered her strength.
She gripped the scepter tightly and slammed it into the church floor with a thunderous force—
The ground beneath Leif cracked open suddenly!
Leif looked surprised as he struggled to keep his balance, but he lost it and fell quickly into the opened pit!
Dust scattered, screams rose in the air, and everyone stood stunned by the success of the move.
Mia smiled and said, "Amazing! This is our chance!"
Leora raised her voice firmly:
"No, we're escaping now!"
Kai and Mia looked shocked, exchanging glances and saying together:
"Escape?!"
Leora stared at them with glowing eyes and replied confidently:
"Yes. This battle hasn't even begun. We need to plan better. Escaping now is strategy—not defeat."
From within the pit, Leif shouted in fury:
"What foolishness?! Do you think this will stop me?!"
Then with a powerful jump, he shot out of the pit and glared at them with disdain,
"I didn't expect your goal was escape… how disappointing."
Leora smirked slyly, tilted her head toward Leif and said confidently:
"Escape? Impossible.
We were only stalling for time."
Leif sneered,
"Hah! What do you mean by that?
Wait a second… where did that duo go?"
Leora grinned mischievously and said:
"Now."
Suddenly, Kai came from Leif's left, and Mia from his right.
And Leora charged from the front, saying confidently:
"Now!"
Mia pulled out a steel spear and prepared her strike. At the same time, Kai gathered his power and launched a wave of sharp glass shards toward Leif.
Before Leif could react, Leora dashed forward with a swift motion and plunged her blade deep into his torso.
The three watched Leif fall to the ground, blood pouring from him. But he challenged them with a voice full of anger:
"You think… you've won?!"
He placed his hand on his chest and began chanting a spell that eased his pain—
The bleeding slowed, and his strength slowly returned.
Mia stared in astonishment and said:
"What is this? How did he heal so fast?"
Leif screamed in anger, his features distorting with every word:
"Look what you've done! You ruined my suit completely!"
He pressed the wound, gritting his teeth furiously,
"I wanted to show it off to her… and now? You've ruined everything!"
His eyes burned with rage, but behind the fury… was an odd trace of heartbreak.
Suddenly—so fast that time itself couldn't catch up—
Leif moved like lightning!
Before the three could breathe,
He appeared before them—
Landing powerful, rapid blows.
Leora was slapped to the right,
Mia thrown backward,
Kai hurled violently against the chamber wall!
Their bodies scattered like wind-swept dolls.
Silence fell—
Broken only by the sound of Leif's slow steps,
His eyes blazing with vengeance…
They suddenly stopped, their breaths quickened, eyes widened, and a terrifying aura began to loom over the place.
They all said nervously:
"What is this?!"
From the end of the corridor, a soft clapping sound rose, followed by the calm voice of a gentle boy filled with surprise:
"Well, well… it seems I have finally found our honored guests."
A handsome man wearing an elegant white suit approached them, his steps confident and his eyes carrying a mysterious calmness.
He said with a quiet smile and a deep voice:
"My name is Liv."
No sooner had he spoken his name than the heroes took ready positions, their energies responding without hesitation.
But Liv raised his hand calmly and said with a light smile:
"No, no… I don't like being hit. Let's calm down a bit, shall we?"
His tone remained gentle… but behind it was something that made the air heavy for a moment.
Leora looked at him steadily, despite the sudden tension, and asked coldly:
"What do you want from us?"
Liv smiled, a quiet smile carrying something hidden, and replied lightly:
"Nothing at all… I was only asked to take care of intruders."
Then he tilted his head slightly and added with a wider smile:
"I mean… our dear guests, of course."
Mia stepped forward, her eyes glowing with a sharp look, and said firmly:
"That means you are an enemy… and there isn't a single reason for us to show you mercy."
The atmosphere settled for a moment, before a strange smile appeared on Liv's face… as if threats amused him more than fear.
Liv's gaze suddenly changed… no longer that calm careless look, but cold, dark, as if piercing their souls.
He stepped forward, lowering his voice to say in a frightening tone:
"It seems you… don't understand yet."
His eyes widened slightly, and his features changed. He was no longer that handsome young man… but something else. Something dangerous.
He continued with a venomous voice, staring at them:
"What I say… is no joke. It is a threat.
And you have only one choice…"
An eerie silence fell… then he said dryly:
"To die… without resistance."
Kai stepped forward angrily:
"You bastard… who do you think you are?!"
Liv smiled lightly sideways, then bit his lower lip as if something was about to explode inside him.
Suddenly—he disappeared.
Mia screamed in shock:
"Where did he go?!"
Everyone turned quickly, but there was no one.
Then…
Boom!!
Liv appeared behind Kai in a moment, delivering a powerful strike to his back.
Kai flew as if his body had no weight, violently hitting the stone wall, causing deep cracks and thick dust to spread around him.
Mia ran to Kai screaming:
"Kai!!"
Meanwhile, Liv stood there… as if nothing had happened, adjusting his white suit collar, and said coldly:
"I told you… I don't want resistance."
Kai shouted from his place while slowly getting up:
"Leora! Don't get near him alone!"
But she didn't listen.
With eyes gleaming with anger, Leora jumped toward Liv, her staff shining with dark red energy, shouting:
"I won't let you hurt anyone else!"
But Liv didn't move.
At the moment her strike almost hit him, he raised his hand with unbelievable agility, blocking the attack with a single move… as if the energy was nothing but a light summer breeze.
He smiled quietly, then pushed her with a quick reaction that made her step back several paces, nearly losing her balance.
He said in a killer calm voice:
"Courageous… but naive."
Leora was on the ground, her hand trembling as she leaned on her staff, trying to stand.
She looked at Liv, her eyes burning with astonishment and said hoarsely:
"Impossible…"
Then she muttered looking at the impact reflected on her:
"What is this…? He doesn't just block the attack… he returns the magic doubled!"
Leora struggled to rise, gripping her trembling staff, her face covered with dust and traces of the reflected energy.
She looked toward Mia and Kai, then at Liv who was still standing calmly as if nothing had happened.
She muttered bitterly, breathing fast:
"Looks like we are in real trouble…"
Liv (with a cold smile):
"You only have one thing to do… surrender now.
I really don't like hitting women."
Leora (with a challenging look and sarcastic smile):
"I almost believed you."
Mia (focused and determined):
"Verahel!"
She launched a glowing magical wave toward Liv.
Leora (loud and warning):
"No Mia! Magical attacks don't work on him, he will reflect them on you!"
The attack reached Liv, who with a single movement, returned it doubled with greater force, sending it towards Mia at a destructive speed.
At that moment, Leora rushed quickly, raising her hand and uttered the spell:
• Arkalyum
A transparent magical barrier appeared trying to block the attack, but the force was greater, the barrier broke and the magical winds shattered, sending Leora flying backward amid smoke and dust.
Liv smiled coldly, looking at Leora with a challenging gaze, saying quietly but confidently:
"It's amazing you discovered my magical powers so quickly… but don't think this will stop me."
Leora wiped blood from her lips, responding with a determined smile:
"Bastard."
Leora heard Toto's clear whisper in her mind, hesitated for a moment, then gathered her strength firmly.
She gripped the staff hard and slammed it on the church floor with a shaking force, causing the ground beneath Liv's feet to suddenly crack!
Liv looked surprised trying to balance but lost his footing and fell quickly into the open pit!
Dust scattered and screams rose in the place while everyone stood amazed by the success of this move.
Mia smiled and said: "Great! This is our chance!"
Leora raised her voice firmly and said:
"No, we will run now!"
Kai and Mia looked shocked, exchanged glances and said together:
"Run?!"
Leora stared at them with her shining eyes and replied confidently:
"Yes, this battle hasn't started yet, and we need to plan better. Running now is a smart tactic, not a defeat."
Inside the pit, Liv shouted angrily:
"What foolishness is this? Do you think this will stop me?!"
Then, with a strong leap, he quickly climbed out of the pit, looking at them with contempt and said:
"I didn't expect your goal to be running away… that's disappointing."
Leora smiled slyly, then tilted her face toward Liv and said confidently:
"Run? Impossible!
We were only wasting time."
Liv looked at her with sarcastic disdain and said:
"Hah! What do you mean by that?
Wait a moment… where did that pair go?"
Leora smiled mischievously and said:
"Now."
Suddenly, Kai appeared from Liv's left, Mia from his right,
and Leora rushed from the front saying confidently:
"Now!"
Mia pulled out an iron spear quickly, preparing to attack.
At the same time, Kai gathered his power and unleashed a wave of sharp glass shards, violently pushing them toward Liv.
But before Liv could respond, Leora rushed from the front with a swift move, stabbing her sword deep into the middle of his body.
The three watched together as Liv fell to the ground, blood flowing heavily from him. But he challenged them with a voice full of anger:
"Do you think you have won now?!"
He placed his hand on his chest and began chanting a magic spell to ease the pain in his body.
The bleeding slowly stopped, and his strength began to return.
Mia stared in amazement and said:
"What is this? How could he heal so fast?"
Liv shouted angrily, his features twisting with every word:
"Look what you have done!
You completely ruined my robe!"
Then he pressed the wound, clenching his lips in rage, adding:
"I was looking forward to showing it off to her… and now? You've ruined everything!"
His eyes shone with anger, but behind the anger… was a disappointment hard to explain.
Suddenly… in a moment the time barely caught,
Liv moved with a flash of lightning speed!
Before the three could catch their breath,
he appeared before them —
delivering violent successive blows,
Leora was slapped to the right,
Mia was pushed backward,
and Kai was thrown violently against the chamber wall!
The three bodies scattered in the air, as if the wind had pulled them all at once…
Heavy silence prevailed,
broken only by the faint sound of Liv's footsteps slowly approaching,
his eyes burning with the look of the avenger.
Leora sighed deeply, then spat the blood filling her mouth,
and coughed in a broken voice, trembling on her knees.
She slowly raised her eyes…
and saw Kai lying motionless, and Mia barely breathing,
a scene capable of breaking the heart.
She looked down, her fists trembling,
a voice inside her was screaming… but it did not come out.
Then she whispered, barely audible:
"No… I will not surrender here."
She slowly raised her head,
her eyes started glowing with a dark red color… like a suppressed flame.
"I won't let them die…"
Then she stood up, despite the pain,
and with every breath she gasped, a hidden power was rising from her.
Leora screamed with all her soul:
"I will not fall here…!"
The ground trembled beneath her feet,
a red aura enveloped her body as if a volcano had erupted after a long silence.
Liv stepped back without realizing it, his eyebrows knitted,
and his eyes widened as he stared at Leora glowing before him.
He muttered nervously, raising his hand instinctively in caution:
"What is this aura…?"
He felt a prickling in his skin, as if its energy was burning the air around her.
The smile that had been on his face vanished,
replaced by a frown mixed with worry.
He whispered again, barely audible:
"This… I've never seen anything like it…"
Leora smiled faintly, but in her eyes was a storm of blazing fire.
She stepped forward, her voice low but loaded with anger:
"This is unforgivable… you made me angry, Liv.
Prepare to burn in my fire."
Liv laughed, a short nervous laugh, then said raising an eyebrow:
"Did you forget? Your attacks don't work on me."
But Leora didn't answer…
She raised her staff slowly, and the aura around her grew denser,
as if the earth itself began to tremble under the weight of her coming power.
Leora smiled confidently, raising her staff to the sky,
then said in a calm voice… but it was like a sword before a strike:
"But… not this time."
Liv was confused for a moment, staring at her expectantly, before saying cautiously:
"What do you mean…?"
Leora answered sharply:
"We have discovered your weakness, Liv."
His expression changed, the arrogance vanished from his face, replaced by faint tension.
"My weakness?" He said hesitantly.
Leora smiled and continued:
"Yes… you're fast, strong, and your ability to reflect magic is amazing… I admit that."
"But…" she raised her hand toward Kai and Mia, then continued:
"Your only flaw is that you cannot reflect two attacks at the same time."
At that moment, the air around them ignited,
as if the battle was about to start again… but this time on their terms.
Kai was the first to stand, wiping blood from his lips, his eyes burning with unwavering determination.
Then Mia followed, leaning on her iron spear, rising with difficulty but steadily.
Kai said in a low voice… but his words were like thunder:
"This time… is the end."
Mia stood beside him, staring at Liv with merciless eyes:
"We won't allow you to hurt anyone anymore."
At that moment, their will united in their eyes —
Leora, Kai, and Mia — as if they had become one hand…
and the end was near.
Liv shouted:
"I won't allow you!"
And in a flash… he disappeared from his place, appearing before Leora like a sudden shadow!
But Leora —
her energy and anger ignited —
raised her foot with an unseen swift force, shouting:
"To hell!"
She kicked his chest powerfully, shaking the air,
and Liv shot like a rebounded arrow, crashing through the stone wall behind him, completely smashing it,
leaving dust and debris falling around!
The three jumped toward him simultaneously, as if they became one mass of determination.
Liv tried to stand, his eyes on the blood flowing from his body, extending his hand to use his magic again and stop the pain…
But Leora's voice thundered like lightning:
"I won't let you!"
She struck him with a swift move, her face glowing with anger, and her hand hit his face with a huge punch sending him flying into the air!
Before he could comprehend what happened, Mia was waiting for him —
she jumped, spun her body, and kicked his chest powerfully, sending him crashing toward Kai like a torn puppet.
Kai raised his fist and said with a voice full of anger:
"We've had enough of your arrogance."
He struck him in the stomach with all his might, a blow that made the air shudder and blood burst from Liv's mouth.
His body rolled… and finally fell to the ground, at Leora's feet, broken, defeated.
Leora stood in front of him, her gaze merciless…
She had the authority over those who fell before them, greater than words could describe.
Leora bent slightly, her gaze sharp as a blade, her eyes glowing with a dark red glow.
She stood firmly above him, her voice coming out with confidence and deadly calm:
"Any last words…?"
The echo of her words bounced off the walls as if time stopped for a moment, even the wind seemed to wait for his answer.
Liv, drenched in his blood, tried to lift his head with a faint smile, his eyes flickering between hatred and despair.
Leora froze in place, her hand raised, and the staff glowing with its last energy ready for the final strike.
But suddenly…
a gray flash cut across the horizon before her, followed by a violent gust of wind.
In a split second, as if time shrank in the blink of an eye, Liv disappeared from under her feet!
Mia shouted:
"What happened?!"
Kai screamed, his eyes wide:
"He's been kidnapped…!"
The ground trembled beneath them for a moment, and a faint voice echoed in the background…
"That's enough for today."
Leora turned sharply, the staff still burning, and her eyes fell on a strange person standing at the edge of the arena, wrapped in a dark cloak hiding his features, except for two eyes shining like a knife's flash in the dark.
Liv was between his arms, unconscious.
The stranger said hollowly:
"You will see him again… when your time comes."
Then they both disappeared in a swirl of shadows.
A heavy silence prevailed.
Then Leora angrily struck the ground, and the battlefield was filled with a silence full of questions…
Leora shouted, her voice rising over the ruins of the battle:
"You bastard!! I won't let you escape me next time!!"
Her eyes glowed with rare anger, and her voice mixed with the bitterness of defeat and a firm refusal to surrender.
She clenched her fist on her staff until her hands began to tremble.
She took a step forward, as if trying to catch the shadow that had disappeared, then stopped whispering between her teeth:
"I will remember your face… and make you regret saving him."
Behind her, Mia was holding her bloody arm, and Kai was panting, trying to stand, but everything in the arena screamed that the confrontation was not over yet… it had just begun.
In a large dark room, where only the faint whispers of flickering flames danced on its walls…
"The Saint" sat on his stone throne, surrounded by the symbols of the Covina cult, his calm eyes hiding a storm of evil intentions.
The door opened slowly, and that mysterious man entered, carrying Liv in his arms.
He knelt on one knee and said coldly:
"I have brought him, as you ordered."
The Saint looked at him with half-closed eyes, then rose heavily:
"Well done, Krypto…"
He approached and looked at Liv drenched in blood, then smiled faintly, carrying a mix of pride and contempt.
The Saint slowly moved towards Liv lying on the ground, his eyes gleaming cunningly, stopping before him and said in a deep voice, a mixture of mockery and appraisal:
"You did well… not to die in front of that girl."
Then he turned slightly, as if thinking aloud:
"I didn't think anyone still possessed that power… that forgotten raw energy."
He returned his gaze to Liv, who seemed to have a half-smile mixed with sarcasm:
"Lucky for you she didn't use all her power… otherwise, you'd be dead now."
He then paused for a few seconds, as if letting his words sink deep into Liv's wounded heart, before adding coldly:
"No, rather… we wouldn't even have found a body."
Silence reigned in the room, except for the sound of Liv's shallow breaths… and Krypto standing at the back, watching without expression.
The Saint smiled faintly, then waved his hand mockingly towards Liv lying before him, and said with contempt:
"Treat that weakling's wounds… we don't want him to die before he proves he deserves that robe."
Krypto approached quietly, his eyes shining coldly, while the Saint continued speaking without turning around:
"And it seems Valia is fighting outside as well… this is annoying."
He paused for a moment, his eyes turning towards the window covered with black curtains, as if he could see what was happening outside despite the walls:
"We have a troublesome bunch of pests… and it seems the time has come to act seriously."