I guess we have different skills to unlock.
Raven spread her butterfly wings wide. With a sharp flick, she released a flurry of fan-shaped winds slicing through the air, all aimed at Dahlia's side.
Dahlia pressed her clam pendant tight against her chest as she ran. She darted left, then right, desperately dodging each gust. Every blast of wind whistled by with enough force to whip dust off the ground.
But then—whoosh!
One powerful gust struck her squarely in the side. The air was knocked out of her lungs, and she stumbled before crashing hard to the ground.
Raven landed on the ground, her butterfly wings folding slightly. She commanded them, and the glowing wings on her back shimmered and vanished, retreating into her hands as her dual fans reappeared. She lunged forward and snatched the green flag from the ground—right where Dahlia had fallen moments before.
"Team 2 has the green flag!" Dr. Flamel announced loudly, like a host enjoying himself.
The crowd exploded with cheers and shouts once again, filling the arena with excitement. NPCs jumped to their feet, waving their hands and shouting encouragement.
Gripping the flag with her teeth, Raven turned sharply. I rushed toward her, my fiery spear burning in my hands.
"Phoenix Flare!" I shouted.
Without slowing down, I blasted it at her. The blazing flame cut through the air, aiming straight at her. I was surprised that basic skills had no cooldown.
But Raven saw it coming. She twisted her body mid-step, spinning gracefully like a butterfly in the wind. My fiery flame barely missed her and passed right by, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.
"Phoenix Flare!" I shouted again.
Raven was too fast. She danced gracefully in midair, twisting and turning like a butterfly to avoid my attack. No matter how hard I tried, she slipped away from every strike.
Malachi Paisley [Lvl. 8]
HP: 500 / 500
Mana: 290 / 500
EXP: 0 / 100
Her sharp eyes locked onto me, the flag still clenched in her mouth. In a flash, she charged at my side. Our weapons clashed—metal ringing against metal—and she followed up with a swift kick aimed at my stomach. I caught her kick with both hands, stopping the blow just in time.
With a small hop backward, she widened the distance between us.
"Butterfly Dance!" she shouted.
"Not again… her dual fans are quite a menace," I muttered under my breath.
Her dual fans materialized in her hands, spinning so fast. Without hesitation, she unleashed a flurry of slashes at me. I met her attack with all my strength, swinging my spear against her whirling fans. The clash rang out, and one of her fans was knocked from her grasp, flying behind me—though it still hovered in the air, spinning on its own.
Suddenly, I was under attack from both directions. One fan slashed from the front while the other swept in from behind. I gritted my teeth, spinning my spear in a tight arc around my body to block them both. I struck the one in front, then spun my lance to meet the other at the back. Sparks flew as metal met metal in a flurry of strikes.
Then—out of nowhere—Raven darted forward and kicked me.
[-5]
I took light damage. The blow nearly knocked me off my feet, but I stayed standing, my balance just barely holding. Her dual fans flew back into her hands, ready for the next strike.
But that's when I noticed movement behind her. Dahlia was back on her feet, her trident glowing with swirling water.
"Aqua Sphere!" Dahlia called out.
A shining, medium-sized ball of water formed around her trident before shooting forward at incredible speed. Raven didn't see it coming until it was too late. The sphere slammed into her back, bursting into a spray of water.
"Phoenix Flare!" I roared, slamming my spear into the ground. I leveled the blazing weapon at her as flames erupted upward in a fiery burst, meeting Raven head-on.
[-50]
[-70]
The explosion of heat and water sent her spinning through the air before crashing to the ground. The green flag slipped from her mouth, tumbling away once again.
Raven Harkness [Lvl. 8]
HP: 380 / 500
Mana: 350 / 500
EXP: 0 / 100
Without hesitation, I grabbed the green flag. I quickly nodded to Dahlia, signaling her to run back to our spot so we could secure the win.
Suddenly, a shout rang out behind me.
"Serpent Lash!"
Before I could react, a long green serpent body slammed into my body. I gasped as I hit the ground.
[-60]
A damage screen popped up in front of me, but I didn't bother to check my Player Status.
I turned quickly and was startled to see Clifton standing close behind me. His clothes were torn and burned, revealing parts of his body—but the worst of the burns had already disappeared as his wounds healed.
Clifton Badger [Lvl. 8]
HP: 410 / 500
Mana: 380 / 500
EXP: 0 / 100
I glanced at his Player Status. It seemed that the lingering burn effect from my Phoenix Flare had dealt him another -10 HP. The damage should be -25 HP. Looks like he put the fire out before it got worse.
Even though he looked battered, Clifton's eyes burned with fierce determination.
Dahlia sprinted to my side.
"Are you okay?" she asked, concern in her voice.
"Clam Barrier!" she shouted, raising her trident and unleashing her skill without waiting for my answer.
The ground trembled beneath us as if something massive was rising from the depths. Suddenly, a giant watery, pinkish-white clam burst up from the earth. Its enormous shell opened wide, surrounding and protecting us within its barrier.
We really did have different skills to unlock. Dahlia had already used three, and Raven had awakened her Butterfly Wings at Level 8.
On the other side, Raven stood ready again. Without warning, both she and Clifton charged at us with incredible speed.
I glanced at Dahlia's Player Status screen.
Dahlia Flamel [Lvl. 8]
HP: 450 / 500
Mana: 400 / 500
EXP: 0 / 100
Raven moved like a dancer—leaping, then spinning her body gracefully in midair. She placed her dual fans on her back while turning, and they glowed brighter as her butterfly wings shimmered in brilliant shades of violet and blue. Her wings spun faster and faster, filling the air with dazzling light.
But Dahlia's clam was still there, shielding us like a fortress. Inside its surprisingly transparent shell, we could see everything outside.
Our two opponents circled the clam with relentless speed. Clifton struck the barrier with his serpent gauntlets, kicking and punching in rapid succession.
"He's tough," I muttered.
Raven soared gracefully above us, kicking down against the clam's shell.
Suddenly—SLAM!
A loud thud echoed from outside the barrier.
"They're slamming our barrier!" I shouted.
"Any moment now, it could break. My Clam Barrier lasts 30 seconds and can absorb 500 damage," Dahlia explained.
SLAM!
Another heavy thud shook the barrier as Clifton's gauntlets struck again. His weapon's power was steadily reducing its toughness.
Through the shell I spotted a bright glow—the shimmer of Raven's wings. She swooped down, slamming her feet against the clam just as Clifton unleashed a powerful punch with his gauntlets.
"Prepare yourself!" Dahlia exclaimed. "The barrier is about to disappear."
Although the attacks from the two didn't damage the barrier, it faded as its duration ran out.
[Clam Barrier is down!]
In an instant, the giant clam vanished, sinking back into the ground and leaving us exposed.
Suddenly, Clifton's arm shot forward—long, scaled, and green like a serpent. The gauntlet at its end writhed and twisted like a snake ready to strike, stretching toward us with predatory speed. I saw the attack coming. Without hesitation, I lunged toward Dahlia, grabbing her and pulling her away from the deadly reach.
I clutched both my weapon and the green flag tightly as we hit the ground with a thud.
"Uhhh, I… I'm sorry for dragging you down," I said awkwardly. "Clifton's serpent arm was about to hit us."
I helped Dahlia to her feet, brushing dust and sand from her clothes.
In my rush, I hadn't noticed Raven silently descending from above. She landed right in front of us, poised to strike again. Her face and clothes were a mess from our combined attacks, and I could see exhaustion weighing on her. Still, she stood ready.