Sylphie seized the opening the instant it appeared.
With a sharp flick of her wrist, Aether rippled through the earth beneath the riverbank. Thick vines exploded upward, tearing through wet soil and stone. They twisted violently in the air, hardening into jagged, lance-like spears lined with cruel thorns. Her Thorn Piercer skill struck without hesitation.
The vines shot forward.
Two serpents recoiled at once, their scaled bodies twisting through the shallows. One narrowly jerked aside, the thorn scraping across thick hide and carving a deep groove through armoured scales. The second was not fast enough. A spear of twisted vine punched cleanly through its throat. The serpent's shriek died halfway through its cry. Dark blood splashed into the river.
The remaining serpents erupted into agitation. Their screeches ripped across the battlefield, sharp enough to sting the ears. Massive tails whipped through the air, scattering water and mud in violent arcs.
Kael only smirked. His fingers brushed the edge of his cape. The air shimmered. Dozens of Kaels burst outward, each one sprinting across the battlefield from different directions. Illusory footsteps splashed through the riverbank. Identical figures lunged, taunted, and darted between the monsters.
The serpents lost all sense of direction. Driven into fury, they lashed wildly at false targets, smashing illusions apart in sprays of dissolving mist.
The real Kael slipped between them like a shadow. He moved low.
A serpent turned too late. His sword flashed upward and buried itself deep into its throat.
At nearly the same instant, Leon appeared from the opposite side. Lightning flickered along his spear as he thrust forward with brutal precision, skewering the creature through its ribs. The serpent collapsed into the shallow river with a heavy crash.
Nearby, Darius charged the final serpent. Lightning cracked violently around his spear, illuminating the dark riverbank in brief flashes of white-blue light. He lunged forward, boots tearing through wet soil. The serpent swung its tail. Darius raised his spear to block. Metal slammed against scaled force. The impact rang like a struck bell. A violent shock tore through his arms, and he was thrown backwards, skidding across dirt and broken stone. Gravel scraped beneath him as he dug his boots into the ground to stop himself.
Before the serpent could recover, Leon moved. Thunder gathered beneath his feet. His Thunder Step erupted. A burst of electricity cracked through the air as he vanished forward, leaving behind streaking afterimages. His spear pierced straight through the serpent's neck. The creature convulsed once. Then collapsed.
Darius pushed himself upright, dust clinging to his armour. He pointed his spear dramatically toward the corpse. "My kill." Leon glanced back, breathing hard, a satisfied grin tugging at his mouth.
Kael rested his hands on his knees, catching his breath. Sweat clung to his brow despite the cool mist drifting from the river. "That wasn't too bad," he said between breaths. "Yeah, except—" Darius stopped.
A ripple spread across the river. Small at first. Then wider. Then deeper. The water began to churn. A low rumble vibrated beneath their feet. Rocks shifted along the shoreline. The river suddenly exploded upward.
Water erupted into the sky as something massive burst from beneath the surface. A colossal Tide Serpent surged upward, towering above them. Its body dwarfed the others—thick enough to resemble a moving wall of scaled muscle. Its eyes burned with ancient malice. River water poured from its jaws. The pressure alone felt suffocating.
Ronan's instincts reacted before he thought. Fire surged into his dagger. The blade glowed red-hot. He threw it. The dagger spun through the air toward the creature's throat. Then— The air distorted. A faint shimmer rippled around the serpent. The dagger struck something invisible. A sharp metallic crack echoed outward. The blade deflected sideways and disappeared into the riverbank.
Ronan narrowed his eyes. "Aether barrier," he muttered. His voice sharpened instantly. "Kael. Darius. Move!" Too late.
The serpent's tail swung. Not like an animal. Like a collapsing wall. Kael and Darius raised their weapons in reflex. Steel met force. The instant their blades connected, sparks erupted from impact. The shockwave detonated outward. Both were launched backwards. Their bodies slammed against the rocky bank, stone cracking beneath the collision.
Ronan cursed under his breath. His hands ignited. Several fireballs appeared around him—not loose flames, but dense, compressed spheres of concentrated destruction. Heat warped the air around them. He flicked his wrist. The fireballs shot forward. They exploded across the serpent's barrier. Flames scattered. Heat roared. Smoke spread. But when it cleared— Nothing. Not even a fracture. Ronan's jaw tightened.
Kael recovered quickly. Illusions flooded the battlefield again. Copies of him appeared across the riverbank, surrounding the serpent from every angle.
The creature opened its mouth. Its roar exploded outward. The sound became a shockwave. The river surface shattered outward. Everyone instinctively covered their ears.
Kael's mirages dissolved instantly, ripped apart into mist.
Darius spun his spear through the air. Wind gathered around the weapon, swirling faster and faster. "Make me an opening!" he shouted.
Ronan's dagger vanished. In its place appeared Eclipse Edge. Crimson flame wrapped around the blade.
Leon landed beside Ronan, eyes fixed on the serpent. "What's the plan?" he asked quickly. "I can't use wide-range thunder magic. We're soaked. One mistake and we fry ourselves."
Ronan exhaled slowly. His sword ignited brighter. A crescent wave of crimson flame tore through the air as he slashed toward the serpent. "We break the barrier first."
Leon nodded once. Then both were charged. They moved together. Leon was distracted from the front while Ronan struck from the side, flame and lightning flashing in alternating bursts.
Darius waited. The moment the serpent recoiled from Leon's thrust, he moved. Wind compressed around his spear into a concentrated spiral. He lunged. The strike landed directly against the serpent's side. A violent burst of wind exploded outward.
Dust, water, and shattered rock were scattered. The serpent shifted backwards. Only slightly. No wound. No blood. Not even a scratch.
Darius landed and immediately jumped back. "What the hell is this barrier?" His voice carried genuine disbelief.
Then Sylphie spoke. "Move away." Her voice was low. But something inside it made everyone react instantly. No hesitation. They retreated. Distance opened between them and the serpent.
Sylphie stepped forward. She inhaled deeply. The air changed. Aether stirred around her in waves. Light gathered overhead. The sunlight filtering through the clouds condensed into a single point above her raised hands. Golden energy spiralled downward, intertwining with strands of green nature Aether. The atmosphere grew heavy. Warm. Solar Bloom.
The beam descended. A radiant pillar of gold crashed downward. The serpent barely turned. The light pierced through its skull. No resistance or struggle. Its head disintegrated instantly.
Everything vanished into drifting ash-like particles that scattered into the wind. Silence followed. The river calmed. Water gently lapped against stone. Seven Tide Serpents lay dead.
Above, aboard the hovering ship, Aria stared downward. "They actually did it…" Orin leaned against the railing beside her, grinning. "What do you think of this weak team, Sister?" Aria shot him a glare sharp enough to cut.
Below, Ronan turned toward Sylphie. Something felt wrong. Her breathing was uneven. Her lips looked pale. Cracked. Dry. Her throat moved as she swallowed, but even that seemed difficult.
Ronan sheathed Eclipse Edge and walked toward Kael and Darius first. "You two alright?" Kael groaned while sitting up.
"Yeah... remind me to dodge faster next time." Darius rubbed his shoulder with a grimace.
"Noted. Also, next time, let's avoid getting hit by a mountain-sized tail." Ronan laughed quietly and offered them both a hand. "Come on." He crouched near the serpent remains and carefully extracted the shimmering cores. The orbs pulsed faintly in his palm, carrying traces of lingering Aether.
"Kael," Ronan said, holding one up. "We can sell those bodies. The materials alone are worth a fortune."
Kael's eyes lit up immediately. "Now you're speaking my language."
Ronan glanced back toward Sylphie. She sat alone on a nearby rock, shoulders slightly lowered, drinking water in slow gulps. Even from here, exhaustion clung to her. Kael and Darius approached. Kael raised a brow. "What's with that face? You look like you saw a ghost."
Ronan kept staring at Sylphie. "Darius," he said quietly, "you and I tease Sylphie sometimes, right?"
Darius followed his gaze. His eyes drifted toward the headless serpent. Then toward Sylphie. "...Yeah?"
Ronan let out a slow breath. "If we ever annoy her too much… do you think she'd do that to us?"
Darius swallowed. His face visibly paled. "You mean…" His eyes flickered between Sylphie and the obliterated remains. "Maybe we should be careful."
Ronan patted his shoulder. "You still want to mess with her? That woman is terrifying."
As if summoned by the conversation itself, Sylphie approached. A faint smile rested on her lips.
"What are you two whispering about?" Her voice sounded rough and dry.
Both Ronan and Darius stiffened instantly. Their hands rose in denial at the same time.
"N-Nothing."
"Absolutely nothing."
Kael grinned. "Oh, they were talking about how you're a mon—"
Ronan and Darius lunged simultaneously. Both clamped their hands over Kael's mouth.
"Mmph!"
Ronan laughed too loudly. "We were discussing shield crafting! Serpent scales! Defensive properties!"
Darius nodded far too quickly. "Yes. Very educational conversation."
Sylphie watched them. A soft chuckle escaped her. The movement split the dry skin at the corner of her lips. A faint sting crossed her expression. Her fingers rose quickly, covering her mouth before anyone noticed. "Well," she said quietly, "have fun." She stretched her shoulders and turned toward the ship. "I'm going back."
Ronan and Darius released Kael. He inhaled dramatically.
"You two panic way too easily." Kael flicked his wrist.
One by one, the serpent corpses vanished into his storage ring. The group returned to the flying ship.
On deck, Ronan approached Garrick, who still sat carefully with bandaged hands. "We will ask an alchemist to refine medicine from the serpent core," Ronan said. "Once we return to the academy, your recovery will speed up."
Garrick blinked. Then nodded. "Thanks, Ronan."
Ronan turned toward Leon. "You can choose. Core or carcass. Fair trade."
Leon walked over slowly. "You can keep both," he said. "I'm not lacking resources. Consider it a gift."
Ronan shook his head. "Friendship doesn't need a price." He tossed one of the cores toward Leon.
Leon caught it automatically. For a brief second, he stared at it. Then stored it away. He stepped closer and draped an arm across Ronan's shoulders. "Then we're friends."
Ronan glanced sideways. Leon grinned. "If you ever need help, come find me." Ronan's mouth curved slightly.
"We can team up for exploration sometime."
"Definitely."
Night deepened as the flying ship drifted across the sky. The wind grew colder. Ronan eventually noticed Sylphie sitting alone near the edge of the deck. Several empty water bottles rested beside her. She reached for another. Empty.
Ronan approached quietly and handed her a fresh bottle. "What's going on?"
Sylphie drank immediately. The water disappeared quickly. She lowered the bottle slowly. "My body can't keep up with Solar Bloom." Her voice remained hoarse. "It dries everything out."
Ronan stayed silent. That attack had saved all of them. He picked up the empty bottles beside her. "You should've said something."
Sylphie stared ahead. The night sky reflected faintly in her eyes.
"I'm fine."
"You don't have to carry everything alone."
She didn't answer.
Ronan stood. "I'll refill these." He walked away.
Kael, carrying another bottle, had seen the exchange. He approached quietly. Sylphie quickly wiped at the corner of one eye before turning. Kael set the water down beside her. "What happened?"
Sylphie looked upward. The night sky stretched endlessly above. For a while, she said nothing. Then softly— "I had a dream once." Kael stayed quiet. "A family," she continued. "A mother. A father. A younger brother." Her fingers tightened slightly around the bottle. "No matter how much I tried to hide my injuries… he always noticed." Her voice grew quieter. "He would fuss over me. Take care of me."
She swallowed. "Ronan reminded me of that." The wind drifted through her hair. She stared into the darkness. "Sometimes I want it to be real." A pause. "But I can't remember them." Her expression remained distant. "Just fragments." She lowered her eyes. "I can't remember my past."
Kael placed a hand gently on her shoulder. His grip was steady. "One day," he said quietly, "we'll figure it out together."
Sylphie didn't answer immediately. But she did not move away.
The ship continued forward through the night. Their return journey was not quiet. Along the way, they encountered more monsters, more battles, more chances to sharpen themselves. Each fight left them stronger. Each victory carried less hesitation. Three days later, dawn spread across the horizon. Soft gold bled into pale blue. The magical ship descended through drifting clouds. Below them stood their destination.
The Academy. Its towering structure emerged beneath the morning light like something waiting patiently for its return.