Jyle dashed forward with immense speed that equals mach 1, using both fists to attack him head on. Unfortunately Sentar already saw this coming, he immediately blocked the blow with his own fist, hard enough that you could hear the impact crack through the air.
"Care for a talk?"
"Never."
Jyle pulled his fist back fast and aimed for a brutal kick right at Sentar's midsection. It hit him square, sending him flying straight into a thick tree trunk that splintered apart the second he made contact - leaving a massive crater carved into what was left of the wood. But Sentar just pulled himself out of the mess like nothing even touched him.
"Gosh man, can you be more careful? I can't let my clothes get dirty because of all this rough stuff, takes forever to clean them up right."
Sentar stepped forward quick and aimed a brutal strike straight at Jyle's head. But it got deflected with sudden force that sent him stumbling back hard - he slammed into another tree with a loud thud that shook the branches above. And yet there wasn't a single scratch on him anywhere.
'This sword... it gives full immunity to whoever's holding it! Okay now, this is gonna be a real good fight. I might actually stand a chance to win this.'
Sentar pushed himself up from the tree he'd been knocked into, his eyes locked on Jyle the whole time. He pointed at him with his index finger, his voice coming out sharp.
"Hey! That was really cheating right there! I can't hit you no matter what I try - what's up with all this sudden invincibility you've got out of nowhere?!"
Jyle just smirked wide, scoffing as he shot back his answer.
"What? You scared now that I've got invincibility all of a sudden? I thought you were supposed to be tough."
Sentar got mad real quick at that mocking reply, his face twisting up for a second. But then he took a breath and calmed himself down, breathing slow through his mouth before he spoke in a calm voice.
"Well then, I'll just have to figure out how to get past that invincibility by myself then. Ain't no way I'm letting you get away with it."
"I kid you not, I mean every word."
Sentar dashed towards Jyle again, moving as fast as he could go. He used one of his most powerful attacks - the kind only the highest members of the cult know how to do. He swung his hand swift and sharp, cutting clean through five tents that were set up right beside them. Eight of his own comrades were inside and they died instant – couldn't even scream out their final words before it was over. Hundreds of trees in the way split apart too, and the ground itself opened up smooth like butter. Jyle felt his chest tighten up with tension, but he kept himself calm and still.
'Dammit... Why am I the only one awake in this whole camp right now? Not even Maximus is up, that guy never sleeps through anything important. What is even happening here?'
"What now? Feeling scared already? Or are you just a tiresome little nugget who's only good for blabbering about nonsense–"
He didn't get to finish what he was saying. Jyle had already moved behind him without a sound, and he smashed him hard with his fist right in the back. The hit sent Sentar crashing towards a big hard rock, making a loud noise when he hit it.
The crash echoed all through the night, loud enough to wake anyone who wasn't already out cold. But Sentar just pushed himself out of the rock and stood there like nothing happened, still not a single injury on him.
'What? I didn't even notice he's got invincibility too. Maybe he can feel pain... but not the kind that actually hurts? There's not a scratch on him anywhere. How does he do it? What would Maximus do if he was here right now? I can't think straight... I gotta focus up!'
Jyle's mind was racing trying to figure out how to get past Sentar's invincibility, just like Sentar was trying to do to him. He knew his own invincibility came from the Mighty Sword of Eia – he could feel its power running through his arm. But his enemy's invincibility was almost impossible to see or figure out. If things keep going like this, it'll just be a stalemate forever and everyone in the camp will end up dead on the floor.
"I guess I really have no options left now."
"Hah? What are you–"
He dashed forward so fast you could barely see him, and kicked Sentar hard right in the gut. The force sent him flying far away – miles and miles off into the dark.
"...I can't defeat you today, so I'll make sure I defeat you someday."
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
Eventually, as morning finally broke over the camp, the sun peeking slow through the thick trees, everyone started to stir awake. One of the dark elves decided to step outside first, wanting to catch some warm fresh air before the day got too hot – but the second they pushed the tent flap open, they froze dead still. They were met with the cold, still bodies of their own comrades scattered all across the ground, some crumpled up by tents and others lying out in the open. The sight was both horrifying and sickening all at once; even the toughest among them who came out after started heaving and throwing up right there in the dirt.
A few of the dark elves didn't waste any time – they grabbed their cloaks and ran straight for the king's camp, bursting through the entrance without even knocking and shouting loud enough to wake anyone still asleep inside.
"Your majesty!"
The king shot up awake in an instant, and the princess and Maximus followed right after him, all three of them looking over at the dark elves with confusion written clear on their faces. The king leaned forward a little, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before he spoke first.
"Yes? Speak more casually – whatever it is, you don't need to stand on ceremony right now."
"I... It's just... you gotta come see this for yourself your majesty..."
They didn't even get to finish talking before the king, princess and Maximus were already on their feet and heading outside. When they took their first quick look around the camp, they were met with a truly bizarre and awful sight. Not just dead bodies anymore – some of the corpses had started to rot already, their bones and flesh and organs exposed to the open air like something had torn them apart. It was the kind of thing no child or teenager should ever have to lay eyes on – not even most grown folk could handle looking at it for long.
"What in the gods' names... happened here?"