Annabeth's body bore the strain of relentless physical combat and the exhaustive use of her magical arsenal. She had never maintained her Dancing Inferno spell for so long, and the effort left her utterly drained. She desperately needed a moment to catch her breath before facing the healer and the gravely injured Ujarak.
Before her vision had fully returned, a sudden kick struck her back, sending her sprawling to the ground with a resounding thud. The healer mage seized the opportunity, casting another flash spell to blind her before dragging Ujarak away and beginning the process of healing him.
Disoriented, Annabeth rose shakily, her senses strained to anticipate the next attack. Panic gripped her as she realized Ujarak might soon be healed. Desperation pushed her to conjure Tier 3 fireballs, hurling them blindly toward the direction of the earlier attack. The air crackled with energy, but her aimless assaults only drained her already dwindling reserves.
When her sight returned, she saw that while Ujarak's wounds had only partially healed, he could now stand. His body was a grotesque sight, marred with fresh burn marks, and his once-proud hair was reduced to a charred, misshapen lump. Annabeth couldn't suppress a laugh at his new appearance, though she knew the healer mage could eventually restore him given enough time and energy.
Ujarak, however, had no intention of waiting. He began conjuring a Tier 3 spell, enchanting his body with metallic fortification. His expression was resolute, and he didn't utter a word—not even a token of gratitude to the healer. Meanwhile, Annabeth scrambled to retrieve her dagger, which the healer had discarded to tend to his own wounds.
Ujarak moved with purpose, ignoring Annabeth for a moment as he surveyed the carnage of the battlefield. He picked up a sword from the lifeless grip of a headless bandit and tested its weight with a few practiced swings. His motions were deliberate, his shoulders rolling as he turned to face Annabeth. Both fighters understood that this would be their final battle—only one would leave alive.
Annabeth clutched her dagger close to her chest, while Ujarak gripped the sword in both hands. The air grew heavy with tension as they locked eyes. Ujarak made the first move, slashing toward her waist with a decisive strike. Annabeth leaned back, dodging the blade while simultaneously extending her arm to hurl the dagger. The blade bounced harmlessly off his metallic skin, confirming what she already suspected—ordinary weapons were useless against him.
Creating some distance, Annabeth quickly conjured a Tier 3 lightning spell. Sparks danced along her fingers as she prepared to unleash the spell, knowing she had little magical energy left and had to make every strike count. Ujarak noticed the flicker of electricity and launched his counterattack. He hurled his sword at her with tremendous force, charging forward to close the gap.
Annabeth sidestepped the flying sword, pivoting to aim her hand at Ujarak. His enchanted metal body, though powerful, made him sluggish, and he failed to close the distance. A crackling lightning bolt struck him squarely, electricity coursing through his frame and locking his muscles in place. Ujarak froze in mid-step, stunned by the bolt's sheer force.
Sensing an opening, Annabeth darted forward. She delivered two sharp blows to his face before he recovered enough to dodge her third strike. Regaining his balance, Ujarak countered with a vicious knee to her stomach, forcing her to double over as blood spilled from her lips. He gave her no time to react, hammering her with a brutal double-fisted strike that sent her crashing to the ground.
Ujarak wasted no time. Following the method of the strength mage before him, he climbed onto her back as she lay prone, her hands moving to shield her head and neck. With a faint flicker of earth magic, she attempted to reinforce her defenses, but Ujarak's focus was elsewhere.
He rained down punishing blows on her shoulders and ribs, methodically weakening her arms and exposing her vulnerable sides. The searing pain in her ribs finally broke her concentration, forcing her arms to shift defensively. Ujarak seized the opportunity, landing two heavy strikes on the back of her head and rendering her unconscious.
Standing over her limp body, he surveyed the battlefield before retrieving the sword he had thrown earlier. Gripping it tightly, he positioned himself above her, ready to deliver the final blow. With a powerful swing, the blade descended toward her neck—only to halt mere millimeters from her skin with a metallic clang.
A stranger had appeared beside him, effortlessly blocking Ujarak's strike with a sword of his own. The force of Ujarak's attempt was impressive, but the stranger's blade held firm, unmoving. Frustrated, Ujarak pressed harder, but the sword remained steadfast.
A wave of killing intent radiated from the unknown man, freezing Ujarak in place and forcing him to leap backward, abandoning his weapon. The stranger, silent and composed, sheathed his sword and bent down to lift Annabeth's unconscious body.
Bewildered, Ujarak turned to seek answers from the healer, who stood frozen nearby. The healer's face was a mixture of fear and fascination, his wide eyes fixed on the mysterious figure.
"T-that man… he's fast," the healer stammered, his voice shaky.
"I need to get out of here," the healer added, already stepping back. "I don't get paid enough to deal with this."
Before he could leave, Ujarak grabbed his arm. "Heal me first," Ujarak demanded, his voice resolute. "I want to face him."
"You… are you insane?" the healer barked, staring at him in disbelief. "You didn't even see him until your sword was blocked, and now you want to fight him?!"
Ujarak's lips curled into a sinister smile. "I'm metallic and a skilled swordsman. Speed alone won't save him."
Reluctantly, the healer sighed. "Fine, I'll heal you, but after this, I'm done. I'm not getting involved in whatever this is."
"You'll go where, exactly?" Ujarak interrupted, his voice dropping dangerously low. "No matter where you run, the boss will find you. If not him, then whoever does a background check will have you executed. This is the only city where the kingdom lets us exist because it profits from us. You know that as well as I do."
The healer clenched his fists in frustration but said nothing, silently casting his spell to mend Ujarak's injuries. He knew Ujarak was right—Liberdade City was a haven for crime, its corruption shielded by the king's shady dealings and the bribes that kept his faction loyal.
As Ujarak flexed his newly healed limbs, the stranger returned, his figure calm and deliberate. He had laid Annabeth in a nearby wagon and now stood facing Ujarak.
The stranger was a man of striking appearance, his silvery-white hair catching the light. Dressed in elegant black attire that matched the cold intensity of his dark eyes, he exuded an aura of authority and danger. His muscular build and poised stance hinted at a background in military service or professional bodyguard work.
If Talin were present, he would have immediately recognized this man as Annabeth's bodyguard and driver. And if Annabeth had been awake, she would have called him by name: Menzine.