Lieren ran as fast as the wind, dodging branches and weaving in between trees. The wind whipped his face as he ran, like a slap to the face, except constant and somewhat refreshing.
"…!"
His eyes grew wide as dinner plates. Glancing to the side, he could just about make out the faint disturbance of space as an arrow sped through it, causing the space to distort and shift, as if to make way for the cryptic projectile. There was a subtle beauty to it that narrowly overshadowed the venturesome threat that it possessed.
"Fuh~" Lieren slowed down and plated his feet, entering a state of brief and heavy concentration.
The world seemed to blur as his eyes traced the cryptic projectile, the disturbance it caused, and the danger it purposively possessed. He reached in and felt for the familiar construction and deconstruction, the creation of all his power and the destruction of all his enemies.
An invisible arrow, similarly distorting the space around it, flew from his peripheral, aimed for the cryptic projectile. The two met with an unnatural sound, as if space was being ripped apart, as the two projectiles met and cancelled each other out. Its overlapping nature and effect, both similar and dissimilar, met and disabled the other at the same time.
'The perfect counter.'
Life isn't always so easy.
Without warning or any desire to wait for the two projectiles to finish, another dozen arced through the air mercilessly similar to its inaugural.
Pushing wild mana into his arms and legs, throughout his head and torso, as well as all of his senses, Lieren pushed against the ground with his feet, dashing once more as he shot a couple more invisible arrows to meet the cryptic dozen of invisible projectiles. Even if he could counter the spell's effect perfectly, that didn't mean that he could meet it head-on. His opponent had the power of at least an eight level mage, with a dozen spells at his disposal, as well as years—possibly decades of well-honed battle experience and magical knowledge, mountain of arcane insight, and the body and skills to make proper use of them, elevating them to even higher heights than if anybody else used them.
'Fighting isn't an option. It's suicide!'
Running for his dear life, Lieren ran for cover. He was currently in a rather large clearing where the sunlight was much more present than anywhere else in the enchanted forest of Karan. He was much easier to spot here, and now that he thought about it, his opponent is certain to have known that as well. And that's exactly what he was aiming for.
A cold, bone deep chill ran down his spine. Unexpectedly even to himself, he dropped to the ground suddenly, his mouth tasting the brown earth. Arrows flew just overhead, arcing through the air and hitting a gigantic enchanted tree, utterly destroying as large chunks of its mighty bark was carved and compressed into tiny, dense balls.
Another chill reminded Lieren of the cold truth that he couldn't—and should never even think about—getting hit by those things at any cost, as that would mean his death, instantly.
Luckily, his mind was already ready for that possibility. Being well aware of death, life, and consequences have honed the boy's mind and warped it into something else… something not meant to be.
'To throw away is not a sin; to hold on is an even greater sin.'
One should always strive for the best with everything on the line, will all cards at the ready, betting all-in at all turns and corners. Sometimes, playing it slow and easy will only lead to the worst result despicably imaginable. To see through it, however, is a whole different discussion.
The sound of rushing water flowing aggressively through a furious stream entered his ears, reevaluated his concerns, and made him change alter his plans suitably. His face drenched in cold sweat, Lieren spared a brief glance at the lean man behind him, letting loose an invisible arrow.
'Invisible Abjuration.'
That was the name he had touted it with, taking after its own unique characteristic and the unique characteristic of its direct counterpart's caster and Creator. It aimed for Harita's neck, and he swiftly dodged, the arrow missing him entirely. He grinned un triumph, amused. His face was filled with the glee and enjoyment, clouding his judgements.
And that's exactly what Lieren wanted him to believe. Without warning or any kind of hint to start with—except the slight distortion ins space—a loud explosion boomed behind the lean man—Harita—to fall ungraciously behind him.
"…What the…?!"
Logs and leaves fell to the ground unceremoniously as his face suddenly dropped, his face paling as life both simultaneously revived and disappeared from his face. Chunks of it flew everywhere, sending wooden shrapnel on all sides, and eliciting the solemn fall of a mighty oak.
Harita' eyes grew wide with surprise as he took the sight in.
Invisible Abjuration worked on two set factors: its effective range and detonation timer. The former is around two hundred meters, any more and his overall accuracy and spell stability decreases, reducing its effectivity as a ranged spell, but increasing the control it exhibits within its range. The "arrows" cannot curve, however. Their path is set from the beginning, as well as their detonation. Their timer—the duration of the spell where it does not explode, unless certain conditions are fulfilled—is another key part, reigning over the spell's overall destructive power. The longer the spell is charged for, the more powerful it becomes, and the more damage it does. Which out Lieren at a disadvantage, as his opponent can just draw his bow for as many times as he wants in the blink of an eye, putting Lieren way below in terms of casting speed, spell formation construction, and number of attacks viable.
However, arduous as it was, he was going to do his best, clean himself up, and stand again, this time more powerful than the last, as well as continue to hone his skills and perfect his spells to reach its absolute potential.
"…Oh? There's a fire in your eye. I like that. I look forward to seeing it abandon yo—"
Harita whipped his head back, glancing west. A loud explosion, bigger and more powerful than anything Lieren could ever make sent waves of mana throughout the forest in elegant, soothing, deceptive, and malicious ripples, chilling the two's spines, telling them of the horrors beyond.
Something had come, something powerful beyond what they can ever imagine. Dread and Terror assailed the two mercilessly like knives to bone just from the residual mana of its appearance.
Harita immediately looked to Lieren, reaching his hand as his face turned into that of a stone-cold fighter.
"We have to leave, NOW—" Before he could finish, the boy was already gone, a gust of wind caressed his cheek as Harita stared, wide-eyed.
The boy yelled to the stars and skies, wishing dearly to it with reverence unlike any other.
"Please be safe, Red."