As Lanert entered the circle, seven emblems glowed brightly with seven colors. Slowly six emblems faded, leaving Cyro's emblem dominating the entire cave with his blue light.
Mist gathered on the circle and thickened. It formed a human figure. Over time it became a Lanert doppelganger with a Cryo emblem color.
Without a weapon, the doppelganger relied on Cyro element power. It will be easier than the last time.
Doppelganger left chest glowed red and shaped the heart. It pulsed like one. Perhaps, that was the key to defeating the doppelganger? Clean stab on the heart.
"Sword!" Lanert caught the Acerose that Alice passed on him.
"Hurry, stab him!" Alice yelled. What are you waiting for?!"
"Honor our enemy. He is not even in shape yet. How could I stab him?"
"Honor didn't bring anything. He is not even a person! Should I enter the circle and give him honor with my Winter?"
"Stay away from my battle." Lanert prepared himself in a rose stance, kissing his weapon.
"Dumb."
He smirked at Doppelganger. Lanert's great plan worked! His prediction was right. The doppelganger chuckled, seeing acerose.
"How about it now, cheater?" Lanert said. "Ah, you unarmed? Can't you summon a sword? You can't?"
Doppelganger stepped back. Ice formed a glove on the doppelganger's fist. Cryo's energy emerged on the floor.
Lanert's shoe froze and became heavy. Lanert hurriedly took off his shoes and limped forward. His feet froze, but as long as he kept moving, Cyro would have difficulty claiming him.
"Urgh!" Lanert struggled to control his feet. He almost fell. The floor iced whitened, and became slippery. He kept advancing and readied to thrust the doppelganger.
His attack failed. Doppelganger slid to the right. Using gloved ice thickened, the doppelganger smashed Lanert's belly, sending him sliding back.
Lanert coughing. Fresh blood dripped from his lips. "He's good." Whipping the blood, he dashed, leaping forward.
Acerose almost disappeared when Lanert launched ten lightning thrusts in fast succession.
Doppelganger evaded by sliding his feet to the left. Two stabs landed on his left arm. He punched Lanert in the back, sending him flying.
The punch was strong. It hurt Lanert like being rammed by buffalo.
Lanert landed, turned and found a Doppelganger charging him with boxing moves; lead uppercut, rear uppercut, and jab.
Evading the attack, Lanert slowly stepped back while his opponent pushed forward.
The punch pierced the wind, creating a wuuz noise. It severed a few of Lanert's strands. He realized getting hit by an iced glove would be fatal. He must evade it at all costs.
"Smart move. You tried to push me out of the circle, friend?"
Doppelganger didn't allow Lanert to counterattack. Lanert stumbled down the floor. Doppelganger pounded him, but Lanert evaded by rolling to the right. Hurriedly he raised and looped backward, creating a distance from the doppelganger.
By freezing thin air, doppelgangers created floating icicles. He shot Lanert with it, like a battalion of crossbowmen releasing rapid bolts.
Running following the circle line, Lanert tried evading the icicles.
"Watch out, Alice!"
Alice dashed away and hid behind the wall. The icicles splattered the wall. The wall became cold and white-blue. She took a peek. "Lanert, just get out and reset!"
"Stay away!" Lanert dashed, but his back was hurt. The icicles shrewd his back, his arm, and legs. Blood splattered on the frozen floor. But he kept rushing. If he slowed down, he died.
Alice rushed, grabbed an iron kite shield on the ground and threw it onto the circle. "Use that!"
"Thanks!" Lanert snatched the iron kite shield and used it as cover while charging to the doppelganger. "Let me get close to you!"
The icicles splashed the shield and shattered after hitting. The shield becomes even colder bluish-white. Lanert covered himself behind it and narrowed the gap with the doppelganger.
"I got you!" Lanert prepared his Acerose to thrush.
Doppelganger created an icicle protruding from the floor, trying to injure Lanert. Lanert jumped forward to the left and right, evading icicles that jolted from the ground.
"Die bastard!" Lanert throws his shield on his doppelganger, interfering with his concentration.
Leaping forward, Lanert floated, then like an eagle hunting the snake, he dived in and pointed Acerose to the doppelganger. "Dia!"
Acerose edge almost thrush on left Doppelganger chest that struglengasped situation on the left chest.
As a last resort, a doppelganger created a shell of ice to protect him. It took time to create it.
The cold air slowed the acerose thrush, but Lanert pushed forward with all his might. His vein straightened, his muscle hardened, and his abs grew. "Let's end this now!"
The edge of acetose pierced the red chest of the doppelganger. In a second, the doppelganger shattered like a window smashed by a stone.
Tiny snow dust floated, slowly pulled by gravitation into a pile where the doppelganger stood last time.
Lanert landed, and the iced layer on the floor slowly subsided, disappearing as if it had never been there.
Kneeling, his chest lightened. Lanert laughed. "I made it! Yes, I made it!"
"Lanert!" Alice put on Lanert's shoes and touched Lanert on the back. "You're bleeding."
"Argh, it hurts!"
"So-sorry. Let me wash it." Alice pulled water skin and tried her best to fetch Lanert.
Not only was he bleeding, but his bone also cracked from the blow that stupid doppelganger made early. Telling Alice didn't solve anything except worsen everything
But he can't hold his lips close as Alice touches his back. No, he must endure. He must.
"Lanert, are you sure you are okay?"
"Yeah. Hey, look, the emblem of the element glows. But, the Cyro was dim."
"Wait a minute, does that mean we must fight six other elements?" Alice let out a heavy breath. "I can't believe it. This test was dumb."
"We started it. We will end it."
"We, huh?" Alice smirked as she crossed her arms. "Interesting. Okay. Okay, because it was we, then let us take a turn. It is not only about you. It is about us, Lanert. Let us write our destiny."
Alice put on a serious face, looking intently at Lanert seriously and ready to argue if needed.
With Lanert's condition, he can't do much to refuse her. He hardly breathes normally, let alone argue with her right now.
"Alright. Just be careful." Lanert tried to smile, but a grin popped up on his trembling lips. His back started biting his heart.
No, he can't faint now.