The energy and trembling which emanated from the battle, could be felt as far as the coastal cliffs of the valley. Although enigmatic, the statement- "This won't take long" boasted by Aiden, would later come to be an exaggeration.
Aiden's heart pounded like the thunderous beats of war drums as he faced the monstrous Coilcrest, yet he had never felt such clarity as he does during battle. The air grew thick with tension, charged with raw magical energy. Its serpentine body coiled and writhed, scales gleaming like midnight gems in the pale moonlight.
Aiden's eyes flared with the power of the Lightbringer, an ancient energy coursing through his veins. He extended his hands, fingers crackling with elemental might. The very air responded, swirling around him in a vortex of wind and fire, ready to heed his command.
The Coilcrest's hiss reverberated through the clearing, a chilling reminder of the danger that lay ahead. It lunged, fangs as long as short swords bared, venom glistening in the moon's eerie light. Aiden's instincts kicked in, his training guiding him to sidestep the venomous onslaught with a dancer's grace.
He gripped firmly his Aegis blade. The blade shimmered with a protective aura, ready to deflect any attack that dared to breach its guard. With a swift swing, he deflected the serpent's venomous strike, sparks flying as metal met fang.
Selene, her eyes blazing with power, stood on the fringes of the battle, incantations on her lips. Her hands weaved intricate patterns in the air, summoning gusts of wind to distract the serpent and provide Aiden openings to attack. Her magic intertwined with his elemental manipulation, a symphony of forces working in harmony.
The Coilcrest's tail swept towards Aiden, a deadly whip lashing through the air. He anticipated the move, his instincts honed by countless battles with Isadora. With a surge of energy, he rooted himself to the ground, forming a barrier of pure light that absorbed the tail's impact.
Aiden seized the opportunity, his eyes locking onto the serpent's vulnerable underbelly. The elements responded to his will, flames and tendrils of water converging to form a torrent of scalding steam. The Coilcrest writhed in agony as the steam engulfed it, its scales hissing and sizzling.
With a final surge of power, Aiden unleashed a torrent of molten earth and searing wind upon the creature. The Coilcrest let out a final, agonized cry before collapsing, it's form dissolving into shimmering particles that vanished into the night, the great beast had been vaporized by the impact of the blast. Aiden stood triumphant, his chest heaving, a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration coursing through his veins.
"Are you okay"? Aiden asked Selene. A mixture of confusion and excitement filled her eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Who are you?" Selene said in response
"my name's Aiden and you're Selene right?
"How did you know my name?
"Would you believe me if I told you I just guessed it? Aiden said in a witty tone.
"No, no I wouldn't" Selene chuckled.
"Yeah, I wouldn't believe me either. I met your friends on the way here, they mentioned your name"
Selene, overwhelmed with a feeling of uneasiness and worry, and without a word she sprung forth and dashed towards the exit of the gorge. Although a part of her knew her friends were alright, she couldn't help but worry about their safety. She felt a rush of relief, her friends were fine and it was evidently clear that the unknown woman standing next to them played a major role in that.
"your friends are fine" Isadora said, while making her way towards Selene, as if trying to introduce herself.
"I'm Isadora, nice to meet you Selene. Before we continue this little reunion, it's obvious that you guy's were here to kill the Coilcrest and claim the reward...but Aiden and I killed it"
"I'm sure we can come to an understanding" Isadora said in high spirits and hopes.
"how about we split the rewards. You guys get seventy percent while we take thirty"
Isadora remained expressionless for a moment, and then smiled. " That works for me"
"Right, with that said..." Kael muttered before drawing his blade and cutting down Elysia and Lirelle. Lirelle tried to put up a fight but Kael's swordsmanship and speed was unmatched, she was killed instantly. With almost no second to lose, Kael dashed forward, his intent nothing short of death and devoid of emotions. His next strike was going to take Selene's head right off her neck.
To his dismay, his strike was stopped by a clash of another blade. Isadora had successfully deflected his attack and prevented his attempt at Selene's life. Selene remained shocked and speechless. Confusion overlapped her ability to think rationally, her senses and instincts had betrayed her...much like how Kael just had.
"Why? I thought they were your friends" Isadora said to Kael in a tone of disgust. Absolutely revolting.
"Come now, don't be so impatient. I was getting to you next. I wasn't about to share the prize money with anyone, the only reason I teamed up with them in the first place was so I could kill the Coilcrest. this was always the plan" Kael revealed, with a voice of satisfaction and pleasure. Devoid of sympathy or regret.
The moon cast an eerie glow over the desolate battlefield as Isadora and Kael stood facing each other, the weight of their fates hanging in the balance. The air was heavy with anticipation, as if the very world held its breath, awaiting the outcome of their clash.
Isadora's figure stood tall and poised, a silhouette against the moonlit sky. Her blade, a slender extension of her will, gleamed coldly as it caught the moon's pale light. Her eyes, like twin orbs of steel, bore into Kael with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine.
Kael, his stance resolute, held his own sword with a grip that betrayed his taut nerves. His eyes, haunted by the ghosts of battles past, met Isadora's gaze with a mixture of defiance and trepidation. Scars marred his skin, testaments to a life lived on the edge of danger, and his weary shoulders bore the weight of countless trials.
As the clash of their blades reverberated through the night, a symphony of steel and determination, the world seemed to hold its breath. Isadora's strikes were a dance of lethal grace, each movement flowing seamlessly into the next. Her blade sang as it sliced through the air, a deadly melody composed of precision and intent.
Kael met her attacks with a raw power that belied his years of experience. His strikes were forceful, his defense an unyielding wall of determination. Muscles strained as he deflected Isadora's blows, his every movement an act of defiance against the inevitable outcome that loomed before him.
Isadora's superiority was evident in every calculated strike, every artful parry. She moved with an otherworldly fluidity, a maestro orchestrating a symphony of destruction. Her blade danced around Kael's defenses, finding openings and exploiting them with a ruthless efficiency.
In a heart-wrenching moment, Isadora saw her chance—a split second where Kael's guard faltered. Her blade swept forward, a deadly arc that found its mark with chilling accuracy. Kael's eyes widened in disbelief, a gasp escaping his lips as he staggered back.
Time seemed to stretch as Kael's sword slipped from his grasp, clattering to the blood-soaked earth. His gaze locked onto Isadora's, a mix of shock and resignation in his eyes. In that fleeting moment, a silent understanding passed between them—a recognition of the inexorable conclusion that had been written in the stars.
With a swift, precise movement, Isadora's blade struck once more, ending Kael's struggle with a swift and merciful strike. His body crumpled to the ground, and the battlefield fell silent, the echoes of their clash lingering in the stillness.
Isadora stood there, her chest rising and falling with ragged breaths, her blade stained with the weight of her choice. The moon bore witness to the fallen warrior, a somber sentinel in a world where blades and destinies intertwined in a dance of life and death. Such was the power and burden of an Eternal Wonder and a first generational swordsman.
Aiden had been watching the entire battle. He was motivated to intervene when he noticed the impending betrayal of Kael, but he knew his mentor could handle the situation on her own. Selene stood in the heart of the battlefield, her former comrades layed dead on the floor, wasted like sheep for slaughter. She felt an uneasy feeling. Although Kael had betrayed her, she could not help but feel sympathy for him. After all, she had just lost the only friends she had known.
"Let's go" Isadora said. Both Aiden and Selene nodded in response. The newly formed trio made their way back to the tarven in White Rock and claimed their reward. they made 10 gold and a 5 gold bonus for killing the second unaccounted Coilcrest.
"We'll be leaving White Rock first thing sunrise" Aiden said. Selene still in shock and mute due to the travesty she had just witnessed earlier.
"If you don't have anywhere to go, you could tag along with us"
Selene remained quiet. The ghosts of her former comrades still haunting her. Her mind staggered but then, in the midst of her doubt and uncertainty, her amulet spoke to her.
"Go forth with them. Only with them will you uncover the ancient secrets of the amulet and your destiny"
Before now, Aiden had not really noticed Selene's attractive appearance. Her porcelain complexion held a delicate flush, as if kissed by the sun's warmth and the touch of fire's embrace. Freckles dotted her cheeks like stardust, adding an ethereal charm to her already captivating visage. Her features were sculpted with an artist's precision – a high, regal brow, aquiline nose, and lips that seemed perpetually poised to either part in a knowing smile or whisper ancient secrets.
Eyes the color of smoldering embers peered out from beneath fiery lashes, framed by elegant arches that seemed to mirror the curvature of a bow. Those eyes held a depth that defied their initial fiery appearance – a depth that hinted at hidden mysteries and depths of wisdom far beyond her years. When her gaze fell upon you, it was as if the world itself held its breath, caught within the orbit of her captivating stare.
Her attire seemed chosen to reflect her affinity with fire, as if she had been woven from the very essence of flame itself. Robes of crimson and gold flowed around her form, a dance of fabric that swirled with each graceful movement. Intricate patterns, reminiscent of flickering flames, were embroidered along the edges, catching the light and casting a mesmerizing glow.
Around her neck hung the crystal amulet, a phoenix rising from the ashes, its wings outstretched in eternal flight. The piece seemed to encapsulate Selene's essence – a symbol of rebirth, resilience, and the unyielding spirit that blazed within her. As she moved, the pendant caught the light, its precious stones glinting like captured stars.
Selene's presence was an embodiment of fire's contradictory nature – both fierce and nurturing, destructive and life-giving. She appeared with a fluidity that echoed the dance of flames, her every step leaving a mark upon the world as she journeyed forward, a force to be reckoned with, a flame that burned brightly and could never be extinguished.
With a new found resolve and determination, Selene rose up. "I'll go with you"
The beginning of a new chapter in the young mages life.
Elsewhere, within the depths of the Demon continent called Infernis, Alepheus is seated on his throne. His magical energy so powerful, it reaches far and wide to all corners of the world. He's aware of the recent events that have emanated. He briefly recalls to a few thousand years ago, during the endless war of a million stars. The last time the primordial forces of the Lightbringer and Shadowbane confronted each other, and he couldn't help but feel a rush of ecstacy.
"Finally, some entertainment" He murmured with a wide grin on his face.