Chapter 106: The Beast and the Flame
Scene: The battlefield is alive with the sound of clashing weapons and the roar of unleashed mana. King Alden stands victorious over Vesper, but the battle is far from over. Among the twenty warriors summoned by Zarek, a fierce woman with fiery red hair steps forward, her eyes burning with cold determination. Her name is Sylphia, and she is one of Zarek's deadliest allies.
Narrator: With Vesper defeated, King Alden's victory ignites hope among the South Nation's forces. But this hope is soon challenged as Sylphia, a formidable warrior wielding Divine Mana, steps onto the battlefield. Her presence alone sends a ripple of tension through the air, and her gaze is locked on King Alden.
Sylphia, her red hair flowing like a cascade of flames, moves with a deadly grace. She raises her hand, summoning a brilliant aura of Divine Mana that glows with an almost blinding light. The air around her crackles with energy as she prepares to attack.
Sylphia: (smirking) King Alden, you may have defeated Vesper, but your strength is waning. Let's see how long you can last against me.
King Alden, still recovering from his battle with Vesper, narrows his eyes as Sylphia unleashes a barrage of Divine Mana attacks. Blinding white beams of energy shoot toward him, each one powerful enough to pierce through solid rock.
Though weary, King Alden's reflexes remain sharp. He dodges the attacks with swift, precise movements, but it's clear that the previous battle has taken its toll on him. His breathing is heavy, and sweat beads on his brow as he evades Sylphia's relentless onslaught.
King Alden: (thinking) I can't afford to waste more energy… not with so many battles still ahead.
As King Alden dodges another blast, Commander Elara steps forward, her eyes blazing with determination. She sees the strain on Alden's face and knows he cannot continue to fight at full strength.
Commander Elara: (firmly) Your Majesty, leave this one to me. You need to recover. I'll handle her.
King Alden glances at Elara, his expression momentarily conflicted. But he knows she's right. With a nod, he steps back, allowing Elara to take his place.
King Alden: (seriously) Be careful, Elara. She's more dangerous than she looks.
Commander Elara: (smiling) I'll be fine, Your Majesty. Go—our people need you strong.
Sylphia watches the exchange with a sneer, her eyes narrowing as Elara steps forward. She sizes up the commander, her expression one of disdain.
Sylphia: (mocking) So, the king sends his lapdog to do his work? How pathetic. Do you really think you can stand against me?
Elara doesn't rise to the bait. Instead, she clenches her fists, her muscles tensing as she prepares for battle. She channels her mana, her body surging with the combined power of Flame and Beast Mana.
Commander Elara: (calmly) I don't need to prove anything to you, Sylphia. But you'll soon see that I'm no one's lapdog.
With that, the two women charge at each other, their fists meeting in a flurry of blows. The force of their punches sends shockwaves through the ground, and their movements are a blur of speed and precision. They are evenly matched, their fists clashing with a ferocity that shakes the very air around them.
As they trade blows, Sylphia's mocking grin never fades. She's impressed by Elara's skill, but she's confident in her own superiority.
Sylphia: (taunting) You're good, I'll give you that. But you're still outmatched.
Sylphia suddenly leaps back, creating some distance between them. She raises her hand, summoning a surge of white mana that crackles with sharp intensity.
Sylphia: (smirking) Let's see how you handle this! White Wild Needle!
The air around Sylphia erupts into a storm of sharp, needle-like projectiles made of pure white mana. They shoot toward Elara in a deadly barrage, each one aimed with lethal precision.
Elara's eyes widen as she sees the attack coming, but she doesn't panic. Instead, she taps into her Beast Mana, her senses sharpening and her reflexes heightened. With incredible agility, she dodges the projectiles, her movements swift and fluid like those of a wild beast. The needles whiz past her, striking the ground and leaving deep, smoking craters in their wake.
Sylphia: (sharply) Impressive… but not enough!
Sylphia hurls a Holy Bomb at Elara, the orb of Divine Mana glowing with an intense, blinding light. It explodes on impact, sending Elara flying and pinning her to the ground. Elara grits her teeth as she struggles to push herself up, her body aching from the explosion.
Sylphia approaches with a slow, confident stride, her eyes gleaming with victory. She looks down at Elara, who is still on the ground, her body bruised and battered.
Sylphia: (mocking) Is that all? I expected more from the South Nation's commander. Maybe you're not as strong as you think.
But Elara refuses to give up. She clenches her fists, her fingers digging into the dirt as she gathers her strength. She closes her eyes, focusing her mana, and reaches deep within herself, drawing on the combined power of her Flame and Beast Mana. The two energies swirl together, merging into something even more powerful.
As Sylphia raises her hand to deliver the final blow, Elara's eyes snap open, blazing with fierce determination. Her aura erupts in a burst of fire and primal energy, the flames around her roaring to life with renewed intensity.
Commander Elara: (fiercely) You're right, Sylphia. I am strong—and I'll show you just how strong!
Elara raises her hand, channeling her combined mana into a single point. Flames swirl around her fist, growing hotter and more intense as she prepares to strike.
Commander Elara: (shouting) Flamethrower!
She unleashes a powerful stream of fire that engulfs Sylphia's arm, the flames burning with searing heat. Sylphia screams in pain as the fire scorches her skin, but before the damage can become permanent, she channels her Divine Mana to heal herself. The burns fade, her arm restored to its unblemished state.
Sylphia glares at Elara, fury burning in her eyes. She steps forward, her expression darkening.
Sylphia: (coldly) You'll pay for that, commander. I'll make sure you suffer before I end you.
Before Sylphia can attack, a shout echoes across the battlefield. It's King Alden, his voice filled with urgency and command.
King Alden: (shouting) Elara! You have to end this now! We cannot waste time!
Elara hears the urgency in her king's voice and knows he's right. The battle is raging on, and every moment counts. She takes a deep breath, calming her mind as she prepares to unleash her most powerful technique.
Elara closes her eyes, focusing all her mana into a single, unified force. The flames around her grow even hotter, merging with the primal energy of her Beast Mana. Her body surges with power, the combined energy of both mana types flowing through her like a raging river.
Commander Elara: (quietly) This ends now, Sylphia.
When Elara opens her eyes, they burn with the intensity of a wild beast. She channels all her energy into her next move, her aura blazing with a fierce, untamed light.
Commander Elara: (shouting) Hono no Kemono!
Elara's body glows with a fiery aura as she unleashes her ultimate technique. The energy around her takes shape, forming into a massive, roaring tiger made entirely of flames. The tiger roars, its body blazing with an intense heat as it charges toward Sylphia with incredible speed.
Sylphia's eyes widen in shock as the flaming tiger bears down on her, too fast for her to counter. She raises her hand to defend herself, but it's too late. The tiger slams into her, its fiery claws tearing through her Divine Mana barrier and cutting deep into her flesh. The force of the attack is so powerful that it severs her arm, sending her sprawling to the ground, defeated and bleeding.
The flaming tiger dissipates, its energy spent, leaving Sylphia on the ground, her arm severed and her body battered. She gasps for breath, the pain overwhelming her as she stares up at Elara with a mixture of hatred and disbelief.
Sylphia: (weakly) How…? How could you…?
Elara stands over her fallen foe, her expression calm but resolute. The flames around her fade, leaving only the heat of battle in the air.
Commander Elara: (calmly) This is the power of the South Nation. We fight for our people, for our king, and for our land. You and your kind will never take that from us.
Sylphia's vision begins to blur, the strength fading from her body. She lets out one last, defiant snarl before the darkness overtakes her. Her body falls limp, the severed arm lying a short distance away, blood pooling on the ground. The once fierce warrior of Zarek's elite lies defeated.
Elara stands over her fallen foe, breathing heavily but victorious. The adrenaline of the battle begins to subside, and the reality of what she's just accomplished sinks in. She's pushed herself to her limits, combining her Beast Mana and Flame Mana in a way she never thought possible. But there's no time for rest. The battle still rages on, and the fate of the South Nation hangs in the balance.
King Alden watches from a distance, a sense of relief washing over him as he sees Elara standing tall. Despite his earlier concerns, she has proven her strength and resolve. But he knows this victory is only a small part of the larger war that looms before them.
King Alden: (shouting) Elara, well done! But we must stay vigilant. Zarek won't wait—he'll strike again soon!
Elara nods, wiping sweat and blood from her brow. She takes a deep breath, centering herself as she looks around the battlefield. The South Nation's forces are still locked in combat with Zarek's warriors, and the air is thick with the smell of burning mana and the sound of clashing weapons.
Just as the thought of rejoining the fray crosses her mind, a chilling presence sweeps across the battlefield. The temperature drops, and the once chaotic noise of battle seems to dull, as if the world itself is holding its breath.
Elara turns, her eyes narrowing as she sees Zarek himself stepping forward. His dark figure is outlined against the smoky horizon, his aura pulsating with a malevolent energy. The ground beneath him seems to freeze and crack with each step he takes, his cold confidence radiating out like a palpable force.
Zarek's gaze locks onto Elara, and his expression darkens as he sees Sylphia's fallen form at her feet. His lips curl into a snarl, and a dangerous light ignites in his eyes.
Zarek: (coldly) You… You dare to harm one of my elite? I will make you regret this, commander. Your victory here means nothing in the face of what's to come.
Elara feels the weight of his words, the sheer force of his presence pressing down on her like a physical weight. But she doesn't falter. She's faced powerful foes before, and she's not about to let fear take hold now.
Commander Elara: (firmly) Your threats don't scare me, Zarek. I've fought your kind before, and I'll fight you now if I have to. The South Nation won't fall to you or your twisted ambitions.
Zarek's eyes narrow, his aura flaring as he prepares to strike. The air around him crackles with dark energy, and for a moment, it feels as if the entire battlefield is about to be consumed by his power.
But before he can unleash his attack, King Alden steps forward, placing himself between Zarek and Elara. His Flame Mana surges around him, the heat of his power pushing back against the cold darkness that Zarek emanates.
King Alden: (commanding) Zarek! If you want a fight, you'll have it. But it won't be on your terms. The South Nation will stand against you, and we will not be defeated!
Zarek pauses, his gaze shifting from Elara to Alden. A slow, calculating smile spreads across his face as he considers the king's challenge.
Zarek: (mockingly) Brave words, King Alden. But bravery alone won't save you. You and your people are nothing but pawns in a much larger game. And in this game, I hold all the cards.
King Alden's expression remains resolute, his flame burning brighter in response to Zarek's threat. He knows the danger they face, but he also knows the strength of his people. They've come too far, fought too hard, to let Zarek's darkness overtake them.
King Alden: (resolutely) We are not pawns, Zarek. We are warriors, and we will fight with everything we have to protect our land. If you want to see the strength of the South Nation, then step forward. But know this: you will be met with fire and fury.
Zarek's smile fades, replaced by a look of cold determination. He lifts his hand, dark mana swirling around him like a storm as he prepares to strike. The tension in the air is almost unbearable, the impending clash of powers looming like a storm cloud ready to burst.
But before the battle can resume, a blinding flash of light erupts on the horizon. The ground shakes, and the air hums with a strange, unfamiliar energy. Zarek's attack falters as he turns his gaze toward the source of the disturbance, a frown creasing his brow.
King Alden and Elara also turn, their expressions filled with confusion and concern. The light intensifies, and within its glow, a figure begins to take shape, emerging from the blinding radiance like a phantom from another world.
The figure is cloaked in shimmering robes, their features obscured by the light. But even from a distance, it's clear that this newcomer possesses an immense power, one that rivals even Zarek's.
Zarek's eyes widen in shock, and for the first time, a flicker of uncertainty crosses his face. He steps back, his dark aura faltering as the figure approaches, the light around them growing ever brighter.
Zarek: (quietly) What… What is this?
The figure stops a short distance away, their presence radiating an overwhelming aura of purity and strength. The battlefield falls silent, every warrior—both friend and foe—turning to gaze upon this mysterious newcomer.
King Alden, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, narrows his eyes, trying to discern the intentions of this new arrival. He exchanges a glance with Elara, who seems equally uncertain but ready for whatever might come next.
The figure slowly raises their hand, and with a voice that echoes with both power and serenity, they speak.
???: (calmly) The time for bloodshed is over. A greater conflict looms on the horizon, one that threatens all who walk this world. Prepare yourselves, for the true battle has yet to begin.
The light around the figure pulses once more, and with that, they vanish as quickly as they appeared, leaving behind only a lingering glow in the air.
Zarek clenches his fists, his expression darkening as he processes what has just happened. He turns his gaze back to King Alden and Elara, his eyes filled with a renewed determination.
Zarek: (coldly) This isn't over, Alden. Not by a long shot. Prepare your people, for I will return—and when I do, your precious nation will fall.
With a final glare, Zarek steps back, his dark aura swirling around him as he fades into the shadows. His forces, sensing the shift in their leader's mood, begin to retreat, their white-clad figures disappearing into the distance.
King Alden watches as Zarek and his forces withdraw, his expression stern but relieved. The immediate danger has passed, but he knows this is far from the end.
King Alden: (quietly) Elara, we need to regroup. There's something much bigger at play here, and we need to be ready.
Elara nods, though the exhaustion is clear in her eyes. She glances at the spot where the mysterious figure appeared, her thoughts racing.
Commander Elara: (thoughtfully) Who was that…? And what did they mean by a greater conflict?
King Alden doesn't answer immediately. Instead, he turns back to the battlefield, his mind already working through the implications of what's just transpired.
King Alden: (firmly) I don't know, but we'll find out. For now, let's focus on our people. They need us—and we need to be ready for whatever comes next.
The chapter ends with the South Nation's forces gathering together, their spirits shaken but not broken. The battle has ended, but the war is far from over. And as the sun sets on the battlefield, the ominous words of the mysterious figure linger in the air, a reminder of the greater challenges that lie ahead.