After traveling for four days through dense forest, Elba and Ignis finally saw the towering portal ahead, marking the teleportation chamber. The path cleared up, and there were guards checking people, watching over the steady flow of travelers entering and exiting. Elba could feel the faint stir of energy in his dragon core, but it wasn't enough. The barrier between his soul and body was still intact, preventing him from fully using his powers.
Ignis led the way as they approached the guards, her presence commanding respect. She exchanged a few words, mentioning her rank as Elba's senior, and the guards seemed to stand a little straighter, acknowledging her status. Elba's heart pounded as they neared the chamber. The prospect of teleporting to the Ironhold Empire, a place he never even knew existed until recently, was overwhelming.
But just as he was about to step into the portal, a chill ran down his spine. A heavy gaze locked onto him, suffocating him with its intensity. It felt as if an unimaginable evil was watching him. His voice trembled as he spoke. "Senior… wait. I feel like someone's watching us…"
Ignis raised an eyebrow. "What are you babbling about? Let's go—" Her words were cut off as her eyes widened in horror.
"Elba, get aside!" she screamed, pushing him away as a spear whizzed through the air. It tore through her side, narrowly missing vital organs, but enough to send a sharp gasp through her.
"No!" Elba screamed, panic flooding his system. He looked up and there he was—the faction leader, the same one who slaughtered his parents. His cold, black eyes glinted with amusement as he watched the scene unfold.
"You…" Elba's rage boiled over. "You scum!"
The entity grinned, his expression unchanged from the night of the massacre. "I won't let you teleport. Let's see how much you've grown, boy."
Without another word, the entity flashed toward Elba with inhuman speed. Elba tried to defend himself, launching into a flurry of punches and strikes, but it was useless. Every attack was dodged with ease, every movement of the entity too fast, too overwhelming. It was like fighting against a shadow, untouchable and deadly.
Ignis, despite her wound, staggered to her feet, her face pale but determined. Blood no longer flowed from her wound—she had hardened her body with mana to stop the bleeding. "I won't let you die here," she growled, her voice a low, dangerous hum. She began to chant, her voice deep and ancient, "Ormnth vashura exhael…"
Her eyes burned with intensity as the cursed dragon speech left her lips. Flames erupted from her hands, coiling and gathering until they took the form of a magnificent bird made of hellfire. Its wings spread wide, illuminating the forest with its searing light.
"This… this is all I can manage right now," she gasped. "This is my immortal hell bird, Phoenix."
The Phoenix shrieked, charging at the entity with blazing ferocity. For a moment, it seemed like Ignis might have the upper hand, but the entity merely grinned. In one swift motion, he tore through the Phoenix with his rope-like weapon, scattering the flames as if they were nothing.
He lunged toward Ignis, ready to finish her, but Elba stood in front of her, his heart pounding but his resolve solid. Ignis shouted at him, "Get aside, Elba! You'll only get yourself killed!"
Elba clenched his fist, refusing to move. "Don't underestimate me…"
The entity sneered, thrusting his weapon toward Elba's stomach. But just as it was about to make contact, Elba raised his hand, holding his bow, but without an arrow in sight. "That's where you made a mistake…"
Suddenly, the arrow Elba had fired earlier, unnoticed by the entity, came flying back. It was the arrow's secret—no matter how far it traveled, it always returned to the archer. The entity, caught off guard, barely had time to react as the arrow pierced through his skull with brutal force.
Elba caught the arrow in his hand, his heart racing. For a brief moment, they had gained the upper hand.
"Now!" Ignis shouted, grabbing Elba's arm. Together, they dove into the teleportation chamber. The familiar hum of magic filled the air as they disappeared from the forest, leaving the entity behind.
But in the clearing, the entity remained standing, blood dripping down his face. With a sickening crack, he pulled the arrow from his head, laughing softly. "If you think that's enough to kill me, you're wrong. You may have hurt me, but you cannot kill me… not with such weak mana." He grinned as he vanished into the shadows. "I'll mince you into bits next time, boy… but first, I must report to my lord."