The sky darkened slightly over the arena as the sounds of the forest filled the air. Tensions ran high between the two teams. On the Blue Team's side, Lian led his group through the forest, carrying the red flag. The student tasked with protecting it, a young man named Darius, walked at the center of the formation, holding the flag firmly, though the sweat dripping from his forehead betrayed his nervousness.
"We're almost there," Lian said, his attention fixed on the shadows around them. His own shadows slithered stealthily along the ground, scouting for potential threats. "Stay alert. The Red Team could ambush us at any moment."
Adrian, still clearly irritated about losing his position of leadership, walked behind them, occasionally shooting critical glances at Lian. His rapier was in hand, ready for any attack.
"You're making us move too slowly," Adrian commented disdainfully. "If we keep this pace, they'll catch us before we reach the base."
"If we run blindly, they'll definitely catch us," Lian replied without even glancing back. "And that's exactly why we're preparing. Darius, fall to the back of the formation and stay farther behind."
Darius hesitated, looking at Lian with a confused expression. "Farther back? Why?"
"If we encounter the Red Team, they'll focus on us, not the flag. You can use the opportunity to escape and reach the base," Lian explained.
"This is madness," Adrian protested. "We're weakening ourselves by splitting the group."
"We're giving ourselves a chance to win," Lian countered, his tone firm, leaving no room for argument. "Tell me, Adrian, what's more important: the battle or the war?"
Adrian scoffed but didn't respond. Darius nodded and fell back, keeping a safe distance from the rest of the group. Though nervous, he understood this was their best chance at success.
While the Blue Team cautiously advanced through the forest, the Red Team, led by Elios, was already in position. Divided into two smaller groups, they were flanking the return path of the Blue Team, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"Why are we just standing here? They've already got the flag. Let's just go smash them, grab it back, and win," Toran grumbled, visibly impatient and bored from standing idle. "Maybe they didn't even get past our defense."
"They got the flag," Elios said seriously. "We've had no response from the communication device, which means our defense was taken down and is now being treated by the instructors. All we have to do is wait a little longer."
"They're coming," Saya whispered, her sharp eyes spotting Lian's group approaching in the distance. Her bow was already drawn, a glowing magical arrow nocked and ready to fire.
Elios observed calmly, analyzing the opposing team's every movement. He noticed the absence of the flag in their formation. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"He's clever," Elios murmured. "But not clever enough."
As Elios continued to study Lian's group, they suddenly halted. He noticed Lian speaking to his team but couldn't hear the words. Then, two students from Lian's group began conjuring spells and abilities in their direction.
Elios raised his hand to signal his group. "They know we're here! Get ready!"
The attack came without warning. Fire spells and magical arrows rained down, forcing the Red Team to react instantly.
"Defensive barrier, now!" Lian shouted as two students erected magical shields to protect the group. He raised Oblivion, his shadows spreading quickly to intercept projectiles targeting the wounded students.
From the Red Team, Toran charged forward with his massive sword, shattering the magical barriers with brute force. "You're not getting out of here!" he roared, laughing as he attacked.
Lian rushed to intercept him, his shadows weaving between Toran's strikes. Every clash was intense, with Toran's heavy strikes balanced by Lian's agility and precision.
"You're strong, Toran, but that alone won't beat me," Lian said, using a quick feint to disrupt Toran's posture. Concentrating dark energy into his free hand, Lian delivered a punch to Toran's abdomen, releasing a small explosion of shadows that sent him flying into a tree.
Meanwhile, Saya fired her arrows with deadly precision, targeting the students positioned at the back of Lian's group. Adrian, despite his reluctance to cooperate, blocked the attacks with an ice barrier and advanced to the front lines, rapier in hand.
The fight grew more chaotic. Lian's shadows moved frantically across the battlefield, shielding his team while he fought. But controlling such a wide range of shadows while dodging attacks was draining him both physically and mentally.
"Don't think you've beaten me yet, Lian!" Toran shouted, charging at him again. His heavy strike nearly broke Lian's defense.
"You're still standing after that? You really are a monster," Lian muttered, retaliating with Oblivion. Her blade clashed against Toran's big sword, forcing the opponent to grit his teeth in frustration.
Elios, on the other hand, moved with unsettling precision. Not only was he leading his team effectively, but his eyes were constantly tracking Lian, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Finally, Elios saw his opportunity. Moving at an incredible speed, he used his light-based abilities to bypass the chaos of the battlefield and confront Lian directly. With one swift, glowing strike from his sword, Elios forced Lian to retreat.
"Lian," Elios called, his voice calm but laced with challenge. "It seems we're finally face-to-face."
Lian raised Oblivion, shadows coiling around the blade as he stared at Elios with unshakable determination. "Do you really think you can take me down on your own?"
"I don't think," Elios replied, his confident smile illuminated by the radiant energy emanating from his sword. "I know."
"Thanks to Adrian's excellent leadership, I'm at a disadvantage," Lian said with a bitter edge to his tone. "But if you think that's enough to make me give up... you're dead wrong."
Elios had managed to separate Lian from the main skirmish, drawing him away from the clearing where the battle raged on. Now it was just the two of them, swords raised, ready for the inevitable clash.
The distant sounds of fighting faded into the background as they faced each other, the tension between them building like a storm on the verge of breaking.