Swishing sound of sword strikes and radiating heat waves spread across the battlefield, throwing the Grombles into chaos.
Lyra's movements were sharper, faster, and more decisive than ever, her strikes cleaving through the horde like a heated blade through ice.
"She's gotten stronger," Lyrien thought, her gaze fixed on her sister's precise movements.
Despite facing an overwhelming number of Grombles, Lyra advanced confidently, carefully carving a path toward her target.
"Lyrien," Lyra called calmly.
Without hesitation, and with quick understanding, Lyrien unleashed a volley of spell attacks. "Exi flamma, consumere in mea voluntas, Fireball!" she incanted, shattering and pushing away the Grombles that dared charge toward her sister.
She stayed close, her instincts sharpened, providing unyielding support to protect Lyra from threats closing in on all sides.
Meanwhile, Lyra stood firmly in place, her sword held upright, her voice resolute as she chanted, "Eximius flamma, Totum consumere, in mea voluntas, Infernal Dance!"
The air around her shimmered with heat waves, and a fiery mirage began to cloak her, growing more intense with each passing moment.
One Gromble broke through Lyrien's fiery barrage and lunged at Lyra, its razor-sharp teeth bared, unleashing a deafening roar that shook the ground.
Lyra, still focused on completing her spell, remained motionless.
Before the creature's attack could reach her, a watery shield materialized around her—a swirling, glistening cocoon of protection.
The Gromble's attack collided with the shield, sending droplets cascading into the air.
The barrier wavered but endured just long enough for Lyra to finish her spell.
Her eyes opened, and her sword ignited, blazing from hilt to tip.
"Thanks, Sis," Lyra said, before plunging into the horde of Grombles, remarkably dancing with her sword.
Lyrien, panting from her relentless barrage of fireballs, took a brief moment to recover.
She fixed gaze on her sister.
"Lyra is moving like a fiery tempest," Lyrien watched in awe.
Lyra's Infernal Dance unleashing a mesmerizing whirlwind of flames. Each spin of her sword sent scorching arcs of fire cascading around her, engulfing the Grombles in an unpredictable storm of strikes.
One after another, Lyra's fiery cyclone left the Grombles either obliterated or staggering, unable to withstand the intensity of her assault.
Her movements were a deadly mix of grace and ferocity, her flames consuming everything in their path.
Behind her, Lyrien called out, "Sister! You're getting too close to them!" referring to the two colossal Grombles hurling smaller ones toward Bellatoria.
With a quick chant, Lyrien cast, "Aqumenta, aliorum tutela, Whirlshield!"
The swirling water of her defensive spell intercepted a small Gromble flung at Lyra, shielding her from harm. Lyra paused and glanced back, nodding in gratitude before turning her focus ahead once more.
"Lyra, remember—Reiji said to be careful!" Lyrien shouted, her voice sharp with urgency.
Lyra deflected a hurling Gromble with a clean slash, then leapt back to Lyrien's side.
"I know, Lyrien. I've got so many magical concepts in my head right now—I'm not being reckless. I feel like I'm in the flow, completely aware of everything," she reassured, her voice steady yet intense.
Lyrien frowned slightly. "I have no doubt of your prowess, sister. Just be careful in creating these spells you don't fully conceptualize—you can't afford to be in a Drainea state right now."
Lyra nodded, signaling Lyrien to focus on the approaching Grombles.
As Lyrien began casting her spells, Lyra spoke with calm determination, "This sword… ever since Reiji repaired it, it feels different. Lighter, sharper—like it's part of me."
She lifted the blade horizontally, her hands gliding from hilt to tip as she chanted, "Eximius flamma, Totum consumere, in mea voluntas! Flareshot!"
A burst of flames ignited at the hilt, trailing her hand as they spread along the blade. The fire gathered at the tip, condensing into a glowing orb.
Without hesitation, Lyra aimed her sword forward, the flame erupted, unleashing slicing bursts of fire that cut through the Grombles in its path, leaving a searing trail of destruction.
Lyra exhaled a small sigh of relief after finishing her spell.
Without missing a beat, Lyrien quickly cast, "Aqua, voluntati tuae, Hydrate."
Droplets of water formed around Lyra, rejuvenating her and easing the toll of her previous attack.
The ground began to quake, a deep rumble sounded as one of the colossal stone monsters collapsed, one of its legs severed by Lyra's fiery Flareshot.
The second towering monster let out an enraged growl, scooping up debris from its fallen comrade.
It hurled stones in rapid succession, creating a relentless barrage that shook the battlefield.
Lyra, reacting instantly, leaped in front of Lyrien, who had no time to cast a defensive spell.
With precise movements, Lyra deflected each stone with her sword, the impacts echoing like thunder.
The air filled with the deafening crashes of stone colliding with the ground and a faint metal sound, while dust and smoke cloaked the area in a choking thick haze.
Within the dense smoke, the air grew heavy with tension as Lyrien prepared her spell. Her voice resonated with determination as she chanted, "Exi flamma, consumere in mea voluntas…"
The haze thinned, revealing Lyrien with both hands thrust forward, her voice rising to a commanding pitch as she completed the incantation, "Inferno's Embrace!"
A spiraling column of flames erupted, coiling around the towering Gromble. The fire surged upward with ferocious intensity, reducing the massive creature to molten magma in mere moments.
The searing heat radiated outward, scorching the surrounding area and leaving a barren, charred wasteland in its wake.
Lyra swung her sword, cutting through the intense gust of heat that followed Lyrien's spell before both of them collapsed to their knees.
They gasped for air from the exhaustion.
Lyra, still catching her breath surveyed her sword, surprised that it had withstood the brutal impacts of the hurling stones.
Then she turned to Lyrien. "Sister, our path to the kingdom is cleared. We need to get moving," Lyra said, her voice still shaky from the exertion.
Lyrien, panting heavily, glanced over at her before responding. "Sister, you help them inside the kingdom. There should be more of these monsters there."
She paused to catch her breath before continuing, "I remember Reiji wanting to spare Krogar. I need to check on him and deliver the final blow to the monster's leader he's targeting."
Lyra nodded and took a deep breath, replying, "Alright. Just don't get in his way while you're at it."
Lyrien stood up, dusting herself off, then added, "Take care, sister. And don't go tripping over yourself while you're at it."