The battlefield was pure chaos. Magical blasts lit up the night, the dock shaking under the sheer force of the ongoing battle. Colette and Stella continued their aerial duel, their opposing elements tearing through the skies. Below them, their mafias clashed with unrelenting ferocity, the dock transforming into a warzone of blood, fire, and ice.
Suddenly, the sound of roaring engines echoed through the chaos, drawing the attention of friend and foe alike. From the far end of the dock, Oakley appeared in his towering mech, a massive machine outfitted with cutting-edge technology and enchanted weaponry. The mech's armored frame shimmered with protective runes, and its arms bristled with magic cannons and reinforced blades.
Oakley's voice crackled through the external speakers, calm and commanding. "Sorry I'm late, boss. Thought I'd bring some heavy backup."
The mech's cannons fired, sending explosive blasts into the ranks of Stella's forces. Metal crates shattered, and the ground trembled as Oakley's mech stomped forward, tearing through the enemy lines with ruthless efficiency. The tide of the battle began to shift, Colette's mafia rallying behind the sheer force of Oakley's arrival.
As Oakley cut a path through Stella's soldiers, his mech was suddenly struck by a massive force, causing it to stumble. A blur of silver and gray leaped into view—a towering fenrir woman, her muscular frame covered in thick fur and scars. She wielded a massive battle axe, the blade glowing with fiery enchantments.
"You must be Oakley," the fenrir woman growled, her voice low and menacing. "I've heard about you. Let's see if that tin can of yours can handle me."
Oakley smirked inside the cockpit, his hands steady on the controls. "I don't need to handle you. I just need to take you out."
The fenrir woman roared, charging at the mech with incredible speed. Her axe swung in a wide arc, colliding with the mech's armored arm and sending sparks flying. The impact was strong enough to make the mech stagger, but Oakley quickly regained his balance, maneuvering the machine to counter.
"Impressive strength," Oakley remarked, his voice calm. "But strength alone won't win you this fight."
The fenrir woman lunged again, her movements swift and calculated. Oakley fired one of the mech's shoulder cannons, but she dodged with ease, closing the distance and landing a powerful strike to the mech's chest plate. The impact dented the armor, and the heat from the enchanted axe scorched the metal.
Inside the cockpit, Oakley's eyes narrowed as he analyzed her movements. She was fast, powerful, and relentless—a dangerous combination. But she was also overconfident, relying too heavily on brute force.
"Let's see how you handle this," Oakley muttered, activating the mech's energy shields. The runes along the mech's frame glowed brightly as a protective barrier enveloped it. The fenrir woman's next strike glanced off harmlessly, and Oakley took advantage of the opening, delivering a powerful punch that sent her flying.
The fenrir woman landed on her feet, growling as she wiped blood from her lip. "Not bad, old man. But you're going to have to do better than that."
Oakley smirked, his voice laced with dry humor. "Don't worry. I will."
He activated the mech's thrusters, propelling it forward at incredible speed. The fenrir woman braced herself, but instead of attacking directly, Oakley feinted, using the mech's agility to outmaneuver her. He fired a series of precision shots from the mech's cannons, forcing her to dodge repeatedly and expend energy.
Her frustration grew as she realized she was being cornered. Oakley used the terrain to his advantage, luring her into a narrow space between two shipping containers. As she charged forward, he activated the mech's grappling claws, pinning her weapon arm to the ground.
"Looks like you're out of moves," Oakley said, his tone casual.
The fenrir woman snarled, struggling against the mech's grip. "Kill me, then. Or are you too much of a coward?"
Oakley's smirk faded, replaced by a steely determination. "Coward? No. But you made the mistake of challenging me. Consider this your punishment."
With a calculated motion, the mech's other arm swung down, striking the fenrir woman with enough force to knock her unconscious. Oakley released her, letting her crumple to the ground, before turning his attention back to the battlefield.
Meanwhile, on the front lines, Raize led Colette's soldiers with precision and focus. The dark elf moved like a shadow, her twin blades slicing through Stella's forces with deadly efficiency. Her violet eyes gleamed as she directed the soldiers, barking orders that kept their formation tight and their momentum strong.
"Push forward!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. "No mercy! Take them down!"
Under Raize's leadership, Colette's mafia continued to press their advantage. The magic weapons they wielded—rifles, swords, and hammers—proved devastating against Stella's forces, who struggled to regroup under the relentless assault.
As the battle raged on, Raize glanced up at the sky, where Colette and Stella's clash continued. She couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration for her boss. Colette was more than just a leader—she was a force of nature, and her fury was unmatched.
"Keep fighting," Raize commanded, her voice firm. "We're winning this."
The dock was bathed in fire, ice, and blood, but Colette's mafia was gaining the upper hand. Victory was within their grasp—but the fight was far from over.
The night sky burned and froze simultaneously as Colette and Stella continued their relentless battle. Each attack lit up the dock in flashes of fire and ice, their elemental powers colliding in violent explosions of steam and energy.
Stella soared upward, her fiery wings blazing brilliantly against the darkness. She unleashed a torrent of fire breath, the flames roaring as they surged toward Colette.
Colette countered with her own ice breath, the freezing wind spiraling from her jaws to meet Stella's attack. The two forces collided, creating a blinding burst of steam that temporarily obscured the battlefield below.
The impact sent both women reeling, knocking them out of the air. They crashed onto the dock with deafening force, the ground splintering beneath them.
Colette was the first to rise, her towering frame coated in frost that glimmered in the moonlight. Her sharp blue eyes locked onto Stella, who was already pushing herself back to her feet.
Stella smirked, her fiery aura intensifying. "You're strong, Colette. I'll give you that. But you're not invincible."
Colette's lips curled into a cold grin. "Neither are you."
Without hesitation, the two clashed again, their hand-to-hand combat fierce and brutal. Colette's claws swiped at Stella with deadly precision, while Stella's fiery punches left scorch marks on Colette's scales. Each blow was accompanied by bursts of ice and fire, their elemental powers adding a deadly edge to their physical strikes.
The fight raged on, the two women evenly matched. Colette landed a powerful kick, sending Stella skidding across the dock. Stella retaliated by igniting the ground beneath Colette's feet, forcing her to leap back to avoid being engulfed in flames.
"You're persistent," Stella said, wiping blood from her lip. "But persistence won't save you. I've already won."
Colette growled, her icy aura intensifying. "You haven't won anything. Not while I'm still standing."
Stella smirked, lunging forward with a flaming uppercut. Colette dodged, countering with a swipe of her tail that knocked Stella off balance. She followed up with a blast of frost breath, but Stella rolled out of the way, the ice freezing the ground where she had been.
The two circled each other, their breathing heavy but their determination unwavering.
"You're fighting for him," Stella said, her tone mocking. "Your precious Kent. Do you really think he's worth all this trouble?"
Colette's sharp blue eyes narrowed, her voice low and venomous. "He's worth everything."
Stella laughed, a cruel sound that echoed across the battlefield. "How touching. But love makes you weak, Colette. And that weakness will be your downfall."
With a burst of speed, Stella charged at Colette, her fiery claws igniting as she aimed for Colette's chest. Colette blocked the attack, but the force of it sent her stumbling back, her feet skidding on the icy ground.
Stella pressed her advantage, landing a series of rapid strikes that pushed Colette further and further back. Colette tried to counter, but Stella's relentless assault left her with little room to maneuver.
Finally, Stella cornered her, pinning her against a stack of crates. Her fiery claws hovered inches from Colette's throat, the heat searing the air between them.
"It's over," Stella said, her smirk triumphant.
For a brief moment, Colette froze. The thought of losing—not just the fight, but Kent—stabbed at her heart. The idea of him being taken from her, enslaved, hurt, or worse, filled her with a pain so deep it nearly broke her.
And then, something inside her snapped.
A deafening roar tore from Colette's throat as her icy aura erupted with explosive force. The ground beneath her froze solid, and jagged spikes of ice shot upward, forcing Stella to leap back. Colette's eyes glowed with an unearthly blue light, and her entire body radiated a cold so intense that even the air seemed to crystallize.
"You will not take him from me!" Colette roared, lunging at Stella with newfound fury.
Her claws slashed through Stella's fiery defenses, tearing through the phoenix woman's robes and drawing blood. Stella cried out, her wings flaring as she tried to retaliate, but Colette was relentless.
Blow after blow rained down on Stella, each one infused with Colette's icy power. Stella's flames flickered and dimmed under the onslaught, her confidence replaced by desperation.
Colette finally pinned Stella to the ground, her claws digging into the phoenix woman's shoulders. She bared her sharp teeth, her breath visible in the freezing air.
"You took what's mine," Colette growled, her voice trembling with rage. "And now, you'll pay the price."
Stella struggled weakly, her fiery aura flickering like a dying ember. "Go ahead," she spat, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "Kill me. Do it."
Colette raised a claw, ready to strike the killing blow. But as she stared down at Stella, another thought entered her mind. Stella had resources, information, and influence. She could still be useful.
With a low growl, Colette lowered her claw, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "No. Death is too easy for you."
Stella's eyes widened in surprise. "What?"
"You're going to tell me where Kent is," Colette said, her voice cold and commanding. "And if you lie, I'll make you wish I had killed you."
Stella hesitated, her fiery pride warring with the reality of her situation. Finally, she nodded, her voice weak. "He's… in one of the metal crates. Near the center of the dock."
Colette released her grip, standing and turning away from Stella without a second glance. "Stay down, Stella. You're lucky I need you alive."
Colette stormed toward the center of the dock, her icy aura still radiating as she scanned the crates. Her soldiers had pushed Stella's forces back, clearing the way for her to focus on finding Kent.
She spotted the crate Stella had described, its reinforced metal sides marked with runes to prevent tampering. Without hesitation, Colette grabbed the edges and tore the crate open with her claws, the metal screeching as it gave way under her strength.
Inside, bound in chains, was Kent. His face was pale, his eyes wide with fear as he looked up at her.
"C-Colette?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
She stepped into the crate, her heart breaking at the sight of him. The chains were enchanted, glowing faintly with suppressive magic meant to subdue magical beings—but they couldn't stop her. With a single swipe of her claws, she shattered them, freeing Kent from his bonds.
He collapsed into her arms, his body trembling as he clung to her.
"I was so scared," he murmured, his voice breaking. "I thought I'd never see you again."
Colette hugged him tightly, her wings wrapping around him protectively. "It's okay," she whispered, her voice softer than it had been in years. "You're safe now. I've got you."
She held him for a long moment, her icy aura melting away as her focus shifted entirely to Kent. The battle around them seemed distant and unimportant compared to the warmth of his embrace.
"Let's go home," she said finally, her voice filled with determination. "This nightmare is over."
As Kent nodded against her shoulder, Colette knew one thing for certain: she would do whatever it took to protect him. No one would ever threaten what was hers again.