Kaelith's flames roared to life, a swirling inferno of crimson fire that lit up the clearing with an ominous glow. Her anger had reached its peak, her frustration at not finding Elara and the lingering irritation from the nobleman's earlier confession boiling over. Now, her rage had a new target: Aelara and Liora. The two had dared to interfere, and Kaelith wasn't about to let that slide.
"You think you can tell me what to do?" Kaelith snarled, her voice dripping with venom as she took a step forward. Her crimson eyes burned with an intensity that made the air around her seem to crackle. "You're nothing but distractions. And I don't have time for distractions."
Aelara's violet eyes narrowed as she quickly accessed the System, pulling up Kaelith's stats. What she saw made her blood run cold.
[System Notification: Target Analysis]
Name: Kaelith Solvayne
Level: 27
Strength: 89
Agility: 78
Magic Power: 95
Defense: 72
Threat Level: Extreme
Aelara's own stats paled in comparison. She was strong, but Kaelith was on another level entirely. Her flames weren't just for show—they were a manifestation of her raw power, and Aelara knew they couldn't win this fight. Not now, at least.
"Liora," Aelara said, her voice low and urgent. "We need to go. Now."
Liora, her golden eyes wide with a mix of fear and determination, nodded. She didn't need to be told twice. The two turned and bolted, their footsteps pounding against the ground as they fled the clearing.
Kaelith's laughter echoed behind them, sharp and mocking. "Running already? How pathetic! I thought you were supposed to be the protagonist, Aelara! Or are you just all talk?"
Her taunts only fueled her own fury. Kaelith wasn't about to let them escape. She took off after them, her flames trailing behind her like a comet as she chased them through the arena. The forest blurred around her, her crimson eyes locked onto her targets. She didn't care about the exam anymore. All she cared about was venting her anger, and Aelara and Liora were the perfect outlets.
Aelara and Liora ran as fast as they could, their breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. The forest seemed to stretch on forever, the trees closing in around them as they tried to put distance between themselves and Kaelith. But no matter how fast they ran, they could hear her behind them, her laughter and taunts growing louder with every step.
"You can't run forever!" Kaelith shouted, her voice carrying through the trees. "You're just delaying the inevitable!"
Aelara's mind raced as she tried to come up with a plan. They couldn't outrun Kaelith forever, and they certainly couldn't fight her head-on. Not with the way her stats dwarfed theirs. But they couldn't give up, either. The System's quest to survive until the end of the exam was still active, and Aelara wasn't about to fail now.
"We need to lose her," Aelara said, her voice strained as she glanced over her shoulder. "If we can find a place to hide, maybe we can—"
Before she could finish, the trees thinned, and they burst into an open field. The sudden change in terrain left them exposed, and Aelara's heart sank. This was the worst possible place to be caught by Kaelith.
Kaelith emerged from the trees moments later, her flames flickering around her like a living entity. Her crimson eyes gleamed with triumph as she stepped into the field, her lips curling into a predatory smile.
"Nowhere left to run," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "Let's see how long you last."
Aelara and Liora exchanged a glance, their expressions grim. They had no choice but to fight. Kaelith wasn't going to let them go, and they couldn't afford to waste any more energy running.
The fight began in an instant. Kaelith lunged at them, her flames surging forward in a wave of heat and light. Aelara summoned a barrier of energy, her violet eyes narrowing as she focused on deflecting the attack. Liora darted to the side, her agility allowing her to evade the worst of the flames as she prepared to counterattack.
But Kaelith was relentless. Her flames were a force of nature, each attack more powerful than the last. Aelara's barrier cracked under the pressure, and Liora's attempts to land a hit were easily dodged or blocked. Kaelith moved with a ferocity that was almost inhuman, her anger driving her to push harder, faster, stronger.
"Is this all you've got?" Kaelith taunted, her voice filled with scorn. "I expected more from the so-called protagonist!"
Aelara gritted her teeth, her mind racing as she tried to come up with a plan. They couldn't keep this up forever. Kaelith's stamina seemed endless, and her flames showed no signs of weakening. If they didn't find a way to turn the tide soon, they were done for.
Meanwhile, Elara and Serenith moved through the arena with a sense of purpose. Elara's sapphire blue eyes scanned their surroundings, her mind focused on finding Kaelith. She had a bad feeling about her sister's temper, and she knew Kaelith's anger could spiral out of control if left unchecked.
"Do you think she's okay?" Elara asked, her voice tinged with worry.
Serenith's icy blue eyes remained calm, her expression unreadable. "Kaelith is strong. She can handle herself. But I understand your concern."
Elara nodded, but the knot of worry in her chest refused to loosen. She quickened her pace, her determination growing with each step. She had to find Kaelith before something went wrong.
As they approached the edge of the forest, the sound of explosions and the crackling of flames reached their ears. Elara's heart skipped a beat as she recognized the familiar heat of Kaelith's magic.
"That's her," Elara said, her voice filled with urgency. "We need to hurry!"
They burst into the open field just in time to see Kaelith in the middle of a fierce battle with Aelara and Liora. The ground was scorched, the air thick with the smell of smoke and burning grass. Kaelith's flames raged around her, her crimson eyes blazing with fury as she pressed her attack.
Elara's breath caught in her throat. "Kae!"
Kaelith froze, her flames flickering as she turned to look at Elara. For a moment, her anger seemed to waver, her expression softening as she saw her sister. But the moment didn't last. Her eyes hardened, and she turned back to Aelara and Liora, her flames flaring once more.
"Stay out of this, Ela," Kaelith said, her voice cold. "This doesn't concern you."
Elara's heart ached at the distance in Kaelith's voice, but she didn't back down. She stepped forward, her sapphire blue eyes filled with determination. "Kae, stop this. You're better than this."
Kaelith's flames flickered, her anger warring with her love for her sister. But before she could respond, the sound of the headmistress's voice echoed through the arena.
"The exam will conclude in ten minutes. Prepare for extraction."
The fight was over—for now. But the tension in the air remained, a reminder of the conflicts that had only just begun.