Ery stood at the edge of the newly cleared training grounds, his arms folded as he watched the clash unfold before him.
Two figures moved across the battlefield like forces of nature colliding.
On one side stood Soltz, the elderly grand magus whose frail appearance belied the imnse power hidden within his body. Opposing him was Typhon, the Qilin.hybrid whose presence radiated raw, unrestrained dominance.
The mont their attacks t, space itself trembled.
Shockwaves rippled outward with each collision, distorting the air and cracking the ground beneath their feet. Even from a distance, the pressure was imnse, forcing several nearby observers to retreat further back.
The fight had begun almost inevitably.
Typhon, true to his nature, had challenged every one of Ery's protectors the mont he arrived. Brollak, the muscular raider grand magus, had been defeated in a matter of exchanges. Feyanor, the deer-blooded half-fey, managed to endure for a ti but ultimately yielded under the relentless assault.
Only Soltz remained.
And unlike the others, he did not fall easily.
A deep rumble echoed as Typhon's clawed strike crashed against Soltz's defenses. Layers of condensed earth energy surged around the old man, forming an almost impenetrable barrier that absorbed the impact.
Yet even so, his body trembled under the force.
"Hmph... you're surprisingly durable," Typhon said with a grin, his eyes gleaming with excitent. "For a human."
Soltz wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, his expression calm despite the pressure.
"And you run quite fast," he replied dryly, "for a lizard."
Typhon's smirk twitched.
"I am not a lizard," he snapped, his aura flaring violently. "I am a Qilin dragon!"
Soltz raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed.
"I fail to see the difference."
The next clash erupted with even greater force.
Typhon surged forward, his body wreathed in blazing energy as his strikes beca heavier, faster, more ferocious. Soltz responded in kind, his movents grounded yet precise, each defensive technique layered with profound control over earth laws.
Their battle escalated.
Each collision sent tremors through the land, carving shallow craters into the terrain and forcing the surrounding air to ripple like water under pressure.
Ery exhaled quietly.
At the very least, the area was still largely undeveloped. Had this fight taken place within the town itself, the damage would have been catastrophic.
Even so, what truly caught his attention was not the destruction- But Soltz.
The old man's strength had clearly improved.
Not only had he reached the second layer of the three-cosmos realm, but the instability that once plagued his energy had significantly diminished. His control was smoother now, his foundation far more stable than before.
A faint smile appeared on Klea's face as she stood beside Ery.
"That would be Kayelin's work," she said.
Ery glanced toward the nearby pavilion.
There, seated calmly amidst the chaos, was Kayelin, the fey priestess. Her golden hair shimred softly under the light, her serene expression unchanged despite the violent battle unfolding nearby.
"We were fortunate, with more acess ro materials, we get to create more
recipes" she said gently. "His condition responded well to the current treatnt. However, a complete recovery could not be forced, it will take ti... two or three decades, at least."
Ery nodded slowly.
Even so, this level of improvent was already remarkable.
It also made him wonder-
Just how powerful Soltz would be once fully restored.
His thoughts drifted briefly, and he found himself asking about another individual's condition. Kayelin's response, however, caused his expression to dim slightly, and he let out a quiet sigh.
Before he could dwell on it further-
A loud impact echoed across the field.
Soltz wavered backward as Typhon's strike finally broke through his defenses, sending him crashing into the ground.
Dust rose into the air.
After a mont, Soltz lifted his hand.
"I yield," he said, his voice steady despite his battered state. "I will defeat you
next ti."
Typhon let out a chuckle "Old age human like you?... how much ti you have left? dont take too long!"
Despite their words, there was no hostility in the air-only a strange sense of
mutual respect forged through combat.
Ery found himself faintly amused.
Typhon, however, was not yet satisfied.
His gaze shifted toward Kayelin.
"How about you?" he asked, a hint of challenge in his tone.
The priestess shook her head gently.
"I will pass."
There was, in truth, another person Typhon wished to challenge-but Morgana
had already secluded herself within the newly build chamber, refining her newly acquired artifact. She might remain inside for months... perhaps even
years.
With no further opponents available, the group eventually gathered to discuss more pressing matters.
Nyx stepped forward first presented her many intel report.
"The Moonlight Syndicate remains our primary obstacle," she said. "However, our Red Lotus Hall has successfully identified half of their core mbers."
A faint murmur spread through the group.
For an organization as elusive as the Moonlight Syndicate, even a fraction of their internal structure being exposed was no small achievent. Their strength did not lie purely in power, but in secrecy-and that secrecy was now
beginning to fracture.
"That information will be critical," Klea added "It gives us the ability to
anticipate their movents and disrupt their operations."
The discussion shifted naturally toward their current priorities.
Klea began outlining the situation within Neo Terra.
The population was growing steadily, with more settlers arriving each day.
Infrastructure was being established, trade routes were under negotiation- largely thanks to Tessa-and the foundation of their territory was beginning to
take shape.
But there was still a major issue.
"What we need imdiately," Klea said, "is to explore the wilderness." The scale of the land made it a daunting task. Even with thousands of Terra
warriors and assistance from the Immortal Gladiator School, the progress was
slow.
"Should we deploy more warriors?" soone suggested. "Or recruit local
forces?"
Ery shook his head.
"Our numbers on Terra are limited," he said. "And bringing too many outsiders
too quickly will create instability."
He paused for a mont.
Then, a faint smile appeared. "There's a better solution."
Stepping forward into the courtyard, Ery raised his hand and tore open a
controlled spatial rift. The air distorted, revealing a connection to his personal
domain.
From within, figures began to erge.
Hundreds... then thousands.
Dark orcs marched out in organized formation, their presence heavy and
imposing. Behind them ca dozens of Chizpur, their stones fras contrasted
by sharp, intelligent eyes.
"These will be your reinforcents," Ery said.
The crowd fell silent.
He had long considered granting them more freedom beyond his domain, and
this was the perfect opportunity. The vast wilderness of Dawnstar would not
only benefit from their strength-it would also serve as a valuable training ground for them.
The Chizpur brothers quickly took command of one group, while Durak stepped forward to lead another, his towering figure radiating authority. With that, the imdiate concern was resolved.
Ery turned back toward Kayelin, his thoughts returning to the earlier topic.
Before he could speak, Klea stepped forward.
"I'll take you to see her," she said softly.
Ery t her gaze and nodded.
Without another word, the two headed toward Dawnstar Capital.
User Comments
0 comments from readers