"Well, well," he sneered. "Looks like we found so traitors. The bounty on this group will be a fine haul, but rumor has it one of you is responsible for Lt. Daemon's death. That's a bonus."
The second figure, a tall, stoic woman clad in elegant green armor with a glaive strapped to her back, eyed Osalf. "He'll be the one to give us trouble," she said coldly. Her voice was steady, calculated. "Focus on him. The others will crumble once he's out of the picture."
The third, a massive brute in gold-plated armor, hefted a hamr nearly as large as himself onto his shoulder. His deep laugh rumbled through the clearing. "I've been itching for a fight like this. Let's see if you live up to the stories, old man."
Osalf smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I'll give you a fight, but it won't be the one you're expecting." He stepped forward, his hands already glowing with energy as the ground beneath him began to tremble.
The tension broke as the first man launched himself forward, blades drawn and aid for Osalf's throat. With a flick of his wrist, Osalf conjured a barrier of crackling light, deflecting the attack and sending the man skidding back.
"Go!" Osalf shouted to the others.
Xuán Wěi's portal shimred fully to life, its swirling surface reflecting the chaos of the battle. Tressa barked orders as she helped the others move through, her liquid tendrils dragging the last of the supplies into the gateway.
Ty lingered near the portal, his eyes fixed on the battle. He could see the brute with the hamr charging toward Osalf, his swing creating a shockwave that shattered the ground. Osalf leapt aside, countering with a blast of energy that struck the brute square in the chest but only managed to stagger him.
"Move, Ty!" JJ's voice cut through his thoughts as she grabbed his arm. "We can't waste ti."
Gritting his teeth, Ty allowed himself to be pulled through the portal just as Osalf faced the three warriors alone at the entrance of the spa. The portal closed behind them, leaving only the echoes of battle reverberating in the air.
The hulking brute with the hamr stepped forward, slamming it into the ground with enough force to create a small crater. "Not bad," he growled. "But not enough."
The woman in green armor unsheathed her glaive, its blade glinting with a faint green light. She moved with precision, striking from a distance as Osalf dodged, her attacks slicing through the air with deadly accuracy.
The red-haired man darted around them, his twin blades flashing as he sought openings. "This old man's got so tricks," he said with a wicked grin. "Too bad it won't save him."
Osalf's energy flared, creating a barrier around him that pushed all three attackers back. He t their gazes with calm defiance. "You'll regret coming here."
The hulking brute in gold-plated armor was the first to charge, his massive hamr swinging with crushing force. The weapon collided with Osalf's barrier, sending a rippling shockwave through the air. The general's knees bent slightly as he absorbed the impact, the golden glow of the barrier dimming for a brief mont. He sidestepped just as the brute followed up with a downward swing, the hamr slamming into the ground and sending shards of stone flying.
"Stay still, you old bastard!" the brute roared, his voice a guttural snarl.
Osalf twisted his body, dodging the hamr's arc with deceptive speed. A blade sang through the air from the red-haired man, its serrated edge aid for Osalf's exposed flank. The general ducked, the blade slicing through empty air. He retaliated with a burst of energy from his palm, the concussive force throwing the red-haired attacker back several feet.
"You're quick," the red-haired man growled, rising to his feet. His inward skill activated, the serrated blade vibrating as if alive. "But let's see how long you can keep that up."
The woman in green armor stepped forward, her glaive spinning in her hands with precision. She planted the blade into the ground, and a ripple of green energy spread outward, warping the air around Osalf. He felt the pull of her outward skill imdiately—gravity bending, attempting to root him in place. His movents slowed as the pressure increased, his boots grinding against the stone floor.
"You're done," she said coldly, her voice devoid of emotion.
The brute took advantage of the mont, his hamr swinging horizontally with the force of a landslide. Osalf barely raised his barrier in ti, the golden energy flaring brightly as it absorbed the blow. But the strain was evident; cracks began to form in the shimring shield.
"Not yet," Osalf muttered through gritted teeth.
He pivoted sharply, allowing the broken pieces of his barrier to explode outward. The fragnts struck the brute, cutting into his exposed arms and forcing him to stumble back. The red-haired man closed the gap, his blade aid for Osalf's throat. The general parried with a summoned dagger, the two weapons clashing with a screech of tal.
The woman in green armor advanced again, her glaive slicing through the air in a deadly arc. Osalf ducked under the swing, but the pull of her gravity skill dragged him off balance. The red-haired man seized the opening, his blade slashing across Osalf's left arm. Blood sprayed, staining the ground.
Osalf snarled, his free hand glowing with explosive energy. He thrust it toward the ground, creating a tid pocket of force that detonated seconds later. The blast threw all three attackers off their feet, the shockwave rattling the spa's foundations.
"Impressive," the brute grunted, rising to his feet. His golden armor bore scorch marks, but his grin remained. "You've still got fight in you."
Osalf didn't respond, his breathing heavy as he assessed his opponents. The red-haired man's blade glead with an unnatural glow, his inward skill enhancing its lethality. The woman in green steadied herself, her glaive crackling with gravitational energy. The brute hefted his hamr, his outward skill causing the weapon to glow faintly with kinetic energy, ready to unleash devastating impacts. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire
"You're not walking away from this," the red-haired man sneered, lunging forward again. His blade struck like a viper, aiming for Osalf's chest. The general twisted, the blade grazing his ribs as he countered with a precise slash of his own dagger, cutting a deep gash across the man's shoulder.
"Damn you!" the man shouted, staggering back.
Osalf's reprieve was brief. The woman's glaive descended in a deadly arc, the gravitational pull dragging him toward the blade. He barely managed to deflect it with a burst of energy, the force sending sparks flying. But the brute was already upon him, his hamr crashing down.
The impact shattered the ground beneath Osalf, the sheer force sending him sprawling. Blood dripped from his mouth as he struggled to his feet, his vision swimming. The three attackers circled him like wolves, their confidence growing with every wound they inflicted.
"You've got nowhere left to run, old man," the red-haired fighter sneered, his blade humming with energy as he darted forward, aiming to end the fight.
Osalf pivoted just in ti, his arm snapping up to block the incoming strike. The clash sent vibrations up his forearm, but the general held firm, twisting his torso to shove the attacker back. The maneuver bought him a brief reprieve, but it wasn't enough to halt the assault.
The woman in green armor took advantage of his distraction, her glaive slicing in a precise arc toward his exposed side. Osalf tried to sidestep, but her gravitational pull tugged at his movent, slowing him down just enough for the blade to graze him. Pain lanced through his ribs as fresh blood stained his coat, the wound shallow but punishing.
"Slowing down already?" she taunted, stepping back to reposition for another strike. Her expression remained cold, detached, as if the fight was nothing more than a calculated exercise.
The brute with the hamr roared as he charged, the massive weapon raised high. Osalf barely had ti to react, throwing himself into a roll to avoid the crushing blow. The hamr struck the ground with earth-shattering force, debris flying in all directions. A chunk of stone clipped Osalf's shoulder, spinning him into a crouched position.
"Enough of this," Osalf growled, his voice low and filled with a dangerous edge. He thrust his hand out, a pulse of energy radiating from his palm and forcing the three attackers to halt montarily. It wasn't strong enough to injure them but served to give him space to regroup.
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