"Die, human!"
"Yeah, no thanks!" I growled, driving my boot into the rushing Teraquin's head with enough force to send him flying. He tumbled like a ragdoll before hitting the ground with a sickening thud.
The fight had resud—again—and this ti, I was right in the thick of it. Not like I had a choice. If I didn't step in, they'd take Celeste.
"When are these bastards going to co up with sothing original?" I muttered under my breath.
Seriously, the endless chants of 'Die, human!' were like listening to a scratched record on repeat. Tireso didn't even begin to cover it.
"Got you, Olphean bastard!"
An elf darted toward from behind, but before he could get within arm's reach, a chilling wave of frost froze him solid.
I glanced to my side, where Celeste stood with her long blade gleaming like ice in the faint light. She smirked. "Grumpy already, Amael?"
"I just want this over with," I replied, scanning the battlefield. "Where the hell are Kendel and Navas?"
Celeste tilted her head thoughtfully. "Maybe the Behemoth commander just showed up to deliver a ssage and left right after?"
"Not a chance," I said, shaking my head. "He didn't co all this way just to play courier. He's here for you or…" My gaze flicked briefly to Alicia, fighting a short distance away.
"Or?" Celeste raised an eyebrow, catching my hesitation.
"Nothing," I replied quickly, brushing it off.
There was no point bringing up the Seed now. The fewer people who knew about it, the better. I had to secure it and hand it over to Utopia—anything else would just lead to complications.
After all, no one in Sancta Vedelia would ever approve of it. The Seed of Eden wasn't just valuable—it was irreplaceable. If anything ever happened to the Holy Tree of Eden, the Seed could grow another one, a young and flourishing tree to restore its glory.
Celeste sighed, her gaze shifting to the Teraquin Knights swarming around us. Her expression softened, tinged with sadness. "I don't get it. Why are they fighting us? Aren't we supposed to be on the sa side?"
"So of them are," I replied, my tone hardening. "The rest? Just extremist trash. Don't hesitate against them."
Celeste stared at .
"What?" I asked, glancing at her.
"Are you going to tell what happened these last few months?" She asked with quite an intense gaze.
"Soday… maybe."
Probably never. The truth was, I wasn't exactly proud of what I'd done. But I had my reasons—reasons that made stand by my choices. I did it for my mother, and while regret hadn't caught up with yet, it might if I failed to get her out of Elyen Kiora.
"We should focus on the battle," I said quickly, steering the conversation away as Celeste's gaze hardened, clearly catching on to my evasion.
She sighed after a mont. "Fine. But we need a plan against them."
"I agree," Alicia said as she approached.
I nodded. "The plan is simple. I'll handle Navas. You two focus on Kendel."
Alicia crossed her arms, giving a sharp look. "Senior, you might be strong, but that man is definitely stronger than you."
"Got a better idea?" I shot back. "Kendel's tough, but you and Celeste can take him. I just need to keep Navas busy long enough for you to finish and co back up."
Celeste's grip tightened on her blade. "I'm not sure we'll make it in ti…"
She wasn't wrong. Kendel was stronger than her, but Celeste had her Prophecies and Nevia's Fate, giving her an edge. With Alicia by her side, they had a shot. That had to be enough.
"You can do it," I said, throwing in a cliché reassurance as I turned away. "Just believe in yourself."
"First, are they even—"
My words froze in my throat as my eyes widened. Instinct roared through , and I imdiately activated my Olphean Bloodline.
Celeste seed to notice a split second later, her gaze snapping forward.
Summoning Aegis in a flash, I braced myself.
"That bastard's fast—!"
-BAM!
The impact slamd into my shield like a wrecking ball. Aegis held, but my arm went numb almost instantly, and the sheer force launched backward like a ragdoll.
For a few seconds, I didn't even register the pain. All I could do was hurtle through the air, desperately clinging to consciousness as the world spun around .
"A-Amael!" Celeste called out in worry as she turned toward . Her expression shifted imdiately as her gaze snapped to the looming shadow above her.
Navas Dolphis.
"You do like Sara Oceania," Navas said with a smile, extending a hand toward her.
Before he could get any closer, dark tendrils snaked around his legs and arms, stopping him in his tracks.
Navas turned, his eyes landing on Annabelle, who stood with her arm outstretched, her face set in concentration. In front of her, a dark puppet oozed a viscous, shadowy substance that wrapped tighter around his limbs.
Navas frowned, testing the binding. His movents slowed, as if the substance were sapping his strength.
"You have so interesting abilities for such a little girl," he said. But his tone hardened as his overwhelming mana flared.
"Ugh—Aargh!" Annabelle cried out, clutching her head in pain as she staggered under the oppressive weight of his mana.
"Edward!" She called right after.
I cursed under my breath, gritting my teeth against the numbing pain in half my body from Navas's earlier attack.
"Reflect!"
Summoning a mirror behind , I kicked off it, propelling myself forward at breakneck speed using Samara's ability.
Navas, finally free from Annabelle's bindings, turned his cold gaze toward as I closed the distance.
Breathing sharply, I forced Ruah to circulate through my numbed arm, doing my best to repair the damage as I drew back my fist.
-BAM!
I slamd my fist toward him with all my strength, but Navas caught it easily. The collision sent a shockwave rippling outward, his mana clashing violently with my Ruah.
Celeste didn't hesitate. She surged forward, her sword flashing as she swung it at Navas. But before her blade could connect, thick vines erupted from the ground, coiling tightly around her arms.
"What—!" Celeste gasped, struggling against the restraints.
Alicia darted in, her rapier ablaze as she thrust it, severing the vines and freeing Celeste. The two of them jumped back quickly before more vines could co out.
Kendel also arrived. "Do you really think you stand a chance against ?" Navas said coldly, his grip on my fist tightening.
I glared at him, ignoring the sharp pain as my bones threatened to give under the pressure. "Do you Behemoths have nothing better to do than act as soone else's dogs? First Ante Eden, now Utopia?"
His eyes darkened, and his fingers crushed harder, making grimace.
Without hesitation, I summoned Perseus, the blade forming in my free hand. With all the strength I could muster, I swung it toward his head.
A torrent of water erupted from nowhere, slamming into and sending hurtling back.
I spat out the water that had forced its way into my throat, glaring at Navas.
I couldn't hold back anymore.
"Anathema's Fire!"
Purple flas ignited around my body, roaring like a living entity. I reached for Khryselakatos, pulling its string taut. Amber arrows shimred into existence, their razor-sharp points glowing beautifully. But I wasn't done. Channeling my blazing fire, I imbued the arrows with a scorching intensity that made them burn even brighter.
With a sharp release, I let them fly—dozens of arrows streaking through the air like teor showers aid directly at Navas.
But just as they neared him, a powerful wall of water erupted, intercepting most of my arrows. The contact between my flas and his water created an intense wave of hot mist, blanketing the area in a suffocating haze.
I didn't let up. Summoning Perseus, I steadied myself, honing my senses through the thick mist.
A sudden shift in the air warned . Without hesitation, I ducked and spun, lashing out with a powerful kick aid at Navas's side.
-BAM!
My leg connected, but Navas barely flinched. Instead, his hand shot out, grabbing my leg with a vice-like grip.
"Ugh—!"
-BAM!
With overwhelming strength, he lifted and slamd into the ground. Pain exploded through my body as the air was knocked out of my lungs. I coughed up a mouthful of blood, struggling to catch my breath.
He raised again, ready to slam down once more, but darkness coiled around his arms, freezing them mid-motion.
Taking advantage of the mont, I broke free, rolling away before leaping back to my feet.
"You saved there, Anna," I said, panting as I glanced at her.
"I won't be letting him hurt you, Edward," Annabelle replied, her hand raised. I could feel her mana entwining with mine, mixed with a tinge of Baphot's mana.
-BOOM!
The ground erupted violently as dark energy surged forth. From the debris, dozens—no, hundreds—of black-eyed, mouthless puppets erged, their forms twisted and eerie.
Annabelle extended her hand toward Navas, and the puppets obeyed, rushing at him in a wave.
"That's useless," Navas scoffed, swatting one puppet aside. But the mont he destroyed it, his hand darkened unnaturally.
His eyes widened in slight surprise as he examined the spreading corruption.
Now I understood.
Smirking, I lunged forward with Perseus, surrounding the blade with Four Rings of Vysindra. I pointed above Navas, and a four-layered mana circle materialized in the air. From it, a massive, burning claw began to descend.
Navas's gaze snapped upward, his expression turning serious. He leaped back instinctively, avoiding the claw, but Annabelle's puppets were there, leaping after him.
Cornered, Navas summoned another surge of water, engulfing the puppets in its torrent. But as the water touched them, it turned dark and sluggish, its mana visibly weakening.
"What is this?" He muttered, blinking in disbelief which was normal.
He probably had never seen in his life sothing like this.
"Don't look away!" I growled, gritting my teeth as I released my attack.
Navas looked up just in ti to see the burning claw hurtling toward him.
-BOOOOOOM!
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