Chapter 432: Klein takes it easy...
Julian Frostvine then appeared in the middle of the frosty mist, his silhouette seeming to materialize from the water vapor itself. His vine-shaped sword glowed with an intense blue light. He planted his blade in the frozen ground, invoking the final technique of his lineage in synergy with the archer.
< Moon Reflection on Ice! >
The effect was immediate and devastating. The ice covering the plain began to sparkle like thousands of mirrors. Each frost shard became a reflection point for Jasper’s aura and Julian’s mana. Suddenly, thousands of ice silhouettes, perfect replicas of Julian, emerged from every frozen surface. In a heartbeat, the horde of skeletons was encircled from within by an army of deadly reflections.
The ice doubles attacked with perfect synchronization, slicing bones and shattering skulls with the fluidity of the wind. The Rank S Lich, suddenly facing a dozen of these reflections, was dismembered in a few seconds, its spectral essence evaporating in a silent scream.
Nox Walpurgy walked calmly through the carnage, his red lightning crackling intermittently around his fingers. His reptilian eyes shone with a glow of scientific satisfaction as he observed the charred remains of the spells he had just canceled.
"This is a pretty clean sweep, don’t you think?" Nox said as he stopped in front of Lynn.
She remained petrified. Before her stood Julian, Jasper and Nox, the three members of the Dark Tetrad, who had appeared in the middle of the battle. The balance of power had just shifted in a fraction of a second.
"Julian... Jasper... Nox..." stammered Lynn, her imperious posture faltering under the shock. "What... how did you get here?"
Julian Frostvine approached her with his usual mocking smile, sheathing his sword with elegance. He smoothed his black hair back, superbly ignoring the corpses littering the ground.
"We couldn’t let such beautiful flowers wilt in this hell," Julian said in a honeyed tone. "Klein sent us as the vanguard. The bastion is surrounded."
Jasper joined the group, his face showing no emotion behind his blindfold. "The main expedition is less than an hour’s walk away. We cleared the North and South sectors before converging here."
Rosalinda, whose Lady Spina personality was starting to recede in the presence of the three men, dropped to her knees, panting. The brambles slowly retracted into the ground, leaving behind only plowed and sterile earth.
Noriah, for her part, let out a nervous laugh as she wiped her forehead. "Well... it was about time. I was going to end up having to use my own bones as projectiles."
Lynn looked at her saviors, then at the horizon where the skeletal armies were now nothing more than piles of frozen debris. The power emanating from these three was far superior to anything she had seen at the Academy before.
They had grown, hardened in the rifts, and become true combat monsters.
"Is this Klein with you?" asked Lynn, her blue eyes searching for a silver silhouette.
"He’s coming," Nox replied with a demented smile that made Rosalinda shiver. "And believe me, after what he has planned for the Spectrum, you’re going to regret that these skeletons didn’t stay alive to protect you."
While the others were struggling in the mud and blood to secure the southern zone, Klein had headed northwest. The fight had been a slaughter, and everyone needed a breather.
He had a specific reason for moving away: Jezabel. The elven princess had asked for a break after nearly getting killed in the front lines. He needed to check if she was holding up.
He walked a good hour under the fine rain that stuck his clothes to his skin. When he arrived at the temporary camp, the sentries recognized him and let him pass without a word. Jezabel’s personal tent was pitched a little apart, larger than the others, with the Sun clan crest embroidered on the flap. Klein lifted the canvas and entered.
The interior was lit by two magic lanterns that diffused a warm light. Jezabel was sitting on a pile of furs, legs crossed, as if she had been waiting for him for a while. She had removed her light armor and was wearing only a thin tunic that revealed her shoulders and the top of her thighs.
Short platinum blonde hair, arrogant blue eyes that narrowed as soon as she smiled. She was beautiful, and she knew it.
"I was wondering when you were going to come ~" she said with a slight smirk, her voice a little drawling.
Klein closed the tent behind him and ran a hand through his wet hair. He sighed.
"I just came to check on you, Jezabel. The fight was tough, you took a nasty hit earlier. I wanted to make sure you weren’t dying alone here."
She stood up slowly, without taking her eyes off him. Her bare feet made barely any noise on the thick carpet on the floor.
"My news?" she repeated as she approached. "You came all this way just for that? Stop lying, Klein. You know very well why you’re here."
Before he could answer, she jumped on him. Literally. Her arms went around his neck, her legs around his waist. Klein took a step back from the shock but caught her by the buttocks to avoid falling. Jezabel’s mouth crushed against his, tender at first, then more insistent. She smelled of sweat, earth and that sweet scent she always had after a fight.
"Jez... wait..." he murmured between two kisses, but she didn’t want to hear anything.
She pushed him backward until his calves touched the edge of the camp bed. They fell together onto the furs. Jezabel ended up straddling him, her hands placed on his chest.
"Shut up for two seconds," she growled. "I almost died today. So stop thinking and kiss me properly."
Klein sighed again, but this time it was a sigh of surrender. He grabbed her nape and pulled her toward him. Their kiss became deeper, slower. Jezabel’s lips were warm, a little swollen from the fight. She nibbled his lower lip and smiled against his mouth when she felt him react.
"There... that’s better," she breathed. "You’re always too serious, fuck."
She slipped her hands under his soaked shirt and pulled it up to take it off. Klein helped by sitting up a little. Once shirtless, he did the same with her tunic.
