Chapter 905: The Realm of Ice Elves (4)
Anticipating the bear’s thrashing, Findir flipped backward off the beast with effortless grace, landing in a crouch just as the massive creature collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud. Rolling to his feet, he didn’t pause to catch his breath. His Presence Erasure enveloped him like a shroud, rendering him almost imperceptible to the naked eye.
Spotting another rider charging toward Luna, Findir moved like a shadow, closing the distance in an instant. The mounted elf had no idea he was there until it was too late. With one swift motion, Findir’s dagger flashed, severing the leather straps that secured the elf to their mount. The elf, caught off guard, tumbled from the saddle, hitting the icy ground with a sickening crunch.
Before the mount—a snarling wolf adorned with frost armor—could react, Findir was already in motion again. Using Wind Manipulation, he whipped up a vortex of cutting wind around himself, slashing into the creature’s flank. The wolf howled, staggered by the sudden assault, and Findir capitalized on its confusion. With a spinning leap, he drove both daggers into the beast’s chest, his momentum driving the blades deep.
Pulling his daggers free in one fluid motion, Findir turned his attention back to the battlefield, his movements unrelenting. His strikes were swift and calculated, his focus unshakable. Each kill was precise, and each step was deliberate, like a dancer weaving through a deadly performance. For Findir, the battlefield was his stage, and his daggers were the instruments of a macabre symphony.
Cy stood like a fortress in the storm, his Abyssal Shield raised high and pulsating with dark energy. The shadowy aura of the shield seemed to ripple, absorbing the relentless attacks from the three mounted elves. Their icy steeds—a wolf with frost-laden fur, a sabretooth cat adorned with glacial spines, and a serpent-like creature with translucent, icy scales—lunged and clawed in perfect unison.
The wolf was the first to attack, its jaws snapping toward Cy’s throat. With a sharp pivot, Cy sidestepped, his agility surprising for someone so heavily armored. As the wolf’s momentum carried it forward, Cy drove his spear upward in a powerful, calculated thrust. The weapon pierced through the creature’s throat, dark energy from Spear Coating seeping into the wound and spreading like poison. The wolf collapsed, its dying thrashes kicking up shards of ice.
Before the first beast could even hit the ground, Cy was already turning, his shield raised to block the sabretooth’s pounce. The cat’s claws raked against the shield, sending sparks of dark magic crackling through the air. The force pushed Cy back slightly, but he dug his heels into the icy ground and held firm.
"Not today!" he growled, his voice carrying the weight of unyielding determination.
Channeling Wave of Darkness, Cy slammed his shield into the ground, unleashing a rippling surge of shadowy energy. The wave spread outward, catching the sabretooth mid-pounce and knocking it backward. The mounted elf on its back was thrown off, landing with a thud on the ice. The serpent steed, coiling around to strike, was also disoriented by the sudden wave, giving Cy the opening he needed.
With a roar, he charged forward, his spear glowing with the ominous black aura of Spear Coating. The dismounted elf scrambled to their feet, raising an icy lance to counter, but Cy was faster. He thrust his spear with pinpoint accuracy, the dark-coated blade piercing through the elf’s armor and pinning them to the icy ground. The elf gasped, their breath visible in the cold air, before going still.
The serpent recovered quickly, slithering toward Cy and wrapping around his leg with incredible speed. Its icy coils tightened, frost spreading over Cy’s armor. But Cy didn’t falter. Using his shield as a weapon, he slammed it down with bone-crushing force onto the serpent’s head. The creature hissed in pain, releasing its grip.
Before it could retaliate, Cy activated Empower, a surge of strength coursing through his body. With a powerful thrust, he drove his spear down into the serpent’s skull, the blade penetrating deep. The icy creature writhed for a moment before falling limp, its body shattering into shards of frost.
Breathing heavily, Cy scanned the battlefield, his spear still glowing with dark energy. He was battered but unbroken, his every move calculated to maintain control of the chaotic fight. Around him, the other beasts circled warily, their riders shouting commands in the harsh, guttural tones of the ice elves.
"Bring it on," Cy muttered, raising his shield once more. His stance was unyielding, a bastion of strength in the icy fray.
Bella’s stance was solid, her Flame Shield blazing with intense heat, warding off the icy chill that radiated from the pack of wolves circling her. The creatures snarled, their icy breath cutting through the frigid air, but Bella’s confidence was unwavering. She had faced this kind of pressure before, and she was ready to show these frost-covered beasts the might of fire.
One of the wolves lunged first, its teeth bared, sharp as shards of ice. Bella reacted in an instant, her hand snapping forward as she thrust her staff into the air. The air around her shimmered as she invoked Flame Manipulation, and in the same fluid motion, a torrent of fire erupted from the staff’s tip. The flames shot forward in a violent stream, engulfing the wolf mid-air as it came toward her. The wolf howled in agony, its icy fur igniting, and it tumbled back, its body writhing in a desperate attempt to escape the searing heat. The creature’s struggles slowed as the flames consumed it, leaving only charred remains where the beast once stood.
Before Bella could even take a breath, another wolf, larger and more ferocious, surged forward, its eyes glowing with the cold of the Spirit World. Bella’s hand shot to the side as she chanted a quick incantation. With a flash of ethereal light, Summon: Lesser Fire Spirits materialized beside her. Two fiery beings, swirling with molten energy, took shape in the blink of an eye. They darted forward, their fiery forms moving with the swiftness of living flame. One of the spirits collided with the wolf’s flank, while the other spiraled into its legs, exploding on impact in a burst of heat and light. The wolf shrieked, tumbling backward, the force of the explosion knocking it off balance. The remaining wolves hesitated, their pack mentality shaken by the unexpected onslaught of flame.
Bella saw the opening. The moment the wolves recoiled, she raised her staff high, focusing the intense heat of her Will of Flames into a singular, concentrated force. Her body became a conduit for the power of the fire, her eyes glowing with determination. The very air around her crackled as the magic pulsed through her. She clenched her staff tightly, channeling every ounce of energy into the spell. A massive Fireball materialized in front of her, growing larger and larger as the flames coiled and danced around the sphere.
With a determined cry, she hurled the fireball forward. It tore through the air like a comet, trailing streams of fire and smoke. The blast hit with a deafening roar, vaporizing the snow beneath it and sending a shockwave that rocked the surrounding battlefield. Several wolves were sent sprawling by the force of the explosion, their icy bodies shattering upon impact. The riders were flung from their mounts, some losing their footing in the chaos. The intense heat melted the snow in a wide radius, leaving a barren patch of land marked by the destruction.
Bella’s breath came in quick bursts, her chest rising and falling with the exertion of the spell. The battle had not slowed, but she could feel the change. The wolves, although fierce and relentless, were beginning to falter. She wasn’t done yet. There was no room for hesitation in a fight like this. The icy creatures were fast, but her fire could melt through their defenses, and she was determined to prove that no amount of cold could withstand the fury of flame.
With a glance, Bella noticed the remaining wolves regrouping, eyes narrowing in on her as they prepared for another charge. A small smile crept onto her lips as she raised her staff once more, ready to unleash another fiery onslaught. Flame Manipulation surged through her body again, and she felt the heat of the Spirit World dance at her fingertips, a promise of more destruction to come.
Aisa moved like a shadow on the battlefield, her form barely visible in the chaos as she activated Ghost Step. The technique made her blend seamlessly with the environment, a blur of motion that left the enemy struggling to keep track of her. Each step was an evasion, a precise movement that carried her just beyond the reach of their weapons, her Silent Blade cutting through the air with deadly quiet efficiency.
An ice elf on a towering ice bear spotted her, his gaze narrowing with intent to strike. With a savage roar, the beast surged forward, its claws digging into the frozen ground as the rider aimed his spear at Aisa. The tip of the spear lunged toward her, but Aisa, moving with supernatural fluidity, phased through the strike, her body becoming a wisp of ethereal light that passed harmlessly through the attack. In the same instant, she reappeared on the bear’s back, her movements so seamless it was as if she had never left.
