For a tense moment, silence hung thick in the air. No one stepped forward from the shadows. Linus’s patience was wearing thin—he needed to draw them out. Raising the Phoenix’s Heart gem high above his head, he let its strange, otherworldly light spill across the darkened landscape. he called out. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the gem into the air, watching it arc gracefully against the backdrop of the night sky.
Everyone hesitated for a heartbeat, trying to discern what Linus had thrown. As realization dawned, they surged forward, abandoning cover and scrambling to intercept it. Linus stepped back, eyes sharp as he watched the two factions collide in a burst of chaos.
In the chaos, Linus spotted Aria’s lithe form, her movements swift and deadly as she fought alongside her co-star. The mysterious light mage, always elusive until now, was fighting with them, his presence unmistakable in the glow of his light-infused attacks. They moved with precision, each anticipating the other’s movements with a seamless rhythm born of countless hours of training.
The second group, equally formidable, also consisted of three figures. One of them was unmistakable—the Sorenputhra spy who had escaped Linus before. But it was the figure beside him who made Linus’s pulse quicken. A man wielding a unique flame-wreathed blade, Devour Claw, his stance and stature unmistakable—Louis Rutherford, the fiancé of Princess Elara, Mara’s older sister and the first daughter of King Aldric. Louis’s fierce loyalty to Sorenputhra and his rumored influence over Elara had made him a pivotal figure in the political dynamics between the two kingdoms. His reputation as a fire mage was formidable, and tonight, he was living up to it.
The third figure wielded a staff, invoking spells of light with practiced intensity. Unlike the mage in Aria’s group, this one needed the staff to channel his power, but his spells were potent nonetheless, illuminating the clash with flashes of searing brightness.
Linus’s mind raced. He had expected Sorenputhra’s involvement—he had counted on it. That was why he had instructed Marcus to float whispers of the Phoenix Blade, baiting the right ears, ensuring the legend reached the very people he wanted to ensnare. If Sorenputhra believed Aldric’s kingdom had knowledge of such an artifact, it would stoke tensions between the two factions. And if Louis himself took the bait, all the better—his well-documented interest in legendary weapons and artifacts made him an ideal pawn in Linus’s larger game.
But Louis being here in person? That he hadn’t accounted for.
Linus had anticipated agents, perhaps a high-ranking emissary or an elite strike team, but not the man himself. Louis’s presence meant two things: first, that the Phoenix Blade was being taken very seriously by Sorenputhra. And second… Louis wasn’t just interested in the blade—he wanted it for himself.
That changed things.
Linus’s lips curled into a small, unreadable smirk. If Louis was personally invested, then the stakes were higher than he’d originally calculated. That meant more danger but also—if played correctly—more opportunity.
This just got even more interesting.
Provoked by the sight of the gem, the two groups launched into action. Aria and her partner surged forward, their blades creating a dazzling combination of lightning and water. The Sorenputhra spy countered with a forceful gust of wind, pushing them back momentarily. Louis's blazing sword clashed with Aria's lightning-infused blade, sending sparks flying in all directions. Meanwhile, the Sorenputhra light mage cast a blinding flash, trying to disorient Aria's team.
Aria’s partner sliced through the blinding light with a water blade, diffusing the brilliance into a mist. Seizing the moment, Aria unleashed a precise lightning strike, illuminating the clearing in a crackling glow. The Sorenputhra spy, not missing a beat, lifted debris from the forest floor with his air magic, hurling it toward Aria’s team. In response, Aria's light mage summoned a reflective barrier, deflecting the debris harmlessly to the side.
Louis unleashed a sweeping arc of fire, forcing everyone to retreat as the intense flames scorched the ground, forming a temporary barrier. Aria’s partner responded swiftly, dousing the flames with a barrier of water, giving their group a moment to regroup.
With fierce focus, the Sorenputhra spy conjured a vortex of air, pulling leaves and debris into a chaotic whirl and hurling it at Aria’s team. Aria’s light mage countered with a powerful shield of light, which absorbed the brunt of the attack before shattering. The brief reprieve allowed Aria’s partner to retaliate with a sweeping wave of water, washing away the remaining debris and securing their position.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
At this critical point, Aria’s light mage cast a nova spell, flooding the battlefield with blinding radiance. Disoriented for a moment, Louis quickly retaliated, summoning a ring of fire that tried to keep his opponents at bay.
The spy and Louis then combined their powers, creating a fiery whirlwind that swept through the clearing. The destructive force uprooted trees and sent debris flying in every direction. Aria’s group reacted swiftly—her partner summoned a massive wave that clashed with the fiery vortex, shrouding the area in steam and mist. Aria capitalized on the chaotic environment, channeling her lightning into the mud below, creating a hazardous trap for anyone attempting to cross the obscured ground.
As the battlefield turned treacherous, footing became difficult for all combatants. The spy took to the air, raining down gusts of wind on Aria’s team. Meanwhile, Louis charged through the muddy terrain, his fiery blade aimed at Aria. Their weapons clashed, sending shockwaves through the clearing.
The Sorenputhra spy swooped down, his mace glowing with air magic, aiming a powerful strike at Aria's partner. The water blade met the mace in mid-air, resulting in a burst of steam that briefly concealed the battleground.
Just then, Linus seized the critical moment to intervene. Shadow chains erupted from the ground, pushing back both groups as they attempted to evade or block the sudden assault. Linus advanced with a sinister calm, conjuring multiple shadow clones that circled both groups, adding to their confusion and desperation as the battlefield descended into controlled chaos under his command.
Linus’s voice thundered through the clearing, amplified by his shadow magic. Instantly, the combatants halted, their attention snapping to the source of the commanding tone. The shadows around Linus pulsed, forming an aura of undeniable authority. His eyes locked onto Louis, then shifted to Aria, ensuring that his presence held them all in thrall.
“Each of us holds something needed to enter the sanctuary,” he said coldly, his voice carrying a lethal edge. He focused his attention on Louis’s group, a faint
