Chapter 254 – The Blue Hell and the Lightning Blade

Nathan Evenhart:

An orange glow cut through the rain toward me. I propelled myself with wind, dodging at the last second and crashing to the ground with difficulty. The impact was harsh, and the splashes of mud momentarily blinded me. A fire blast had struck exactly where I had been standing moments ago.

I managed to pinpoint the fire mage amidst the chaos.

Now, only the earth mage remains...

The storm dome that once enveloped the fortress had dissipated during the battle, leaving only scattered clouds in the sky. A steady drizzle mingled with the scent of burning and blood in the air. Explosions all around drowned out any sounds of the ongoing war outside the fortress. I wanted to know how the battle was progressing, but there wasn’t time.

A nearby explosion forced me to sidestep, stumbling away as stone and wooden debris rained around me. Flames licked at houses, and flaming arrows fell like deadly rain, slicing through the air with a fiery hiss. In front of me, a house collapsed in a wave of fire and rubble. Shielding my face, I braced myself. The blast's force nearly knocked me over, but I managed to stay on my feet.

Suddenly, a blue fireball tore through the darkness, slamming into the ground with a thunderous explosion that shook the earth. I conjured wind barriers, trying to contain the flames and the blast’s impact, but the sheer force hurled me backward, rolling across the muddy ground. The flames grazed me, scorching my skin and tearing at my clothes as I struggled to rise.

More fireballs followed, each one more devastating than the last. I shot bolts of lightning at them, destroying some before they could reach me. A particularly close explosion forced me to retreat again. Desperate, I stomped the ground, channeling thunderous energy. The earth responded, lifting debris and fragments, which I hurled as projectiles toward the fire mage.

I rushed at him, watching as he leaped nimbly onto the top of a watchtower. From there, he unleashed another barrage of fireballs, forcing me to zigzag through the burning street. The entire area was ablaze, the oppressive heat making the air nearly unbreathable.

With no other option, I dove through the shattered window of an abandoned house. Outside, I heard the roar of another explosion, and the street I had just crossed was consumed by blue fire. The heat radiated through the walls of the house. Gasping for air, I fought against the pain and exhaustion, trying to gather my strength for the next move.

He’s still on the tower… I need to take him down before the other mage gets here.

Bursting out of the burning house, I launched myself into the air with a burst of wind. Gathering mana in my hand, I conjured a spear of wind, its core crackling with electricity. The glowing weapon illuminated the dark battlefield, the thunderous energy coiling around it like a living force. With a firm motion, I hurled the spear at the fire mage’s tower.

The weapon streaked through the air, its impact on the tower creating a deafening explosion. Debris rained down as the structure crumbled in a cloud of fire and dust. Yet, the fire mage leapt away at the last moment, landing on a nearby tower, keeping his tactical advantage intact.

"You're no ordinary mage," he shouted from his new perch. "Who taught you magic like this? The kingdom knows nothing of your family's magical capabilities. The Evenhart Duchy is renowned for farming, not military training."

He unleashed more fireballs and gusts of wind, each attack precise and lethal. I dodged each one, scanning for an opening to counterattack. The battlefield around me was a chaotic wasteland of craters and debris, with every second narrowing my options.

"My family knows a thing or two about magic and combat," I muttered, skillfully dodging another fireball as I analyzed my options.

"That's against the kingdom's regulations," the fire mage laughed, his flames illuminating the desolate battlefield. "Your family never disclosed their capabilities to the kingdom. You're supposed to be Builders, not warriors. It is forbidden by the kingdom to possess this level of military capability without permission.”

"Fuck the kingdom," I replied coldly, my voice laced with contempt.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the earth mage running along the ruined walls, seemingly assessing the battlefield. He had yet to engage directly, likely waiting for the right moment to act.

"I understand your disdain," the fire mage continued, his tone dripping with irony as he launched more fireballs in my direction. "The kingdom seeks to control its vassals, especially the dukes. You rule strategic territories, so any sign of power rising makes them uneasy. They keep everyone under constant surveillance, yet they can't openly oppress you. After all, the people recognize your authority first."

I raised my hand, attempting once again to summon the Cursed Blade, but it didn’t respond.

"That sword of yours is a problem," the fire mage said with a sly grin. "Your strange magnet trick won't work. I stored it inside my storage bracelet. Once you're dead, I'll be more than happy to keep that enchanted relic for myself."

"I see…" I murmured, my words heavy with frustration and exhaustion.

Without wasting time, I leapt into the air, rushing toward him as I conjured a blade of wind with thunder pulsing at its core. Each step reverberated through the air, my determination outweighing the pain my body relentlessly reminded me of.

He reacted immediately, summoning dozens of flaming birds that soared toward me, their wings leaving scorching trails in the sky. I hurled my wind-thunder blade, detonating it mid-flight. The resulting explosions tore through the air, obliterating the flaming birds one by one. Gusts of wind and bursts of electricity scattered across the battlefield, but he moved quickly, weaving through the wreckage of houses and countering with more fireballs.

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I surged forward, and so did he. We both leapt simultaneously, converging mid-air. At the moment of impact, I conjured a wind barrier in front of me. He hadn’t anticipated it, and the collision caught him off guard. I seized the opportunity, rotating the barrier like a spinning shield and slamming it into him with force, sending him flying.

He hit the ground but quickly recovered, using flames to propel himself back into an attacking position. With a swift kick, he launched a boulder into the air and used fire to hurl it toward me. I narrowly dodged it and immediately sent a jolt of electricity through the water pooled around us.

He didn’t see it coming. His eyes widened as the shock coursed through him. Seizing the moment, I dashed forward, ready to finish him off. At the last second, however, he erupted in a torrent of flames, forcing me to retreat. The heat was so intense it evaporated the water around us instantly. The air turned dry and suffocating, and the once-steady rain had dwindled to a sparse drizzle.

I looked up. The remaining clouds in the sky were scattered, and my control over them had slipped away. My special eyes were faltering, the pain and exhaustion taking their toll.

"Shit!" I muttered through gritted teeth, feeling the weight of fatigue and reality pressing down on me. My resources were running thin.

The fire mage stood again, his grin reflecting his growing confidence. "Looks like you're at your limit," he taunted, his voice thick with mockery.

I charged toward the fire mage, grabbing a sword from a fallen soldier nearby. Explosions erupted around me as he continued his assault, but I dodged them, barely managing to stay protected by hastily conjured wind barriers. I climbed onto the rooftops, leaping between buildings to avoid the blistering heat that consumed the streets below.

The fire mage retreated, sending out waves of blue flames. He wasn’t stupid. He knew my mana was nearly depleted and that if this dragged on, he’d have the upper hand.

I surged forward, lightning propelling me with maximum speed. He raised his hand, summoning an enormous blast of blue fire that blocked my path. I focused on creating a tornado to pull the flames away, but the intensity of his fire was overwhelming. The wind couldn’t contain it.

Quickly, I released a burst of energy into the ground, causing a chunk of stone to rise in front of me. The fire followed the rock like a ramp, leaving a small gap underneath. I rolled across the ground, sliding beneath the fiery barrier. The heat scorched the skin on my hands and knees, but I pressed on.

As I closed the distance, he began conjuring another fireball. I didn’t give him the chance. I lunged with my sword, slashing toward him. He raised his forearm to block, but the blade tore through his flesh, leaving a deep gash that spilled blood.

"Dammit, kid!" he yelled, swinging his free hand to unleash a blast of flames. I dodged with precision and, in one swift motion, sliced off one of his fingers. His scream echoed as he stumbled back, trying to ignite himself in a fiery explosion to push me away.

I conjured a wind barrier, shielding myself from the blast and using the force to hurl him against a wall.

"AHHH!" he screamed as I drove the sword into his stomach, twisting it viciously. The sound of tearing flesh was muffled by his cries of agony.

Without hesitation, I grabbed his throat, my hand crackling with electricity. He writhed as the energy scorched his skin, the smell of burning flesh filling the air. His neck darkened, charred black, as his body convulsed.

"Enough!" he shouted desperately, conjuring one last fireball in his hand. I couldn’t react in time. The explosion hurled me backward despite the wind shield I tried to summon. I tumbled across the ground, my vision spinning as the impact rattled my entire body.

I staggered to my feet, panting heavily. My right arm was burned, pain surging with every slight movement. I glared at the mage, who clutched his neck with trembling hands, his face twisted in agony. The burn on his throat was so severe he could barely produce a sound. He tried to curse at me, but only raspy, choking noises escaped.

I darted forward and delivered a sharp kick to his stomach, sending him sprawling backward. He hit the ground, but even in his battered state, he attempted to retaliate with a burst of fire. His movements were instinctual, frantic, as he fumbled with his storage bracelet. He was trying to retrieve something, likely a healing potion. Before he could fully act, he hurled another fireball at me, forcing me to retreat momentarily.

The mage struggled to his feet, stumbling toward the potion that had fallen from his bracelet. Electricity surged through my arms, and I fired. The bolt struck him square in the chest, slamming him into a nearby wall with bone-shattering force.

"Not so fun being the prey now, is it?" I sneered, walking toward him. He tried to push himself up but collapsed immediately, reduced to crawling toward the fallen potion. Desperation radiated from him as he stretched out his hand, reaching for salvation.

I stepped on his hand with all my weight, crushing his fingers beneath my boot. His eyes met mine, wide with terror and hopelessness. He wheezed, struggling to breathe, his throat too burned to function properly.

"Let me help you with that," I said coldly. "How about we open that throat a little wider?"

I flipped him onto his back with my foot and pressed my boot against his chest, pinning him to the ground. Nearby, I spotted a jagged stone and picked it up.

"Open your mouth!" I commanded, forcing the rock into his jaw. He tried to resist, but with a swift motion, I shattered his remaining hand. The stone wedged into his mouth as he struggled, his eyes bulging with panic.

"Let me help you," I murmured, raising my hand, now surrounded by swirling wind energy. With a precise strike, I drove the stone deep into his throat. His scream of pain was immediately muffled, turning into a grotesque sound of choking.

I removed my foot from his chest, watching as he writhed on the ground in agony. He tried to get up, stumbling over his own feet as he gasped desperately for air. Before he could crawl far, I fired a small bolt of lightning into his back, slamming him down again. He convulsed, his struggles accompanied by the soft patter of rain around us.

"My cousin almost died choking on her own blood, you know?" I said, my voice low and dripping with disdain as I approached him. His panic-stricken eyes locked onto mine as he thrashed helplessly on the ground, unable to make any sound beyond grotesque gurgles. His skin began turning a sickly shade of purple from the lack of oxygen.

"She suffered so much with that punctured lung," I continued, my tone now cold and merciless. "Even after the healing mages stabilized her, she spent hours fighting to breathe, choking, drowning in her own blood. Every single breath was torture. They had to watch her constantly, making sure she didn't die while the magic worked slowly to repair the damage."

I knelt beside him, staring at him with expressionless eyes. "I want you to know exactly how she felt," I whispered. "The terror of suffocating, using every ounce of strength left to fight against something you can't overcome. Feeling powerless. Burned by a mage while struggling to stay conscious. That’s what she endured in that battle."

He thrashed violently, his body trembling as he clawed desperately at his throat, trying to dislodge the stone. I watched the terror in his eyes shift into pure despair. And it didn’t stop me.

I raised my hand, summoning a small flame with immense focus. My body trembled from the effort, but I forced myself to continue, channeling the power of my special eyes to shape the fire. "Now, there’s just one thing left," I said, the flame flickering between my fingers. "Burning your body while you choke."