Arayn stood atop the clock tower, his crimson gaze fixed on the departing figures of Valen and Kaelion. A faint smirk crossed his lips as he shifted his attention to Saria and the compound magic circle pulsing beneath her feet.
"That stupid worm," he muttered, his tone dripping with disdain. "And here I thought she'd become an interesting clown."
Though her aura radiated invincibility, Arayn’s keen mind quickly dissected the situation. Saria’s grand display was riddled with flaws. She couldn’t burn the entire town. Darius wouldn't let her flame reach the neutral zone. The fire would eventually extinguish, leaving her magic starved. Worse, her immobility tethered her to the magic circle, a fatal weakness if Valen had the wit to summon ritual rain from afar.
"Pathetic," Arayn mused, the smirk fading. Saria’s theatrics didn’t warrant his attention. Still, the souls she had collected posed a curiosity. She couldn’t have consumed them all to fuel the circle. They had to be stored somewhere, hidden but intact.
He turned, his cloak sweeping behind him as his thoughts shifted. The souls could wait; there were easier, more efficient ways to gather what he needed.
As Arayn turned to leave, a flicker of movement below caught his eye. He paused, his gaze narrowing as he spotted two figures sprinting through the streets toward Saria. One was unmistakably Eryndor, his long, dark hair and determined stride marking him even from this distance. Beside him ran a blonde woman clad in armor.
Arayn’s lips curled into a faint smile. "Well, well," he murmured to himself, leaning against the clock tower’s edge. "It seems the fool worm brought company."
The woman’s presence intrigued him. Her aura was strong—soothing yet overbearing. He didn't need to think long before guessing that the woman was the same person that had attacked Eryndor. Now that they seemed to get along, they made an unpredictable pair, and unpredictability always had the potential for amusement.
Arayn folded his arms, his crimson eyes fixed on the unfolding scene below. "Maybe this worm has more entertainment value after all," he muttered. He settled in to watch, eager to see how this new twist would unfold.
---
Aveline and Eryndor appeared before Saria. The heat from the burning surroundings pressed down on them. Aveline’s gaze was sharp, her hand resting near the handle of her axe, ready for whatever came next. She spoke first, “Are you the one who burned this town?”
Saria greeted them with an unsettling smile, her posture relaxed as though she were in control of everything. “Ah, Aveline, always so direct. And you... Eryndor, why is he still alive? I thought he would’ve been long gone by now.”
Aveline’s eyes narrowed, frustration flickering in her expression. “Don’t try to divert the conversation, Saria. Answer me.”
Saria’s grin remained unwavering. “Yes, I did it,” she admitted, the weight of her words hanging in the air. “I burned this town.”
Aveline’s brow furrowed, confusion lacing her words. “Why? You wanted the cult to be seen as an orthodox organization to the world, didn’t you? All of this… it will make the people hate the cult more than they already do.”
Saria laughed. “That’s what you believe? That’s what you’ve been told? I've lied to you, Aveline. I want the world to fear the cult, not worship it. I want them to understand our power. I want them to bow before me—unconditionally.”
Her words dripped with arrogance as she took a step forward, eyes cold as she met Aveline’s gaze. “And you? You’re useless to me if you can’t be of any value.”
With a casual flick of her wrist, she commanded her demonic fire golems to attack. Their massive forms moved swiftly, unleashing a barrage of fire cannons aimed directly at the two of them.
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Eryndor’s voice cut through the heat. “Aveline, we need to work together.”
Without hesitation, he raised his sword high. A brilliant light began to gather at its tip, and with a sharp motion, he unleashed a concentrated beam of energy, streaking through the air to meet the incoming fire.
[Azure Requiem]
Aveline, quick to follow his lead, swung her axe with power, sending a wave of energy in the form of a crashing shockwave that collided with the fire cannons. The two forces clashed in midair, an explosion of power and flame that lit up the already burning surroundings.
Eryndor and Aveline burst through the explosion's blinding flames. Without wasting a moment, they unleashed their abilities again. Eryndor’s blade arced, releasing a surge of energy that tore through one of the towering golems. Aveline’s axe cleaved with divine force, shattering another into molten fragments. Both golems crumbled into embers, but as the pair stepped into Saria’s magic circle, a massive pillar of flame erupted toward the sky.
The heat was blinding, but Eryndor and Aveline leaped back simultaneously, narrowly escaping the scorching inferno. When the pillar subsided, the golems they had just destroyed stood regenerated, their bodies reforming from the flames.
Saria’s laughter rang out. “As expected, you two are the strongest. To defeat a durable demonic beast with a single attack, you two are monsters, but don’t you see? I am endless within this magic circle. Let’s see who exhausts their stamina and mana first.”
Aveline’s expression tightened, frustration flickering in her eyes. “Saria, listen to me!” she called out. “You don’t have to do this. There’s still time to come back.”
Saria’s gaze hardened, her lips curling into a sneer. She ignored Aveline entirely, turning her attention to Eryndor. “Why are you still siding with her?” she demanded. “She’s a member of the Heralds of the Skyfather—our cult’s enemy. You know what you must do. Take her down.”
Eryndor’s grip on his sword tightened. “I will defeat her... but later. Right now, this is my chance to make you understand who I am.”
Saria scoffed, her tone laced with disdain. “Understand you? I have no interest in knowing more about my victim.”
She raised her hands, conjuring a large, glowing magic circle. The golems surrounding her poured their demonic mana into the sigil, which began to pulse with an ominous light. From its center, a colossal snake-shaped flame surged forth, its fiery body slithering through the air as it lunged toward Eryndor.
Eryndor met the attack head-on, his blade slicing through the serpent, splitting it into scattered fragments of flame. But the fire gathered again, re-forming into the snake’s menacing shape. It lunged once more, relentless in its pursuit.
Aveline took a step forward, clutching her axe tightly as she chanted, “Skyfather Auron, He who brings light to the dark, He who shields us from despair, bless this unworthy servant and banish evil from this world.”
A holy aura radiated from her, enveloping the serpent in its glow. The fiery creature hissed, its movements faltering as the divine light snuffed out its unholy energy.
Seizing the opportunity, Eryndor leaped forward, his sword slicing through the snake again. This time, it shattered into countless embers that failed to reform.
Saria only smiled. The golems around her once more funneled their mana into the floating magic circle, and another flame snake emerged, its fiery eyes locking onto them with renewed fury.
Eryndor’s jaw tightened as he realized the futility of their efforts. “This is endless,” he muttered.
Aveline nodded grimly. “We have to retreat. We can’t stop her like this.”
Without another word, they turned, moving swiftly away from Saria's madness, the flaming serpent trailing behind them until they went out of the range.
Eryndor glanced over his shoulder, noticing the fiery snake halting its pursuit. Its glowing eyes burned with rage, but it made no move to chase further. He narrowed his eyes, piecing it together. The serpent had a range.
Before he could speak, Valen and Kaelion emerged from the alley. Valen’s voice broke the tense silence. “Relax, we are not here to fight. We have a plan to stop Saria, but we’ll need to work together.”
Eryndor didn’t hesitate, nodding once. “Fine, but after we stop her, Saria stays alive. I won't allow her death.”
Valen’s lips curled into a faint smile, though his eyes held a darker intent. “Good. I’m glad to hear that.” His gaze shifted sharply to Aveline, standing nearby. His tone turned cold. “Now that we’re allies, Eryndor... let’s eliminate this woman.”
Without warning, Valen lunged, his spear aiming for Aveline’s chest, but the clash of steel rang out instead. Eryndor had intercepted the strike, his sword locking against the spear in a shower of sparks.
Valen’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “What are you doing, Eryndor?”
Eryndor held his ground. “I have unfinished business with her.”
He turned slightly, giving Aveline the briefest of nods. She hesitated, her lips parting as if to argue, but his expression left no room for debate. “Go,” he said firmly.
Aveline’s hand tightened on her axe, but she stepped back. “Thank you,” she whispered before turning and disappearing into the ruins of the town.
Valen’s gaze followed her retreat, his grip on the spear tightening. “You let her go? Do you understand what you’ve done?”
Eryndor shifted his stance, his sword still pointed toward Valen. “If you chase her, we’re done here. I won’t work with you, and Saria won’t be stopped. You decide.”
Valen’s jaw clenched, but after a long pause, he lowered his spear. "Fine. For now, Saria is the priority."