Zorr had always been cocky, but the expression on his face now, as he had Echo and Dalamir surrounded by his men, transcended even that. Echo had the urge to charge directly at him and thrust her sword straight through his wide smug smile. A glance to her left showed that Dalamir shared her sentiment, barely refraining from growling.

“Where is our great leader Eloken?” Zorr asked, waving his hands theatrically.

“I could ask the same about your chieftain Joixari,” Echo responded, gripping her sword tighter.

Zorr just laughed, not answering the question and not asking further about Eloken. Instead, he made a gesture to his soldiers, and those who hadn’t drawn their weapons did so.

“It would be wise for you two to surrender, to save us some time,” he said, his smile slowly fading.

“No chance,” Echo said, and at the same moment, she and Dalamir charged at Zorr and his aides.

Dalamir went for a warrior in armor similar to theirs, while Echo charged directly at Zorr. She heard the clash of Dalamir and the Armored Warrior just before she reached the spot where Zorr was standing. She moved extraordinarily fast in her enchanted armor, but Zorr was like lightning, using Vis.

Echo had only sparred with Eloken once in her new armor and had not fared well. While she was unstoppable to ordinary people, she was still quite weak compared to those who could use sources of power.

She knew Zorr could definitely use Vis, Vit, and Tem, and there was a possibility he had managed to connect with another source since then. Regardless, the combination of the three sources she was sure he could use was deadly, and Echo had to fully concentrate.

The moment she leaped to a position where she could reach Zorr with her sword and swung, he was already at her right side, drawing his sword. Out of the corner of her eye, Echo saw it was a sword similar to hers, logically he had access to an enchanted sword as well. Using her increased speed and good reflexes, she managed to turn and raise her sword to head level just in time to keep it on her shoulders.

The sword clash was so strong that she felt it throughout her body. Zorr was using Vis to amplify his strength. He didn’t give her a second to regroup, attacking with a barrage of swings and strikes that she barely avoided and deflected with her sword while retreating uncontrollably.

Dalamir managed to handle the armored warrior one-on-one, but then a person with a wand joined the fight, making it unfair. After a swing from the armored warrior, Dalamir managed to duck under him and ram him with his shoulder, sending him off balance. Just as he moved to deliver a finishing blow, a ball of intense fire engulfed him. He managed to protect his head with his gauntlet, but felt the heat through his armor and was sure he had sustained burns underneath.

Thinking quickly, he spotted one of the ordinary soldiers with a long rectangular shield, charged at him, quickly overpowered him, and took the shield to try to defend himself from the fire. A second later, another fireball flew at him. He raised his newly acquired shield just in time to protect himself from the direct hit. The shield barely held but heated up so much that it began to melt at the edges. Dalamir had to discard the shield, and at that moment, the armored warrior crashed into him at full speed, knocking both of their swords loose as they tumbled across the wooden deck of the ship, breaking everything in their path.

Echo could only catch glimpses of this while dodging Zorr's attacks. She couldn’t think about Dalamir and his fate; he wasn’t that fragile, he would survive on his own. Echo was thinking about how to go on the offensive; this method of fighting didn’t suit her. Sooner or later, her concentration would lapse, and that would be the end of her.

She tried to follow Zorr's attack pattern, but he wasn’t a trained swordsman, so he attacked more or less randomly. Still, she could use that to her advantage. Echo took a deep breath, focusing on Zorr's movements. He was quick, unpredictable, but not invincible. She needed to find a way to turn his erratic attacks against him. As she dodged another wild swing, she noticed a slight hesitation in his follow-through. It was a small opening, but it was something.

Dalamir, meanwhile, was struggling with the armored warrior, now disarmed and grappling on the deck. The heat from the previous fireball still lingered, and the pain from his burns was making it hard to concentrate. He had to end this quickly. Using all his strength, he pushed the warrior off him, sending him rolling across the deck. The wand-wielder was already preparing another fireball, this time aiming at Echo, and Dalamir knew he couldn't let that happen.

With a burst of speed, he lunged at the wand-wielder, knocking the wand from her hand and delivering a powerful punch to their face. The wand-wielder stumbled back, dazed. Dalamir didn’t want to give her a chance to recover and dove for his sword that lay on the floor. The wand-wielder still dazed held her face as blood spilled out of her nose and tried to compose herself, but it gave enough time to Dalamir to grab his sword and with swift motion end her life.

Echo saw it and nodded in thanks in between Zorr’s attacks as Dalamir resumed his fight with the armored man.

Zorr's eyes flared with anger as he saw his ally with the wand fall. His rage seemed to ignite a darker power within him. He began to mutter incantations under his breath, drawing on the power of Tem. Echo felt a chill run down her spine as she recognized the change in his demeanor.

In an instant, Zorr's movements became almost imperceptible to the naked eye. He was moving with such speed that Echo knew he was using Tem and that for him time slowed down and he had every advantage over her. She knew of Tem pretty well but had never faced it in combat and only sparred with Eloken using Tem once, and that was before she had her new armor. For her, It was as if Zorr had become a blur, a living phantom that could strike from any direction.

Echo steeled herself, knowing she had to stay calm and focused. She couldn’t rely on her speed alone; she needed to predict his attacks. She remembered Eloken's words when they sparred, focusing on the subtle cues that preceded each move.

Zorr’s first strike came from her left, his sword aiming for her side. Echo anticipated the attack, bringing her own sword up just in time to block it. The force of the blow reverberated through her arm, but she held firm. For her Zorr vanished and reappeared behind her, his sword slashing downward. Echo rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike.

Dalamir, seeing Echo's struggle, tried to join the fray, but the armored warrior blocked his path, renewed in his efforts. Dalamir knew he had to finish his opponent quickly if he was to help Echo. He feinted left, then spun right, aiming his sword into a gap in the warrior's armor. But the warrior predicted his attack and closed his arm in time to not get stabbed and trapping Dalamir's sword in the process. He then slammed his gauntlet first into Dalamir’s helmet knocking him down and making him lose his sword once again.

Echo was barely keeping up with Zorr’s relentless assault. She needed to disrupt his rhythm. As Zorr lunged at her again, she threw a handful of dirt from the deck into his eyes. It was a desperate move, but she hoped it would work. Unfortunately for her it did not work, but backfired as Zorr in his Tem-enchanted speed and strength redirected the dirt at her blinding her momentarily.

She then felt a hit to her left side and crackling as her armor broke under the force of Zorr’s strike, then another at her right side and back. She felt immense pain through her body as she fell down to her knees. She noticed she couldn't move as fast as she used to in the armor, it would seem that the armor had lost its enchantments.

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“Time to ends this,” Zorr said with a straight face now. “Can’t waste time on the two of you anymore, there are more important things to do.” He stood above her his sword raised.

Echo lowered her head slightly, practically accepting her fate. Zorr was simply too powerful with his abilities for her. She had to hope that Eloken would arrive soon to save the rest of the fleet from complete slaughter. As Zorr stood over her and muttered something else, a primal, otherworldly roar echoed above them.

“What in the world is that?” one of the soldiers yelled, looking up at the sky. The rest followed his gaze.

Echo wanted to use the moment of distraction to thrust her sword into Zorr's leg, but he, still under the influence of Tem, reacted in time and kicked her helmet, knocking her completely to the ground. Lying on the deck, she saw what everyone was looking at: a massive creature flying through the sky, wings spread wide, breathing fire. She squinted as the creature flew closer to their ship, and she could swear she saw two figures riding it.

“Eloken and his protege,” Echo muttered to herself with a slight smile.

The creature soared above the ship, and from its massive back, who else but Eloken leaped gracefully forward, landing with a roll and standing upright.

“What did I miss?” he said, spreading his arms and looking around, seeing Echo and Dalamir on the ground, defeated.

“I think I came at the right time,” he added with a smile. “Looks like you two could use some help.”

“No, we have everything under control,” Echo said, feeling an immense relief that she probably wouldn't end up dead, at least not in the next few seconds as it had seemed.

“Welcome, Teacher,” Zorr said, his cocky smile plastered on his face once again.

Echo noticed that Eloken was as surprised as she was to hear Zorr's voice. He must have expected Joixari on this ship. “Zorr, my biggest failure, good to see you too.”

Without any more words, the two charged at each other, and Echo couldn’t help but smile as Zorr now was the one fighting for his life with Eloken attacking with all his might using the combination of the same three sources Zorr used on her.

She managed to remove her helmet, then worked her way on removing her gauntlets. The armor, without its enchantments, was a dead weight for her now. She needed to get rid of it. Luckily, it was designed to be removable by the person wearing it. It took her almost a minute, but she did it. Now without the dead weight and with only her sword, she decided to help Dalamir, who had managed to regain his sword and was in a brawl with the armored warrior once again.

On her way to join them, she was intercepted by ordinary soldiers who had finally joined the fight. She engaged in combat with five of them. She had to be very careful now; without her armor, any hit could be fatal. So she took it slow, one soldier at a time. Her strikes were more precise, and she kept her distance. She still had the huge advantage of her enchanted sword, and the soldiers charging her were aware of that.

Above them, the creature Cel was riding was breathing fire and letting out deafening screeches, but Echo managed to tune them out. The soldiers attacking her were not so fortunate.

Echo's focus on the soldiers in front of her remained unbroken despite the chaos around. Each clash of her sword against theirs was deliberate and calculated. She parried and struck with the precision of someone who knew that a single mistake could be fatal.

One soldier lunged at her, and she sidestepped, bringing her sword down on his exposed back. He fell with a grunt, and she turned to face the next attacker. They came at her simultaneously, but she ducked and rolled between them, rising behind one and driving her sword through his back. She pulled her sword free and blocked a strike from the other soldier, pushing him back with a powerful kick.

While Echo fought off the soldiers, Dalamir was locked in a fierce struggle with the armored warrior. The two of them exchanged brutal blows, neither gaining the upper hand. Dalamir's burns throbbed with each movement, but he pushed the pain aside, focusing on his opponent. The armored warrior was strong, but Dalamir had the advantage of experience and street brawls. He ducked under a heavy swing and delivered a powerful punch to the warrior's side, followed by a swift kick to his knee, making him stagger.

With the armored warrior momentarily off balance, Dalamir seized the opportunity. He drove his sword into the gap in the warrior's armor, piercing his side. The warrior let out a roar of pain, but Dalamir didn't let up. He twisted the blade and pulled it free, delivering a final, powerful strike to the warrior's neck. The armored warrior fell to the deck, lifeless.

Echo dispatched the last of the soldiers attacking her and rushed to Dalamir's side. "You okay?" she asked, panting.

"I've been better," Dalamir replied, clutching his side. "But I'll live."

Their attention turned to Eloken, who was locked in a deadly duel with Zorr. The two warriors moved with a speed and grace that was almost impossible to follow. Eloken's strikes were precise and relentless, while Zorr's movements were wild and unpredictable, fueled by his anger and desperation.

Echo and Dalamir knew they couldn't interfere in this battle; it was beyond their abilities. Instead, they focused on securing the area, ensuring no more enemies would interrupt the fight. They moved swiftly, taking out any remaining soldiers and making sure the deck was clear.

As they fought, Echo kept an eye on Eloken and Zorr. Despite Zorr's furious attacks, Eloken seemed to have the upper hand. His calm and controlled movements contrasted sharply with Zorr's erratic strikes. Eloken's experience and mastery of the sources of power were evident in every move he made.

Finally, with a powerful strike, Eloken disarmed Zorr, sending his sword flying across the deck. Zorr stumbled back, panting and clutching his side where Eloken had struck him. Eloken stood tall, his sword pointed at Zorr's chest.

"It's over, Zorr," Eloken said, his voice calm but firm. "Surrender."

Zorr's eyes blazed with fury and defiance. "Never," he spat, lunging at Eloken with his bare hands.

Eloken moved swiftly, sidestepping Zorr's attack and delivering a powerful blow to his back with the hilt of his sword. Zorr fell to his knees, gasping for breath. Eloken stepped in front of him, sword still raised.

"You've lost," Eloken said, “Stay down!” He yelled now, but he didn’t want to kill him, he needed him at least for the interrogation.

But Zorr wouldn’t stop, he stood up again, his Vit healing his wounds and hard hits to the head.

“Never!” He muttered blood all across his face.

At that moment Dragon flew over the boat again and someone else jumped on the boat, landing a lot less gracefully than Eloken and almost knocking a soldier that was still standing down. It was Cel.

“What did I miss?” She said as she stood up.

“This man doesn’t want to stay down,” Eloken said pointing his sword to the bloodied Zorr. “Can you take care of that?” He asked her and Zorr was visibly confused why would Eloken ask her.

“I’ll see what I can do, my reserves are almost completely gone,” Cel said and concentrated for a second.

"What is happening?" Zorr said with shaky voice, starting to sway as he grabbed one of the pillars to keep from falling. But soon after, his grip weakened, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Is he asleep?" Echo asked.

"I guess so..." Cel replied with a big smile.

"What the hell happened here?" Eloken asked them.

"We walked into an ambush here," Echo said, pointing to the rocks and narrow sea passages. "Dalamir and I cleared out the pirate ships that ambushed us, and everything almost went well, but then they started shooting those arrows and creating blockades. So, the two of us had to jump in without a plan, and the rest you saw when you landed here."

"Casualties?" Eloken asked, concerned.

"We lost at least seven or eight ships. Some were sacrificed deliberately by the general, and others, unfortunately, were too slow."

"Damn..." Eloken said. "It could have been worse... One more thing worries me, where is Joixari?"

"I've been wondering that the whole time, something smells fishy here." Dalamir added.

"We'll have to ask Zorr when he wakes up. Let's finish this battle somehow and then tackle one problem at a time," Eloken said, and the others nodded in agreement.

As they were thinking about a plan to proceed, the air around them began to swirl, and a strange energy could be felt. Echo looked around and recognized from Cel's expression that she knew what was happening.

"What is this?" she asked.

"I felt this when Tuk made a portal..."

"Tuk? A portal?" All three of them questioned.

"Long story, we'll talk about it later..." Cel said, and all three turned towards the place where a rift in reality was forming, creating a black spot in the air.

The three of them drew their weapons and assumed a stance, while Cel stood relaxed to the side as this phenomenon formed into an irregular circle and the image on the other side sharpened, showing a kitchen? Echo wasn't sure, but the room on the other side looked like a kitchen at the academy, it was a bit blurry, but that was it.

Then, through the rift, appeared a chubby boy with well-known rosy cheeks.

"Tuk, what are you doing here?" Cel wondered. "And how can you make a portal here? Don't you need to be at that place first to make a portal?"

"That's what I thought too," Tuk said sheepishly. "But I felt your presence and somehow found you, but that's not important now."

"What is happening here?" Eloken asked, confused.

"The academy is under attack," Tuk said to their horror. "Joixari and his army are at our gates!"