After those memories faded into the background of her mind, Ariadne gave a slow sigh and pulled the sword. The same thing happened; the guardian came out of the portal, and there was nothing different in his appearance. However, this time, Ariadne got into position right after assuming a battle stance and looked at Edmund momentarily.
‘Follow me.’ She spoke in a soft, calm voice.
Ariadne dashed forward toward the guardian, followed by Edmund, who was surprised by her attitude. Still, there was no time for thinking as she swung her sword, and the guardian swiftly blocked and didn’t move an inch, looking at her with a cold, expressionless face. Edmund came from above, trying to strike its other side, but the guardian pushed Ariadne's sword away and blocked Edmund's. With that, the battle began.
The two in the distance, mouths open, were in complete disbelief. The cameraman pointed his device at the fight but didn’t see anything; it was so fast that he couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Sorth saw the fight but didn't understand. One of her hands covered her ears because of the sound the clash of the swords was making.
‘Wait, the two are fighting against one another as well?’ Sorth focused and trying to understand the fight.
‘Yeah, Edmunds and the duchess's swords are clashing too; at least, is what it looks like.’ The cameraman spoke with a tone of confusion.
When Edmund blocked an attack from the guardian, his sword moved away, hitting Ariadne's sword. This caused her to move and strike the guardian from another direction. Their dance continued with flips as if their bodies were trying to follow the flow of the force of each strike coming from the guardian.
This made the guardian move back and even avoid some strikes, all coming from Ariadne. Edmund knew the guardian didn’t fear being stroked by his blade; it was more like if his blade hit him, the guardian wouldn’t have time to block or evade the next coming from Ariadne, so he blocked or avoided his strikes.
One thing Edmund noticed was how different he felt fighting against him compared to how the hero did before. He felt like his strikes did nothing to him, a nuance and nothing more; they needed the mortar strikes to begin.
Ariadne was focused entirely on the fight. Every inch of her body was present and in any direction. Her movements were precise, and the openings were intentional, trying to bait the guardian into committing an attack and giving Edmund an opportunity.
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Suddenly, Ariadne jumped, grabbed the guardian's head, and pushed it towards the ground, making him bounce once on the floor because of how strong the impact was, giving him no time to react. Edmund came while cutting the floor and slashed upward, launching him toward the ceiling. At the same time, as soon as Ariadne touched the ground, she swung her sword like a bat, aiming at the guardian.
Still, there was no ball to be hit, only Edmund’s feet touching the flat surface of her sword and being launched towards him at an extraordinary speed. In that short time, he positioned his sword, ready to strike the guardian, and so he did, launching him back to the ground.
All damage Edmund inflicted on him was healed almost instantly, while the damage Ariadne had inflicted when she slammed him on the ground was still there. The guardian's eyes were fixated on Ariadne as he flew back to the ground, and she ran towards him with each step closer and closer until she was in range to strike him again. He used his sword to block her sword, but because he was in midair, she launched him against one of the massive pillars on the side of the temple.
From Sorth's perspective, they looked like ghosts. She could see them, but she couldn't understand them. The cameraman followed their movements, but understanding what was happening was a different task.
Edmund continued to fly toward the ceiling, but he curled his body in a ball, making his body turn. His feet touched the ceiling, and he wasted no time launching himself toward the guardian on the pillar.
At the same time, Ariadne launched herself against him; the two struck him simultaneously, but the guardian, who had recovered himself just a moment earlier, defended Ariadne’s strike with his sword and took Edmund’s strike on his shoulder.
The two widen their eyes as, in an instant, Edmund’s blade that had entered his body was pushed away, making Edmund back out a little and be in an attack position. The cold gaze of the guardian’s eyes was now directed at Ariadne, and when she was going to back out, he punched her in the face, making her fly and just lay on the ground.
On the other entrance to the temple, a soldier walked up the stairs just in time to see in the distance Ariadne be punched, making him quickly get his radio while taking cover by the side of the entrance.
‘Command, I’m here, and it was quicker than we expected; initiate Starfall NOW!!!.’ He shouted.
‘Understood.’ The operator replied.
He turned around and looked at Alon’s back for a moment before speaking.
‘He is requesting for the Starfall, sir.’ The operator spoke in a calm tone.
Alon turned around and gave him a firm nod with a serious expression.
‘Command to all units; initiate Starfall.' He spoke in a firm and calm tone.
It was the code name they gave for the indiscriminate use of the mortars on the frontlines; it would give the soldiers breathing room and weaken the guardian because of the number of casualties it inflicted on the demon lord soldiers.
They began to call, and the mortars flew. At the same time, the guardian was walking towards Ariadne, completely ignoring Edmund. Although he had no expression, the young man could feel that he was playing around by just walking and not fully attacking Ariadne, who was on the ground. He looked at his blade, full of dents, and no light emanated from the sword's crystals.
‘I think I’m going to die; well, you win some and lose some.’ Edmund chuckled.