The clearing descended into mayhem.

Idwala, the Earth Reaper, stabbed her short spear into the ground, creating a resounding crack. Her strength caused the ground to give way. Jagged stone spikes sprung up, cutting through the soil like old claws reaching from the underworld.

Two of Urath's men didn't have time to yell. In the space of a heartbeat, they were pierced, their bodies hanging suspended, blood pouring in torrents, until the ground swallowed them whole, leaving only quiet.

Zima, the Ice Reaper, moved like a predator, his body a blur. The battlefield was his canvas, and frost tracked his every move.

The air was cold. An Incubus froze in mid-step, his breath condensing into a crystal prison as Zima's sickles arced through the cold air.

He then shattered into thousands of pieces with a single solid hit, leaving only shards of flesh and ice that glistened like broken glass.

Kaile’a, the Water Reaper, spun her taiaha gracefully. Its jagged leviathan teeth sparkled in the moonlight, capturing the bright radiance of the stars.

A serpent of water emerged from its apex, coiling and hissing like a living creature. The beast rushed forward, its watery coils wrapping around an Incubus and dragging him into the suffocating liquid cyclone.

His eyes widened in terror, clawing for his throat, but all that came out of his mouth was a final, gurgling gasp before the water swallowed him whole, his body twitching in useless fight as bubbles pooled out his lips.

Feng Li, the Air Reaper, was a mere murmur in the confusion, his figure flying back and forth, his motions too quick to track.

His twin Shanzi flashed each time, a silver flash, a deadly blur.

His opponent hardly had time to detect the movement before his throat was slashed clean through. The body fell silently, crumpling into the blood-soaked dirt like an abandoned shell.

Al'Sahra, the Sand Reaper, remained calm as two Incubi rushed him.

When they were just a few feet away, he raised his polearm axe and sliced the ground beneath him.

A dark sea of sand erupted forth, moving like a tidal wave. The grains rushed forward, engulfing both Incubus as they shrieked and devoured them.

The smothering sand muffled their frightened yells, and their struggles became ephemeral echoes before being completely gone.

Eldingar, the Lightning Reaper, clutched his twin short axes fiercely, which sparked with raw energy. Arcs of lightning flickered over the edges as he rushed forward.

His muscles rippled with strength as he sprang and swung his axes, a single arc tearing through the air and striking two guys.

They convulsed wildly, twitching as they were reduced to charcoal husks. The stench of burning flesh lingered, heavy and pungent, permeating the clearing as he landed.

As the Shadow Reaper Yamiko drew nearer to her victim in a hauntingly silent manner, she seemed to merge with the night. The wakizashi she wielded shimmered, a faint reflection of the moon's melancholy light, and she stalked her prey like death itself.

Her opponent's skull fell with a single clean motion - a quick cut - and his body crumpled in a lifeless heap without a single word.

No sound. Her footsteps faded into the darkness, leaving just a faint whisper.

The Poison Reaper, Venin, stood away from the chaos, his demeanor composed and steady. One Incubus summoned his demonic wings and charged, thinking he was an easier target.

The sword cane Venin wielded produced a toxic green mist that clung to the air in front of the Incubus.

He fought to dodge it, but the mist grew too thick, and the blade's poisoned edge struck, slowly melting the Incubus alive as he slumped, writhing on the ground, his throat closing as the toxin flowed through his veins.

Venin stepped harmlessly into the mist and stood over the dying Incubus.

The victim's scream was muffled into gasps as the venom worked its slow, painful magic before the saber silenced him.

Sach'a, the Plant Reaper, infused aura in her cholla staff, which surged with bright vitality.

The spiked point shone slightly, sending the air vibrating with energy. A giant thorny vine emerged from the undergrowth like a serpent, ensnaring one Incubus who charged.

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She waved her palm, and the thorns dug deep into his body, their ruthless hold strengthening with every struggle.

The Incubus tried to pull and scream, but the vine held him fast. His struggles slowed, then stopped, as his body collapsed from the impact of a hundred thorned stabs.

Urath stood motionless, his mouth hanging open in astonishment at what he was seeing.

His men - his pack - were being slaughtered with an undeniable ferocity, one by one. It was as though each Reaper had mastered the art of death itself, moving through the chaos as though it were second nature.

Every single one of them was like a conductor destroying the battlefield in a horrible symphony of violence.

Elements wreaked havoc on the once-proud Incubi of Urath's pack, leaving a trail of blood and twisted corpses.

His heart ached with loss, but he couldn't afford to wallow in sorrow. Like a funeral bell, the thoughts of his brothers' deaths rang in his head.

In order to concentrate, he pushed the agony to the side.

Redemption could only be achieved via retaliation.

To atone for their humiliation, one of them had to fall.

If he could take out even a single Reaper, the Torva would forever hold his reputation in high esteem, and his men's sacrifices would have some significance.

His wrath burned as his gaze fixed on the mastermind of this massacre. Agni, the Fire Reaper.

She remained still in the middle of the mayhem, her red eyes unwavering and unconcerned by the mayhem around her. Urath clenched his jaw.

She is the one to blame for this failure.

Because of her, his pack had been so easily defeated. Her calm, hard expression scorched him like a brand.

If any of you are to die here, it will be you.

Urath charged in with a fierce roar. He swung his sword rapidly across the air. With each blow, fury erupted in the form of a strike. All of his muscles begged for relief as his body wailed in pain.

He didn't care.

No, not yet.

Desperate to put an end to the Reaper who had brought them to this violent demise, his wrath drove him, and his blade acted as an extension of his rage.

But Agni remained quiet, a serene center in the midst of his storm. She maintained a fixed stare.

Once again, he swung viciously, slicing through the air with his blade.

I will carve her heart out, he thought, his vision clouded with bloodlust. I will ravage her body, claim her power! I shall make a child of Death beg for mercy!

His weary body struggled to keep up with his rage, and the sweat on his brow burned.

Agni, on the other hand, moved with ease and grace.

With a flick of her wrist, her dual Katar evaded his predictable attacks. Her expression turned deadly as sparks flew into the night from each collision of steel.

What gives you the will to stay alive? Urath thought, his rage increasing.

"You're finished, Urath," Agni remarked calmly, her voice cutting through the din of fighting. “ Cease now, and I shall kill you swiftly.”

“Never!”

Agni avoided another of his lunges like a dancer evading a clumsy partner.

Urath gritted his teeth.

His might was dwindling. His body was exhausted from the previous battle, and the weight of his anguish and rage made every thrust of his blade heavier and slower.

As Urath swung, memories of his fallen comrades flashed before his eyes. The last cries of those who had been torn apart by Agni’s team haunted his every movement.

You’re dead because of her. I’ll make sure she pays!

The fury burned hotter, but his arms trembled with fatigue, each swing heavier than the last.

"You can never stop the Torva!" Urath yelled, desperation seeping into his voice. He swung again, but this time with a clumsy motion. His limbs felt like lead. "Do you really believe you are protecting the human race?" You are nothing more than mindless slaves to an obsolete belief system! No matter how hard you fight, you can't kill us all! You won't!"

Agni's gaze was unyielding.

She sidestepped his strike again and swiftly dealt a devastating blow, sending the hilt of her Katar slamming into his chest with such force that he gasped for air.

Pain erupted in his ribcage. A searing, blinding ache. His breath hitched, and his body crumbled under the impact.

His vision dimmed, and the ground rose to meet him. His back smacked against a tree, splintering the bark from the power.

Blood poured from the corner of his mouth, mixed with the harsh taste of terror, dread, and something more he refused to admit: defeat.

He coughed, spitting blood, and struggled to rise. "You'll... never... win..." he exclaimed, his voice raspy with rage.

"You talk too much," Agni said as she inspected him.

Urath, on the ground, could barely muster the strength to raise his blade.

Each breath was a fight, with burning stinging his ribcage with each inhalation. His body, wounded and beaten, betrayed him.

The anger within him was the only thing stopping him from succumbing to the torture. But even it was starting to vanish, like smoke in the wind.

I will not die like this! There was a moment when Urath's vision wavered, but he kept conscious.

His men, or pack, had fallen. Their deaths would have been futile had he fallen.

Snarling, he dragged himself to his feet, his muscles wailing in pain. With shaky hands and a sword that trembled like a leaf in the wind, he raised his weapon.

"I am not finished, Reaper."

“You’ve already lost, Urath,” Agni said, her voice unwavering. She didn’t move to strike—she didn’t need to. “This ends with you, here and now.”

The words hung in the air.

Urath pushed forward, his steps unsteady.

With little control, his blade shook wildly. While she continued to stare at him with that damned, unimpressed attitude, he could hear the steady, rhythmic breath of Agni.

With his last ounce of strength, he lunged.