Gravitas watched the battle unfold with a calm detachment. She didn’t have as much at stake as the tribesmen, but even she couldn’t remain unaffected by the widespread death and destruction. All across the battlements, dozens of skirmishes raged, as the Icefang warriors fought desperately to hold back their far more numerous foes.
The defenders were holding their own, but every so often, a tribesman would suddenly collapse. It became clear that the snakes weren’t trying to overwhelm them with one massive assault. Instead, they often retreated when pressured. However, even the smallest wound from their venomous weapons left a lasting mark, the poison slowly building up in their victims' bodies over time.
The eastern flank, where the coalition of Elders had gathered, saw this happen far more often. The enemy frequently exploited their lack of coordination to scale the wall without resistance, leading to bloody skirmishes to push them back. Still, the defense was holding for now, without showing any major weaknesses. If nothing changed, they might be able to hold...
Of course, the very moment that thought came to her, a change occurred.
Almost simultaneously, the nine Purebloods took action, with only Razeth and Polaris standing back. They spread themselves equally before the length of the wall, joining their troops in their assault—four to the west and five to the east.
Gravitas frowned. The eastern flank had been struggling, but they had enough powerhouses to fend off the assault. Their poor performance was purely due to disorganization, not a lack of individual strength. In contrast, the West only had Elder Fang and Frost, the overall commander. There was no way they could handle four Purebloods at once, especially with Frost being tied up in the center.
With a single leap, the Purebloods effortlessly scaled the walls. Elder Fang was ready, engaging two of them at once, but he could barely keep up and had no chance of handling the others. As a result, the remaining two wreaked havoc, moving freely through the ranks. Occasionally, they encountered a worthy opponent and exchanged a few blows, but no one could truly challenge them. Gradually, the tide of battle began to shift on the eastern wall.
“I’ll go,” Ash said after watching a few such exchanges. He glanced at Vulcanos, who had also stopped his onslaught to watch the changes on the wall. “Cover?” he asked, without adding any other explanation.
Vulcanos grinned, already channeling a massive ball of molten stone in his hand. With a single motion, he sent the projectile sailing across the wall and into the area beneath it. His strike didn’t hit anyone, but that had never been his aim. Ice and Snow melted instantly, and from the area of impact, a massive amount of steam emerged, shrouding the section of the wall.
Ash had disappeared from his spot, and there was no sign of him anywhere. However, Gravitas and Vulcanos weren’t worried, their eyes trained on a section of the wall. There, a Pureblood was eyeing the steam warily, but he dismissed it after a moment. The phenomenon posed no danger to him, after all. However, the moment he turned his back, a figure materialized from the smoke.
Daggers in hand, Ash silently lunged at his unsuspecting target, driving one blade into the man's chest and the other into his throat. Though mortally wounded, the man swung his spear wildly, but Ash had already vanished into the mist, leaving no trace behind.
"That won’t work a second time," Vulcanos murmured, though the big smile on his face showed how pleased he was. They had devised this maneuver long ago, and it was satisfying to see it succeed exactly as planned.
Ash emerged from the mist, heading straight for the remaining Pureblood on the eastern flank. This time, he didn’t rely on a surprise attack, confronting the man directly. They clashed once, then again, and a dozen more times in the blink of an eye. It was clear that Ash was no match for the Pureblood in terms of skill, but his ability to turn incorporeal prevented the enemy from landing a hit. More importantly, the Pureblood couldn’t afford to ignore him, as a sudden strike could still prove fatal.
Ash evidently knew this as he didn’t ever press his advantage. He was wholly content to keep the Pureblood busy, using his power sparingly. Gravitas and Vulcanos soon grew bored by the display, convinced that there would be no change to the fight in the short term. Instead, they inspected how the others were fairing.
In the center, Frost was locked in battle with Polaris. The siblings traded long-range attacks, seamlessly shifting between offense and defense, with Frost gaining a slight edge in most exchanges. However, Polaris wasn't fighting alone. Each time Frost gained the upper hand, Razeth intervened—hurling spears or releasing his poisonous mist. This forced the Commander to remain on the defensive, preventing him from helping in the other battles.
On the western flank, the five Purebloods were each engaged in combat with one of the Elders. Most of the fights were evenly matched, with no one showing signs of weakness—except for one. At the far edge of the battlefield, Elder Claw, Polaris's former fiancé, stood isolated. He faced a short-statured woman who effortlessly dodged his every strike. Not only was she one of the strongest Purebloods, but Elder Claw was also one of the weaker Elders, making their fight the most unbalanced.
Gravitas couldn’t fault him for his lackluster performance. He was doing better than any other tribesmen of his age, except for Frost. Still, he clearly lacked the experience and strength of the other Elders, and it seemed this matchup was chosen deliberately. Gravitas glanced at the likely mastermind behind this pairing. Polaris seemed indifferent to the fight, as if it were none of her concern.
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How vicious!
She had condemned her former fiancé to an early death and was now fighting her own brother. Gravitas had encountered many callous individuals and was familiar with scheming herself. However, turning against her own people like this was something she couldn’t grasp. From what she had heard, Polaris had never been mistreated in the tribe and had held a high position. What could have driven her to make such a choice?
It didn’t really matter now; she had made it. The real question was how to handle the current situation. Gravitas noticed that Vulcanos was already watching the fight between Elder Claw and the mysterious woman, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Before he could act on his desire, she spoke up quickly. “I’m going as well,” Gravitas said, pointing to the fight. When she saw the giant about to argue, she added, “You can assist in the battle from here, but I’m next to useless up top.”
Vulcanos's frown eased a bit. After a moment of thought, he nodded reluctantly. “Fine, I’ll stay. But the next one is mine!” he added with a grin.
Gravitas frowned beneath her veil but still nodded in the end. It was unrealistic to keep the man from fighting altogether, not if he was this eager. She just hoped that he would show some restraint when the time came.
A moment later, she leaped off the ledge, nullifying her momentum just before reaching the ground. She quickly ran along the wall. Compared to most of the tribe’s warriors, her physical strength was lacking. However, she had never relied on brute force. Agility, cunning, and her powerful ability were her weapons of choice, and she was eager to see how much her training had improved them.
It didn’t take long for her to reach the spot where Elder Claw was fighting. She quickly ascended the last set of stairs and saw the woman leaving another gash on the Elder’s chest. By now, he was bleeding from multiple cuts, and the veins in his face and neck were already turning blue. He was already deeply affected by the poison and likely to fall within minutes.
For a moment, Gravitas considered letting the man die before intervening. He had previously schemed against them and nearly succeeded in driving Frost from his post. However, she quickly discarded the thought. The man was fighting for the same goal and was a key part of their high-level combatants. It would be foolish to waste such an asset over a minor grievance.
Gravitas approached the duo openly, her presence unmistakable. She wasn’t one for ambushes, and her powers didn’t suit such tactics. More importantly, she disliked such methods. A proper duel should be conducted openly, face to face.
She had barely covered half the distance when the woman noticed her. Previously relaxed and toying with her opponent, the woman's guard went up immediately upon seeing Gravitas. Whether she had been warned or was simply unsettled by Gravitas’s unique appearance, it was clear that she didn’t underestimate her.
“Stay out of this, outsider,” she hissed. Gravitas didn’t respond or even slow her steps. “My father will let you go if you don’t interfere,” the woman tried again.
Gravitas reached the scene and shot a quick glance at Elder Claw. “Fall back,” she said, ignoring the enemy’s words. Whether the woman was truthful or not didn’t matter. Gravitas wasn’t about to place her life in the hands of a stranger. If she decided to retreat, she would do so on her own terms.
Taking her silence as her answer, the woman turned to face Gravitas, utterly disinterested in Elder Claw. By now, he could barely stand and posed little threat. The section of the wall was almost empty, leaving the area clear for their fight. This wasn’t due to any consideration; it seemed Elder Claw had lost all his allies after his fiancée betrayed the tribe. It was commendable that he had even dared to fight under these circumstances.
“Fine…” the woman said slowly, drawing out the word unnaturally. “I was getting bored with that toy anyway. Let’s see if you are more entertaining.”
Before she had even finished the sentence, the woman launched herself forward. Despite not having a tail, like most of her tribesmen, she still retained a similar level of agility. She approached with the ferocity of a thrown spear, a manic grin on her face. However, Gravitas had expected that move and was already prepared. Without as much as a twitch of her hand, her power snapped into place, reversing gravity in an area before her.
The woman slowed, her grin turning into a frown as she halted mid-jump. Instantly, she was propelled backward as if falling off a cliff, plummeting far faster than natural. Her weight seemed to double. She flailed her arms and legs, desperately trying to find traction, but the frozen ground offered little help as she shot away like a meteor.
With a bone-shattering crash, she slammed into the sheer cliff wall surrounding the battlements. Debris and shards of ice flew from the violent impact. Gravitas stood still, having moved not a single step. She watched impassively as the dust settled and the woman staggered out.
“What… the… fuck,” she huffed, angrily swiping away a trickle of blood that ran down her face. “What the fuck did you do?”
Gravitas remained silent, her eyes locked onto her target. It seemed Polaris hadn’t provided any information about her power, likely because she didn’t know about them either. That was good. Her innate abilities were hard to understand, and if one didn’t study them carefully, it was difficult to find her weaknesses.
Realizing Gravitas wasn’t going to explain, the woman’s anger subsided. Her eyes narrowed further, revealing pupils that were slightly elongated, like those of a reptile. This hinted that her bloodline wasn’t entirely pure after all.
“I am Zelkara, daughter of Shassra,” she announced calmly. “Who am I facing?”
Gravitas eyed her for a moment. She had refrained from speaking so far, but this was a sign of respect between warriors, and she had no intention of disrespecting such a worthy foe. “I am called Gravitas.”
“…Of what lineage?”
Gravitas remained silent. She had been brought to Korrovan as a child, being sold many times before she was even an adult. She had no idea about her heritage, nor had she ever met another Chimeroi similar to her. However, it didn’t matter; she had grown powerful under her own merits and not through the nurturing of her forefathers. However, her single name seemed a bit lacking at this very moment.
“I serve the Ruler of Blood, the scourge of the empire.”
“Ruler of Blood?” Zelkara repeated with a frown. “Never heard of them.”
Gravitas smiled behind her veil. “You will,” she said firmly, “…if you live long enough, that is.”