By the time she was twenty, Evelyn Ash had already etched her name into the chronicles of Vaelthor. They called her Lady Lavacantress—a title born not just from her unrivaled mastery of magma, bending rivers of molten rock to her will, but from a beauty so mesmerizing it drew noble suitors like moths to a flame, each vying desperately for her favor.
That same year, her first at Aurora Academy, she blazed as the brightest star among the new students—a potential level of 3.9 paired with a mana level already at 4, a rarity even among prodigies. Yet, mere months after her arrival, she stunned the continent: she left. To marry King Otto.
Did she want to wed at twenty? No one could say for certain. But Evelyn wasn’t just Evelyn—she was an Ash, Ash of Behemoth. Duty ran deeper than desire, and an Ash bore obligations that stretched beyond the whims of the heart.
King Otto was a visionary, a monarch whose ambitions towered over his era. He dreamed of curbing the sprawling power of the nobles, centralizing authority under the crown, and forging a constitutional monarchy from that iron grip. His ideas—radical, yet woven with surgical precision—found a kindred spirit in Ola, the already-legendary scholar whose intellect shaped the kingdom’s academic currents. From that alliance bloomed an unshakable partnership, united in their vision to reshape Auffre.
But Otto had an Achilles’ heel: he was no mighty mage. His magical aptitude hovered above average, his innate mana unremarkable. In a world where spellcraft crowned kings, his lack of overwhelming power was a chink in his armor, threatening to unravel his grand designs.
He needed a pillar of strength. Evelyn was the perfect choice.
With her at his side, Otto’s voice rang with newfound steel, his actions carried unshakable weight. Rumors swirled that something within him had shifted—that the middling mana once trickling through his veins now surged with a fiercer tide. Even Ola, his friend of years, felt the change. And Evelyn? She was happy—genuinely so. She revered her husband, believed in his dream, and saw in him a man destined to redefine the continent. Together, they would forge a new age.
Then came the Third Continental War, a decade past. King Otto, ever the idealist, refused to hide behind palace walls. He rode to the front, spells in hand, his vision burning brighter than ever. And there, amidst the clash of steel and spells, he fell.
Grief ignited into wrath.
Evelyn rose from the palace, shedding the guise of a consort. She stormed the battlefield, and the earth quaked beneath her fury. Molten rivers erupted at her command, swallowing all in their path. Enemy soldiers shrieked as their flesh petrified, entire legions frozen mid-step in grotesque, blazing statues. Fortresses melted, their stones consumed by a tide of liquid fire. The land warped into a volcanic abyss, a seething crater where her foes once stood.
Only then did the world recall her name.
The Lady Lavacantress had never faded. She had simply… waited.
And now, she was no mere lady. The name Lady Lavacantress was abandoned, replaced by something far greater. Something far more terrifying.
Empress Pyroclasm.
This was the mage BaiYun faced now.
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The battlefield lay scarred and smoldering, fissures glowing with the dull red of cooling lava, the air thick with the acrid scent of scorched stone. Qilin stood resolute between them, its majestic form radiating an otherworldly calm that smothered the last tendrils of Evelyn’s molten fury. Its presence pressed against her like a tangible force—an ancient, unyielding power that made even the Empress Pyroclasm pause, her violet eyes narrowing as she assessed the beast.
“What manner of creature is this?” she wondered, a flicker of intrigue stirring beneath her iron composure.
Her gaze shifted to BaiYun—blood trickling from a gash on his shoulder, his blistered hand trembling from the melted spear he’d clutched moments before, his chest heaving with labored breaths.
“He’s endured this far… against me,” she thought, a reluctant pang of respect tugging at her. She let her mana dissipate, the heat fading as she lowered her hands, the ground beneath her hissing faintly as it cooled.
BaiYun staggered upright, clutching his wounded arm with a wince that sent a sharp jolt through his chest. “Damn, Evelyn’s a wildfire on legs. If she’s this fierce in a spar, how am I gonna charm her without getting smoked?” A cheeky grin spread across his face despite the sting, his mind spinning with playful fantasies about the queen he couldn’t help but admire.
Then he caught Qilin’s stare—those crimson eyes, usually glinting with lazy mischief, now fixed intently on something behind Evelyn. He followed its gaze, and his breath hitched. A faint, colossal shadow loomed—a monstrous beast with the form of a towering ox, its massive frame rippling in the haze like a mirage born from her magic’s peak.
“The fuck’s that? So fucking what?” he mused, a mix of awe and irritation bubbling up. Beneath his flippant exterior burned a fierce pride—BaiYun played the jester with smirks and quips, but deep down, he was a stubborn bastard who’d rather break than bend.
“Oi, this is my fucking sparring with Evelyn, you dickhead donkey! Piss off and watch from the sidelines—no meddling!”
Qilin tilted its head, crimson eyes narrowing with a glint of annoyance. “Take a good fuckin’ look at her, ya blind shit,” it growled, its voice rough and dripping with exasperation.
BaiYun turned again, squinting through the haze. The shadow behind Evelyn sharpened for a moment—Behemoth, its ox-like form looming massive and unyielding, a beast of raw earth and muscle that seemed to dwarf the battlefield. His jaw tightened, a flicker of unease cutting through his bravado as the air shivered with its presence.
Qilin snorted, its tail flicking lazily. “That ain’t just any lava, dipshit. That’s Behemoth’s lava. That five-phase crap I taught ya? Fuckin’ useless against contract-bound elemental magic like hers. You wanna turn that shit to dirt, you’d need your own damn contract juice. So quit fuckin’ around—you’re done.”
Evelyn’s laughter rang out, sharp and mocking, slicing through the tension like a knife. “Your pet teacher’s got quite the eye, hasn’t it?” she said, her tone dripping with amusement as she tilted her head, a smirk playing on her lips. Perceptive beast, she thought, her gaze flicking back to Qilin with a hint of curiosity. “I’ll give you a chance, advisor. Surrender now—or you won’t have a speck of ground left to stand on.”
The earth beneath BaiYun’s feet glowed red, heat seeping upward as magma bubbled to the surface, the ground hissing and cracking faintly under the strain. He cursed under his breath, subtly channeling mana into his soles, testing “Fire generates Earth” to solidify the soil. The heat didn’t shift, the lava creeping closer, tendrils of steam curling up and stinging his eyes. He kept his face blank, masking the failed attempt, his mind racing as a faint dizziness tugged at his vision.
Stolen story; please report.
Qilin’s voice cut through, gruff and impatient. “If you’re hellbent on this shitshow, at least let me help, ya stubborn fuck. I won’t swing—just ride me. You’ll be toast otherwise. Technically, she’s got Behemoth backin’ her ass, so it’s fair.”
BaiYun glared, then sighed, his legs trembling slightly from the effort. “Fine, you oversized mule. Let’s roll.” He swung onto Qilin’s back, the beast’s hooves planting firm atop the molten ground, each step sending faint tremors through the cracked earth. Unbeknownst to BaiYun, Qilin—a contract beast of earth—silently hardened the lava beneath its hooves into solid stone, a subtle shimmer of earthy yellow light rippling briefly before fading into the dark crust. His focus stayed locked on Evelyn, missing the shift entirely, sweat beading on his brow as the heat pressed in. Ola, watching from the sidelines, caught it—a faint glow pulsing beneath Qilin’s steps, barely visible through the haze. His lips twitched, but he stayed silent, reassured.
“Safe enough with that beast,” he thought, folding his arms.
Evelyn moved, her attack unfurling like a deadly ballet, the air shimmering with heat as she raised her hands. Ribbons of magma lashed out—long, flowing tendrils of liquid fire, twirling with mesmerizing grace yet lethal precision. They sliced through the air, leaving trails of sizzling vapor, carving molten scars into the earth where they grazed the ground, chasing BaiYun across the field.
Qilin darted with uncanny speed, weaving through the onslaught, its hooves pounding the melting ground with cracks spidering outward, dust and embers kicking up in swirling clouds. A ribbon slashed past, narrowly missing BaiYun’s shoulder, its heat searing the air and leaving a faint burn on his cheek. Without Qilin’s agility, he’d have been incinerated in seconds. But the ribbons’ reach was vast, weaving a fiery lattice that locked him within a ten-meter radius of Evelyn’s wrath, the ground beneath him trembling as stray tendrils melted stone into bubbling pools. Qilin bit back a snarl, tempted to tell BaiYun to borrow its earth magic, its mane bristling with irritation. Instead, it stayed quiet, curious to see his next move.
“Get me closer, bloody donkey!” BaiYun snapped, ducking as a ribbon singed the air above his head, the heat prickling his scalp and making his vision blur faintly. “This long-range crap’s getting old—I need her up close!”
Qilin barked a laugh, its voice rough with exasperation. “Close? With that fuckin’ range? You’re screwed if I can’t dodge, man.”
“I’ve got a get-out card,” BaiYun shot back, eyes glinting with defiance despite the growing ache in his chest. “Just do it!”
Qilin shrugged, its tail flicking. “Your funeral, ya asshole.” It surged forward, closing the gap, the ground quaking beneath its charge as molten cracks spidered outward. At three meters, the ribbons tightened, a deadly web with no escape, their tips hissing as they grazed the earth, kicking up molten sparks that stung BaiYun’s legs. He leaned in, his breath hitching as dizziness crept in. “Can you ditch me and hit one metre? Full speed?”
“Fuck yeah,” Qilin grinned, its hooves pounding harder. “Without your sorry ass, I’m lightning. Can tank a couple hits, but five seconds max in that kill zone. Sounds fair?”
“Plenty,” BaiYun said, his voice steely despite the tremor in his limbs. “Rush it. Catch me at one metre.”
A magma ribbon snapped toward his face, inches from his nose, the heat stinging his eyes and making his head spin. “Now!” he roared. Qilin bolted, a blur of motion tearing through the fiery lattice, as BaiYun vanished. In the next breath, he reappeared a metre from Evelyn—falling headfirst from midair, hands outstretched, the air twisting with a sharp, piercing screech around him. He grabbed Qilin’s mane, swinging back onto its back with a triumphant “Sweet as!”, though his vision swam and his chest tightened painfully. Evelyn’s eyes widened, a flicker of confusion breaking her poise. No portal? she thought, her smirk faltering for a heartbeat. What trickery is this?
Ola froze, then grinned as realization hit. Spatial folding. BaiYun had flipped the space like a page, using the two-metre mark as an axis to land at one metre—face-down, proving the fold.
“That reckless bastard,” Ola thought, marveling. It’s a spell to crush whatever’s inside. On himself? Mad talent—and balls.
BaiYun didn’t pause, his breath ragged as dizziness blurred his sight. “Charge her, you bloody mule!” he yelled, aiming Qilin straight at Evelyn. A wall of magma surged up, blocking their path, its surface rippling with liquid heat that melted the ground beneath into a bubbling sludge, the air shimmering with distortion. He smirked, slamming his good hand down, the effort sending a jolt of nausea through him.
“Fire generates Earth!” The wall flickered but held, its glow intensifying, tendrils of lava dripping down its face and sizzling into the earth below.
Evelyn’s laughter rang out, crisp and mocking. “Didn’t your pet tell you that won’t work?”
“Have to try, eh?” BaiYun quipped, his voice strained as he urged Qilin into a tight circle around her, the beast’s hooves kicking up dust and glowing embers that stung his eyes. He kept casting, “Fire generates Earth,” over and over, each wall he grazed shuddering faintly as he touched it, his movements slowing, sweat dripping from his brow and stinging his burns. Qilin snarled, its voice rough with irritation.
“You dumb fuck, I said it’s useless! I’m gettin’ roasted—move your ass or I’m cooked!”
Evelyn’s voice joined in, dripping with mockery as she tilted her head, her violet eyes glinting. “Too hot for you, advisor? Did it melt your brain?”
She started to laugh—then stopped, her breath catching. The last wall BaiYun had brushed vanished, reappearing inches from her face with a low, guttural rumble, poised to bury her in molten rock. It froze mid-motion, halting just shy of her skin, the air hissing as it cooled around the glowing surface. She blinked, stunned, a flicker of surprise breaking her composure as she stared at the suspended wall.
“He’s… bolder than I reckoned,” she mused, her smirk returning with a hint of admiration. BaiYun rode Qilin back to a safe distance, grinning despite the tremor in his legs and the faint ringing in his ears.
“Gotcha, I win,” he declared, his voice hoarse but chuffed. “If that’d hit, you’d be a scalded mess, eh?”
Evelyn stared, then burst into laughter, a wild, unrestrained sound that echoed across the field, cutting through the haze of heat and dust. She thrust her hand through the suspended wall, her sleeve incinerating in a flash of flame to reveal a flawless arm—untouched by the heat, the magma parting like water around her skin.
“Nice try,” she said, her tone laced with mirth as she stepped forward, her violet eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and respect.
“He’s more than he seems… and ballsy,” she thought, her gaze lingering on him. “But Behemoth’s blessing keeps me safe from my own lava.”
Before BaiYun could snap back, a wave of dizziness crashed over him, his vision swimming as his legs buckled beneath him. Blood sprayed from his mouth, splattering the cracked stone in a crimson arc, and he crumpled off Qilin’s back, collapsing in a heap amidst a faint cloud of dust. His body felt hollow, every muscle screaming, his mana drained to nothing, his breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps as darkness tugged at the edges of his sight.
Ola’s eyes narrowed, instantly grasping it. Spatial folding—mana-intensive as hell. He’s pushed past his limit.
Evelyn saw it too, her laughter fading into a faint, approving smile as she dispelled the magma with a flick of her wrist. The glowing fissures cooled into dark, jagged stone, the air softening as a gentle breeze stirred the dust, carrying the faint scent of scorched earth and fading mana. The battlefield settled into a serene stillness, bathed in the soft gold of the setting sun.
Qilin ambled over, nudging BaiYun with its snout, its rough voice grumbling through the quiet. “Well, fuck me, kiddo, you didn’t totally eat shit. Took her on like a champ, ya crazy bastard.” Its crude tone carried a grudging respect as it plopped down beside him, its tail flicking lazily in the dust.
Ola approached, his stern face softening into a rare nod of approval as he knelt beside BaiYun, resting a steady hand on his shoulder. “Well fought,” he said simply, his voice warm and measured, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Evelyn stepped closer, her violet gaze piercing yet softened by a glimmer of something deeper—respect, perhaps even a flicker of fondness. She knelt beside him, her presence a quiet force as she studied his battered form, the breeze tugging at her violet hair and catching the golden light. “You did well, advisor,” she said, her voice firm yet kind, a faint smirk playing on her lips as she met his eyes. “Not enough to make me lose, but enough to make me remember you, as a mage.”
BaiYun grinned up at her, too spent to move, his chest heaving as he caught his breath, the sting of his wounds dulled by the warmth of her words. “Sweet as… good enough for me, eh? Till next time, alright, Your Majesty?” he rasped, letting out a tired laugh that mingled with the rustle of the breeze and Qilin’s low grunt. For a moment, the three lingered there—Evelyn, Ola, and Qilin—surrounding him in a quiet, almost familial circle. The golden light painted their faces, softening the harsh lines of battle, and a rare peace settled over them. The dust swirled gently in the fading sun, catching the light in a shimmering dance, and the distant hum of the cooling earth blended with their shared silence, the chaos of the fight fading into a memory.
Then, shattering the calm like a bolt from a clear sky, a voice screamed.
“WHY DIDN’T YOU EVEN TRY? YOU DIDN’T EVEN TRY TO KILL HER? YOU HAD YOUR CHANCES!”