Before The Immortals 4.

"With pleasure!" The Immortal twins said in unison, their voices weaving together in perfect harmony like the sweet, haunting melody of a mournful violin. Then, a profound silence dawned on the three of them, heavy with expectations that hung in the air like the promise of a thunderstorm.

The silence was so oppressive that every breath and heartbeat seemed to build towards a crescendo, as if the very fate of the world hung in the balance. Then, a large sword dropped among the hovering weapons, cratering the ground mere inches from the female twin's warrior-like boots, which gleamed with a deadly sheen in the faint light.

Simultaneously, a dual sword dropped near the male twin, its blades flashing like shards of ice in the dim illumination. Then, in the blink of an eye, the Immortal twins charged at the young queen with deadly precision, their movements a blur of steel and shadow.

Wren dodged their attacks with incredible agility, bypassing the middle of the twins' crossed weapons with a fluid grace that belied the danger of the situation. The young queen's moments were a blur as she sidestepped the female twin's powerful swing, avoiding the blade's razor-sharp edge by a hair's breadth.

As she dodged, the male twin unleashed a flurry of swift strikes, forcing the young queen to leap and weave with a desperate urgency. The Immortal twins followed her through, giving her no chance to recover, their blows raining down like a deadly storm.

But Wren refused to yield. With a burst of icy potency, she froze the twins' weapons to their arms, momentarily immobilizing them. As the twins struggled to break free, Wren seized the opportunity to create some distance between them, assuming a ready stance that enabled her to launch swift counterattacks.

With a single, cold exhale, her eyes glowing an unearthly almond blue, her right foot slightly forward, the young queen observed her attackers. The twins stared at the frozen weapons in their hands, then shattered the frozen layer against the solid ground, their faces twisted in snarls of rage.

"They're always targeting my vital points, no wasted movements," Wren thought, her mind racing with strategy. "More like they fight to kill, which is so different from the first immortal master, who looks like someone who plays with her prey."

Is it me, or have I gotten lighter? Wren wondered, feeling an unusual agility. And I can see their movements vividly now... Is it because of the healing lessons I did with the second Immortal master? The young queen's eyes narrowed, focusing on the male twin holding the dual swords while smirking.

"Ain't you a female?" Wren asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, you noticed, protector?" The male twin replied, chuckling. "That's one of our twins' abilities – able to change to our desired gender."

"Now, let's get serious," the female twin said, her voice dripping with malice. Both twins' movements became a blur as they slashed at the young queen with increased speed.

Ugh, more brutal than before. Wren dodged most of the attacks, but many ice bubbles chattered immediately after successfully shielding their deadly hits.

She got slashed on the right shoulder from above, and her eyes widened in shock as she looked up to see the once-hovering weapons swooping down, striking at her with deadly precision.

She leapt and dodged, her sudden boost of agility and quick reflexes allowing her to avoid the attacks by mere inches.

As the battle raged on, the Immortal twins swung at her with a deadly force. Just as their blades were about to strike, an ice bubble surged around Wren, encasing her in a protective shell of frozen energy.

The bubble shattered on her wounds, healing them instantly. "Aww, nice trick," the male twin said, grinning while resting the dual swords on his shoulders.

"Show us more," the female twin added, her eyes glinting with excitement.

In a spur of the moment, as if on cue, more clones of the immortal twins appeared on both sides, each one materializing near a fallen weapon. The clones possessed the same skills and abilities as the real Immortal twins, and they eagerly grasped the handles, their eyes locked on the young queen with an unnerving pleasure.

"-Round two-" Both Immortal twins said in unison, including the clones, as they unleashed a flurry of attacks at her.

Wren danced and weaved between the male twin's dual swords, creating ice shards that flew towards him like a hail of frozen needles. Leaping away from the female twin's attack, she summoned a frosty gust that blinded and disoriented everything around her.

Many of the clones attacked her blindly in the frosty gust, but Wren was ready. She slammed her hand on the ground, creating ice spikes that impeded their movements.

Then, with a great force of her ice potency, Wren unleashed a wave of crystal shards that shattered upon impact, sending the clones stumbling back. The sudden onslaught slowed things down for a moment, giving Wren a chance to catch a cold breath.

The Immortal twins watched with keen interest, untouched by her potency, their eyes shining with pride. "She's a quick learner," one of them whispered.

Wren stood tall, her chest heaving with exertion, gazing at the clones as her mind racing with strategy. "Unfortunately, you haven't given us what we want.."

"… which is… ?" The young queen asked in exhaustion.

"-The intent to kill-" They said in unison, pointing at the young queen. "Kill her."

The clones charged forward with their weapons at hand, their movements a blur.

Out of nowhere, another surge of ice bubbles shattered on Wren, healing her exhaustion as she faced the clones head-on. With renewed determination, Wren steeled herself for the next round, her eyes flashing with icy resolve.

As the clones closed in, Wren summoned a maelstrom of icy fury, unleashing a barrage of frozen projectiles that shredded the air. The clones stumbled back, their movements faltering beneath the onslaught.

The Immortal twins watched, their faces alight with excitement, as Wren's powers surged to new heights. "She's adapting," the male twin whispered, his eyes gleaming with intrigue.

With a final, mighty cry, Wren unleashed a colossal blast of ice energy, encasing the clones in a tomb of frozen crystal. The battlefield fell silent, the only sound the creaking of ice and the soft hum of Wren's exhausted breathing.

The Immortal twins approached Wren, their faces expressionless. "You've passed the test," the female twin said, her voice devoid of emotion. "But the true challenge has only just begun."

As Wren stood panting, her chest heaving with exhaustion, the twins vanished into thin air, leaving her alone amidst the frozen, shattered remains of the dissipated arena. The young queen's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with the implications of the twins' words.

What did they mean? What lay ahead? Wren's thoughts swirled with uncertainty as she scanned the frozen battlefield. Then, her gaze drifted to the raised dais in the corner, where a shadowy, diminutive figure sat, shrouded in an aura of foreboding.

"Are you the final boss?" Wren called out, her voice echoing through the silence.

From the darkness of the dais that was filled with nothingness became a pair of glowing white eyes squinting like two stars piercing through the void. The air around them seemed to ripple and distort, as if reality itself was warped by their presence.

A dark, ethereal mist oozed from the eyes, tendrils of shadowy energy that curled and twisted like living vines.

The figure remained motionless, its presence both captivating and terrifying. Wren felt an eerie sense of connection, as if this mysterious being held the secrets of her destiny.

"I'm not sure of how much more you can take, but you have to keep fighting, Protector..." spoke the mysterious being in low, raspy voice.

Wren, steeled herself, knew the mysterious being's words and gazes seemed to hold deep understanding, a knowing that went beyond words.

"I'll take all I can, and then some... I won't back down." She responded. Her cold words hung in the air.

A challenge to herself, ready to face whatever lay ahead.