: Magical Showdown (Aven)

I was stunned with the turn of tables. Just a minute ago this guy was almost on the verge of dying in that Bubble Prison and now...now he overpowered Lord Barren. My eyes shifted between the guy and Lord Barren who was laying numb by the trunk of a pine. The shock was visible on every face I witnessed. Lady Crys and Raven both were startled.

There were some peculiar shadows circling around the guy and that sword in his hand. I could sense the power it was brimming with. It was literally overflowing with raw mana. How the hell is he even controlling it?? I couldn't make out if this was some kind of Elemental magic or A Soul Manipulation technique but I was sure about one thing. This guy was deadly!!

[Elemental Magic : Bubble Style - Floating Prison ]

Lady Crys casted the same spell again. As it seemed since that other guy who, god knows how , saved this guy was unconscious, he would not be able to escape the Floating Prison anymore. Soon, the spell stimulated a bubble wrap around that guy. He was floating in it and just when I thought we got him. He just slashed his sword again and the bubble cracked like a glass toy and shattered into nothingness. My eyes travelled to Lady Crys who stood there as if she had seen a nightmare. No there wasn't any if, this guy was certainly our nightmare. I had to do something or else we all are dead corpses.

[Soul Manipulation: Skeletal Style - Rib cage!]

I used my hardest bone in this technique. I created a cage of chest bones around the guy and started squeezing it. To create bones outside my body requires a lot of mana but I can't stand here like this. The man stood there for a moment and then turned towards me. His pure black eyes directly pouring into mine. He broke the bones with a snap of a finger and I just...just stood there frozen. He walked slowly towards me. The dark shadows around him were even more intense while his black hairs took strands of white in them. His strong mana kept me frozen to my spot. Who was this guy? Or the better question would be what was this guy?? He stood in front of me, his face just inches away from mine. His whole eyes had turned black including his iris and it somehow frightened me even more. My body felt heavy in his presence. It seemed like his mana was crushing my soul and my body.

The shadows circling around his body started choking me. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't see. All I could do was wait, either to be slashed or, just choked.

"Die !!" The cold words came heavy and deep.

I felt like only his words were enough to shred me into pieces. The sound gave me something that I rarely had -- fear. Pure and raw fear. I closed my eyes. Probably accepting my fate. The only face that flashed in front of my eyes was that of a beautiful boy. Handsome and caring. Ryker.

"No ! Stop !" I heard a voice cry. I felt a bit familiar but I could not remember it.

I opened my eyes and turned to my left. There stood an average heighted elf with brown hair and blue eyes. It was the guy who had saved the man in front of me just a few minutes ago. The guy had fear in his eyes. I felt the choking of the shadows around me loosen. I turned back to meet this monster. But my eyes couldn't believe what I saw. The guy in front of me who was ready to destroy everything and everyone in front of him, now had regret in his eyes. It was a regret of doing something that was not to be done. The regret of hurting someone very dear. Those savage black eyes of his were turning into modest gazes while the sword and the shadows circling around him disappeared slowly.

"El..Elliot...I.." He stammered in a low soft voice. If I wasn't witnessing all this myself, I wouldn't believe this sudden alternation of personality. Is he really the same guy??

That Elliot guy walked closer to us. His face was still painted with that fear and disgust. Through the corner of my eyes I noticed a subtle change in the expression of the man in front of me.

"You...you ..are..not Ellio-" He shattered a bit in disbelief. Suddenly, the Elliot Guy pulled me towards himself while I heard a spell being Casted.

[Elemental Magic : Bubble Style- Bubble Shots !"]

Suddenly, five bubble bullets appeared from behind the Guy. It was Lady Crys. But unfortunately the guy was fast enough to dodge them. All but one. One of the shots came in contact with his left shoulder and exploded in a blast. The blast wasn't strong enough to blow off his hands because it didn't hit directly but it sure was enough to injure him.

"Are you insane !! Why weren't you moving away from that monster?" Elliot shouted and suddenly his body transformed. His brown hairs turned ro straight long hairs while his eyes turned green.

It was Raven ! That's when my conscience hit me. It was Raven's Soul Manipulation technique - Figure Transfiguration. With this ability she could literally transform her body to any living beings she could remember, though only for a short period of time though. I never considered her technique very useful in direct battles but this time.. it surely saved me.

"You fucking Asshole!! How dare you throw me off like that??" An familiar angry voice roared. It came from Lord Barren.

"You shall pay for this with your life !"

[Elemental Magic : Fire Style - Flame spears !!]

I did really think that Lord Barren wasn't serious about killing him. It would be a direct disobedience of Great Lord Alter's order but after this strong attack my belief was mixed in dust. With the amount of damage the guy has taken from that bubble shot, it would be nearly impossible for him to dodge all these Flame spears.

[Elemental Magic :Earth Style- Mud Wall]

The spell came from a rather unexpected side. It was the Clan Leader. As I suspected the flame spears were not able to penetrate the thick mud wall the Clan Leader just casted. He was a Clan Leader, after all. He must be powerful.

"Stay away from my son ! Or else you would regret it" He threatened us and I could hear the truth of every word he uttered. But to think that he didn't make any move to help his son when he was on the verge of killing us suggests that this situation was strange to him as well. It seems this guy has some that we all are unaware of...

[Elemental Magic : Earth style - Crust Dismantle]

The earth around us shook and cracked. The land elevated and deepend to an uneven terrain. Raven and I leaped on these rock pillars to get out of the range of the spell.

After we were at a safe distance I noticed that the Clan Leader was holding his son and that real Elliot who seemed to be unconscious. So the spell was to distract us...

"Not so fast old man!" Lady Crys said.

[Elemental Magic : Bubble Style- Bubble Shots! ]

Five bubble shots were directed in the Can Lord's direction at high speed. Though Earth Magic has immense powers but the speed of the spells are slow. It could be hard for the clan lord to dodge them all.

[Elemental Magic : Wind style - Multiple Wind Blades]

The spell came from a direction I didn't expect. It was the carriage driver. I had ensured to injure him enough with my bony arrows but it seems he is ok now. The blood from his abdomen and hands have stopped. He probably knows some kind of healing technique too. Shit! I should have finished him off.

The wind blades nullified the bubble shots as they exploded in mid-air. Lady Crys clenched her jaw. I know she was blaming me for the miscalculation I had caused. She was half right, though.

The Carriage driver guy stood in front of his master guarding him. The Clan Lord exchanged a few words with him and after some time, he nodded slightly. What were they planning to do??

[Elemental Magic: Wind style- Needle Storm]

[Elemental Magic: Earth style- Sandy Mist]

Oh! So they are combining their attacks. A storm of sand and wind needles engulfed us. The needles were extremely sharp. It can tear you up in shreds if you are trapped in them for long. A good plan probably.

[Elemental Magic: Bubble Style - Glass Guard]

Lady Crys casted the spell to protect herself and Lord Barren who was beside her. But not on us. I clenched my tongue in bitterness. Were we her pets?

"Raven hold my hands?" I shouted above the sound of the wind.

"Huhh?" She asked in confusion. I let the explanation go and just held her hands.

[Soul Manipulation: Skeletal Style-Cartridge Cover]

A thick layer of Cartilage accumulated from my body and flowed like water from my body to Raven's to envelope it as well. This way we were protected from the needles but we were still blinded by the sand. We could be ambushed from anywhere and we wouldn't even know.

[Bubble Style - Dimensional Siege]

Dimensional Siege !! That was a very powerful attack. It could create a range of influence around the caster where his magic and spells get extra power and accuracy and anyone who gets trapped in it, are certainly dead. There is no way to escape the siege unless you have your Dimensional siege which could overpower the former. But to use it requires a huge amount of mana. If Lady Crys casted such a strong spell, she surely wants things to get over fast.

As the sand storm cleared in the bubble around us. I did not expect what I saw.

The Clan Leader stood there alone..but where was that carriage guy and that monster boy??

I looked up. I saw two big green coloured birds flying across the sky with a few riders on its back. A Summoning Magic, I presume.The carriage guy and the monster boy were there.....

Shit!! This was just a distraction, so they could escape. But I won't let that happen...I will get them. I turned to Raven and she nodded her head understanding what I wanted..

[Soul Manipulation: Beast Style- Beast Transformation]

And suddenly she turned into a huge dragon like-being with scaly-skin and spiny-neck and claws. I got on top of her.

We will get them. No, we have to get them...​