Chaos in the Mountains

The two carts tore through the forest, bouncing over roots and rocks. Mat cursed, looking over his shoulder.

"Damn it. They're gaining on us again."

Elizabeth kept her focus ahead. "Once we reach Harmonian City, they won't dare make a move."

Axel leaned back, glancing at Eliza. "The Elven Kingdom is an option. They'd protect you and the kids. Mat and I can split off—"

"Shut up," Eliza snapped, her glare sharp enough to cut steel. "We're going to Green Sea city. Fighting is forbidden there that's how it gained the name Harmonia over time, we will be safe there and we'll have time to plan our next move."

Mat huffed. "A city in the middle of two kingdoms? Who's strong enough to keep it safe and neutral?"

"You'll see when we get there."

The trees thinned. In the distance, towering walls loomed against the horizon. They just had to make it.

--

In the forest

Six figures darted between trees, moving like phantoms.

One of them, a man with a golden badge, spoke. "A Wild Spirit and a War Soul… and something more. This presence is unnatural, something big is going to happen today, it's bad ".

Another shadow nodded. "We wait. There are other forces moving in the mountains."

Then the ground trembled. A roar echoed from the distance.

---

A fat church envoy sprinted through the trees, flanked by two armored guardians and a veiled woman.

She suddenly stopped, staring ahead with rare unease.

The envoy wiped sweat from his face. "Why did you stop?"

"These mountains…" The woman's voice carried a rare edge. "Something is wrong."

The envoy scoffed. "If we don't catch that War Soul and Wild Spirit, the church will...".

But at this moment

A massive shadow darkened the sky.

Then it fell.

The earth shook as a colossal wooden statue crashed into the mountain range, standing hundreds of meters tall, its carved face emotionless.

A deep, echoing voice rang from above.

"This land is sealed."

Two cloaked figures stood atop the statue, eyes locked onto the mountains below, while the entire was surrounded by a barrier and there's no way out.

The fat envoy's breath hitched. "Damn it barrier masters."

From the statue, glowing chains erupted, wrapping around the mountains, sealing every exit.

The veiled woman's lips curled into a cold smile. "Interesting."

---

Father Damian stood still, flames flickering around his hands. Beside him, an old man flexed his arms, his joints clicking unnaturally.

"You sure you can handle that fat bastard?" the old man muttered.

Damian smirked. "Holy light burns. My fire burns hotter."

The veiled woman stepped forward, golden radiance pulsing around her. "Fire is fleeting. Divinity is eternal."

Damian grinned. "Try me."

The old man's arms blurred, transforming into sharp mantis claws. His feet barely touched the ground before he vanished.

Blood sprayed. A church guardian staggered back, deep slashes carved into his chest.

The two figures atop the statue watched silently. One raised his hand. Chains shot forward, wrapping around Damian and the old man, restricting their movements.

The veiled woman smirked. "Even your fire won't burn through that."

Then the ground shattered.

A massive claw erupted from the abyss, crushing trees like twigs.

---

A single, glowing hazel eye opened in the darkness.

The mind control wave hit instantly. Birds plummeted from the sky. Even the warriors faltered.

The old man grimaced. "Well. That's bad."

The veiled woman merely smiled. "No. It's an opportunity."

A monstrous head emerged from the abyss, followed by wings large enough to block the sky. The dragon's presence warped the air, pressing down like an unmovable weight.

The two mysterious masters a top the statue moved, their hands forming intricate symbols. The chains surged, tightening around the battlefield, attempting to bind the beast.

The dragon snapped its jaw chains shattered.

The old man lunged, mantis claws flashing. Damian roared, fire bursting from his fists.

---

Meanwhile, in Green Sea City

Axel and Mat stumbled out of the cart, eyes darting across the unfamiliar streets.

"No explosions. No screaming. No one trying to kill us," Axel muttered. "Feels weird."

Mat stretched. "We need to train. We can't be bullied like this."

Eliza nodded. "Let's find a place to stay first."

Behind them, smoke curled in the distance.

_______

The mountains

The tension in the mountains was suffocating. The forest had already felt the tremors of the previous battles, but now, a new wave of conflict surged.

Father Damian, his hands still burning with the aftereffects of his powerful fire magic, stood firm across from the church envoy and his guardian. The air crackled with holy light as the envoy's aura shimmered, his eyes narrowed with contempt.

Damian's flames roared, but so did the envoy's. A divine light shot out from his hand, colliding with Damian's fire, creating an explosion of energy that threw rocks and debris into the air. The ground trembled beneath them.

"You think you can escape the church's justice?" the envoy spat, his voice thick with authority.

Damian gritted his teeth, the flames around his hands growing brighter. "You should know better than to challenge me now. You've overstayed your welcome."

The woman, cloaked in a veil of holy light, stood slightly behind the envoy, eyes cold but calculating. She had barely moved, watching every exchange with interest.

"Do not underestimate the power of the church," she said, her voice laced with a chilling certainty. "The light will cleanse all."

Damian's eyes flashed. "Cleansing? Or burning everything that stands in your way? You're no better than the monsters you hunt."

The old man, watching the confrontation, finally spoke, his voice like the wind. "Father, don't waste time. We're being cornered."

Damian's eyes flicked to him, a flash of frustration. "I'm not backing down."

With a sigh, the old man stepped forward, his hands raising as his energy surged. Mantis Wild Spirit, his own unique power, manifested, and sharp, cutting winds swirled around him. "Fine, let's end this, then."

Damian nodded, unleashing a flame shockwave that sent the envoy stumbling back. As the envoy recovered, the old man swept in with a series of brutal, swiping attacks. His mantis claws were lightning-fast, cutting through the air and forcing the woman to step back in shock.

"Do you think you can protect them all?" the envoy growled, thrusting his hands forward as holy light surged, creating a barrier between them and the attack.

Damian wasn't done. He summoned Holy Fire, launching it directly toward the envoy's protective shield. The explosion rattled the air. But the woman, seeing the situation growing increasingly dire, stepped in. Her hands glowed, and she reversed the light, sending it back as a radiant beam aimed at the old man's attack.

He blocked it with a swift motion, his mantis claws clashing against the light, sparks flying. "You'll need more than that."

Damian didn't give them time to recover. He unleashed a blazing arc, lighting up the forest as the envoy's shield cracked under the intensity. With a swift motion, the envoy tried to push through, but the old man's claws swiped, landing a blow that sent him reeling.

The church woman growled and raised her hand, chanting in ancient words. Suddenly, a light barrier surrounded them both, offering a moment of respite. But Damian and the old man were relentless.

"We don't have time for this." The old man's voice was low, his eyes narrowing. "We'll finish this."

With that, the old man summoned a barrage of wild spirit attacks, slashing through the barrier, causing the church envoy and woman to retreat slightly.

But the woman's expression remained unreadable. "The light will not lose," she muttered, preparing for another wave.

Meanwhile, the church envoy, battered but determined, shouted. "Retreat! We've spent enough time on this!"

Before the old man or Damian could act, the church envoy formed a light shield around himself and the woman, and they retreated, vanishing into the mist of the mountain.

Damian clenched his fists, his flames simmering down. "Let them run," he muttered, feeling the weight of the encounter. "We'll catch them later."

The old man nodded, his expression grim. "But not today. Today, we survive these mountains".

---

Meanwhile, high up in the mountains, a different battle raged. The two Grand Priests had locked their gaze on the earth dragon, its body crackling with immense power as it prepared to ascend into the Grand Emperor level. Its eyes glowed with an unsettling energy as it reared up, sensing the approaching battle.

"This beast will be the end of us if we don't stop it now," said one of the Grand Priests, his voice cold with determination. His aura pulsed with power, the weight of his strength overwhelming the area.

His companion, his own energy swelling as he tapped into the ancient magic of his power nodded. "It's already in the midst of transforming. If we don't end this soon, we're finished."

The dragon, now fully awakened, let out an earth-shattering roar that rattled the very mountains. The ground beneath it cracked and shifted as its scales glowed with an ethereal power.

Without hesitation, the two Grand Priests sprang into action. One conjured a barrier of light, aiming to contain the dragon's raw power, while the other flung chains of sealing energy toward the beast, trying to restrict its movements.

The dragon roared, slamming its tail against the chains. They rattled but held for a moment. The second Grand Priest, focusing intensely, added more power to the chains, but the dragon's strength was overwhelming. It broke free with a terrifying wave of force that knocked the Grand Priests back.

The first Grand Priest, gritting his teeth, launched a series of spiritual blasts to stagger the beast. His power collided with the dragon's scales, but the dragon's aura was too thick.

The second Grand Priest, sensing the shift, shouted. "We need to get closer! We can't allow it to complete the transformation."

But the dragon, in its primal fury, lashed out with its claws and wings, sending the Grand Priests flying. They barely managed to land on their feet.

The dragon's mind control pulsed through the air, an invisible force attempting to dominate their thoughts. The first Grand Priest shouted in agony, as the pressure of the dragon's mind squeezed down on him. His companion, undeterred, channeled his power and broke free of the influence, but the cost was steep.

"Damn it," the first Grand Priest cursed, barely holding onto his consciousness. "We need to finish this before it's too late!"

The dragon, now fully aware of its growing strength, roared once more, but it was clear—it was on the verge of reaching the grand emperor level.

"We can't hold it!" The second Grand Priest shouted. "We need to retreat!"

With heavy hearts, the Grand Priests turned and retreated, the beast's roar echoing through the mountains.