Shattered

As Jaz sensed something in the air, her grip on the sword loosened. Her instinct taking over before thought could form. Her aura-cloaked leg tensed – shot out, planting against the shield. 

In one fluid motion, she vaulted into the sky. Her body arched into a flawless backflip, long black hair slicing the wind.

For a breathless moment, all hesitation shattered. Her earlier doubts dissolved into resolve. Her jet-black eyes gleamed, sharpened by purpose.

—SWISH!

A flicker of a smile tugged at her lips as a streak of green aura blurred past her.

Still midair, she twisted with catlike control, landing softly, her feet barely whispering against the frostbitten ground. But there was no time to pause.

Before her boots settled, her aura erupted—violent and hot, surging through every fiber of her being. Muscles flexed. Her stance locked into place like a drawn bow. 

Her first step cracked the ice like glass beneath a hammer and the second shattered it completely. She surged forward — unstoppable and untamed.

A crimson beam screamed across the ruined terrain behind her, disintegrating everything in its path. The frozen field groaned, ruptured, then caved under the pressure.

The air quivered, alive with the eerie hum of the sphere. Its presence pulsed like a fearful heartbeat. And through the storm, a lone figure glided forward as if carried by the wind.

Alex moved like a phantom on the wind. Gales whipped around him, pulling at his dull blue hair as he locked eyes on the target. His grip on his blade tightened—muscles tense beneath the calm exterior.

The sword ignited. A torrent of power enveloped the steel, burning with an overwhelming aura. His eyes narrowed with deadly focus. And --

He struck.

—BOOM!!

A monstrous explosion of water erupted. Towering waves surged outward, crashing and spiraling as thunderous sparks lit the sky. The icy ground beneath them shattered, crumbled, and vanished into the sea.

The deep sea floor groaned as a hollow arc carved through it like a scythe through wheat.

The sphere, unmoved by Jaz's earlier strike, finally jerked backward—only inches. But it halted again, unharmed. The invisible force protecting it still held strong.

Alex, too, slammed into the unseen barrier—brought to an abrupt halt mid-air. The collision sent a sharp jolt through his arms, and before he could react, his sword froze against the invisible force.

It didn't bounce. It didn't slide. It stuck. As if the shield had grabbed the weapon, anchoring it in place with some unseen magnetic grip.

Alex hovered for a second, suspended unnaturally. His fingers tightened around the hilt, trying to pull it free—but it didn't budge. 

But he didn't panic. His expression flickered with curiosity.

Oh!… How troublesome.

A light, almost amused smile touched his lips.

Before he could analyze further, a crimson blur flashed toward them—a missile of aura and rage. Jaz, reborn in motion, hurtled through the mist like an arrow.

—CRASH!

She crashed into the sphere again.

The second impact detonated across the field. Energy screamed outward, arcs of red and white ricocheting like shattered lightning. The force blew Alex free from the shield, tossing him high into the air.

Cracks spidered across the ice, and a massive wave of water tore through the surface. Mist billowed up like smoke from a battlefield.

Then—

Within the fog, Jaz emerged. And this time, she was pushing the sphere.

It moved. The unmovable object—budging. Slowly, but surely.

She didn't waste energy fighting the shield's magnetic trap. She embraced it, continued pushed through it.

Her voice erupted in a primal scream as she strained with all her might. Veins bulged. Her body trembled. Her aura burned like fire wrapping her limbs in steam. Her forehead knotted, jaw clenched tight, teeth grinding.

—CRACK

A fracture appeared on the invisible barrier. Barely visible, but it was enough.

A grin broke across her face, wild and uncharacteristic—light cracking through her usual stoic demeanor.

"Alright then."

She drew a sharp breath. Aura erupted from her like a volcano. Her feet dug into the frozen earth with explosive force.

Steam spiraled from her skin, distorting the air around her as her compressed aura grew unbearably dense. The ground cracked again, splitting like glass beneath her pressure.

Then – a massive block of ice manifested ahead.

Like a flaming arrow, Jaz rocketed forward with the sphere in tow, slamming it directly into the block.

—KRAAASH!

The impact was cataclysmic. Ice shattered and reformed as Alex continued to reinforce it mid-collapse. He knit the fractures back together, barely holding it intact.

However, steam continued to rise from Jaz's body, even as her aura dimmed. Her breath came in ragged gasps. Her body quaked under the toll of power overused. Her fingers twitched as she realized her hands were free.

Crack

A jagged sound sliced through the air. Her head snapped forward. Multiple cracks webbed across the invisible shield. 

It was weakening. And then shards of the invisible barrier scattered like crystal under a hammer.

"Move!" Alex's voice thundered through the mist.

Without hesitation, Jaz leapt sideways, just in time as a massive cuboid of ice launched forward, crashing into the flesh of the sphere with seismic force.

Then another....and another.

Alex kept summoning, kept slamming again and again.

Jaz watched from the sidelines, her limbs trembling. Pain surged through her—her strength depleted. She tried to move, but collapsed to her knees. Her palm pressed into the ice.

She trembled—from exhaustion. Her eyes burned with frustration. As the fight wasn't over. She could feel it. Her instincts screamed at her to move. But her body… wouldn't listen.

Shit!

Her battles, her training, her overexertion—it had all caught up to her. Now, of all times. Cold sweat dripped from her chin.

But Alex – he continued to crash down massive blocks of ice. Over and over, he summoned the massive structures, hurling them with devastating precision.

Each impact shook the very sea — thunderclaps of destruction echoing for miles as chunks of frozen debris scattered.

The air had changed. It was heavier now. Deep inside, he felt it – Something inside that sphere was about to awaken.

Then, in the middle of the chaos, his eyes fell on Jaz — kneeled and weakened. Steam still curled from her skin, but her aura completely vanished.

Her hand was pressed to the ground, trembling… holding on. A surge of urgency pulsed through him. He wanted to go to her and bring her to his side — but he couldn't. 

Damn it… Jaz!!

Alex's heart twisted, but his body kept moving. His jaw clenched. He wanted to run to her and grab her. Haul her away from there. But he couldn't.

Then his gaze unexpectedly flicked back over his shoulder. His eyes narrowed as they locked onto Sol, standing at a distance amidst the wreckage.