CHAPTER 82:THE SECOND FLOOR

[Scene: The Cracked Hall – Ari vs. Jimmy]

Sparks burst in the air as Ari's blade met Jimmy's curved earth-forged weapon. Their weapons clashed once—then twice—then a blur of steel and light followed, as Jimmy suddenly vanished in a flash of movement.

Ari barely caught the next strike, blocking with her sword just in time. Jimmy appeared on her side, then above, then behind—attacking in a continuous flurry. Ari gritted her teeth, struggling to keep up.

"Ground Magic: Ground Fist!" Jimmy roared.

The earth beneath Ari rumbled violently. A massive stone fist erupted from the floor and slammed directly into her chest. She was launched across the hall, crashing into a wall with a loud boom, bricks cracking behind her.

She coughed hard, tasting iron in her mouth.

Before she could even breathe, Jimmy blurred again, appearing in front of her, both of his arm blades glowing with brownish magical light.

"This ends now!"

He swung both blades. Ari twisted her body at the last second, narrowly dodging the deadly slashes. Sparks flew as the blades scraped the wall behind her instead.

Landing on her feet, Ari brought up her sword, and they clashed once more—a brutal and beautiful flurry of motion. A pure contest of steel. Ari's glowing white aura danced around her sword like lightning. Jimmy's blades pulsed with brownish earth magic.

Every swing cracked the floor. Every block sent shockwaves down the walls.

CLANG! CRACK! BOOM!

The entire hall trembled with their blows. Bits of stone fell from the ceiling.

Jimmy grinned wildly, laughing as he fought. "Ahahaha! It's been ages since someone pushed me like this! Don't disappoint me now, little girl!"

Ari didn't answer. Her eyes were cold, determined. She couldn't lose. Not when her parents' freedom depended on her victory. Not now.

With a roar, she slashed diagonally, and her blade caught Jimmy's side, throwing him back. He flew across the room and smashed into a wall. Dust clouded the impact zone.

But then—he laughed.

He slowly stood up, his body bruised but his spirit unbroken.

"Hahaha! You got some fire in you, huh? Good!"

Ari wasted no time. She dashed forward with light magic, her speed blurring her movements.

She raised her sword for a powerful strike—but Jimmy, while still kneeling, lifted one blade and blocked it perfectly. The sound echoed like a thunderclap.

Before Ari could react, his second blade slashed upward, slicing into her side—right across her belly.

"Ahh—!" Ari stumbled back, blood gushing from the wound.

She clutched her stomach, pain burning through her. Light Magic: Minor Heal.

Her hands glowed white, but—the wound healed slowly. Too slowly.

"Why…? This isn't even that bad. I've healed worse. Why is this taking so long?" she muttered, confused.

Then—slash!

Jimmy was already beside her again, his blade slicing across her shoulder.

Ari was flung across the room again, blood splattering the cracked tiles.

She rolled, breathing heavily. Her earlier wound tore open again, worse than before. Her healing was being disrupted by something in Jimmy's magic.

"Tch…" she winced. "I won't go down like this."

She ripped a strip from her dress and tied it tightly around her waist, wrapping her wound.

"I'll heal this later. Right now—I fight."

She raised her hand.

"Light Magic: Grand Light."

Small orbs of light floated into the air around her, spinning faster and faster—then unleashed radiant beams toward Jimmy.

Jimmy grinned and slammed his foot.

"Ground Magic: Wall Collapse!"

A thick wall of earth rose in front of him, blocking the first wave. But Ari wasn't done.

She vanished from her place—and reappeared behind him.

"Too slow!" she shouted, aiming her sword for his back.

But the floor behind Jimmy suddenly rose into another wall—as if it had been waiting.

It slammed into her with brutal force, sending her crashing into the upper wall, then crashing down to the ground below.

She groaned, dazed, dust clouding her vision.

The entire floor shook with power—not just from her fight. On the same level, two more battles raged.

Jack, Ryel, and the other CA members were battling the Empire's vice-captains. Their battle was intense, but slowly tipping in CA's favor. Wounds and exhaustion were clear, but their resolve stayed unbroken.

Meanwhile—

Two captains fought Ezren, the CA's toughest warrior.

The battlefield groaned under the weight of clashing powers.

Ash drifted on the wind. The earth cracked with every impact. Flames roared to one side, and frost crawled over shattered walls to the other.

And between them stood Ezren.

Broad-shouldered, stone gauntlets cracking with raw magical energy, his breathing steady despite the carnage. His eyes tracked every movement, calm in the storm.

Before him — two of the Empire's finest Captains:

Captain Helvar, the flame wielder, wrapped in spiraling heat, his eyes burning like embers.

Captain Saryn, the ice blade, cloaked in mist and ice armor, his blade shimmering with a deadly, frigid glow.

They circled him like wolves — opposites, yet deadly in tandem.

Ezren exhaled.

"This is going to get messy."

Helvar moved first.

"Fire Magic: Searing Collapse!"

A wave of flame exploded beneath Ezren's feet. The ground ignited in an instant, flames twisting upward like a fiery tornado.

Ezren slammed a foot down.

"Stone Magic: Pillar Ascent!"

A spike of stone surged upward, launching him from the spot as the flames engulfed it. Midair, shards of rock floated around his arms like a shield.

But Saryn was ready.

"Ice Magic: Hail Spear!"

From his palm came five jagged spears of ice, trailing mist. Ezren spun midair, sending the stone shards outward.

Clang! Clang! Crack! The first three spears shattered. The fourth glanced across his shoulder, leaving a sting of frostbite. The fifth missed — just barely.

He landed in a crouch, boots cracking the earth.

Helvar charged from the left, fists wreathed in flame.

Saryn came from the right, ice blade ready.

Two at once.

Ezren smiled.

"Finally."

Clash!

Helvar's fist met a sudden stone gauntlet. The flame burned, but the stone absorbed the worst of it. Ezren gripped and twisted.

"Stone Compression: Shatter Grasp!"

A shockwave of force surged from his palm. The stone exploded outward, launching Helvar backward like a cannonball. The flame captain crashed through a half-broken wall.

Saryn didn't hesitate.

"Ice Step: Phantom Dash."

He vanished and reappeared above, blade first.

Ezren didn't dodge — he blocked.

Clang!

Ice met stone, sparks and mist filling the air.

The ground cracked under the force as Ezren pushed upward.

"Stone Pulse!"

A shockwave erupted from the earth, ripping through the floor and knocking Saryn backward.

Ezren growled.

"You two work well together. I'll give you that."

Helvar emerged from the rubble, blood running down the side of his face, laughing wildly.

"I like this guy! Let's cook him properly this time!"

Helvar activated his Fire Drive, flames intensifying, and Saryn activated his Ice Drive, mist swirling wildly. The atmosphere shifted, growing heavier. The air shimmered between scalding heat and bitter cold.

They came at him again — faster, sharper, more brutal.

Helvar spun into a blazing kick, flame licking across Ezren's armor.

Saryn surged from the side, ice-clad fists hammering down to freeze and crack.