Fierce Clash in the Church

The setting sun faded behind the walls of the holy city, leaving the sky tinged with a faint purple, as if preparing to embrace the unspeakable.

The seven heroes stood at the edges of the ancient church, its massive doors reflecting a mysterious light, as if breathing.

Eliora raised his hand, his voice low but firm:

"Let us split up… let the guards go mad."

Then he turned toward a space that seemed to be waiting for something, or someone.

"Now… appear, Ai."

In a moment, a faint glow flickered above the ground, scattering specks of light like a dance of stars.

From its heart emerged the little fairy, Ai, fluttering her crystalline wings, her eyes shining with childlike enthusiasm.

She placed her hands on her hips proudly and said:

"Hello, my friend! Finally, it's my turn, isn't it?"

Eliora smiled lightly before returning to his strategic tone:

"Me, you, Riven, and Kyle… we will handle the distraction."

Then he turned to the others:

"Leora, Mia, and Kai… you will advance through your fog, Kai."

But a voice interrupted the scene.

"Wait!" Riven said, stepping forward, his eyes shining with firm refusal.

"I want to be with Leora."

Without hesitation, Eliora grabbed him by the collar like holding a mischievous puppy about to sneak off the field.

"Absolutely not," he said calmly but decisively.

"You're the main bait."

Eliora said sharply, fixing his gaze on everyone:

"Do you understand?"

They all replied in one confident voice:

"Yes!"

Eliora smiled slightly and said firmly:

"Good, then… let's move."

Eliora stood by the ancient church gate, beside him Riven and Kai, while the heartbeat's pace increased in the charged silence.

Riven looked questioningly at Eliora:

"What should I do?"

Eliora smiled sarcastically, then pushed him forcefully into the midst of the alert guards.

He looked at him steadily and said:

"Improvise."

The guards gathered around Riven, staring at him with anxiety and curiosity.

One exchanged glances with another and muttered:

"That's him… he's the one who disrupted our lord's rites."

Riven stood among the guards, sighed deeply, and said grumbling:

"Haaaaa…" Then he drew a magical sword glowing with pulsating white light.

Eliora looked at him and smiled sarcastically:

"Why do you like to torment me so much, my student?"

Eliora replied with a sly smile:

"Because your reactions… are very beautiful."

Riven's heartbeat quickened, but he couldn't suppress a slight smile despite the intensity of the moment.

Riven looked at the guards surrounding him, his eyes gleaming with the spark of battle, a small smile appearing on his face.

He raised his shining sword and said enthusiastically:

"Come on… step forward."

"Let's start the fun."

Before the guards could pounce, a familiar voice echoed beside Riven:

"I won't let you joke alone, comrade!"

Kyle had drawn his sword, his enthusiastic smile as fiery as Riven's eyes.

He stood beside him, back to his friend, and said confidently:

"Let's see who will excel today!"

Riven smiled lightly, saying with unwavering confidence:

"Of course… I am, you fool!"

Riven shouted:

"Let's begin the attack!"

In an instant, he waved his shining sword through the air, releasing a powerful lightning wave that tore the sky as if anger descended from above, striking a group of guards who scattered like wooden dolls struck by lightning.

At the same time, Kyle struck the ground forcefully with his sword, cracking beneath the guards' feet and violently shaking, causing them to stagger and fall unable to stand, as if the earth itself had turned against them.

Suddenly, Ai appeared from above, flying with a playful spin, fluttering above their heads and teasing in a mischievous voice:

"Hmm, come on, come on!"

She then blew a magical breath, unleashing a strange air whirlwind…

In an instant, the guards' cloaks fluttered in the air, disappearing amidst embarrassed and shy screams.

"What's this?!"

"Who took my cloak?!"

"That's improper magic!"

Ai laughed proudly as she fluttered above them:

"I told you… I'm very useful."

From behind the chaos, lightning, and fluttering cloaks, Eliora raised his hand with a quick signal, his eyes focused on a side corner of the gate.

Leora, Mia, and Kai were watching for the moment, and when the signal came, they moved quickly through the chaos.

Eliora whispered without turning:

"Now."

The three dashed toward the other side of the gate, the noise behind them masking any trace of their movement.

Kai focused ahead, whispering his incantation as he extended his hand:

"Silvan Nimora…"

Suddenly, fog spread thickly around them like a curtain of dreams, wrapping the entire area and hiding its features, so even the stones became invisible.

Kai advanced, saying:

"The fog will hold steady for minutes… hurry."

Leora and Mia advanced silently, the sounds of battle still echoing behind, but this fog… was their gateway into the heart of danger.

The three entered the church through a side gate, the fog flowing behind them like a cloak hiding their tracks.

The church corridors were wide, filled with stone columns and ancient engravings, every step echoing in the darkness.

Leora ran at their lead, her staff glowing faintly.

Behind her, Mia watched sharply, and Kai ran beside them whispering:

"The path seems clear…"

But barely had his words ended when a harsh voice echoed from the corridor's end:

"Intruders!"

The group stopped suddenly, and a number of guards appeared, their armor reflecting candlelight, their eyes full of suspicion and readiness.

One raised his spear and shouted in a loud voice:

"You have crossed the line… prepare yourselves!"

Leora stepped forward, looking coldly at the guards, then sighed with slight sarcasm and said:

"This… is bad."

She turned her head to Mia and Kai, who were readying for battle, and said in a calm but determined tone:

"Come on, let's finish them… quietly."

The tip of her staff glowed faintly, but her eyes shone with a silent coming storm.

Leora paused, watching the guards approaching, then tilted her head slightly, whispering as if talking to herself:

"Hmm… what was Riven saying at a time like this?"

She raised an eyebrow with a sideways smile:

"Oh right… my excitement is growing."

In the blink of an eye, she dashed toward the guards quickly, her footsteps echoing on the marble floor.

Before they could react, she grabbed two of them by their heads with both hands, bringing them close as if preparing an unpleasant surprise, then whispered quietly:

"Burn."

Crimson flames burst from her hands, consuming helmets and armor instantly, causing the two guards to fall to the ground amid faint screams.

Mia looked at Leora sideways, commenting with a mixture of annoyance and concern:

"Reckless… as usual."

With Mia's muttering, she exchanged quick glances with Kai, then she and he dashed forward confidently without hesitation.

Kai pulled from between his fingers dark daggers surrounded by thick misty clouds of dark color, as if born from the depths of night.

He shouted fiercely:

"Die!"

He threw the daggers, and dark swirling fog rose around them, hiding his strikes and distracting the guards.

The guards heard irritating fragmented screams while their bodies moved uncontrollably, trapped inside the dark fog wrapping mercilessly around them.

Mia suddenly stopped, closed her eyes in deep concentration, then clapped loudly in the air and said quietly:

"Alright."

In a moment, the body of every guard surrounding her began to burn with a calm orange flame, like a cold fire that devoured armor and shoulders.

The guards screamed, trying to extinguish the relentless flame, while Mia stood with a calm smile, as if conducting a symphony of victory.

One guard screamed trying to escape the fire, his eyes shining with terror:

"What's wrong with these people?! Are they really insane?!"

Kai looked at Mia with a mocking glance and smiled slightly:

"Your style is violent… that's scary."

Mia responded with a mocking smile:

"Look who's talking."

Leora continued to move gracefully among the guards, spinning her staff quickly around the belly of one, hitting him with consecutive blows.

She wrapped the staff forcefully around a waist, then delivered another direct blow to another guard's belly.

In a light jump, she rose above a guard's head, causing him to fall immediately.

She didn't stop but started hitting the legs of the surrounding guards, tripping them and making them lose balance one after another.

Leora raised two fingers near her mouth and blew forcefully saying excitedly:

"Burn!"

Suddenly, the ground around the guards ignited with flying crimson flames, consuming everything mercilessly in their path.

The guards who were not down screamed as they fled as fast as possible:

"Impossible… these are not humans! They are… monsters!"

Leora looked at the fleeing guards and muttered with clear annoyance:

"Oh damn… looks like we attracted attention."

In the middle of the chaotic battle, Riven, Kyle, and Ai fought relentlessly.

Riven waved his bright sword, sending flowing lightning that cut enemies like a breeze.

Kyle struck the ground forcefully with his spear, cracking the earth beneath the guards and forcing them to stagger and fall.

In the sky, Ai flew swiftly, attacking from above and playing with the enemies' minds.

Riven looked at the guards trying to face him, smiled with a defiant grin, and said loudly and firmly:

"What is this?! Entertain me more, you're weak!"

Suddenly, a guard appeared from afar, armed with bow and arrow, and fired a deadly arrow at Riven.

Kyle did not hesitate for a moment, raised his sword with force, and blocked the arrow mid-air, shattering it on his sharp blade.

He looked at Riven with a mocking smile and said:

"You owe me one now."

Suddenly, from atop the church wall, a soft but mocking voice rose:

"Looks like you're having fun, aren't you?"

Everyone looked up to see the silhouette of a woman standing firmly on the edge of the wall, her cloak fluttering in the wind, her hair flowing like a stream of night.

Her gaze was cold, as if watching prey dance before slaughter.

The guards quickly lifted their heads, and a faint light seemed to revive the pulse in their eyes.

"She's Lady Valia!"

One said excitedly, life returning to his voice.

"She has arrived!"

"We're safe now!"

The guards began reorganizing their ranks, as if her appearance instantly tipped the scales.

From atop the church wall, her confident voice echoed:

"Do you call yourselves the soldiers of Kovinia?"

She paused, then continued mockingly:

"You couldn't even bring down two… pests?"

Ai shouted from midair, her small sharp voice reddened with anger:

"You! You long-tongued! Who do you call a pest?!"

She flapped her wings violently, sparks flying around her.

"Come say it to my face if you dare!"

Valia chuckled lightly, placing her hand on her hip, leaning forward slightly, and said coldly:

"Haa… The pest talks too? How disgusting."

Then she added with disgust:

"Those tiny wings and that annoying voice… I think crushing you will be the first fun thing tonight."

Suddenly, Riven's voice cut through the tension, standing amidst the rubble with lightning still dancing in his eyes:

"And who are you, anyway?"

He then smiled sideways, raising his arms:

"If you're here to fight… please don't disappoint me."

Valia sat on the edge of the church wall, swaying lightly as if gravity didn't matter, staring at Riven with eyes gleaming with madness.

She then whispered first to herself:

"Wonderful… that voice, that confidence, those features…"

(She smiled crazily while raising her hand to the sky)

"I want him! Who is this handsome one? I want to possess him before I crush anyone else here!"

Valia extended her hand in the air, fingers spread as if announcing the start of a play, her voice rising dramatically from atop the wall:

"You! Silver-haired one!"

She smiled passionately, her voice increasingly dramatic:

"What's your name? Answer me…"

Riven looked at her from beneath his silver locks, his golden eyes gleaming with contempt mixed with amusement, a mocking smile appearing on his lips.

Then he said with wild defiance and sarcasm:

"Haaaa… Looks like you're a big fool indeed."

He raised his sword slightly as if greeting her:

"But no matter… mad ones always make the fight more fun."

Valia laughed lightly with a hint of madness, watching Riven with clear passion, then waved her hand in the air like presenting a theatrical greeting and said:

"I like it! I like it! You have nice comebacks too!"

She twirled like a stage dancer, then stopped suddenly with a wide smile and a crazed look:

"Looks like I'm very lucky today… a handsome man, sharp tongue, and loves to fight… what joy!"

Riven, his hair flying and golden eyes blazing, looked at her with a mix of disgust and indifference, then brushed his face with a heavy sigh and said coldly:

"I've started feeling disgust… really."

Valia smiled widely, her eyes sparkling with wild madness, then slowly raised her hand as if preparing for a strange symphony…

Suddenly, she pointed her fingers to the ground and screamed joyfully mad:

"Alright… now let's start the real love!"

In a moment, hidden energy exploded from her fingertips, the air shook around her, before everyone was pulled forcefully down to the ground!

Heroes, guards, even the pebbles beneath their feet — everything crushed downward by the doubled gravitational force.

The sound of bodies hitting the ground echoed through the corridor as if the sky had fallen.

Even Riven, despite his strength, lowered a knee while grinding his teeth:

"Damn…! This energy… is heavy…"

Valia walked lightly atop the church wall, her hair flying with the wind, her smile almost lighting the place with her madness.

She laughed softly at first, then raised her voice strangely joyfully as she looked at Riven, Kyle, and the others bent under her spell:

"Look at yourselves bowing… wonderful! Wonderful! Oh, I love this!"

She put her hand on her heart and spun like dancing in a crazy party:

"This sight… ah, it's true love!"

She waved her hand happily, whispering gratefully:

"Thank you, guys… you gave me an unforgettable moment."

The earth shook violently suddenly!

And in a moment, the gravity spell's effect shattered like broken glass over their heads.

Valia was surprised, her eyes widening as Eliora appeared calmly walking, his cloak fluttering behind him and his face covered with a cold shadow of anger.

He struck the ground again with his foot, the floor cracking beneath him as if responding to his rage.

Valia slowly turned to him, her features shifting from mad ecstasy to disgust and anger, then she screamed:

"Who dares… who dares to ruin my happiness?!"

She raised her hand as if about to explode with rage, then stared at Eliora and said:

"I was living a rare moment of love! Who are you to interrupt my feelings?!"

Eliora gazed at her calmly with questioning eyes, then raised an eyebrow slightly and said coldly, as if talking to someone lost:

"Huh? Did you say something?"

Then he pulled his hand from his cloak pocket quietly, continuing while looking at her extravagant clothes from head to toe:

"Anyway… what's with your strange outfit? Is this a new circus fashion?"

Valia's face changed from astonishment to shock, then to an imminent explosion.

Eli waved her small arm enthusiastically as he flew beside Eliora:

"Eliora! You're the best!"

She smiled bravely, but suddenly the atmosphere grew heavy…

Valia, who had begun living the "true love" moments, completely stopped. Her eyes glowed fiercely as she stared at Eliora, and her crazy smile slowly faded, replaced by sharp features and burning angry eyes.

Then, in a low tone rising like a furious roar:

"I have… changed my mind."

She extended her hand to the side, and the air around her began to vibrate again.

"I will kill you now."

Then she smiled, a mad grin filled with hatred:

"But slowly… so you taste the bitterness of love while I crush your pride."

Riven stood upright after the gravity field shattered, brushing dust off his shoulder carelessly, then looked toward Valia with a provocative gaze:

"Hey, don't tire yourself…"

He smiled crookedly and continued coldly and rudely:

"Because we're the ones who will kill you first."

Kyle waved his hand irritably, shouting:

"Wait! Don't forget me, I'm here too!"

Then he pointed at Valia with burning enthusiasm:

"I want to kill that bitch too!"

But Valia ignored him and kept staring at Riven, as if Kyle didn't exist.

Kyle froze in place, staring at her for a moment, then said with a scowl:

"Hey! Don't ignore me with such rudeness!"

Feeling insulted creeping into his voice, he clenched his fist and added sharply:

"Fine… let's hurry and teach that bitch a harsh lesson!"

Valia screamed piercing the air, her eyes blazing with deadly madness:

"I will never forgive you… never forgive you!"

Then she raised her hand high, and the air around her began to stir as if the sky itself was about to explode, adding in a voice thick with rage:

"I will make you taste the bitterness of my wrath…