Chapter 205: Masters

"Just give up already! You're no match for me, why prolong the inevitable!" Regis roared at Anteris, who, by now, had started to take some damage from Regis' repeated attacks.

The flames from Regis' attacks didn't burn him, but he was having to utilize his aura to block the physical blows from Regis, which allowed the sparks of lightning to pass through Anteris' defense.

"You underestimate how much things can change in a matter of moments! A battle is not decided until it's over!" Anteris yelled back, sending another pillar of flame flying at Regis, even while his muscles shook with the strain of wielding his halberd.

"That's a weakling's excuse for hanging on a thread of hope!" Regis laughed as he counterattacked, sending an enormous bolt of lightning flying at Anteris, threads of flame wrapped around the bolt.

The bolt slammed into Anteris, sending him spinning uncontrollably through the air, sparks dancing all over his red armor, his red aura dim and faint.

For a moment, it seemed as though Anteris had been defeated, as he continued to fall through the air. But then, his wings snapped open, and slowly flapped, as if under a great burden, and Anteris slowly rose back into the air, flames beginning to spin around him.

It was as if he had been rejuvenated.

Regis looked on in confusion, wondering what in the world was his opponent doing. This battle was decided, but his enemy was returning as if the tides had turned.

"You cannot believe that such an absurd display will intimidate me. I already know I'm stronger than you, stop pretending and surrender!" Regis yelled, blue sparks of lightning and red sparks of flame filling the air around him, as his purple aura grew even brighter in response to Anteris, his purple wings flapping powerful in the air.

"It's not some kind of display, Burning Storm General. I'm just glad that the rest of my fleet has arrived." Anteris looked happily to the south, and his voice was cheerful and bright, totally out of character for someone who had been locked in life or death combat mere moments ago.

Regis turned around, and by now, the fleet of black ships were nearing the harbor, sailing in a triangular formation, about to join the countless black ships that were already anchored in the harbor.

"A second fleet." Regis whispered, in complete shock, it seemed that it was him and his comrades who had underestimated their opponent. Even their desperate rush to return to the capital had been accounted for.

Regis' felt his heart sink as numerous shining figures began to rise from the decks of the ships, each of them glowing in a different color.

The full force of what was happening only hit him then. It wasn't that even their desperate return to the capital had been accounted for, but even if they had remained in the capital, the battle was as good as lost.

The entire might of the Tribes People had arrived with the second fleet, the tribes who had always been at odds with the Empire, who held a deep grudge against the Imperials, had arrived.

"How could they? How are there so many?" Regis' voice was filled with wonder, he was filled with confusion. As a child, he had always been taught that the Empire had vanquished the Tribes, and stopped their expansion south.

However, this was only a half truth. The reality of the matter was that the countless fighters of the Advanced Rank, those who had been the backbone of the Empire, had fallen in exchange for driving the Tribes north.

And on top of this, they had been fighting an entire other war on a second front, clashing with the might of Ursten to the north.

From the first of the ships, the brightest of lights shone, a clear golden glow that shone through the darkness that hung over Aznur.

The golden light slowly rose into the sky, forming an enormous golden crow that flew up into the air, flying toward the mainland.

Behind the crow, other beasts rose from the ships, an enormous dark green bear, a shining yellow falcon, and a deep purple colored snake.

But so far, only Anteris, the Emperor and Regis had spotted the fleet; everybody else on the battlefield remained locked in combat.

Kothar had become a whirlwind of death for the Imperial Elites, his Plasma Blade taking out at least one of them with each swing. But even though they had yet to find a way to counterattack, the Elites continued to attack, trying their best to dodge his blows and sneak a blow past his defenses.

The other Nighthawks were also locked in combat, they were having an easier time of fighting the Elites than they initially had, since Kothar had drawn so many of them to himself.

Duran continued to fight Boson, the pair of them evenly matched, while Hubar was slowly fighting his forward through Serean's arrows, getting closer and closer to Aznur.

They were all fighting desperately, putting their lives on the line, and none of them realized that the battle was as good as over.

In the skies above, Nevus was still desperately chasing after Tam, whose speed continued to frustrate him, even utilizing all of his weather manipulation abilities, Nevus was unable to catch him.

"Don't you worry, Tam of Ursten, I'll whip you within an inch of your life after I capture you." Nevus' voice was filled with malice, and he sent a gust of wind at Tam, trying desperately to slow him down.

"Sure you will, just like you'll win this battle." Tam scoffed, laughing out loud, only enraging Nevus further, who flapped his turquoise wings hard, propelling himself with an enormous gust of wind, and stabbing out at Tam with his spear.

But tam easily deflected the blow, turning Nevus' spear aside, using the momentum of the blow to propel himself away even faster.

They were so focused on the movements of the other, that Nevus and Tam didn't even notice the golden crow closing in from the south.