Surtr raised an eyebrow when he saw Kaizen's direct approach, a cruel smile curving his lips. "You are brave, mortal. Brave, but foolish."
The first impact between the two was devastating. Kaizen threw a punch with enough force to pulverize mountains, but Surtr blocked it with his flame-covered forearm. The sound of the clash reverberated across the battlefield, a deafening thunder that made several of the fire golems on the ground literally crack.
"That strength...," muttered Surtr, his expression changing from disdain to something darker and more calculating. "You are no mere mortal!"
"Look strong when you're weak, and look weak when you're strong!!!" Kaizen shouted.
With a swift and precise movement, Surtr angrily counterattacked. His glowing fist moved in a destructive arc, seeking to strike Kaizen with the force of an erupting volcano. Kaizen dodged through the air with the extreme heat passing close enough to scorch his clothes and skin. He felt the pain, but didn't let it distract him.
As the two collided, the battlefield around them was absolute chaos. Andrew and Xisrith fought bravely against the fire golems, using every drop of their strength and abilities.
Xisrith's jets of water were a graceful dance against the fury of the flames, while Andrew, with his sword imbued with holy magic, sliced and diced the fire monsters with lethal precision.
"Xisrith, to the left!" shouted Andrew, alerting his companion to an approaching golem.
Xisrith spun around, firing a concentrated jet of water that hit the golem full on, extinguishing its flames in a deafening hiss of steam.
She waited patiently for the opening that Kaizen had promised, every muscle in her body tensed like the string of her bow. The arrows in her quiver glowed with pulsating energy, ready to be fired.
Kaizen hovered in the air, his figure imposing against the scarlet twilight of the flames that still danced around him. The battle was far from over, and he knew it. Surtr's latent power, though shaken, still pulsed like a war drum, echoing across the battlefield.
Down below, Xisrith, Jayaa and Andrew were fighting with renewed ferocity. Their every move was a symphony of precision and strength, a deadly dance choreographed in the midst of chaos. Xisrith launched another jet of water, cutting through a fire golem advancing on Andrew. He, in turn, struck a decisive blow with his sword, which shimmered with divine light, reducing the monster to ashes.
"Keep up the pressure! We can't let them regroup!" Xisrith shouted, his words almost drowned out by the incessant roar of the flames and the clash of steel against stone.
"I'm with you!" replied Jayaa, making roots grow out of the ground even in hell with her music.
Blood Lily, still on top of a small hill, watched Kaizen and Surtr with keen eyes. Every muscle in her body remained tensed, ready to fire another arrow if a new opening appeared. She knew that her next arrow could well be the difference between victory and defeat.
Surtr, on the other hand, was furious. Another arrow from Lily had pierced his indomitable skin, and the pain was a constant reminder of the vulnerability he had thought impossible. He pulled the arrow from his chest, the black blood dripping and hissing as it touched the burning ground.
"You dare defy a god!" roared Surtr, his eyes blazing with a primal fury. "You'll burn for that!"
He raised his hands towards the sky, and the heat around him intensified. Golden and red flames began to swirl around his palms, forming a sphere of pure fire.
Kaizen narrowed his eyes, sensing the imminent danger.
Surtr's words were full of disdain, but he would not be intimidated. With one agile movement, he dived towards Surtr, like a meteor falling from the sky.