[A Few Weeks Later]
The wasteland stretched endlessly in all directions, a desolate expanse of cracked earth and jagged rocks under an oppressive sky.
Neron stood at its center, his robes fluttering lightly in the arid wind, his breathing steady. Across from him, Lilith stood relaxed, her confident smirk unwavering as she surveyed him.
"You ready, King of Dragons?" she teased, her crimson eyes glinting with mischief.
Neron rolled his shoulders, gripping his staff tightly. He could feel the hum of power coursing through him, the culmination of weeks of relentless training.
"Don't go easy on me this time," he replied, a determined edge in his voice.
Lilith laughed, a sound both amused and slightly mocking. "Oh, I wasn't going easy before. You were just
that bad.
But sure, I'll crank it up a notch. Try not to embarrass yourself."
With a flick of her wrist, a circle of glowing runes ignited around her, the air crackling with raw energy. Neron braced himself as the ground beneath him trembled, signaling the start of their duel.
~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~
The fight began in a flash, Lilith disappearing from sight only to reappear behind Neron.
A sharp wave of energy lashed out toward him, slicing through the air. Neron ducked instinctively, pivoting on his heel to counter with a blast of temporal magic.
His [Original Magic: All the Time in the World] created shimmering distortions in the air, pockets where time warped and bent.
Lilith dodged effortlessly, leaping high into the air as the distortion rippled below her.
She retaliated with a barrage of crimson fireballs, each one streaking toward Neron like falling stars. Neron raised his staff, muttering an incantation. A translucent barrier formed around him, the fireballs exploding harmlessly against it.
"Not bad," Lilith remarked, landing gracefully. "But blocking won't win you this."
"Who said I was just blocking?" Neron shot back.
The barrier shattered outward, fragments of glowing energy shooting toward Lilith like shards of glass. She swirled her hand, summoning a vortex of wind that deflected the attack. But Neron was already moving, using the distraction to cast another spell.
The ground beneath her feet erupted, jagged spikes of stone shooting upward in a chaotic burst.
~BWUUUUUUUMMMMM!!!~
Lilith jumped back, her eyes narrowing as she muttered, "Clever."
The wasteland became a battlefield of chaos and destruction.
~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!~
Neron pushed himself to his limit, combining his mastery of spells with his strategic mind.
He used the environment to his advantage, luring Lilith into traps and countering her attacks with precise timing.
For a moment, it seemed like he might actually gain the upper hand.
But Lilith was not to be outdone. With a final surge of power, she broke through his defenses, her attack landing squarely on his chest.
Neron collapsed to the ground, exhausted and defeated.
"Urghh..."
As the dust settled, Lilith approached him, her expression one of approval rather than mockery.
"You've gotten better," she said, offering him a hand. "Much better."
Neron took her hand, pulling himself up with a weary smile. "Not good enough, though."
"Not yet," she admitted. "But you're getting there. And I wasn't even going all out."
He chuckled, shaking his head.
"Of course you weren't."
Lilith studied him for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "You're ready for the next step."
Neron's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Next step?"
She smiled, a glint of excitement in her eyes. "We're going to search for the Great Sage, Lewis Griffith's treasures... also known as
The Arcanas.
"
Neron stared at her, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. The name stirred something deep within him—something he couldn't quite explain.
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"What's that?" He asked.
"Let's get moving," Lilith said, turning toward the horizon.
"I'll tell you on the road."