Ragnar stepped forward, his pale green eyes narrowing with cold resolve. The faint flicker of hesitation from earlier was gone, replaced by a stern expression that hardened his sharp features. His jaw clenched briefly before he spoke, his voice steady and edged with authority. "Don't regret this, Selene."
Selene's violet eyes shimmered with an unyielding calm as she squared her shoulders. "I won't," she replied, her voice unwavering. Her silver hair caught the flickering light from the pools of mana around them, giving her an ethereal glow. Her fingers twitched slightly, a subtle signal that she was ready.
The bronzed man sneered, sparks leaping wildly from his gauntlets as he advanced. "Enough talk," he spat, his voice dripping with frustration. His broad chest heaved, his muscles taut like a coiled spring. Without warning, he slammed his fists together, sending a crackling wave of electricity cascading across the battlefield. The air hummed with energy, and the jagged rocks underfoot began to glow faintly from the heat.
The wiry woman with the crystalline daggers darted forward, her movements fluid and feline. Her amber eyes gleamed with a predatory focus, her lips curling into a dangerous smirk as she circled to Selene's left. Her steps were soundless, her daggers spinning deftly between her fingers. The light refracted off their crystalline edges, creating shards of shimmering brilliance.
Ragnar raised his hands, a cyclone of wind and debris swirling to life around him. His pale green eyes locked onto Selene and Eren with an intensity that left no room for doubt—he was determined to end this quickly. His movements were deliberate, every gesture calculated as he directed the vortex toward them, the ground trembling beneath his power.
Selene's expression remained serene, though a subtle crease formed between her brows as she glanced at Eren. "Stay behind me," she said firmly, her voice carrying an undertone of command. Her bare feet shifted slightly, her stance grounded yet impossibly light as she raised her arms. From the pools of liquid mana around them, shimmering vines surged forth, twisting and curling with a life of their own.
Eren hesitated, his fists clenched at his sides. His brown eyes darted between Selene and the three advancing opponents, a storm of emotions swirling within him—fear, doubt, and a growing ember of defiance. "I can fight," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the crackling energy in the air.
Selene didn't look at him, her focus entirely on the battlefield. "Prove it," she said simply, her tone cool but not unkind.
The bronzed man charged, his gauntlets glowing brighter as he unleashed a thunderous punch aimed directly at Selene. She sidestepped gracefully, her movements fluid like water as the punch missed her by mere inches, sending a shockwave that shattered the rocks behind her. Her expression remained calm, though a faint gleam of satisfaction flickered in her violet eyes.
Before he could recover, Selene twisted her hand, and a thick vine shot up from the ground, wrapping around his ankle. His scowl deepened as he yanked his leg free, the sparks from his gauntlets scorching the vine into ash. "You'll have to do better than that," he growled.
Meanwhile, the wiry woman lunged at Selene from the left, her crystalline daggers aimed at her midsection. The daggers moved with lightning speed, their edges glinting with lethal precision. Selene reacted in a heartbeat, her body twisting gracefully as she raised her arm. A shimmering shield of mana formed in an instant, deflecting the daggers with a sharp clang. The impact sent ripples of light through the air, and the woman's amber eyes narrowed in frustration.
Ragnar, watching the exchange, exhaled sharply through his nose. "Enough," he muttered, his voice barely audible but heavy with authority. With a flick of his wrist, the cyclone surged forward, its roaring winds tearing through the battlefield. Rocks, debris, and shimmering mana were caught in its wake, hurtling toward Selene and Eren with relentless force.
Eren's heart pounded as he watched the oncoming storm. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs refused to move. Selene, her gaze sharp and unyielding, stepped forward, raising both hands. The shimmering vines responded instantly, weaving together to form a massive barrier of mana-infused foliage. The cyclone collided with the barrier, the impact shaking the ground beneath them. The barrier held, though cracks of light began to spiderweb across its surface.
"Focus!" Selene called out, her voice cutting through the chaos. Her expression betrayed no fear, only a fierce determination that radiated from her like a beacon. "If you want to fight, now's the time!"
As his fingers brushed against the figure's hand, a surge of cold flooded his veins, like ice and fire coursing through him all at once. His knees buckled, but he forced himself upright, his teeth clenched in a grimace of both pain and exhilaration. His brown eyes darkened, flecks of pale, deathly light creeping into his irises. His trembling stopped, his body steady as the shadows began to coil around him.
"Good," the voice purred, satisfaction dripping from every syllable. "You are death now."
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The air shifted. Selene, her barrier straining under the force of the cyclone, glanced back. Her calm expression faltered for the briefest of moments as she saw Eren. The shadows writhed around him, seeping into his skin like ink spilled on parchment. His stance, once hesitant and uncertain, was now steady, almost predatory. His brown eyes were gone, replaced by orbs of pale, ghostly light that seemed to see through everything.
Eren straightened, his lips curling into a slow, grim smile. He raised his hand, and the cyclone before them faltered, its roaring winds dissipating into an eerie stillness. Ragnar's pale green eyes widened, a flicker of confusion and unease crossing his sharp features.
The bronzed man, mid-charge, skidded to a halt, sparks crackling wildly from his gauntlets as he stared at Eren. "What the—?" he muttered, his voice thick with disbelief.
The wiry woman paused as well, her crystalline daggers held loosely in her hands. Her amber eyes narrowed, flicking between Eren and Selene as if trying to piece together what had changed.
Eren stepped forward, his movements deliberate and unhurried. The ground beneath his feet blackened, cracks spiderwebbing outward as if the earth itself recoiled from him. His pale gaze fixed on Ragnar, who instinctively took a step back, his composure wavering.
"You wanted a fight," Eren said, his voice low and resonant, carrying a weight that made the air feel heavy. He raised his hand again, and the shadows surged outward, curling and twisting into spectral shapes that seemed to whisper and wail.
The bronzed man growled, forcing himself to stand firm. "You think that'll scare me?" he spat, though his voice lacked its usual bravado.
Eren tilted his head, a cold smile tugging at his lips. "You should be scared," he said simply, his tone devoid of malice yet chilling in its certainty.
Selene, still holding her barrier, watched him with a guarded expression. Her violet eyes narrowed slightly, a subtle crease forming between her brows. "Eren..." she murmured, her voice both a question and a warning.
Eren didn't look at her. His focus remained on the battlefield, on the opponents who, for the first time, looked unsure. And as the shadows writhed around him, taking the shape of skeletal figures and scythes, one thing became clear: the battle had changed, and Eren was no longer just a player—he was the storm.