'Verdant Guardian: Flower and Thorns'
As Sera cast her spell, the ground shook violently once again. Xelvaris stood there completely unbothered.
The audience expected something massive to appear. Something fiercer. Something even bigger than before.
But instead, two guardians rose from the ground.
The first one was elegant and lean. Its body looked smooth and graceful, covered in petal-like armor. Both of its arms were long sharp blades.
Behind it stood the second guardian. Bigger. Bulkier. Covered in thick rigid wooden armor with large thorns growing all over its body.
The crowd reacted in surprise.
Xelvaris immediately raised his hand.
'Marrow Spike Barrage.'
Dozens of sharpened bone spikes shot forward.
This time the Thorn Guardian moved first.
Despite its heavy body, it moved incredibly fast. It stepped forward and punched apart every incoming bone spike one after another.
None of them reached Sera.
At the same time the Flower Guardian rushed towards Xelvaris without wasting a second.
Within moments it reached him and started swinging its blade-like arms rapidly.
Xelvaris dodged calmly, moving one step at a time.
Then 'Skeletal Blow.'
A massive bone suddenly burst out from Xelvaris' torso straight towards the Flower Guardian.
But before it could hit, the Flower Guardian twisted sideways and avoided it cleanly.
Xelvaris immediately tried to redirect the attack... but the Thorn Guardian arrived and grabbed the giant bone firmly.
Xelvaris lost control of its movement for a moment.
The Flower Guardian instantly took the chance and swung its blade directly at him.
Xelvaris reacted quickly, using his tail to push the Thorn Guardian away while launching himself backward.
Then his voice echoed quietly.
"So be it… 'Overshade.'"
Dark shadows slowly began leaking from his body.
The battlefield started growing darker.
The air became cold and heavy.
Even the crowd felt uncomfortable.
But Sera remained calm. Both guardians stood firmly beside her.
Xelvaris raised one hand.
'Hungry Hollow.'
A pitch-black orb formed in front of him. It looked like it was swallowing the air around it.
Then he launched it.
The Thorn Guardian stepped forward and punched the orb away.
BOOM!
The orb stopped... but the Thorn Guardian's fist exploded apart from the impact.
Still, neither side stopped moving.
Sera immediately started regenerating the guardian's fist while the Flower Guardian rushed in again.
Its blade arms swung rapidly and precisely, not giving Xelvaris enough time to counterattack.
Then suddenly... Xelvaris caught one of the blades.
At that exact moment the Thorn Guardian punched him from the side.
Xelvaris blocked with his other hand, but the force pushed him slightly backward and loosened his grip.
The Flower Guardian instantly swung its other blade.
Direct hit.
The blade struck Xelvaris' shoulder.
But it stopped halfway.
The crowd gasped.
His bone-like exoskeleton armor was too strong. The blade could not fully cut through.
Then bones suddenly started growing around the stuck blade, trapping it in place.
At the same time Xelvaris grabbed the Thorn Guardian's fist tightly.
Then darkness exploded around him.
'All Consuming Night.'
Shadows rose wildly and swallowed everything nearby.
Sera quickly tried pulling both guardians away, but Xelvaris' grip was too strong.
The Thorn Guardian struggled and used its half-regenerated fist to punch Xelvaris' shoulder again.
The bones around the Flower Guardian's blade cracked apart, freeing it.
The Flower Guardian immediately tried helping the Thorn Guardian... but the Thorn Guardian pushed it away instead.
Then the shadows completely engulfed it.
Inside the darkness, bones tore into the Thorn Guardian from every direction. It struggled violently but could barely move.
Meanwhile Xelvaris rushed towards the Flower Guardian.
"You got away… but not for long."
He appeared directly in front of it.
'Oblivion Fist.'
His shadow-covered fist shot forward.
This time the Flower Guardian desperately jumped around to dodge.
Then 'Marrow Spike Barrage.'
Several bone spikes pierced through the Flower Guardian's leg, blasting part of it apart.
Sera quickly tried regenerating the damage.
The Flower Guardian fell onto one knee.
Xelvaris raised his fist high above it.
Then he punched downward.
CRASH!
A huge sound of wood breaking echoed through the battlefield.
But to everyone's shock... it was the Thorn Guardian that appeared in front of the attack.
Somehow it had escaped from the shadows.
Xelvaris' fist had pierced straight through its chest.
The audience froze.
Then the Thorn Guardian used the wood from its own body to trap Xelvaris' arm tightly.
At the same time, even with one leg still regenerating, the Flower Guardian stood back up and attacked him again.
Xelvaris blocked the blade with his free hand.
Blood slowly dripped down his arm as he stopped the attack.
For the first time in the match, Xelvaris had been cornered.
Then shadows slowly began gathering around him once more.
'All Consuming Night.'
Sera looked at both guardians.
Then she slowly raised her hand.
In an emotional voice, she spoke.
"I give up."
The entire arena went silent.
Xelvaris immediately stopped his attack and released the guardians.
The shadows disappeared.
Even Xelvaris himself looked confused.
"These guardians are lifeless," he thought to himself. "She created them… and she could create them again… yet her attachment towards them is admirable."
He did not understand why Sera surrendered.
And strangely enough, he wanted to understand it.
As Sera dismissed both guardians, Xelvaris slowly walked towards her.
Even his teammates looked surprised. This behavior was completely unlike him.
Xelvaris stopped in front of Sera and spoke quietly.
"Let's talk sometime later."
Then he simply turned around and left the battlefield without explaining anything further.
Sera stood there confused.
But more than confusion, disappointment filled her heart. She felt sorry that she could not win.
Ifa loudly spoke into the mic.
"Did anybody even blink during that fight?! Because I surely didn't! What an incredible match! This tournament truly is a treasure!"
Shai nodded calmly.
"Everyone thought this would be an easy victory for Xelvaris, but Sera proved otherwise. She fought amazingly well. And both fighters gave us a spectacular display."
Ifa wiped his eyes dramatically.
"And when the Thorn Guardian escaped the shadows just to save the Flower Guardian… I almost cried! I really didn't expect one of these matches to hit me emotionally!"
As Sera walked back towards her team with her head lowered, Lila gently placed an arm around her shoulder.
"Cheer up. You fought really well."
Then she smiled confidently.
"And don't worry… we are not losing this match."
Sera looked at her teammates quietly.
The fight was still not over.
And the next bout was already waiting.