The blizzard continued to sweep through Arkhel's fortified passage.
The wind dragged snow between the enormous pillars of ice that still rose across the battlefield.
Some had been split in half.
Others, completely destroyed, left crystalline fragments scattered across the terrain.
The storm obscured almost everything.
However...
Amid that vast expanse of white...
The golden spears shone intensely.
Their reflections pierced through the snow, reaching the ice pillars around them.
And at the center of that radiance...
Alaric remained motionless.
Behind him, countless golden circles stretched out in a wide formation.
Inside each one...
A spear of light.
Before him...
Selvaria held the Claymore raised between her hands.
Her enormous crystalline wings extended behind her.
The wind passed between them.
For a few moments...
Only the blizzard moved.
VMMMMMMMM...
The light inside the circles began to intensify.
Selvaria's back foot slid a few centimeters.
Alaric closed two fingers.
The golden light crossed the distance.
Selvaria tilted the Claymore.
CLAAAAANG!
The first spear struck the steel in front of her chest.
Her arms gave way under the impact.
The golden tip slid along the blade...
and plunged into the ice beside her body.
BOOOOOOM!
The surface exploded.
Selvaria was already spreading her wings.
The momentum tore her feet off the ground as two more streaks crossed the place where her legs had been.
Behind her...
a pillar was pierced from side to side.
CRRRAAACK!
The upper half began to topple.
Selvaria tilted her wings.
Her body shot along the side of the formation.
The block fell behind her.
BOOOOOOM!
The snow rose until it hid the circles.
A flash cut through that curtain.
Selvaria drew her knees in.
The spear passed beneath her feet.
Another was already coming from above.
Straight toward the height she was beginning to reach.
The wings changed angle.
Her body tipped to the right.
For an instant...
the golden tip seemed to veer away from her trajectory.
Then it split open.
One line became several.
The smaller spears spread out in a fan in front of her.
Selvaria stopped opening her left wing.
Pulled it against her flank.
BOOOM!
The first impact pierced the crystal.
CRACK!
The second reached the fracture.
The tip of the wing broke off.
Fragments spun alongside Selvaria's body.
Her left side dropped.
The still-open right wing sent her into a rotation.
She folded it in.
A golden streak passed over her head.
Another tore ice from the pillar in front of her.
Selvaria struck the slanted surface with one foot.
CRRRT!
Her sole carved a groove.
Her knee bent.
The Claymore stayed close to her body as she slid along the side of the pillar.
Her right wing opened against the wind.
The spin lost force.
Selvaria pushed off the surface with her supporting leg.
FWOOSH!
She disappeared behind the formation.
Alaric moved his hand.
The lowest circles tilted.
Two spears launched.
The first pierced the base of the pillar.
The second struck the opposite side.
BOOOOM!
The ice between the two impacts came apart.
Above...
the enormous structure began to fall.
Selvaria raised her face.
The pillar's shadow swept across her body.
She beat her wings.
The left opened, incomplete.
Her momentum carried her off at an angle.
Her foot found a protrusion in the collapsing ice.
CRACK!
Selvaria launched herself from it before the block could drag her down.
FWOOOOOOOOOSH!
Her body rose alongside the snow.
The pillar struck the passage.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Blocks were hurled in every direction.
One of them tore through the place where Selvaria had been.
Others vanished inside the white cloud raised by the collapse.
Alaric shifted his foot.
The golden sword pierced a fragment flying toward his face.
SHIIING!
The two halves passed by his shoulders.
His eyes lifted.
Through the snow...
a crystalline tip disappeared above the pillars.
Alaric followed its trajectory.
For an instant...
he did not move his sword.
His eyes remained fixed on the point where Selvaria had disappeared.
Then...
The upper circles tilted.
FWOOSH!
Golden streaks rose through the passage.
Crossed the white.
Higher up...
Selvaria folded her wings in.
Her body stopped rising.
A spear pierced the snow in front of her face.
The next golden streak passed over her back.
She fell between the two trajectories.
The right wing opened sideways.
The wind pushed her beyond the trail of light.
On the left...
crystals were already spreading along the broken edge.
The structure still fell short of the length of the other.
Selvaria twisted her hips.
The Claymore followed her body.
Below...
golden flashes appeared and vanished through the snow.
She opened her right wing.
The tips of the wing spread apart.
SHIIIIING!
Crystalline feathers descended through the white.
Alaric raised his face.
The first struck the ice in front of him.
CRAAACK!
The second came at his shoulder.
His sword rose.
CLANG!
The crystal shattered against the golden blade.
More feathers broke through the storm.
Alaric advanced diagonally.
One passed through the space his neck had vacated.
Behind him...
part of the circles tilted.
The spears shot upward.
BOOM!
BOOOM!
Ice and light exploded above the passage.
Selvaria cut through the snow along the side of the impacts.
Her right wing remained partially folded.
The left extended.
Her body descended in a tight curve.
Fragments torn loose by the explosions came down with her.
Alaric turned his face.
A broad blade broke through the white.
Selvaria emerged behind the steel.
The Claymore was already descending toward his neck.
Alaric raised his sword.
CLAAAAAAAAANG!
The clash drove his feet into the ice.
His arm flexed.
His free hand closed around the hilt.
Selvaria kept descending.
Her wings spread to absorb the remaining momentum.
The right caught the wind.
The left trembled.
Her body tilted during the landing.
The foot of her injured leg touched the ice first.
Her knee gave way.
CRACK!
The layer sealing the cut on her thigh broke apart.
Selvaria released a breath through her teeth.
The Claymore remained pressed against Alaric's sword.
Blood began to seep from beneath the edge of her armor.
Alaric's eyes briefly lowered.
Selvaria noticed.
She increased the pressure on the Claymore.
Alaric shifted his footing to the side.
Tilted his sword.
Selvaria's steel slid downward.
She followed the movement.
Her other foot planted firmly.
Her hips turned before the Claymore reached the ice.
SHIIING!
The slash came back horizontally.
Alaric leaned his torso back.
The tip passed in front of his throat.
He withdrew his front foot.
Selvaria advanced into the space he had abandoned.
Her right wing swept the snow behind her.
FWOOSH!
The momentum brought her sword back to the center.
Alaric caught the blow near the guard.
CLAAAAANG!
His footing slid.
SCRRRT...
The golden formation was no longer directly behind his body.
Some circles were to his left.
Others still pointed upward.
Selvaria raised the Claymore.
One of the rings near the ice rotated.
She saw the golden light from the side.
Her body was already beginning to leave the line when the spear launched.
FWOOSH!
The tip crossed the space between them.
SHRAAK!
It scraped along the side of Selvaria's armor.
The metal split open beside her ribs.
The force of the shot twisted her torso.
The Claymore lost its line toward Alaric's neck.
Selvaria drove the tip into the ice.
SKRRRRT!
The steel carved a groove as her feet were dragged along.
Her right wing closed over her wounded flank.
The left tried to follow.
Its broken edge merely lifted.
Selvaria steadied her supporting leg.
Pulled the Claymore out of the ice.
Alaric's golden sword was already advancing.
CLANG!
She deflected the slash to the side.
Her arm extended with the movement.
The tip of the Claymore came back toward his chest.
Alaric had to stop his step.
He drew his sword back between them.
CLAAAAANG!
The blades met again.
A drop of blood fell from Selvaria's armor.
Then another.
Her left wing remained shorter.
Crystals grew along the fracture...
and broke whenever she tried to open it beyond what the structure could withstand.
Her foot slid a few centimeters.
She planted her footing again.
On the other side of the Claymore...
Alaric moved one hand away from the hilt.
Behind his shoulder...
The golden circles began to rotate.
Two shifted to the side.
One of them descended to Selvaria's waist level.
The other remained above, its tip angled toward her.
Selvaria noticed the movement out of the corner of her eye.
The Claymore was still pressed against the golden sword.
Her gaze returned to Alaric.
Selvaria shifted her foot along the side of Alaric's stance.
The Claymore turned against the golden sword.
SKRRRIIING...
Her body followed the contact.
Alaric turned to keep her in front of him.
Between Selvaria and the lowest circle...
stood his own body.
The upper ring tilted.
She saw the light grow above his shoulder.
She released the pressure on the sword.
CRRRAACK!
A sheet of ice rose obliquely at her side.
The golden light pierced the crystal.
BOOOOM!
Selvaria had already lowered her body.
Fragments passed over her hair.
The Claymore swept close to the ground.
Toward Alaric's legs.
He pulled his front foot back.
The edge cut through the space he had abandoned...
and scored the frozen surface.
A ridge of ice followed the slash.
It advanced beneath Alaric.
CRACK!
He left the ground before the points reached his legs.
The sword came down.
SHRAAAK!
The top of the formation split apart.
Selvaria was already advancing along its side.
Her right wing opened.
Long crystalline feathers broke away from the edge.
SHIIIIING!
Alaric was still descending when the first reached his chest.
The golden sword cut across its path.
CLANG!
The crystal shattered.
Another passed beside his face.
The third came from below.
Straight toward the footing he was reaching for.
Alaric drew his leg in.
The tip passed beneath his knee.
His body spun in the air.
The sword followed the movement.
CLANG!
Another feather was deflected upward.
The rest passed over his back as he descended.
His foot found the side of the broken ridge.
CRACK!
The ice gave way beneath his weight.
Before he could slip...
a spear pierced the snow beside his shoulder.
Selvaria halted her approach.
The Claymore rose.
CLAAAAANG!
The impact deflected her body to the side.
The golden tip passed beside her face.
Behind Alaric...
another spear was already extending within the same circle.
It launched.
Selvaria threw herself out of its line.
BOOOOOOM!
The shot tore the ridge from the ground.
The block spun between them.
Alaric cut through the fragments.
The sword came from above.
Selvaria received the blow with the Claymore tilted.
CLAAAAANG!
Her knee bent.
Blood began to flow down her leg again.
She guided the golden sword to the side.
Advanced with the deflection.
Alaric's shoulder turned before the tip reached his chest.
The Claymore passed close to his body.
He answered with the pommel.
Selvaria pulled her face away.
THUD!
The blow scraped her shoulder guard.
She kept close to him.
Her right wing opened in an arc along Alaric's side.
The crystalline edge swept toward his head.
He ducked.
The crystal passed over him.
Selvaria drew her sword back to strike from below.
The golden light grew to her left.
Two circles had moved away from the line of Alaric's body.
Their tips converged on her.
Selvaria abandoned the thrust.
Her foot dragged across the ice.
A rise appeared beneath her footing...
and kept growing in front of her.
FWOOSH!
She rose along the slanted surface.
The spears struck its base.
BOOOOOOM!
The formation broke apart.
Selvaria cut through the fragments above Alaric's shoulder.
The Claymore descended with her.
He turned.
CLAAAAANG!
The clash knocked the broad sword outward.
Selvaria followed the deflection.
Her body passed along Alaric's side.
Her wings extended.
The left trembled under the strain.
She lost altitude.
Her foot touched the ice sooner than expected.
SCRRRT...
Selvaria slid with her body low.
A red line remained behind her.
Alaric extended his hand.
The circles followed his movement.
The first shot pierced the snow.
Selvaria saw the tip split open.
Several golden streaks filled the space in front of her.
Her Claymore touched the ground.
CRRRAAACK!
The ice rose in a succession of slanted plates.
BOOM!
The first exploded.
BOOOM!
The second shattered before it could finish rising.
Selvaria passed along the side of the third.
One of the streaks pierced the crystal...
and tore another tip from her left wing.
She contracted her shoulder.
Kept the sword close to her body.
Ahead...
Alaric was already correcting the formation's direction.
Selvaria raised her right wing.
The outer feathers spread apart.
SHIIIIING!
A row of crystals pierced the blizzard.
Alaric tilted his sword.
CLANG!
The first feather was sent upward.
The second struck the ice beside his foot.
The others took both sides.
He retreated.
Selvaria advanced behind them.
Her steady foot found one of the broken plates.
CRACK!
Her body shot forward, skimming the ice.
Alaric deflected another feather.
The crystal passed over his shoulder...
and disappeared among the golden circles.
Selvaria appeared in front of him.
The Claymore swept horizontally.
CLAAAAANG!
Alaric caught the slash near the guard.
His footing slid.
She turned the sword over the point of contact.
The tip came back toward his throat.
He guided the steel outward.
Selvaria changed her grip.
The slash came down toward his arm.
CLANG!
Alaric drew his elbow in.
The golden sword followed the movement.
The blow passed in front of his hand.
Selvaria pressed on.
Behind Alaric...
the circles once again filled the space concealed by his body.
One remained lower.
Another aligned with the height of his shoulder.
His free hand lowered a few centimeters.
Selvaria planted her footing.
Her right wing swept along his side.
The crystalline edge sought Alaric's neck.
He lowered his torso.
The crystal passed over his head.
The Claymore was already coming from below.
Straight toward his chest.
CLAAAAANG!
The golden sword met the steel.
Selvaria pressed forward.
The ice beneath her foot grew denser.
Her body advanced with the blade.
Alaric retreated half a step.
His eyes moved along the Claymore.
Then...
to the wing folding behind her.
His rear foot remained firmly planted.
Selvaria twisted her grip.
The edge slid over the golden blade.
Rose toward the base of his neck.
Alaric tilted his sword.
Guided the slash a few centimeters outward.
Then...
he broke contact.
His left shoulder moved into the Claymore's path.
Selvaria noticed the step.
SHRAAK!
The edge opened the outside of his shoulder.
Blood followed the steel.
Alaric completed the turn with the slash.
His body moved out of the circle's line.
The spear was already aimed at Selvaria's chest.
The hand he had kept low closed.
FWOOSH!
She tried to draw the Claymore back.
The blade was still cutting through the space beside Alaric.
Her left wing folded in front of her body.
BOOOOOOM!
The golden spear pierced the rebuilt section.
The fractures raced toward the base.
CRRRAAACK!
The wing disintegrated in front of her face.
Selvaria spun out of the trajectory.
The tip passed close to her throat.
The impact of the fragments struck her armor.
Her footing left the ice.
She spread her right wing.
The thrust sent her body upward along an angled trajectory.
Above...
other circles were already aimed at that space.
Selvaria folded her wing in.
The spears pierced the place she would have reached.
BOOM!
BOOOOM!
The shots struck the pillars behind her.
The snow vanished beneath the flashes.
Selvaria landed on her supporting leg.
The Claymore came down close to her body.
CRACK!
A curved wall burst out of the ice between her and Alaric.
The golden light pierced it before it reached its full height.
A spear passed through the opening.
Selvaria deflected it with her sword.
CLAAAAANG!
Her arms were thrown to the side.
The second came in lower.
She pulled her hips back.
SHRAAK!
The tip split the armor beside her waist.
Blood splashed across the ice.
Selvaria tried to escape around the end of the wall.
A new flash appeared beyond it.
The shot spread into a fan.
The tips filled the space between the blocks.
Selvaria closed her right wing in front of her body.
Her outer feathers shot out.
SHIIIIING!
Crystal and light met only a few meters away.
BOOOM!
Two trajectories broke apart inside the explosion.
The remaining ones pierced the fragments.
The Claymore rose from behind the wing.
CLAAAAANG!
One spear was deflected upward.
Another struck the right wing beside Selvaria's shoulder.
CRACK!
The structure buckled.
She tried to tilt her body to follow the force.
Her injured leg gave way.
The next golden spear reached the same fracture.
CRRRAAAAAACK!
The wing broke apart.
One of its tips pierced the crystal...
and struck her shoulder guard.
SHRAAK!
Metal and blood vanished among the fragments.
The impact tore Selvaria off the ground.
Her body struck one of the ice plates she had left behind.
BOOOOOOM!
The plate shattered.
Selvaria tore through the debris and fell onto her side, sliding across the frozen surface.
The Claymore remained in her hands.
She drove its tip into the ground.
SKRRRRRRT!
The steel carved a long groove.
Fragments of her wings were left along the way.
Her body kept sliding...
until the blade caught between two plates of ice.
The movement stopped.
For an instant...
Selvaria remained bent over the hilt.
Blood ran down her arm.
Flowed over her fingers.
Behind her shoulders...
two broken structures remained.
One of them still tried to open.
CRACK...
A piece of crystal fell beside her.
Selvaria brought one foot beneath her body.
She leaned on the sword.
Began to rise.
Her injured leg gave way under her weight.
THUD!
Her knee struck the ice.
Her breath escaped through her teeth.
She tightened her grip on the hilt.
Ahead...
the snow began to settle.
Alaric emerged on the other side of the groove.
Blood flowed from his left shoulder.
Alaric held the golden sword firmly in his hand.
Behind him...
new spears filled the circles.
One after another.
Selvaria raised her face.
She tried to pull the Claymore out of the ice.
Her arm trembled.
The blade continued to support the weight of her body.
Her knee remained on the ground.