The battlefield below grew smaller as the war drifted farther away.
Yet peace remained out of reach.
In the wilderness beyond the castle, the sky churned with dark clouds. The wind howled across the hills, carrying dust, leaves, and the distant echoes of battle.
At the center of the storm stood two warriors.
Elysia.
Belni.
Neither willing to back down.
Without warning, Elysia flicked her wrist.
Several Water Kunai formed around her fingers.
Their edges shimmered like crystal beneath the stormy sky.
SHHHK! SHHHK! SHHHK!
The projectiles shot forward.
Belni immediately leaped backward.
One.
Two.
Three.
She dodged most of them.
But not all.
THUD!
A kunai sliced across her shoulder.
Another pierced her arm.
A third grazed her side.
Belni hissed through clenched teeth.
Elysia didn't give her time to recover.
She turned toward Zoe.
"Go!"
Zoe looked at her.
"What about you?"
"I'll handle her."
Elysia's eyes remained fixed on Belni.
"You need to reach the castle."
"Stop Yuki before she kills an innocent person."
"If she learns the truth too late..."
A shadow crossed Elysia's face.
"She'll never forgive herself."
For a brief moment, Zoe hesitated.
Then she nodded.
"Don't die before I get back."
A small smile appeared on Elysia's lips.
"I wasn't planning to."
Zoe turned and sprinted toward the castle.
The wind pushed against her as she disappeared into the distance.
Belni's expression immediately changed.
"Oh no you don't."
She thrust her hand forward.
Golden sand swirled around her fingers.
An iron chain burst from the ground.
CLANK!
The chain wrapped around Zoe's ankle.
Belni yanked her arm.
Zoe was violently pulled backward.
But before Belni could drag her closer—
Elysia vanished.
Her body dissolved into water.
SPLASH!
Belni's eyes widened.
A second later, Elysia appeared behind her.
She wrapped an arm around Belni's neck.
Then—
BOOM!
Belni was hurled through the air.
The chain shattered.
Zoe immediately regained her balance.
Elysia raised her hand.
A Water Dragon formed beside her.
The majestic creature released a powerful roar.
ROOOAAARRR!
"Go!"
Zoe jumped onto the dragon's back.
Moments later, both vanished toward the castle.
Belni landed roughly on the ground.
Her face twisted with anger.
"You just had to interfere."
Elysia answered by launching a kick toward her head.
Belni ducked beneath it.
Then slammed both hands into the earth.
The ground trembled.
A massive wall of sand exploded upward.
The wind intensified.
Within seconds, a raging sandstorm engulfed the battlefield.
Dust swallowed the sky.
Visibility vanished.
The world became gold and brown.
A violent tornado of sand spun around them.
Belni smirked.
"This is my domain."
But before she could celebrate—
A hand grabbed her wrist.
Her eyes widened.
Elysia.
Instead of escaping the storm...
She had dragged Belni deeper into it.
"Then let's fight inside your domain."
---
The storm became a prison.
The sand moved so quickly it felt like thousands of tiny blades scraping against their skin.
Neither fighter could see more than a few meters ahead.
Only instincts remained.
Only battle.
Elysia raised both hands.
Water gathered around her.
The droplets merged.
Expanded.
Transformed.
Dozens of Water Crows appeared.
Their eyes glowed bright blue.
For a moment, they looked almost alive.
Then—
CAW!
CAW!
The flock surged forward.
Belni instantly moved.
The crows chased her through the storm.
One exploded beside her.
Another grazed her shoulder.
A third struck her directly.
Water burst across the battlefield.
Belni leaped away.
Only to find Elysia already waiting.
A concentrated Water Strike shot toward her chest.
Belni twisted sideways.
The attack missed by inches.
Then she smiled.
The sand around her shifted.
Figures began emerging from the storm.
One.
Three.
Five.
Ten.
Sand Clones.
They charged simultaneously.
Elysia met them head-on.
BAM!
One shattered.
CRACK!
Another exploded into dust.
BOOM!
Three more collapsed.
Within seconds, every clone was destroyed.
The storm roared louder.
Then Elysia found the real Belni.
She stepped forward.
And punched.
THUD!
The attack landed.
Or at least it should have.
Instead—
Belni's body dissolved into sand.
The punch passed straight through her.
Elysia's eyes narrowed.
A dangerous ability.
Every strike became useless.
The sand behind Elysia shifted.
Belni appeared.
Her arm transformed into a sharp spear of compressed sand.
SHINK!
The first strike missed.
Elysia dodged.
The second didn't.
STAB!
Pain shot through her leg.
Blood stained the sand below.
Elysia stumbled.
Just for a second.
That second was enough.
Belni attacked relentlessly.
Punches.
Kicks.
Elbows.
The storm echoed with impacts.
BAM!
THUD!
CRACK!
Elysia blocked some.
Dodged others.
But several landed.
Belni grinned.
"I win."
Elysia smiled.
"No."
She suddenly grabbed Belni's wrist.
Belni's eyes widened.
Before she could escape—
Elysia spun.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster.
The world blurred around them.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
Belni was launched through the air.
She crashed through one tree.
Then another.
Then another.
Wood exploded everywhere.
The entire forest shook.
Finally she slammed into the ground.
The sandstorm began collapsing.
The tornado weakened.
The winds slowed.
Silence returned.
Only broken trees remained.
Only destruction.
Belni struggled to stand.
Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.
A shadow appeared above her.
Elysia.
Her injured leg trembled.
Her clothes were torn.
Her breathing was heavy.
But her eyes remained determined.
She slowly walked forward.
Then sat on top of Belni before she could rise.
Belni's eyes widened.
"What are you—"
BAM!
A punch struck her face.
BAM!
Another.
BAM!
Another.
Again.
Again.
Again.
The forest echoed with each impact.
Belni tried to defend herself.
Tried to escape.
But Elysia gave her no opportunity.
Weeks of frustration.
Fear for her friends.
The urgency of reaching the castle.
Everything poured into those punches.
Above them, thunder rumbled through the heavens.
Far away, the castle stood beneath the storm.
And Elysia knew one terrifying truth.
Every second she spent here...
Yuki was getting closer to Pixie.