No one moved for several seconds.
The girl's body had turned to grey light and vanished, leaving behind only a cloud of cold steam that was the last trace of her flames. Ryan was still standing in place, gasping, the ice spear in his right hand slowly melting.
The battle was not over.
There were three more.
They emerged from between the trees. They did not run in fear; they advanced steadily. They had seen everything. They had seen their comrade die. They had seen how she was killed. And they did not flee.
Of course, she didn't die in the literal sense.
The first was tall, with long black hair tied in a ponytail. He carried a long, slightly curved sword. His face was expressionless, his eyes black and cold.
The second was short, stocky, with a light beard. He carried a heavy axe in one hand, as if the weight meant nothing to him. He wore a small smile.
The third was the thinnest, with short red hair and sharp blue eyes. He carried no weapon. His hands were extended, his fingers moving like someone playing an instrument no one else could hear.
They had seen everything. They had seen their teammate die. They had seen how she was killed. And they did not flee.
They stopped a few steps from Ryan.
The first looked at the other two. He nodded.
"Spread out."
Their movements diverged.
The third user retreated backward and disappeared among the shadows of the trees. He was no longer visible. But Ryan knew he was still there. He could feel his weight in the air.
The second user stepped forward. He raised his hands and touched the ground. The soil beneath his feet began to move, gather, take shape. He created an earthen sword in his right hand and an earthen spear in his left. The weapons were grey, rough, but sharp.
The first advanced toward Ryan.
They attacked together.
The earth user reached first. He attacked Lin with his earthen sword. Lin was fast; she dodged the strike, but the earthen spear followed from the other side. She could not dodge both. The spear cut her arm. She screamed but did not fall.
Celine shouted.
"Lin!"
Celine raised her hands. She grew roots beneath the earth user's feet, but he was expecting it. He struck the roots with his earthen sword, cutting them. His weapons crumbled slightly with each strike, but he reshaped them instantly.
he shouted.
"You can't stop me!"
But Mara was there. She raised her hands and lifted chunks of earth from beneath her feet. She used small rocks, compacted soil, pebbles. She shaped them into a shield in front of Lin.
The earth user's sword struck the shield, cracking it but not shattering it.
Mara shouted.
"Celine!,Now!"
Celine grew new roots. This time, not beneath the earth user's feet, but around his earthen sword. The roots coiled around the blade and squeezed. The earthen sword shattered into small pieces.
the earth user whispered.
"What..."
But he did not stop. He touched the ground again. A new sword formed in his hand.
But Lin had recovered. She fired three water arrows at his chest.
He could not dodge them. One pierced his shoulder. He screamed and retreated.
On the other side, the shadow user was moving.
Ryan could not see him, so he used a trick he had, he closed his eyes and felt the heat around him.
Ryan shouted.
"Lin!,In front of you!"
Lin did not understand. But she trusted him. She fired water arrows into the empty space before her.
One of the arrows struck something invisible. A muffled cry of pain was heard. The shadow user suddenly appeared from nowhere, the arrow lodged in his thigh. He was bleeding.
he whispered.
"How..."
The shadow user did not understand.but He tried to disappear again, but Lin did not let him. She fired arrows in every direction, forcing him to move, not allowing him to focus.
Lin shouted.
"Celine!"
Celine grew roots around the shadow user's feet. They coiled around his legs. He screamed and tried to break free, but the roots were strong.
The earth user advanced to help him. He cut the roots with his earthen sword and freed his comrade.
But Mara was there. She raised her hands and made the ground beneath the earth user's feet collapse. He fell into a small hole and lost his balance.
Mara shouted.
"Now!"
Lin fired another arrow. It pierced the earth user's chest.
His body turned to grey light. He vanished.
Two remained.
The shadow user was wounded. He was bleeding.
Ryan said.
"Surrender,"
He looked at him. His yellow eyes were frightened.
he whispered.
"I will not surrender,"
He tried to disappear again. But Lin was faster. She fired arrows at the shadow that was moving.
An arrow pierced his shoulder. He screamed and fell to the ground.
Finally, an icy arrow pierced his head, causing him to vanished.
One remained.
The swordsman. He was still standing in his place. He was looking at Ryan with his cold black eyes.
Ryan said.
"You're alone now,"
the man replied.
"I know,"
He raised his sword.
The fight was brutal. His sword was fast, heavy, his strikes precise. Ryan blocked with his ice sword. The sword cracked under the force of the blows. He reshaped it constantly.
But Ryan was not alone.
Lin fired water arrows at the man's back. Celine grew thorns beneath his feet. Mara lifted chunks of earth and launched them at his head.
The swordsman was surrounded by dangers. But he did not fear. He did not retreat.
He struck Lin's arrows with his left hand, while his right sword cut Celine's thorns. He dodged Mara's rocks with a jump, then landed in front of Ryan.
he said.
"One by one, I will kill you all."
He raised his sword.
But Ryan was waiting.
He raised his right hand. He formed two ice arrows at the same time. He fired them at the man's eyes.
He could not dodge them. The left arrow pierced his shoulder, the right arrow his chest. He screamed but did not fall.
he shouted from pain
He raised his sword in anger and struck toward Ryan's head.
But Ryan had vanished. He had slid on the ice he had created beneath the man's feet and moved to his side.
He raised his hand. He formed a new ice sword.
He stabbed him in the back.
The swordsman's body turned to grey light. He vanished.