The mist coiled around Garlack's broad frame as he stepped forward, his longcoat flaring like the wings of a predator. Though both bore the rank of Count, the difference between them was palpable - where Maya's power came from careful study and refined technique, Garlack's thrummed with the raw intensity of countless battlefields. His core burned slightly brighter, his movements carrying the effortless precision of a warrior who'd survived a hundred fights to reach this level. The two Knight-ranked guards at his side tensed, their hands hovering over their weapons, but he raised a single gloved hand.
"Stand down," he ordered, his voice a low growl. " This is between us."
Maya wiped the blood from her split lip, her emerald eyes burning with defiance. The wind howled around her, her body wreathed in a flickering green aura. She had fought hard to get here—too hard to be stopped now.
"Garlack," she spat. "Move aside."
The Captain of Arachis Security smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Do you enjoy trampling on those weaker than you, Frey? Or is that just a habit you can't shake?" His tone was mocking, but his gaze was ice. "You capitalized on naive students for your twisted research. I always warned Winston about you. But it took a commoner to finally open his eyes."
Maya's fists clenched. "I don't have time for your grudges, Garlack. Let me pass, or we do this the hard way."
Garlack laughed—a deep, resonant sound that carried across the bridge. Then, in one fluid motion, he reached behind his coat and drew a short rod. With a twist of his wrist, it elongated into a spear taller than himself, its tip gleaming under the lamplight.
"The hard way it is."
And then—
He vanished.
Maya barely registered the displacement of air before his boot slammed into her chest with the force of a cannon blast. The impact sent her hurtling backward, her body crashing through the iron railing of the bridge. For a terrifying moment, she was weightless, the black waters of the Aetheric Lake yawning beneath her.
Then—
"Gale Surge!"
Compressed green wind exploded beneath her feet, arresting her fall. She rocketed back onto the bridge, skidding to a halt just before the broken railing. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, her ribs screaming in protest.
Garlack stood where he had kicked her, his spear resting lazily over his shoulder. "Still standing? Good. I'd hate for this to end too quickly."
Maya wiped her chin, her mind racing. Energy Burst and Accumulation. Garlack's ability was deceptively simple—the longer he remained still, the more potential energy he stored, converting it into explosive bursts of kinetic force. No fancy titles. No aura techniques. Just raw, amplified power.
And he was stronger than her.
But she had no choice.
Maya struck first, her fist lashing out with a razor-edged gust of green wind. "Wind Blade!" The air split like a cleaver, carving toward Garlack's throat.
He didn't dodge.
He flickered—disappearing and reappearing inside her guard. His elbow crashed into her ribs, sending her stumbling back.
She retaliated with a spinning kick, her leg cloaked in swirling green aura. Garlack leaned back—just enough—before his spear blurred upward in a brutal uppercut. The shaft cracked against her jaw, snapping her head back.
Maya rolled with the impact, flipping backward and slamming her palms onto the bridge. "Gale Quake!"
The stones beneath Garlack's feet erupted, but he leapt, twisting midair to avoid the shockwave.
He landed—and didn't move.
Maya's eyes widened. He's charging.
She didn't wait. "Tempest Palm!" A concentrated blast of green wind shot from her hand—
Garlack exploded forward, his spear thrusting like a piston. The wind technique shattered against the sheer force of his movement, and the spear's tip grazed her shoulder, drawing blood.
Maya backflipped, creating distance. Her body pulsed with green aura, reinforcing her limbs. She lunged, feinting left before driving a knee toward his ribs.
Garlack caught her leg midair and slammed her into the ground. The bridge trembled.
She gasped, but instinct took over. A burst of green wind erupted from her body, forcing Garlack back.
He skidded—then dug his heels in.
And waited.
Maya panted, her body aching. He's storing energy again. If he lands another hit like that—
She couldn't let him. She cloaked her fist in dense green aura and charged.
Garlack shifted—not dodging, but redirecting. His spear spun, deflecting her strike before his free hand clamped around her throat.
BOOM.
He slammed her into the bridge's stone, the impact cratering beneath her.
Maya coughed blood, vision swimming. She tried to raise her arms, but Garlack's knee pinned her down.
His fist reared back—
And punched downward.
The bridge cracked beneath them, exploding into a crater that hurled Maya away.
Maya barely caught the edge of the crumbling stone, her fingers slipping. Below, the Aetheric Lake's deadly barrier shimmered, ready to obliterate anything that touched it.
Garlack stood above her, his spear resting on his shoulder. "You're persistent, Frey. I'll give you that."
Maya's arms trembled. She couldn't hold on much longer.
But she wouldn't fall.
Not when her child's life was at stake.
With a scream of effort, she wrenched herself up, green wind erupting beneath her in a desperate burst. She landed on unsteady feet, her body battered but her spirit unbroken.
Garlack's smirk faded. "You should've stayed down."
Maya spat blood. "I don't know how."
Then—
She charged.
[Wind style: Typhoon Fang]
Her entire body became a weapon, green wind spiraling around her like a dragon's maw.
Garlack dug in—his muscles coiling, energy building—
And then—
[Kinetic Spear: Rending Lance]
The shockwave nearly obliterated the bridge.
Smoke and dust choked the air. The two guards at the far end of the bridge stared in horror as the aftermath settled.
Maya lay unconscious, her body broken, her green aura flickering out. Garlack stood over her, his breath steady.
"Take her," he commanded. "Lock her in the detention cell beneath the east tower."
One of the guards hesitated. "Should we inform the Principal? Or any Council members?"
Garlack's gaze darkened. "No. I'll handle this myself tomorrow."
The guards exchanged glances but obeyed and lifted Maya's limp form, not before handing her side bag over to Garlack.
This wasn't over.
Not yet.