"Dark Wind Magic: Destruction of Hurricane!"
A storm unlike any before began forming around him. The very air screamed with pressure.
Ari sensed it—this was his final, most devastating attack. Its power grew with every passing second.
She tight her grip
Aden fell to the ground as the dark energy faded from his body.
"Aden!" Ari stopped mid-step and rushed toward her brother, her sword vanishing in light. Behind her, Dawn and the others arrived, their eyes scanning the room in confusion and urgency.
But the one person she was looking for wasn't there.
Her uncle—Gayle—was gone.
Ari's eyes caught sight of a slightly ajar door at the far end of the chamber.
"There!" she shouted, bolting toward it.
[Then we saw that happen in the fight between Sasha and gray]
As the chaos outside settled, the focus shifted inward—where the clash still raged.
Sasha lunged at Gray, her blade carving through the air with brutal precision.
CLANG! CRACK!
Each swing slammed into the ground, sending deep fractures spiderwebbing through the stone beneath. The sheer force of her strikes echoed the strength behind them—relentless, calculated, unyielding.
Gray stayed sharp, calm under pressure.
In a swift motion, streams of mercury spiraled from his palms, coiling around Sasha like living chains. But before they could fully bind her—
BOOM!
A burst of earth magic erupted from her body, shattering the mercury binds with raw force. The silver liquid hissed and fell away like shattered glass.
Gray didn't pause.
He pressed the offensive—launching mercury projectiles in sleek arcs while dashing forward with twin blades ready to strike.
But Sasha was prepared.
She met his charge head-on, her sword flashing as she blocked both the searing mercury assaults and the rapid slashes from Gray's hand blades. Sparks flew from every collision, magic clashing with metal in a storm of power and precision.
Neither gave an inch.
Sasha lunged forward, blade arcing through the air with a storming swing.
WHOOSH!
A violent chain of wind and force carved into the stone ground, ripping toward Gray like a cyclone.
Gray's eyes flicked to the side—his mercury magic responded instantly. A shimmering silver wall rose before him, absorbing the storm chain. Then, as if melting on command, the mercury rippled back into liquid form and slithered into his gloved hand.
He tucked both hands calmly into his coat pockets.
Sasha didn't wait.
BOOM!
Her blade slammed into the ground again. The entire corridor trembled as shockwaves cracked the stone tiles beneath.
CLANG! CRACK!
Another blow came—faster, heavier.
She was relentless—an unstoppable force, her swings wild yet disciplined, shaped by years of battle. A true soldier.
Gray sidestepped with sharp precision, not a hair out of place, his hands still pocketed.
"Brute force? You'll have to do better than that."
At his feet, mercury shimmered. Liquid silver coiled like a living snake and shot forward, wrapping around Sasha's ankles in a blink.
But Sasha grit her teeth and stomped hard.
BOOM!
A pulse of earth magic erupted from beneath, fracturing the mercury chains before they could bind her.
"Don't underestimate me, Gray Welhawk!" she shouted.
Gray's eyes narrowed. A mirror blinked into existence behind him—just in time to reflect Sasha's next swing.
SHING!
It deflected the blow—but only barely. Sparks flew, and her sword grazed his shoulder.
He winced, blood blooming across his coat.
"Fine," he muttered. "You want more than tricks?"
In a blink, mercury shot from his blades. He slashed forward—and then vanished into the mirror behind him.
FLASH!
He reappeared behind Sasha mid-dash, twin daggers drawn.
But Sasha had expected the move.
She spun, blades colliding with Gray's.
CLANG!
The corridor filled with ringing steel, crackling magic, and mounting tension. They fought in a blur—parry, strike, dodge, repeat.
They leapt back simultaneously.
Locked eyes.
No ground gained. No step yielded.
Then Sasha roared.
"Earth Magic: Quake Spiral!"
She stabbed her sword into the ground.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Spirals of fractured earth raced outward. Stone spikes erupted beneath Gray, warping the ground.
But Gray's mercury surged outward like a flood, flattening the spikes before they could reach him. He spun on his heel—mirror shards floated around him like satellites, tracking Sasha's every move.
Sasha dashed forward, earth energy amplifying her speed. Her blade blurred—each swing powered by rock-solid force.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Gray struggled under the sheer might of her assault, staggering back, blood trailing from his lip.
And then, he smiled.
"Let's synchronize."
Mercury wrapped tightly around his arms and twin blades, extending their reach like liquid whips.
His left dagger arced in a wide sweep—mercury trailing behind like a crescent scythe. His right stabbed directly, guided by a mirrored image that distorted Sasha's sense of distance.
Still, Sasha held strong. She parried, countered, and even body-checked Gray with her shoulder, sending him skidding back.
Suddenly, a massive mirror flared behind Sasha.
FLASH!
Gray emerged from it, grabbing her wrist mid-swing. In a fluid move, he twisted and slammed her down—mercury chains rising to pin her limbs.
Sasha growled, slamming her palm into the floor.
BOOM!
A blast of stone magic launched her upward, shattering the chains.
They both crashed down again—bruised, panting, eyes burning with resolve.
Round two… a draw.
Silence fell.
Gray's eyes darkened.
Then—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
They clashed again. Steel screamed. Magic exploded.
SLASH!
Sasha landed a hit—cutting into Gray's arm, drawing blood.
But they didn't stop.
The battle became a pure contest of blades. Each strike cracked the ground. Their magic tore apart the corridor around them. Every collision sent tremors down the walls.
Then—
Sasha spun her sword, drawing a glowing circle in the air—Gray at its center.
She roared forward with a charged thrust.
CLING!
She passed him.
Both stood still.
Sasha trembled. Breathing heavily. Blood ran down her shoulder.
Cling…
A mercury wall behind Gray split—cleanly sliced. It had blocked the killing blow.
Gray turned slowly, nodding.
"You're stronger than that fire guy," he admitted.
Then, without warning—he vanished.
FLASH!
In a blink, he was in front of her, blades flashing. Sasha dodged—barely.
But—
SHLICK!
A side blade of mercury extended from Gray's dagger, piercing Sasha's shoulder.
She stumbled back, gritting her teeth, blood soaking her armor.
Still, she raised her sword.
The air… shifted.
Heavier. Tense.
Sasha whispered—"Earth Zone."
VOSHHHH!
A massive circle sealed the area around them—Gray caught at the center.
In a blink, Sasha appeared in front of him.
Gray moved to respond—
CRACK!
A giant stone fist erupted from behind and slammed into Gray's back, sending him crashing through the stone floor.
Dust and silence.
The Earth Zone rumbled, locking in the next phase of their brutal war.
THUD!
Gray hit the floor hard. Blood dripped from the corner of his lips as he knelt on one knee, panting. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, eyes narrowing.
"I think it's showtime."
Silver mercury surged around his twin blades, thickening, sharpening. The weapons transformed—becoming broader, deadlier, vibrating with power.
In a blink—
FLASH!
He appeared right in front of Sasha's face.
CLANG!
One blade slashed toward her waist. She blocked it with her sword just in time. But the second came for her neck.
Eyes wide, Sasha hastily reinforced her throat with a hardened layer of earth magic—stone wrapping around her skin.
SHING!
The mercury blade carved through the layer. The barrier cracked, and a screech of pain escaped her lips as the edge tore into her neck—just shallow enough not to be lethal, but deep enough to burn.
They staggered apart—tense, bloodied, breathless.
Sasha's expression twisted—not with fear, but determination. She gritted her teeth, gathering strength in her legs.
Then she charged.
With every step, stone platforms formed beneath her feet, launching her higher and higher like stepping stones to the sky.
Above Gray.
She raised her blade overhead, both hands gripping tightly.
The blade glowed with earthen magic.
And she descended like a hammer.
CRASH!
Gray raised both blades to block—but the impact was immense.
Even with his thickened mercury weapons, the force sent tremors through the stone floor. It cracked beneath him, deep fractures spiderwebbing outward.
He grunted, knees bending from the weight of her strike.
And then—he reflected the force.
BOOM!
Sasha was thrown backward, airborne.
But Gray was already moving.
"Mercury Magic: Slice One – Crack."
SHING!
A crescent slash flew through the air, slicing into Sasha mid-fall. Her body jolted from the impact, the shock vibrating through her spine.
Still falling—
VSSSH!
Gray blurred forward again.
"Mercury Magic: Slice – Dismantle!"
Mercury surged to the tips of his blades, condensing into a sharp arc. He slashed forward with precision.
A heartbeat passed.
Then the wave launched—ripping through the air with a sonic pulse.
VOSH!
The energy tore across the floor like a silver blade of judgment, aimed directly at Sasha just as she was about to land.
But—
BOOM!
A massive stone wall erupted in front of her.
The attack slammed into it. The wall cracked, then exploded into rubble—absorbing most of the blow.
Even so, Sasha fell hard, tumbling across the stone floor. She coughed, blood spilling from her lip.
Groaning, she rolled to her side—
And her eyes caught it.
Aden.
Lying in the distance, unmoving. His armor shattered. His weapon broken.
And Ari—standing a few steps away, panting, her light magic fading slowly around her body.
Sasha's vision blurred.
A soft smile crossed her bloodied face.
"You actually did it, Ari…"
She pushed herself up—arms shaking, strength leaving her limbs.
Gray was already raising his blade again, ready to end it if she charged once more.
But instead—
Sasha let her sword fall.
CLANG…
It echoed across the broken battlefield.
She lifted her head, voice calm and resolute.
"I surrender."
Gray froze.
"Aden's down," she continued, wiping her face with a dirtied glove. "Which means there's no point fighting you anymore. We've lost."
Silence followed.
The storm had passed.
Moments later, footsteps echoed down the shattered corridor. Dawn and Tracey entered the room.
Tracey rushed to Sasha's side, cautious but alert.
But Sasha simply nodded.
Her gaze moved—past them—toward a figure sprinting toward a heavy steel door.
Ari.
Running towards an iron door at the far end of the corridor.
The door Gayle had gone through.
"She's not done yet…" Sasha whispered.
Without hesitation, Tracey and Dawn followed her.
Gray turned toward Aden's body. Without a word, he knelt, lifted the unconscious man over his shoulder.
Then Gray followed the others—toward the final door.