"I hope you can achieve your wish, Azara," the leading troll said.
Azara gave a strange smile. He didn't remain on the Isle of Tribulations. Instead, he boarded the boat of the first troll soldiers to land and slowly paddled towards the eastern shore of the lake.
"That coward hasn't changed, still so afraid of death," the troll scoffed, then turned his attention to the elven mages and soldiers on the island.
"Everyone, get ashore as quickly as possible! These elves are a real eyesore!" the leading troll shouted, wielding his sharp spear and leading the first wave of trolls to charge towards Leylin.
Despite the vast disparity in numbers between the two forces, the mages and soldiers showed no signs of panic.
The mages possessed a pride and energy that kept them composed in the face of danger, while the soldiers' courage and strength kept them standing firm. No matter how many trolls came, victory would always be ours.
"Aminel, Tyr'ganal, you guys deal with the trolls who haven't landed yet. The soldiers and I will fight the trolls who have reached the island." said Leylin.
Tyr'ganal and Aminel moved past the charging trolls and stood at the lake's edge. Frank followed closely, providing cover for their spellcasting.
Regardless of the battle on the island, the trolls within the lake were suffering greatly. In Lake Elrendar, where water elementals abound, the trolls still paddling in their boats not only had to contend with the mages' ice spells but also with the powerful elemental creatures that suddenly rose from the surface.
These water elementals, in their combined strength, could easily capsize their boats.
Water elementals and volleys of ice spears swept across the lake, forcing the troll soldiers to jump into the water and slowly swim across. Submerging underwater protected them from numerous spells, but the sudden drop in temperature left the trolls in dire straits.
Aminel cast a [Ring of Frost] over the lake within the trolls' range. Being in the gloomy land of winter, the water was even colder. Over a dozen trolls were frozen stiff by the sudden freezing temperatures, twitching as they sank into the lake.
The leading troll sensed something was amiss. The power of these mages exceeded his imagination, especially the one he was battling. His magical energy was exceptionally potent.
The troll's feeling was correct; Leylin was indeed powerful. In reality, Leylin's training time in the Ghostlands was limited, but the key was daily practical training.
A mage's introspective training wouldn't lead to rapid improvement. Leylin's daily routine training, night after night, helped increase his magical prowess.
Over the past two and a half months, Leylin's daily routine has further increased his magical prowess even further. When his accumulated pure magical energy erupts it would be his next advancement to demigod rank.
The troll leader, blessed by the lynx god, possessed immense speed. His sharp attack and perceptive sense of danger made him resemble a seasoned ghost-clawed mountain lynx darting through the undergrowth.
Unfortunately, such power was being used against a magician. Even more unfortunate was the fact that this mage possessed a terrifying precision in magical energy beyond the comprehension of other mages.
The troll leader was swift and possessed powerful bursts of attack. His attacks repeatedly struck Leylin's vital points.
However, each time he was about to succeed, the mage standing still, would unleash a powerful spell, forcing him to retreat. Whether it was fire magic or arcane magic, these spells overwhelmed the troll.
Dealing with a warrior was far easier than dealing with a mage. Leylin's precise magic releases—[Fire Ball] and [Arcane Explosion]—not only put the troll leader on the defensive but also inflicted considerable damage.
This kind of battle took a heavy toll on the troll leader's stamina. After several attacks, he was panting heavily, his grip on his spear tightly.
Was he gathering strength? Leylin watched the troll leader stand still, as if waiting for an opportunity.
He was clever. The troll leader summoned several troll soldiers to cover him, distracting Leylin's vision.
However, Leylin was also waiting for an opportunity, a chance to defeat the enemy with a single blow. Fortunately, this opportunity came just as the troll leader was gathering strength.
Universal spell, [Blink], the mage instantly passed through the troll soldiers standing in front of him and in less than half a second, stood behind the troll leader.
Success. Leylin smiled faintly. Two purple magic circles with arcane fluorescence instantly imprisoned the troll leader in place.
His body was completely unable to move. The troll leader gritted his teeth, angry at Leylin for controlling him, and resentful that Azara chose him as a scapegoat. The elves and mages on this island were far beyond the strength of his weak camp.
After a period of fighting, Azara on the opposite shore came to the east bank. He stood on the lakeside, watching his compatriots die coldly.
"Ah, I'm so sorry, Khuz'ka. But I had no choice but to do this to escape. You died a worthy death." Azara caressed the two spider demons around him and smiled.
Khuz'ka glared at Leylin with furious eyes, his right hand still straining to pick up the spear that had fallen to the meadow.
Unfortunately, he didn't have the chance. Leylin's arcane burst instantly ripped Khuz'ka apart, his body crushed to dust by the scattered arcane energy.
The death of their leader had demoralized the troll warriors. They weren't a regular troll army to begin with, merely garrisoned east of Lake Elrendar, their combat effectiveness weak.
The trolls fled, and the elven warriors gave them no chance. The one-sided battle dyed the lake's edge red. Like monkeys scattering when a tree falls, the one-sided battle quickly ended.
Leylin stood on the eastern side of the island, looking at the cold opposite shore and shaking his head. He felt that he had let a huge threat escape on this island.
In the troll frontline camp.
"Ahem, Champion, long time no see." Azara hunched over and walked to the largest tent in the camp.
The tall, bulky troll raised the axe at his waist. He looked at the troll in front of him with confusion and said, "Azara, when you were exiled, you used your poison to kill nearly a hundred elite troll soldiers. This debt is not settled yet, and you dare to come back?"
Azara shook his head, knelt on the ground and said, "Champion, I know that the Empire needs my help now."
The champion put away the axe in his hand, walked in front of Azara, stepped on Azara's shoulder and said, "Yes, but you must always remember your identity."
Hearing the answer, Azara felt very excited. He trembled and said, "I will do my best, Champion Kul'krazahn."
Kul'krazahn ignored his reply. As Amani's Champion, Kul'krazahn was more cunning and treacherous than Azara.