The floor of the cabin trembled slightly, making the vases on the table clink. Telvaris raised his gaze, scanning the simple walls of the shelter, feeling every vibration that rose from the mountain above.
A second tremor ran through the ground, more intense, and Telvaris furrowed his brow, feeling something familiar and dangerous. He approached the door, resting his hand on the firm wood, and inhaled deeply.
"Has begun," he murmured, the voice firm, almost a whisper loaded with meaning.
The wind entered through the open window, carrying with it the smell of stone and snow. Telvaris remained motionless, alert, as if he could hear every step, every strike that was still unfolding high on the mountain.
"He really didn't waste time," Brianna murmured, the hint of irony in her voice hiding the concern. "I know we're in a hurry…" she added, looking at the ground, weighing the risks — "but maybe we should have waited longer. Anyway… as long as he doesn't die, I really don't care much."
"Everything's fine, knowing the Alpha Supervisor…" Karna said, furrowing his brow. "It makes me more worried about Kael. He is facing Ereon without knowing which divinity he faced in the Abyss."
"Now spare us your sarcastic comments, woman," Karna retorted, with a slight tone of irony.
Brianna smiled: "Now I'm the sarcastic one," she said, almost audible in the intonation. "Remember that a week ago, in my room, you said sweeter words?"
Telvaris sighed, raising his hand as if trying to cut the conversation in the air.
"Could you resolve this 'little quarrel' somewhere else?" he said, the voice firm. "I am trying to concentrate to feel what is happening up there. Karna, you should also stay prepared. If things get ugly, I hope your arrow can stop this fight."
Silence returned to the cabin, but the feeling of urgency persisted. Telvaris closed his eyes, concentrating on the vibrations rising from the mountain. Each step, each clash of bodies, each stone raised by Kael resonated inside him.
Karna adjusted his posture, arrow ready, eyes fixed in the direction of the mountain. Even at a distance, he could perceive the rhythm of the fight: the cadence of strikes, the impact of stones, the echo of every dodge. Brianna, still with her sarcastic tone, watched, but also felt the growing tension, as if the air around carried the same electricity that trembled in the ground above them.
Telvaris breathed deeply, and the vision expanded in his mind: the top of the mountain, loose rocks moving, the wind cutting through the uneven terrain. And there they were, Kael and Ereon, each tense, measuring the other. The terrain descending the slope became the stage of a confrontation of technique, strength, and instinct.
Ereon stood up slowly, eyes fixed on Kael's movement, but the mind divided between the real world and the whispers of the Abyss. It was as if he were in a trance, one part of him conscious of the fight, another immersed in the energy that pulsed inside him, calling him, guiding him.
Kael advanced, raising blocks of earth and stones that cut the air toward him. Ereon, still divided between consciousness and trance, reacted instinctively: dodging, rolling, and jumping, using trees and roots to protect himself. Each movement seemed less predictable, as if the environment itself began to respond to his presence.
The rhythm of the fight changed. Kael continued attacking with precision, manipulating the ground and raising improvised barriers. Ereon was no longer just a reactive opponent; he moved with almost supernatural intuition, anticipating attacks and using the terrain instinctively, without his full strength yet revealed.
The mountain became the stage of an intense clash: each jump of Ereon, each block of Kael, each stone raised or tree used as cover made the air vibrate with tension. Ereon's trance made him more agile and fluid, and the fight, even without visible shadow attacks, had already reached a new level of danger and unpredictability.
Kael breathed deeply, feeling every crack and stone under his feet. Ereon's movements were now unpredictable; rapid jumps, almost impossible dodges, each gesture seemed guided by something invisible. Kael had to constantly adjust his attacks, raising small walls of earth and throwing stones with more force and precision, trying to anticipate the opponent's movements.
Ereon moved as if each root and trunk were extensions of his own body. He disappeared among trees, rolled over stones, jumped over roots, and reappeared at unexpected angles. Kael blocked what he could, dodged the rest, but each dodge of Ereon made the terrain more unpredictable.
The wind howled through the mountain, carrying dust and leaves, and the sound of stones being raised and thrown echoed through the valley. Kael advanced with a rapid sequence of strikes, trying to corner Ereon. The opponent's trance gave him fluid, almost dance-like movements, making each attempt to hit a test of reflexes and patience.
For a moment, the fight seemed to slow down. Kael sighed, evaluating Ereon, realizing that the intuition the other displayed now could change everything. Ereon, with eyes half-closed and body tense, floated between consciousness and the Abyss, reacting to something Kael still could not understand, making each attack and defense unpredictable.
The descent of the mountain continued, turning each step into risk, each jump into opportunity. The tension between the two reached a new level: it was not only strength or technique, but instinct, energy, and a premonition that this was far from over.
As the fight continued, Ereon felt something new awaken inside him. The shadows began to expand, covering the mountainside like a dark and silent cloak. Each leaf, each plant, each life it touched seemed to wither or die as the darkness advanced slowly and inexorably.
Kael paused for a moment, feeling a chill run down his spine. The wind grew colder, and a heavy feeling took over the air, as if the Abyss were trying to materialize on the mountain itself.
"This is getting dangerous…" Kael murmured, voice firm but loaded with apprehension. "This chill… it's almost as if the Abyss is materializing."
Below, in the cabin, Brianna furrowed her brow, realizing something was wrong. "This… is becoming dangerous," she said, her voice more serious than usual, eyes following the line of the mountain.
Telvaris and Karna also felt it. The black shadow advanced slowly, descending the slope, swallowing the vegetation and leaving a trail of death and cold wherever it passed. The tension that was once concentrated on the fight now spread across the terrain, making the threat evident to everyone: Ereon's power was growing, and no one there knew exactly how far it could go.
The mountain, once just the stage of an intense duel, now turned into something more sinister, a living and threatening presence descending with Ereon, bringing with it the cold and death of the Abyss.
Karna raised his voice, firm and focused: "Can you hear me, Kael? I'm sorry…, but things are getting dangerous. If you don't mind, I'm going to end the play."
Kael breathed deeply, keeping his eyes fixed on Ereon. "Good… I will step back and try to lure him. Please, don't miss."
Karna let out a small smirk, the tension mixed with a touch of sarcasm. "Good, I will enjoy this. I still feel depressed when I remember the hunt… I could even say I wouldn't like it," he said, aiming the arrow upward, pointing with precision. "But actually…"
While Karna adjusted the arrow, Kael began to act. With quick movements, he manipulated the ground behind Ereon, raising blocks of earth and small fissures, creating pressure that pushed the opponent forward, directing his steps. Each movement of Kael was calculated to use the terrain to his advantage, drawing Ereon up the mountain, away from vegetation and immediate danger below.
Ereon, still partially in trance, reacted instinctively. Kael felt he was managing to control the pace of the fight, manipulating the earth strategically to lead Ereon exactly where he needed. A strike of earth hit him in the back, propelling him forward with force, making his movement predictable enough for the next stage of the plan.
The air was charged, each movement echoing across the mountain, as the battle transformed into a game of strategy, reflexes, and terrain control — Kael luring, Karna ready to support from above, and Ereon pushed more and more into direct confrontation.
Kael continued manipulating the terrain with precision, folding the earth behind Ereon and guiding his steps. Little by little, he managed to bring him exactly to the point he had planned, at the top of the mountain. As soon as the ground trembled slightly under Ereon's feet, Karna noticed the signal. A perfect moment.
He breathed deeply, adjusted the arrow, and prepared his most powerful skill.
With a firm gesture, Karna fired the Brahmastra: an arrow of cosmic energy that transformed into an explosion of unimaginable light and force, illuminating the mountain and sending shockwaves through the air.
Kael took advantage of the moment of the explosion and, with his Earth Translocation skill, disappeared from the top of the mountain, reappearing immediately in front of the cabin, out of the devastation's reach. Up there, Ereon found himself alone, surrounded by the chaos of the Brahmastra and the stone clone Kael had left as a distraction.
Silence fell for a moment, dense and heavy, before the explosion finally manifested. The light shone intensely, the mountain trembled, and Karna, without losing composure, turned with a sarcastic smile and exclaimed: "BOOM!"
The sound of the explosion echoed through the valley, mixing light, heat, and dust, while Ereon's shadow retreated momentarily, isolated at the top of the mountain, and the tension hung in the air, preparing the next move.