Chapter 7 – Blood in the Snow
The axe came free with a metallic snarl, broad-bladed and engraved with the sigil of House Arvel. Frost shimmered across the steel as if the weapon itself drank the winter.
Ashen's grin split his scarred face. "Let's see if you can dance with a real knight."
The air buckled. Mana bled from his skin in torrents, cracking the frozen earth beneath his boots. The ground fractured in jagged lines, snow boiling into steam. His aura pressed down on the world like a collapsing mountain. A Second Star Knight.
Lucian felt his knees weaken, his lungs constrict. He had known the strength of ashen living storms in human form, they were beings who could turn the tide of battle in one swoop. His hands trembled, out of fear before he them forced it still.
"He'll kill us," he whispered, horror creeping into his voice.
"Then stand down," Auron snapped, stepping forward, every muscle coiled. His own bracelet glowed faintly at his wrist. "This one's mine."
auron knew all his battles will make him stronger. so he didn't shy away from the fight.
Asher's laugh was a blade drawn across bone. "you think, you can beat me? fools dream"
The axe fell.
It was not a swing. A silver arc split the night, fast enough to shear the air itself.
Auron barely dodged, throwing himself into the snow as the blade carved a trench half a man deep where he'd stood. The impact shook the forest, sending a ripple through the frozen trunks.
Lucian didn't think. He raised a hand, words clawing from his throat. "Ignis Fracta!"
Fire burst from his palm, a narrow lance of crimson heat. It smashed against Asher's shoulder, hissing against the knight's armor.
The steel blackened, but the man only turned, aura flaring, and batted the spell aside with a sweep of his axe. The flames scattered into embers, devoured by the snow.
"Cute," Asher sneered, advancing.
Lucian's other hand traced a sigil in the air, glyphs burning blue against the darkness. He slammed his palm into the snow. A wall of jagged ice erupted, fangs of frost aimed at the knight's chest.
Asher didn't even slow. His axe cleaved once, twice and then the barrier shattered, shards spiraling through the forest. A fragment cut across Lucian's cheek, drawing blood.
Auron darted forward, seizing the distraction.
He struck at Asher's flank, dagger flashing silver. Sparks screamed as steel scraped steel. The counterstrike came instantly, Asher's gauntleted fist, hammering into Auron's ribs.
The breath left him in a violent cough, but he rolled with the blow, twisting under the follow-up slash and planting an elbow across the knight's jaw.
Blood sprayed across the snow.
For the first time, Asher staggered back a step. Then he roared, aura detonating outward. it felt like the sun was exploding.
The blast hurled both Lucian and Auron from their feet. Snow churned like a blizzard, trees groaning as their branches snapped under the pressure.
Lucian tumbled across the ice, his shoulder screaming with pain. He spat blood, scrambled to one knee, hands trembling.
"I'm not staying behind," Lucian hissed, forcing himself upright.
Auron gave him a fleeting glance, blood dripping down his temple. "Then we finish this together."
Asher came on, relentless, every swing of his axe tearing the air like thunder. The snowfield became a slaughterhouse.
Auron dodged left, Lucian right, their movements weaving like threads. The knight struck again, missing Auron by inches.
Lucian countered with a blast of force—Arcane Pulse—that slammed into Asher's thigh. The knight grunted, staggered, but did not fall.
Lucian pressed, glyphs spiraling around his arm, summoning a lance of condensed frost. He hurled it.
the ice spear shrieked through the air, piercing into Asher's shoulder joint. Blood gushed, steaming in the cold.
The knight roared, ripping the spear free with a spray of crimson, and retaliated. His axe whirled in a deadly storm.
Lucian dove, too slow, the steel caught his arm, carving deep. Pain exploded, blood splattering across the snow. He bit down on the scream, staggering back, clutching his wound.
"Lucian!" Auron barked, charging in. He struck high, forcing Asher's guard up, then feinted low, driving his dagger across the knight's thigh. The blade sank, twisting, tearing muscle.
Asher faltered but his aura surged again, defiant. His eyes burned with madness. He lifted the axe, bellowing, a titan refusing to fall.
Lucian drew on everything left. His hands flared with unstable mana, ice and fire colliding, unstable and screaming. He thrust both palms forward.
The spell detonated.
Fire and frost fused into a violent storm that swallowed the knight. Armor shrieked, flesh seared and froze. Asher howled, aura buckling under the onslaught. He staggered, opening just long enough—
Auron lunged. His bracelet blazed gold, the lion emblem roaring in light. His dagger drove through the knight's chest.
The axe slipped from Asher's grip. His breath rattled. Blood poured in torrents, steaming in the frost. He locked eyes with Auron, lips trembling.
seeing auron face covered in blood and shining brightly in light
"You… look like him," he rasped, voice broken.
Auron froze. "Like who?"
"The man… who ruined me," Asher whispered. And then he collapsed, blood soaking into the snow.
Silence pressed on the battlefield. The storm eased, leaving only the hiss of melting frost and the groan of trees.
Lucian stumbled, clutching his torn arm, blood dripping into the snow. His face was pale, lips trembling, but his eyes burned with defiance. "We did it… we are free."
Auron lowered his blade, chest heaving. He looked at the young mage, bleeding, yet still standing. He reached out a hand.
"You were brave," Auron said softly.
Lucian managed a smile, weak but true. "We were. Together."
The wind howled through the corpse-strewn snowfield, carrying the scent of blood and fire. Victory was theirs, but the cost was carved deep in their flesh and bones ,a reminder that no triumph came without ruin.
just then auron yelled "LUCIAN DUCKK!!!"