The air above the ravaged valley vibrated with tension. Zephyros' senses tingled, the familiar aura of a ghost from the Great War brushing against his consciousness. His eyes narrowed, recognizing the presence he had once pursued decades ago.
"This time, you won't escape," Zephyros growled, his voice cutting through the wind like a sharpened blade. His boots struck the broken earth as he surged forward, the force of his Cyclone-level wind elemental swirling violently around him. Trees bent and snapped under the turbulent currents, and the ground beneath trembled with the raw pressure of his power.
Master Sylver, standing calmly on a ridge below, watched the approaching storm with solemn eyes. "You escaped my strike twenty years ago," Zephyros shouted at the fragmented soul that had evaded him. "Now you are nothing but a remnant, a fragment of a once-living being. You will not flee this time. I will annihilate you completely."
From behind Sylver, Lyther stepped forward, blocking Zephyros' path. "You'll have to step over me first if you wish to attack my Master," the apprentice said firmly. The young fighter's aura shimmered with Elemental Blizzard Foundation Cycle, chilling the air around them and freezing the tips of broken grass in place.
With no hesitation, Zephyros unleashed his power. A massive Cyclone spiraled into the sky, tearing through the valley like a living predator. Lyther, the apprentice, countered with a blinding blizzard, spikes of ice rising from the frozen ground and hurling toward Zephyros. The collision of wind and ice was cataclysmic. Trees were uprooted, the forest floor cracked and frozen, and shards of ice were thrown hundreds of feet away as the storm raged. The duel between Zephyros and Lyther shook the valley, echoing with the ferocity of elemental wrath.
Suddenly, a surge of light split the chaos. Ignarion, Commander of Division One, appeared on the battlefield, his Arcstorm-level lightning elemental crackling across his hands, ready to intercept any threat. Two figures stepped forward to oppose him: Ravion, wielding the Abyss-level shadow elemental, and Ceryn, unleashing Cyclone-level wind elemental in tandem. They moved as one, creating an impenetrable wall of shadows and wind to block the Commander.
Lightning met darkness and wind in a symphony of destruction. Ravion's shadows snaked around Ignarion's lightning bolts, absorbing and redirecting energy, while Ceryn's wind currents collided with Ignarion's speed, forcing him to adjust constantly. The clash created miniature cyclones and black void patches across the battlefield. Every strike ignited sparks of elemental energy, and the ground quaked beneath the sheer force of their powers.
Master Sylver observed silently, noting the uneven balance. "Our current students are not sufficient to take on elite Commander alone," he thought, watching the chaos unfold. "Five to Six ordinary students are needed to challenge a single Commander. Their numbers are too few, yet the enemy grows stronger."
Meanwhile, Commander of Division Four Veyra Nyx faced his own troubles. His army had been compromised by Dracx aligned with Xyron Inferno. Dracx orders were shouted, troops were regrouped, and defensive formations were established. The betrayal Commander Division Four was reminded him of the precariousness of this war and the cost of miscommunication, every single soldier from Division 4 must detained because they will be questioned for the betrayal.
Seraphel, Commander of Division Two, immediately acted to reinforce Division Four, sending Captain Lysandor and the rest of his forces to aid their embattled allies. Their mission carried a deeper motivation—revenge. Memories of the Demon invasion twenty years ago surged within them, and the destruction of their noble clans fueled a silent rage.
Flashbacks of that catastrophic invasion unfolded in Zephyros' mind. He has opened the portal 20 years Ago, Xyron Inferno had led the demons to Zerath, scattering their forces, breaking noble lines. Divisions had been assigned to protect the clans: Voltras had guarded the Ancient Dragon Clan (Division Three), Seraphel the Aetherin Clan (Division Two), while the Regalith Clan had been almost entirely annihilated, leaving only Lysandor alive. The bloodline's special abilities had drawn the Xyron inferno attention, especially their unique Light Elemental Ascension, capable of reviving the dead and performing extraordinary healing.
Back in the present, Zephyros' clash with Lyther reached a fever pitch. Cyclones and blizzards collided with deafening force, snow and wind whipping violently around them. Ice spikes embedded in the torn earth, and jagged shards of frozen terrain exploded outward as Zephyros' tornado lifted massive chunks of soil and shattered trees. Lyther countered with precise, tactical ice constructs, forcing Zephyros to adapt continuously. Every strike pushed the limits of their elemental mastery, the battlefield a testament to the destructive potential of evolved powers.
Ignarion, meanwhile, struggled against Ravion and Ceryn. Ravion's shadows twisted unpredictably, merging with the darkness of the terrain to mask attacks. Ceryn's tornado winds added constant pressure, forcing Ignarion to continuously channel his Arcstorm electricity to keep both at bay. Bolts of lightning seared through the shadows, arcs jumping between enemy forms, but the combined pressure of two elemental masters made every moment a life-or-death calculation.
Master Silver watched the clash unfold, noting tactical flaws in his own students. Most were competent against regular soldiers but not elite Captains. "We lack sufficient elite fighters," he murmured. "Ordinary students can challenge soldiers one by one, but against these enemies, they require coordination, skill, and more than raw power. Without it, victory is impossible."
From above, Division Four's Commander reinforced his position, reasserting command over the remaining troops. Every soldier was ordered to hold ground, protect the division, and prepare for reinforcements. Seraphel's and Lysandor's intervention would be crucial to tip the scales.
Zephyros, locked in mid-air with Lyther, pushed his Cyclone-level wind to the limit. Tornadoes collided with blizzard spires, sending ice shards and debris spinning violently. Lightning arced across the battlefield as Ignarion met Ravion and Ceryn's combined assault, the ground beneath erupting in simultaneous shockwaves of ice, shadow, and electricity. The environment itself became a weapon, terrain broken, trees splintered, and frozen mists rising from the battlefield.
Master Sylver kept his distance, observing the ebb and flow of the conflict, knowing intervention was inevitable but understanding the necessity of experience for his students. Their coordination and control were being tested under extreme conditions, a trial by fire that would define their mastery of elemental powers.
Amidst the chaos, the background of the Demon forces' strategy became evident. Xyron Inferno's schemes from decades past had left scars that shaped this battlefield. Noble clans had been destroyed or scattered, and the remnants of their lineages now fought desperately to protect what remained. Zephyros and Ignarion were fighting not just for survival, but to reclaim honor and avenge past atrocities.
The battlefield in full disarray. Zephyros and Lyther remained locked in a deadly dance of wind and ice, Ignarion straining against Ravion and Ceryn's combined might, and Master Sylver observing the unfolding events with calculated concern. Reinforcements from allied divisions were still route, but the clash had already transformed the ravaged valley into a chaotic maelstrom of elemental fury.
As the last light of day faded behind the mountains, the wind howled through shattered trees, icy spikes glimmered ominously, and lightning arced across the battlefield. The air was thick with the scent of ozone, snow, and scorched earth. Each participant understood that the next moments could decide the outcome of this pivotal confrontation.
The an uneasy pause a tense silence before the next surge of power, the stage set for reinforcements, revenge, and a cataclysmic continuation. Zephyros and Lyther hovered amidst the swirling elemental storm, Ignarion bracing against his opponents, and Master Sylver ready to intervene. The war was far from over, and the battle for Zerath's future had only just begun.