The second wave hit harder and faster, the monsters surging forward with renewed ferocity. Elara stood her ground on the icy platform, her staff glowing as she unleashed a series of frost spells. Cedric and the other adventurers formed a protective line around her, their blades and shields flashing in the dim light. Their coordination allowed Elara to focus on dealing damage, her spells striking with precision and efficiency.
Her confidence grew with every cast. She could feel herself adapting to the chaotic rhythm of the battlefield, where her attention had to shift constantly between the monsters, her allies, and the icy terrain beneath them. Each movement felt more deliberate, her instincts sharpening with every encounter.
“Keep it up, Lady Elara!” Cedric shouted as he cut down a snarling beast that had broken through the line. His voice was steady, filled with an unshakable belief in her. She nodded, channeling her focus into another spell.
「Icy Surge」 (2-star spell)
A wave of jagged ice erupted from her staff, spreading across the platform and freezing several smaller creatures in their tracks. The mercenaries nearby took advantage of the opening, cutting down the immobilized monsters with ruthless efficiency.
Elara’s breaths came fast, her chest rising and falling as she took a moment to survey the battlefield. She was managing to hold her own, and the synergy with her allies gave her a sense of accomplishment she hadn’t expected.
But then, the air shifted.
It was subtle at first—a faint hum at the edge of her awareness. The sky above them darkened as ominous clouds began to gather, and a low rumble of thunder rolled across the sea. Elara’s grip tightened on her staff as she felt it: a strange pull in the mana around her.
Her gaze snapped toward the center of the platform, where the faint shimmer of converging mana caught her attention. The energy was unusual, twisting and coalescing in a way she couldn’t quite explain. It wasn’t natural, and it sent a shiver down her spine.
‘What is that?’ she thought, her mind racing. The convergence was growing stronger, the mana swirling as though drawn to a single point. It was chaotic, unbalanced, and utterly foreign.
“Elara!” Cedric’s voice jolted her back to the present. She barely had time to react as a monstrous creature lunged at her, its claws glinting in the faint light. Cedric’s blade intercepted it, the clash reverberating through the platform. “Stay focused!”
“Right!” she replied, shaking off her unease. Whatever was happening with the mana, she couldn’t afford to be distracted now. Not with the monsters pressing harder than ever.
The density and strength of the creatures had increased dramatically. Larger beasts with hardened scales and glowing eyes pushed through the ranks, their sheer power threatening to overwhelm the defenders. Elara gritted her teeth, channeling mana for another spell even as her arms burned from the strain.
「Frost Nova」 (3-star spell)
She slammed her staff into the ground, sending a pulse of freezing energy outward. The blast created a ring of jagged ice, slowing the advancing creatures and giving the defenders a moment to regroup. But the reprieve was brief.
More monsters surged forward, their snarls and roars deafening. Elara could feel the tension in the air, the oppressive weight of the converging mana intensifying with every passing second. Whatever was happening at the center of the platform was making things really hard for their side right now.
Elara braced herself as the second wave of creatures bore down on the platform. Her staff pulsed with energy, its frosty glow illuminating the chaotic battlefield. Every spell she cast felt like a small victory, but the unrelenting ferocity of the monsters began to weigh on her.
“Hold the line!” Captain Eryndor’s voice thundered across the platform, but even his commanding tone couldn’t mask the tension in the air.
Elara tightened her grip on her staff. Sweat mixed with frost on her palms as she prepared another spell.
「Glacial Bind」 (2-star spell)
She thrust her staff forward, and icy chains shot out, ensnaring the legs of a beast that had broken through the line. CRACK! The frost froze its joints, halting its advance long enough for a nearby adventurer to plunge a sword into its throat.
“Good work, Lady Elara!” Cedric called, his blade slashing through another creature that lunged toward her. “Stay sharp!”
She nodded, her heart pounding as she turned her attention to a cluster of monsters trying to break through the left flank. Channeling mana into her staff, she cast another spell.
「Frozen Lance Barrage」 (2-star spell)
A volley of icy lances erupted from her staff, hurtling toward the creatures with a resounding WHOOOSH-THUNK! Each lance struck with precision, freezing limbs and sending shards of ice scattering across the platform.
But as the last lance found its mark, a sound cut through the battlefield—a piercing, guttural screech from the center of the formation.
SCREEEEEECH!
Elara’s breath hitched, and an involuntary shiver ran down her spine. The sound wasn’t directed at her, but it carried a weight that froze her in place for a heartbeat too long.
‘What was that?’ she thought, her pulse racing. The air grew heavier, and the mana swirling in the center of the platform intensified. Continue your saga on empire
“Elara!” Cedric shouted, jolting her back to focus. “They’re breaking through!”
She forced herself to move, channeling mana into her staff once again. The creatures were closing in, their glowing eyes locked on her as though sensing the importance of her role.
「Frost Nova」 (3-star spell)
Slamming her staff into the platform, she unleashed a wave of freezing energy. WHUMPH! A jagged ring of ice erupted around her, slowing the creatures’ advance and buying her allies a moment to breathe.
But before the defenders could regroup, the air was shattered by another screech—louder, more piercing than before.
SCREEEEEEEEECH!
“Arghk—!” Elara’s hands flew to her ears, but it was too late. The sound hit her like a physical blow, her head ringing as pain lanced through her skull. She staggered, her vision swimming as she fought to maintain her balance.
Her staff slipped from her grasp for a split second, but she caught it before it could fall. The ground beneath her feet felt unstable, as though the platform itself were trembling.
And then she saw it.
Bursting from the center of the formation, an enormous, serpentlike creature reared into the air. Its dark, scaled body gleamed with unnatural energy, and its eyes burned with an eerie green light. The beast’s roar shook the platform, its presence overwhelming.
“Watch out!” someone screamed, but it was too late.
With a powerful swipe of its tail, the serpent sent several defenders flying. Among them was Cedric. Elara’s heart clenched as she saw him crash into the icy platform with a sickening THUD! His sword skittered across the ground, and he didn’t rise.
“Cedric!” Elara cried, but her voice was drowned out by the chaos.
The serpent turned, its glowing eyes locking onto her. Time seemed to slow as it lunged, its massive jaws opening to reveal rows of jagged teeth. Elara’s breath caught, her body frozen as the creature surged toward her.
‘Move,’ her mind screamed, but her limbs felt like they were encased in ice.
The chill of death washed over her as the monster loomed closer, the air vibrating with its roar. Her ears were still ringing, and she could feel the warmth of blood trickling down her neck. But amidst the chaos, something stirred within her—a surge of mana, raw and untamed.
Her staff glowed brighter than ever, the frost swirling around her in a frenzy. Her instincts took over, and she raised her staff with trembling hands.
「Arctic Fang Barrage」 (3-star spell)
Spears of ice erupted from her staff, hurtling toward the serpent with a piercing WHIRR-CRACK! The frost struck its scales, shattering on impact but slowing its momentum just enough to keep it from devouring her in a single strike.
But it wasn’t enough.
The serpent roared, its massive body surging forward through the barrage. Elara’s eyes widened as its gaping maw closed in on her. Time seemed to freeze again as she stared into the abyss, the chill of death more real than it had ever been.
‘I’m not fast enough,’ she thought, a sense of helplessness gripping her.
Her mana surged one last time, but she knew it wouldn’t be enough to stop what was coming. As the monster’s jaws descended, she braced herself for the impact, her mind racing with fragments of thoughts and regrets.
And then—
—a blinding flash of light erupted from her left. BOOM! The serpent recoiled with a deafening roar, its head snapping back as a searing, a black beam tore through the air, striking the beast with incredible force.
SWOOSH!
Following that, someone had appeared right before the monster, with a long blade.
STAB!
His blade channeled with black starlight, gushed forward, and it stabbed right through the monster’s enormous head.
「Void Starfall Blade: Starlight Needle」
SWOOSH!
But the monster was quick, and it swiftly moved its body, only getting the strike on its barebody underneath.
BOOM!
But even then, the pierced body suddenly blasted inside.
“SCREECH!”
And the monster retreated in a split second.
THUD!
Just then, Elara finally fell to the ground.
Elara staggered, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to register what had just happened. The serpent thrashed violently, its scales smoking where the mysterious attack had landed. A figure leaped onto the platform, the sound of boots hitting the icy surface sharp and deliberate.
“Looks like you needed a hand.”