Ariana took a deep breath as she stepped forward with her hand tightening on the hilt of her sword. The air around her seemed to shiver as the blade pulsed with a faint red glow. Her eyes locked on Elara with pure hatred. "You will not escape this time," Ariana said, her voice low but sharp. Elara raised her staff, her fingers tracing a quick circle in the air. Blue sparks formed around her palm before rushing to the tip of the staff. "Frost Bind," she whispered. A stream of freezing energy burst forward, but Ariana swung her blade down with all her strength, cutting through the magic. The impact created a shockwave that rattled the ground beneath them. Ariana lunged ahead with her sword glowing brighter. Each strike she threw carried the weight of her rage. Elara countered, shouting, "Arcane Barrier," and a wall of shimmering light rose before her. Ariana’s blade smashed into it. A voice akin to an explosion of thunder erupted. Sparks flew as the sword met the raw magic of the barrier. The shield held for a moment before cracking apart, sending shards of light scattering like broken glass. Elara stumbled back but quickly drew in breath. She raised her staff again and chanted, "Storm Edge." Blades of wind spun into being, rushing toward Ariana. Ariana clenched her teeth and swung her sword in a wide arc, shattering the wind blades one by one. The clash of steel and air roared across the arena, throwing dust and stone into the air. "You can’t defeat me!" Elara cried, her eyes burning with determination. She thrust her staff into the ground, sending a wave of force forward. Ariana gripped her sword with both hands and shouted as she swung downward. The strike split the wave in two, the ground shaking with the aftermath. Ariana stepped closer, her sword still glowing with raw energy. "Every strike I make carries the weight of the people I killed" she said, her voice shaking with fury. She slashed again, sparks flying as Elara raised her staff to block. The sound of the clash rang like thunder, echoing across the stands. Elara’s arms trembled, but she pressed forward, summoning another spell. "Celestial Flame!" A burst of golden fire rushed at Ariana, lighting the air in searing heat. Ariana narrowed her eyes and spun her sword, the red glow flaring brighter. She cut straight through the flames, the collision sending out a shockwave that made the audience cover their faces. The two of them stood in the center, breathing hard as they glared at one another. The arena floor was cracked, and the air was heavy with the smell of scorched stone. Ariana’s sword still pulsed with her hatred, while Elara’s staff shimmered with flickering light. Both refused to take a step back. Ariana’s plan was to draw closer and deal with Elara while Elara planned to keep Ariana at bay. She thought it would be easy but Ariana managed to destroy all her spells. Their eyes met again, full of resolve. Ariana raised her sword higher, the glow almost blinding now. Elara tightened her grip on the staff, magic swirling around her body in waves. The next clash promised to decide everything, and the crowd held its breath, waiting for the storm to break again. A sharp sting brushed across Ariana’s cheek. Blood spurted out as a deep cut appeared on her skin. She froze for a second, her breath catching in her chest. She had not even seen Elara’s attack. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ NoveI-Fire.ɴet "When did she cast that spell?" Ariana whispered in shock. Her voice trembled,in fear. She tightened her grip on her sword, refusing to stand still like a fool. The air shifted and she felt more attacks rushing toward her. She instantly moved, her body blurring into motion as she activated her movement technique. Her boots glowed faintly, pushing her speed beyond its limit. Since she wasn’t able to see the attack,she just moved randomly shifting direction all around. She darted left, avoiding the invisible strikes. As she ran, her eyes narrowed and her senses sharpened. Slowly, she began to see them,tiny compressed dots of wind pressure shooting straight at her in deadly lines. To anyone else, they would be impossible to detect, but her heightened perception allowed her to track them. They were fast, sharp, and lethal. "Magic Bullets," Ariana muttered. She remembered this spell well. It was one of Elara’s signature techniques, quick and nearly invisible to the naked eye. Her sword spun as she slashed through the air, deflecting the deadly projectiles one by one. Each block sent sparks flying, her arms vibrating from the force. The ground beneath her cracked from the shockwaves of every deflection. "Stop running, bitch!" Elara screamed. Her voice rang with fury and arrogance, echoing across the arena. Ariana’s grip tightened. Her blade whirled faster, her movements growing more precise. She was no longer blindly defending. She started to adapt as she read the pattern of the attacks. With a sharp step, she blurred forward. The magic bullets rushed past her but no longer hit. Her image flickered, her speed breaking the eyes of those watching. In moments she was already near Elara. Elara’s eyes widened as Ariana closed in. She hadn’t expected her to break through so quickly. Hatred burned in her gaze as she tried to keep track of Ariana’s figure. "You... filthy servant!" she spat in disgust. Ariana raised her sword. The air around her shifted, the wind condensing into her blade. She stepped forward and slashed with all her strength. A ripple tore through the air and a massive wind blade shot out, screaming toward Elara. "Earth Wall!" Elara cried. She slammed her staff into the ground and muttered the spell. A giant earthen wall burst upward, towering before her like a fortress. The wind blade slammed into it with a deafening boom. The upper half of the wall exploded, rock and soil scattering through the arena. Dust and broken stone filled the air, clouding vision. Ariana didn’t stop. She rushed forward through the haze. Jumping high, she soared over the broken wall,and raised her sword to deal a finishing strike. But her eyes narrowed in alarm as she landed. Her body stiffened as she felt the ominous weight pressing down from above. She looked up and saw her. Elara floated in the air, her body glowing with magical light. A smug smile stretched across her face, her green hair swaying in the wind. "Shit," Ariana muttered under her breath. "She can fly." Her eyes sharpened further as she saw what was waiting. Dozens of fireballs hovered in the air beside Elara, burning bright red. They circled her like loyal soldiers, each pulsing with destructive energy. Elara’s laughter echoed from above. "Kneel in despair!" she shouted with venom. She raised her staff high, pointing it down at Ariana. The fireballs dropped all at once, falling like a meteor shower. The crowd gasped in horror as the sky itself seemed to rain fire. Ariana’s sword glowed faintly at first, then the light grew. A deep greenish aura spread along its edge. Her hands trembled, but not from fear. Dots of reddish glint reflected in her eyes shaking her heart. "I Cant..lose today no matter what..." The blade darkened,with shadows curling around it, wrapping it in pure hatred. She raised her sword to the heavens as the fireballs descended. "Not today," she said coldly. With one mighty swing, her sword cut through the air. A wave of darkness burst forth, a massive arc slicing through the falling fireballs. Explosions roared across the arena as fireballs shattered. Flames and sparks scattered in every direction, but none touched her. Her strike had split them apart. The crowd shielded their eyes from the flash. Elara gritted her teeth, fury twisting her face. She started to lose her composure seeing her attack were dealt with easily. Her voice cracked in rage. "You worthless worm! You think you can stand against me?" Ariana ignored her words. Her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. The aura around her sword grew thicker, the darkness crawling over her skin, feeding off her hatred. Her eyes glowed faintly red. She had no fear left in her heart. "Then perish with this!" Elara screamed. She spun her staff in the air, forming a gigantic magic circle above her. The glowing runes pulsed with violent energy, and the arena fell silent as everyone stared. From the magic circle, a colossal meteorite began to form. Flames burned across its surface, and its size alone dwarfed the stage below. The pressure it emitted made the crowd tremble. Gasps and cries rang out as nobles clutched their chests. "It’s over," Elara said with venom. Her voice carried arrogance and hatred. "Give up. Accept that you are nothing before me." Ariana stood firm. She snorted coldly. "In your dreams." She raised her sword once more. Darkness surged from her body like a storm, spiraling around her and condensing into the blade. Her hair whipped violently in the force as her eyes burned with pure hatred. The arena trembled as her aura erupted. Black flames twisted around her form and then shot upward like a pillar. The force shook the ground and cracked the earth beneath her feet. She pointed her sword at the falling meteorite. The darkness screamed out of her body, condensing into a devastating strike. She roared from the depths of her chest, her voice filled with fury and pain. The sword light erupted in a massive beam of destruction. It tore through the air, colliding with the meteorite. The impact was earth-shattering. A deafening explosion ripped through the arena, blinding light swallowing the battlefield. The shockwave spread outward, knocking back even the strongest knights watching from the stands. The heavens themselves seemed to split apart.