The arena was silent.
The crowd leaned forward in anticipation, eyes locked on the battlefield. Dust danced in the air, and everyone waited for the match's conclusion.
Then—
SLASH!
A sudden flash of lightning and steel. Darius cut through Selara's vines once more, his breath heavy, sweat dripping. His voice rang out as he sidestepped another attack.
"If those wings are your blade's released form… then it explains everything."
Selara, her wings shining like golden blades, surged forward. "As if you could ever touch me!"
She launched another vine, but Darius vanished—Flash Step!—and reappeared behind her, slicing across her shoulder.
She gasped, stumbling forward.
Darius stood tall, eyes locked on her. "This isn't a story about an angel sending a demon back to Hell…"
He paused.
"This is a story of a fallen angel."
Selara collapsed, hitting the ground hard. The Velundria side of the arena fell into a suffocating silence.
As the dust settled, Darius took a slow step forward. "I believe that settles it."
He turned.
WHIP!
A vine snaked out and wrapped around his ankle, yanking him off his feet.
Boom!
He slammed into the ground.
The Velundria crowd roared back to life.
From above, Eldric's voice thundered: "Feel the wrath of an angry angel!!"
Selara rose slowly. Her wings spread wide, glowing, and her aura surged.
"I've been too lenient."
She wrapped herself in her wings, light spilling out between the feathers. A glowing crown of thorns and leaves formed in the air above her. It lowered onto her head.
She opened her eyes.
"Wood Magic… Mother Nature."
BOOM.
The ground trembled. Trees erupted from the earth, vines surged, and leaves twisted wildly. The entire arena was swallowed by a forest.
Darius narrowed his eyes. "So… you were hiding your true power. That's your final form, huh?"
He reached for his blade.
"Then it's only fair I get serious too."
He raised his hand, lightning crackling around it. His blade transformed into a coiled metal whip, sharp edges sparking.
"Lightning Magic… Thunder's Whip."
The whip wrapped around him, electricity pulsing with each heartbeat.
He smirked. "Let's finish this. Full power. No holding back."
Selara shouted from above, "Bring it on!"
Behind her, wooden drills formed and rotated at high speed. She hurled them at Darius like missiles.
CRASH! He slashed them away with his whip.
"Wood Magic… Wooden Cave!" Selara summoned a thick wall of wood, blocking his next attack—but his lightning whip tore through it, shattering the barrier.
Darius leapt into the air, his whip lashing the stage below.
CRACK—ZAP—BOOM!
Bolts of lightning exploded across the ground.
Suddenly, a massive wooden dragon burst out of the rubble.
"Wood Magic… Three-Headed Dragon!"
Three snarling heads charged at Darius.
He struck one, but it barely flinched. "Damn… too thick."
BAM!
One head slammed him to the ground. He rolled away just in time as the second lunged. He barely escaped.
Selara floated above. "Is dodging all you've got? C'mon—entertain me!"
The dragons charged again.
Darius planted his feet, his whip swirling like a shield.
ZAP!
The dragons were pushed back.
He grinned. "Interesting."
Selara growled. "You dare get cocky in front of an angel?! I'll show you nature's wrath!"
As the dragons dove again, Darius ran up the first dragon's body. The second tried to intercept, but he flipped over it.
The third struck—but Darius lashed out with his whip, binding all three together midair.
"Lightning Magic… Electrocution!"
BOOOOOOM!
Lightning surged through the dragons, shattering them into dust.
Selara's eyes widened. "He… he destroyed my babies…"
Her wings flared, rage spilling out.
"WOOD MAGIC… TREE EMERGENCE!"
CRASH! Trees erupted everywhere, blocking everyone's view. The crowd groaned as the arena transformed into a maze.
Darius looked around, lost in the greenery.
"Tch. So it's hide-and-seek now?"
He cracked his neck. "Fine."
"Lightning Magic… Lightning Boots."
Electric boots formed around his feet. He crouched, sparks building—
BOOM! He launched into the sky.
"There you are."
Selara spotted him. "Too slow!"
Vines shot up toward him—he whipped them away mid-air.
"This is getting boring. Let's clean this up."
He spun his whip violently.
SWOOSH!
A massive arc of lightning shot out in all directions, slicing every tree in the arena clean. The crowd's view was restored instantly.
Selara shielded her eyes. When she opened them, her entire forest was gone.
"You… destroyed my forest?!"
She screamed and flew high.
Her wings glowed. The edges transformed into sharp thorns.
She dived.
Darius vanished—then reappeared behind her.
BAM! He kicked her upward and followed.
In the air, his whip cracked across her back.
"Electrocution."
ZAAAAAP!
Sparks lit up the sky.
Selara screamed and fell, unconscious, crashing into the ground.
Darius landed gently. His armor of lightning faded, his blade returning to its normal form.
He looked at her, then turned to the crowd with a mocking laugh.
"The angel has fallen."
Silence… then thunderous applause.
"DARIUS WINS!!!" the referee shouted.
Cheers erupted.
On the Velundria side, Eldric slammed his fist on the railing.
"Even Selara lost to them?!"
He stormed toward the Head Captain and knelt.
The Head Captain only smiled. "I know you're frustrated, Eldric. But patience… the real fun is yet to come."
Eldric glared. "You're hiding something. What are you planning?"
The captain chuckled. "It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you. But… here's a hint."
He leaned in.
"The last match."
Eldric narrowed his eyes. "You're planning something for the final match?"
"Who knows?" the Head Captain shrugged.
Eldric scowled and walked away.
The Head Captain glanced across the arena—his eyes met Arthur's.
He clapped.
Arthur looked away, sensing it too.
Something big… was coming.