The forest was eerily quiet as Clarence kept a watchful eye on Sfilt, who was fast asleep on a blanket nearby. The boy's peaceful expression was a sharp contrast to the chaos unfolding elsewhere. Clarence exhaled softly, his mind racing.
"I wonder how they're doing out there…" he murmured to himself, glancing toward the distant sounds of battle.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the trees. Clarence's heart raced. "They're back?" he thought, turning toward the noise. But his hope quickly turned to dread as a group of Cloud knights emerged from the shadows, their armor glinting ominously. Clarence's hand instinctively went to his sword.
"Wake up," he whispered urgently, shaking Sfilt awake. "We need to run before they see us."
Sfilt's eyes fluttered open, fear quickly replacing sleep as he saw the knights. "Run!" Clarence shouted, pulling Sfilt to his feet. The two darted into the forest as the knights unleashed a volley of arrows. Clarence deflected the projectiles with his sword, his movements swift and precise.
On the battlefield, Youth and Flient were locked in an intense duel. Their weapons clashed repeatedly, sending shockwaves through the air. Flient's taunts fueled Youth's aggression, making his attacks more ferocious but less calculated.
Nearby, Schneizal stirred, regaining consciousness just as Arthen lunged at him. Grabbing his sword, He blocked the attack, and the two began trading blows in a heated battle.
Sequana unleashed powerful blasts of magic, decimating multiple knights, while Vriede cut through the enemy ranks with deadly precision. One knight, realizing the dire situation, called for reinforcements.
In Sylvan, Fort and Rooks worked tirelessly to evacuate the villagers.
"Pack all your important things and leave now! Before they get here!" Rooks shouted as he guided the villagers out of their homes. Fort focused on helping the elderly, his determination unwavering.
But then, a chilling voice broke through the commotion. "What the hell are you doing, soldier?" Fort turned to see a Grade 2 Ketergian knight glaring at him. The knight drew his sword and charged.
"Go! Quickly!" Fort yelled to the villagers before engaging the knight. Their swords clashed violently.
"Traitor!" the knight spat.
Fort shouted as he drove his sword through the knight's throat, ending the fight. He stood frozen, staring at the lifeless body, his hands trembling.
"Fort…" Rooks muttered as he arrived, his expression a mix of concern and understanding.
Youth and Flient continued their duel, their movements growing faster and more intense.
"Let's do this again," Youth said, his voice low and determined.
"RevolForm: GUST!" His body surged with blue energy as he transformed. The two Grade 3 warriors clashed at incredible speed, their strikes creating shockwaves that shook the battlefield.
"You're finally catching up… good," Flient taunted. Youth screamed in rage, charging at him with renewed ferocity. Their weapons collided with such force that sparks flew, illuminating the battleground.
Meanwhile, Schneizal and Arthen were locked in a fierce struggle. Arthen, driven by memories of his siblings, fought with everything he had.
"I'll get strong just like them!" he vowed, charging at Schneizal. But Schneizal countered with a decisive strike, wounding Arthen and sending him to the ground.
With most of the knights defeated, Vriede turned to Sequana and Schneizal.
"Help Youth. I'm going to check on Clarence and Sfilt." She disappeared into the forest.
Sequana fired a blast of magic at Flient, but he deflected it effortlessly.
"NO!" Youth shouted, his voice filled with fury. "He's mine! I will kill him… get out of my way!"
Sequana and Schneizal exchanged surprised glances but stepped back. Youth charged at Flient, their weapons clashing at a speed almost too fast to follow.
In the forest, Clarence deflected another volley of arrows, his sword moving with precision.
"Stay back, Sfilt," he said firmly, positioning himself between the boy and the knights. Taking a deep breath, Clarence closed his eyes, focusing his energy. As another wave of arrows flew toward them, he sliced through all of them with a single, fluid motion.
Suddenly, Vriede appeared behind the knights, cutting them down with swift, brutal efficiency.
"Are you guys alright?" she asked, her voice calm but urgent.
"Yes," Clarence replied, his grip on his sword steady.
"Good," Vriede said, scanning the area for more threats.
Youth and Flient's fight reached a fever pitch. Flient landed several slashes on Youth, damaging his armor. Youth, breathing heavily, recalled the memory of his father's death. His anger reached its peak, and his Gust form began to fade.
"FALL, FALL, FALL, FALL!" Youth roared. His body erupted with dark energy and red lightning, his armor transforming. Black with glowing red lines, it radiated immense power. His right arm grew larger, and his spear became more menacing, its tip surging with energy.
Schneizal stared in disbelief. "What the hell is going on?"
Sequana's eyes widened.
Youth launched his spear with such force that the ground beneath him cracked. Flient prepared to block, his body glowing with blue energy. But before the attack could connect, a massive energy blast descended from the sky, neutralizing the spear.
"What?" Schneizal exclaimed, looking up.
A figure descended from above, his aura commanding and terrifying. It was the strongest Noble Royal Knight, the Unrivaled Heavenly Blade, Descorda. His presence silenced the battlefield, and all eyes turned to him.