The clash of giants resumed.
Snow and earth tore skyward as Duchess Lireya faced off against Velkran, each movement of their duel sending quakes through the land. Velkran roared, spewing corrupted breath across the field. Lireya cut through it with swift arcs of silver-blue aura, her sword gleaming like a star.
Velkran lunged again, jaws wide. Lireya sidestepped, sliding beneath the shadow of his maw, and slashed upward with a burst of spiraling water. The blade carved along Velkran's underside, opening a new wound. Black blood hissed as it hit the snow.
"Why won't you break?!" Velkran thundered.
Lireya narrowed her eyes, her tone ice-cold. "Because you've already lost."
She raised her free hand and cast Torrent Shackles, forming dense water rings that coiled tightly around Velkran's tail and legs. With a surge of aura, she dashed forward, her blade glowing brighter as she prepared her next strike.
Across the battlefield, the tide was turning.
Knight Commander Tharyn fought like a hurricane. His armor was dented and stained, but his aura remained blazing. Karron, now bleeding from deep gashes, let out a maddened shriek and charged again. Tharyn intercepted him with a high kick to the chest, then drove Stormbind straight through Karron's core in a burst of golden energy. The corrupted creature convulsed and disintegrated into a burst of ash.
Treshna roared in fury and surged forward—but Tharyn was ready. He twisted, ducked her hammer swing, then countered with a powerful diagonal slash that cracked the crystal plating of her shoulder. Lightning spilled from her like blood. They locked weapons again, and sparks flew.
Nearby, Captain Virel had gained the upper hand against Velsha of the Searing Eye. Her twin axes danced with glowing aura as she parried whip strikes and pressed closer.
"Enough of your games," Virel spat.
Velsha screamed, six eyes glowing as she summoned a firestorm. But Virel hurled one of her axes like a spinning disk—it hit Velsha's stomach mid-cast, interrupting the spell. The flame-dancer staggered. Virel closed the distance in a flash, retrieved her axe mid-strike, and spun with a wide, horizontal double-blow that crushed Velsha's ribs. A final overhead strike split her chest with an aura-infused cleave.
Velsha fell.
Captain Edran ducked Nulgrim's swing and spun low, his glaive trailing fire. He cut a wide arc along the beast's leg, then jumped, flipped, and slammed his blade into Nulgrim's neck.
The wolf-knight shrieked, swiped madly—but Edran was already gone.
"Thanks for the dance," he muttered, as he drove the glaive through Nulgrim's back.
The creature howled one last time and collapsed.
Another corrupted elite—defeated.
Across the field, other knights of the duchy clashed with mid-rank corrupted monsters—hulking beasts of bone and sinew, insectoid warriors, and crimson-eyed trolls. Though the monsters fought with reckless fury, the northern warriors held their ground. Each knight moved with discipline, aura flowing in tight, practiced bursts. Spears struck joints. Swords opened gaps. Magic pierced through defenses.
Little by little, the monster line was pushed back.
Meanwhile, the children continued to battle near the rear line—supporting the injured, holding ground, and dealing with lesser threats.
Alaric, sword in hand, ducked beneath the swipe of a snarling, three-eyed beast the size of a horse. He drove his blade into its leg, then kicked it back as Malric slammed his aura-infused shoulder into its side, knocking it off-balance.
Lira followed with a blast of water and earth, wrapping the creature's lower body in a hardened prison of stone and roots.
"Behind you!" Jorin shouted.
Another creature—a serpent-like thing with blade-arms—slithered from the side, eyes locked on Lira.
She turned too late.
Jorin tried to run forward—but he wouldn't make it in time.
And then—his aura ignited.
A burst of white-blue light surrounded him. The world slowed for a heartbeat.
He moved.
Faster than he ever had. His body surged forward, feet pushing off the ground as if lifted by wind. He reached Lira just as the creature lunged—and his blade, glowing with fresh aura, pierced its skull.
The beast dropped lifeless at their feet.
The others froze, stunned.
"You… awakened!" Lira gasped, wide-eyed.
Alaric laughed breathlessly. "I saw it! You were glowing!"
Malric clapped him on the back. "Jorin, you're Rank 1 now!"
Jorin blinked, stunned. "I-I guess I am."
No time to celebrate. Another low-rank beast charged, and they moved together as one.
From afar, Duchess Lireya watched as Velkran thrashed beneath the grip of her Torrent Shackles, fury in its every movement. Though bloodied and breathing heavier, she stood strong—one hand glowing with water magic, the other gripping her sword.
And across the battlefield, her captains stood tall.
Two of Velkran's elite champions had already fallen.
Hope surged through the ranks like fire through kindling.
The corrupted tide…
was beginning to break.