Astryx Place—
Oliver and Kol finally arrived at the palace. They were stunned to find the once-destroyed halls now being rebuilt. The air was thick with tension.
An elf approached them with urgency.
"Kai is now our new captain. He's waiting in the command tent," the elf reported.
Both men froze in shock.
"What about Jack?" Oliver asked, his voice low.
The elf replied coldly, "By order of the Chief, they dueled for the title. The ex-captain… is dead."
Neither Oliver nor Kol spoke as they moved toward the captain's tent. When they entered, they found Kai sitting at the center, relaxed, drink in hand. Two empty chairs waited for them.
They sat down, tension filling the space.
"I have the location of that boy," Kai said without delay, sliding a tablet across the table toward them.
"He's nearby. Bring him to me."
They nodded slightly.
Just then, the elf re-entered the tent.
"You'll accompany them, sir. They may fail again," the elf warned.
Kai stood, smirking as he looked at the two.
"I just want to see the boy's power," Kai said.
A dangerous gleam flickered in his eye.
—Back to the Journey—
We had almost reached our destination.
Stopping in a small village for the night, we planned to reach Master Kael by morning. Aelira had gone out to buy supplies, while I remained in the room with Master Kan. Today's lesson—summoning and reverse summoning the sword.
I sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, sweat on my forehead, sword resting beside me.
"To summon your weapon, you must first master reverse summoning—returning it into aura," Kan explained calmly.
I'd already been trying for two hours. Nothing.
"Just relax," he said. "It's one of the simpler spells. Channel your will into the sword."
I took a deep breath and focused.
Suddenly—whoosh.
The blade dissolved into light and vanished from my hand.
"Yes!" Kan nodded, satisfied. "You've successfully reverse summoned it."
Excited, I clenched my fist.
"Now… summon it back."
I tried. Focused.
But no light. No blade.
Only silence.
"It's… not coming back," I muttered, frustrated.
Kan chuckled slightly.
"Well, at least you've taken the first step."
Suddenly, a loud noise echoed from the village center.
Master Kan and I rushed toward it.
When we arrived, we saw them—Oliver and Kol—standing calmly in the middle of the road like predators waiting for prey.
Aelira and Noah had just returned from shopping. Aelira's eyes narrowed the moment she saw Oliver standing in her path.
"Didn't run away this time," Oliver said with a smirk, stepping in front of her.
Kol turned to us. His gaze locked onto Master Kan and me.
"This ends now," he said coldly.
The four of us took our positions. The tension in the air was sharp enough to cut.
Without warning, Kol's body shifted. His skin darkened, his muscles bulged, and his eyes turned pitch black. He had entered his monster form.
Then he summoned his weapon—a massive black hammer, almost too big for a normal human to lift.
"That's new…" I whispered.
Kol lunged forward with the hammer raised high. It came crashing down with terrifying force.
Clang!
Master Kan summoned his sword just in time and blocked the strike, but the sheer force sent cracks through the ground.
I stepped back, tried to summon my sword—nothing.
"What are you doing?!" Kan yelled, still blocking the next swing. "You have a weapon—USE it!"
"It's not coming!" I shouted back, panicked.
Kol didn't care. His hammer came down again and again, and Kan barely held his defense. Sparks flew as steel clashed with raw power.
"Captain Kai gave me permission to finish you myself," Kol growled, voice dark with rage.
I dashed in, fists tight, and struck Kol's side. He blocked easily and returned with a punch that sent me sliding across the ground.
"What about Jack?" Kan asked while parrying another brutal swing.
Kol's eyes narrowed.
"Kai killed him."
That brief moment of distraction was all it took.
Kol raised his hammer, aura flaring. His next strike came with full force.
CRACK!
Kan's sword shattered.
"Master!" I yelled.
Kol's second swing landed squarely on Kan's chest. A shockwave burst from the impact as Kan was thrown across the village square like a broken doll, landing hard on the ground.
He didn't move.
He couldn't even stand.
"Master Kan…!" I cried, my fists trembling.
I stood up, panting, sweat dripping down my face.
Across from me, Kol smiled with bloodlust in his eyes.
"Now it's your turn," he said, lifting that massive black hammer.
I clenched my fists, steeling myself. I have one more chance.
As Kol charged at terrifying speed, I pressed my fingers together and focused with everything I had.
Come on… summon!
I raised my hand and screamed inside—summon the sword!
Nothing happened.
Kol was nearly on top of me. That hammer would end me in one hit.
Then—flash!
The sword appeared in my grip.
Just in time.
CLANG!
His hammer crashed into my blade. I slid backward from the impact, but I was alive.
"You've learned a bit more," Kol growled, raising the hammer again.
He didn't stop. Blow after blow rained down like thunder. I barely blocked, the force of each hit rattling through my bones.
I can't keep this up…
Then—an opening.
I twisted to the side and drove my blade forward—slash!
A deep cut opened across Kol's side. Blood sprayed, and he stumbled for half a second.
I backed off, breathing hard, watching carefully.
Then I saw it.
"What…?"
The wound healed.
Muscle and flesh stitched back together as if nothing had happened.
Kol stepped forward, grinning wider.
"You didn't know?" he said. "Hurting me isn't enough."
He moved faster than before. His aura flared with every step.
Bang!
Another powerful strike. I leapt back, dodging just barely. I swung again—another hit on his chest. Blood again—but just like before… it closed. Instantly.
He's regenerating… then what's his weakness?
I stared at him, searching for any sign—anything.
If I don't figure it out soon… I won't survive.
"Joe could create image clones… If I do it then I get some time.
Kol's power kept rising with every strike. The entire village trembled from our battle. Houses crumbled. The ground cracked. I could taste blood in my mouth—my body battered, my sword nearly broken. But I had only one goal—lead him away from the village.
I glanced back. Noah was tending to Master Kan. I prayed they'd be okay.
Every blow from Kol pushed me to the brink, but I couldn't back down now. Not after everything.
I gritted my teeth. I need more power…
I focused—trying to tap into the basic magic Aelira once taught me. If I could control it even a little… I might stand a chance.
But it wasn't easy. Blocking Kol's brutal strikes while concentrating on magic… it felt impossible.
Suddenly, Kol's hammer hit me square in the chest—I flew through the air, crashing into a villager's home. Wood splintered. Pain flared. But I was alive.
I crawled into a shadowed corner. Focus. Focus now.
My breathing slowed. I placed both hands together, gathering what little energy I had left. Joe could make image clones… I have to make one too.
A pulse of energy flickered from my palms. The clone—it was forming. I was close.
"Where are you hiding?" Kol roared, voice shaking the ruins. "Come out and fight me!"
A heavy footstep. Then another. The entire house shook.
With one punch, Kol destroyed the walls, blasting the house open.
But I was no longer there.
I had escaped—and I wasn't alone anymore.
I stepped out from the shadows.
"Let's finish this," I whispered.
In a burst of speed, I charged toward Kol, slashing with my sword. Each strike was fast—almost invisible to the eye. But Kol was no fool. He dodged swiftly, then countered. His massive hammer tore through my chest—
Or so he thought.
The blade passed clean through… and my body flickered.
"A clone…?" Kol muttered, stunned.
Too late.
I appeared at his side—my real body, sword glowing with aura. I focused all of my energy into one final attack. I gripped the hilt tightly and raised it.
Last time… when he transformed into that monster, his mouth kept bleeding. If I'm right… then his head—his brain—is his weak spot.
I leapt back, slashing the air with force. The wave from my blade ripped through the air like a waterfall crashing with fury. A concentrated shockwave of aura surged forward.
Now—
Kol turned, but he was too slow. The air slash struck him head-on.
A burst of pressure exploded on impact.
His head was severed—clean.
It flew through the air… and landed far from his body.
Silence fell.
Kol's massive body crumbled to the ground.
Still.
Lifeless.
I stood there, chest rising and falling—blood on my lips, sword in hand.
It's over.
Aelira vs Oliver — The Final Clash
Their swords clashed again and again under the crimson sky. Aelira's red eyes gleamed with focus, while Oliver's bloodied form stood tall, relentless. Sparks flew as steel met steel—neither giving in, neither backing down.
Their duel had lasted too long. Cuts and bruises covered their bodies. Their breath was ragged. Their stamina, nearly drained.
"It ends today," Oliver growled, tightening his grip.
Without a word, Aelira dashed forward, her blade slicing the air. Oliver mirrored her, both swords crashing at the edge of the mountain cliff. Each strike echoed like thunder, but it was clear—they were nearing their limits.
A final charge.
With everything they had left, they lunged. Their blades met—
CRACK!
Oliver's sword snapped in two.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Before he could react, Aelira's follow-up slash carved across his right eye.
"AAARGH!" Oliver screamed, staggering back, clutching the bleeding wound. His vision gone, pain surging.
He glared through the blood, but Aelira didn't hesitate—she stepped forward, sword ready.
Panicked, Oliver turned and leapt off the cliff.
The wind swallowed his scream.
Aelira stood still for a moment. Then her knees buckled.
It's over…
She collapsed onto the rocky ground, her sword slipping from her hand.
Eyes closed. Breathing shallow. The mountain fell silent