The moment Zeref's fire wall erupted between us and Kael, the air itself screamed.
Flames roared upward, forming a blazing barrier that warped the elven architecture behind it. The sacred carvings along the church walls flickered, shadows twisting unnaturally as if the building was recoiling in pain.
The elves didn't panic.
That alone made my stomach drop.
Xeisha merely lifted her staff, her expression serene, reverent. Devoted.
"So this is how Pelushra's apostle chooses to respond," she said softly. "With violence."
Her staff struck the ground once.
The earth answered.
Vines burst from beneath our feet, thick and barbed, writhing like living things. Luna gasped and jumped back, nearly tripping before Keiji grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him.
"Barrier up," Keiji snapped, slamming his staff down. A translucent shield flared to life just as the vines slammed into it, sparks flying.
Zeref clicked his tongue. "They're fast."
