Chapter 38: Action With Blazelor (1)
The enormous blazelor screeched, its cry echoing across the plain like a storm tearing through the sky. The icy wind howled even louder under its wings, and the ground trembled as dirt and dust lifted into the air.
Naviga's chest tightened from the weight of the beast's presence. Its hatred was suffocating, aimed at them as if they were its lifelong enemies. Her heart thumped fast,her silver eyes stayed calm. Her Moon Element stirred inside her dantian, cool and steady, giving her a strange comfort as though the freezing world belonged to her.
Beside her, Minerva gritted her teeth. The cold gnawed at her skin, biting like a thousand needles. Fire essence clashed against the chill, and sweat dampened her palm beneath her sword's hilt. "Damn this air…" she muttered, her breath fogging. But when she looked at Naviga, walking ahead with an almost serene expression, Minerva felt her irritation ease.
The Blazelor's massive shadow fell over them. Its blue eyes glowed like twin lanterns of hatred. Then it struck—its claws ripping downward, sharp enough to slice boulders in half.
"Now!" Minerva barked.
Naviga leaped forward, Black Death gleaming with silver light. She swung up, meeting the claw mid-strike. Sparks burst, silver against ice-blue. The shockwave knocked her hair loose, strands whipping across her face.
The beast roared in anger, pushing her back, talons grinding against her blade. Naviga's knees bent under the force, her boots sinking into the frozen soil. Her arms trembled, but the glow of her Moon Essence steadied her, wrapping her in cold strength.
Seizing the chance, Minerva dashed in from the side, her Scorching Tyrant Sword blazing with refined flame. She slashed at the Blazelor's flank, the fire sizzling against its thick feathers. The smell of singed flesh rose in the air, and the monster shrieked in pain, staggering back a few steps.
Its wings beat furiously, sending out a storm that nearly blew them off their feet. Naviga lowered her stance, sword in both hands, body steady as a mountain. Minerva stabbed her blade into the ground and gripped the hilt to anchor herself, the wind clawing at her hair and robe.
"Persistent bastard," Minerva growled, her eyes narrowing.
The Blazelor hovered above, furious now. Its snowy head tilted, beak snapping, eyes locked on them with venomous killing intent. It let out another screech, and icy mist exploded from its wings, spreading across the field. The air grew colder, harsher—each breath felt like swallowing knives.
Naviga inhaled deeply. Oddly, the cold felt natural to her, almost comforting, her Moon Essence resonating with the frozen air. She even smiled softly. "Feels like home."
Minerva glanced sideways at her, annoyed and amused all at once. "You're insane Navi."
The beast swooped again, faster this time, its body a blur of blue and white. Its talons came from above, its beak thrusting forward to snap.
Naviga's eyes flashed. She rolled sideways, her sword glowing as she spun, slicing across the Blazelor's wingtip. A line of silver light traced through the air, and the monster howled as a few long feathers were cut loose, spiraling down like icy knives.
Minerva didn't waste the chance. She dashed forward, her sword raised high. Fire condensed to a single, searing point at the blade's tip. She thrust upward, aiming straight for the beast's chest.
The Blazelor twisted in midair, the thrust grazing its hide but not piercing deep. Still, the impact on the winged beast, and smoke curled from the wound. Its pain screech shook the ground, it's anger increasing every second.
"Too tough…" Minerva hissed, pulling back her sword. Her hand ached from the vibration.
Naviga's face was calm, though her arms were heavy from the clash. She tightened her grip on Black Death, her voice quiet but steady. "We can bring it down. Don't lose focus young miss. "
The Blazelor spread its wings wide again, circling above them, searching for another opening. The ground below was scarred with claw marks and sword strikes, the once-flat icy plain now broken and jagged. The air smelled of frost and smoke.
Both women stood ready for another defense and attack—hair disheveled, breathing heavily, their eyes sharp and calculating. Naviga's Moon element surrounding around her, like the calm light of the moon. Minerva's blade flickered with controlled fire, the heat barely keeping the cold from overwhelming her.
The Blazelor reared back its long neck, the icy blue feathers along its spine rattling like blades of glass. A deep sound echoed through the air before—whoosh!—its wings snapped wide and torrents of freezing water spilled out, sweeping forward like a flood. But before the water could even splash against the frozen ground, the air itself turned it to ice. Jagged shards formed instantly, flying straight toward Naviga and Minerva like thousands of knives.
Naviga's pupils shrank, but her breath slowed. Calm… breathe like the moon. She let her Lunar Serenity Breathing flow, each inhale cooling her nerves, each exhale sharpening her focus. Her silver aura rippled, soft but steady.
They two decided two use their techniques.
"Shards incoming Naviga!" Minerva shouted, already stamping her foot. Flames burst beneath her boots as she used Blazing Step, her figure darting sideways like a streak of fire.
Naviga didn't run. She lifted her sword, Black Death, and let silver light pour across its edge. The Lunar Edge Sword Art stirred, her movements graceful and deadly. With a fluid swing, she cut through the first wave of ice shards. Silver arcs scattered, the sound like glass breaking. Shards fell in glittering pieces around her, reflecting her cold, determined silver eyes.
The Blazelor shrieked as Minerva slashed upward with Blazing Sun Slash, a flare of fire that cut the icy air. The strike clashed against the beast's next wave of frozen water, steam exploding in a violent pushing. The ground beneath them cracked from the sudden temperature clash, fire and ice screaming against each other.
Naviga darted forward, her footwork light as mist. Phantom Moon Step carried her body in a ghostlike blur, silver afterimages trailing behind. The Blazelor's massive claw slammed down, but her figure flickered and vanished just before impact. The claw smashed into the ground, shards of ice and dirt bursting upward, yet Naviga's real body was already behind it.
She whispered softly, almost to herself: "Eclipse Slash."
Black Death shone as she swung, silver light twisting into a crescent shadow, half-bright and half-dark. The blade bit into the beast's flank. Blood sprayed, steaming where it met the frozen air. The Blazelor's cry shook the heavens, its wings flapping violently to throw her back.
The force tossed Naviga across the battlefield, her boots skidding against the ice. Her arms shook from the clash, and her lungs burned.
Minerva was already there to cover her. She spun her blade in a fiery spiral—Flame Vortex Slash. The fire whirled into a burning cyclone that met the beast's freezing breath head-on. Steam and sparks exploded in every direction, fog swallowing the battlefield.
Inside the white mist, Minerva's voice came out rough but strong: "Naviga! Stay sharp! Don't let the cold dull you!"
Through the mist, Naviga's silver aura glimmered faintly like moonlight cutting through clouds. She raised her free hand, silver energy expanding outward. A translucent crescent shield formed in front of her, glowing soft and firm—Moonlit Shield. Ice shards slammed into it, shattering harmlessly.
The fog parted as the Blazelor thrashed its wings, its body bleeding from the shallow cut Naviga had landed. Its breath hissed with mist, eyes blazing with fury.
Minerva wiped sweat from her brow, flames dancing stubbornly on her blade despite the freezing air. "Tch. This bastard's hide is tougher than steel." She flicked a look at Naviga, a cold smirk tugging her lips. "Guess we'll have to keep pushing it together."
Naviga nodded faintly, her expression calm, her heartbeat steadying into a battle rhythm.
The beast's wings stretched wide, water essence gathering around it once more, twisting into a massive spiraling torrent of ice and frost. The air thickened, a deadly storm ready to crash down.
Naviga adjusted her stance, silver light pooling in her blade. Minerva crouched, flames swirling hotter, building to a dangerous intensity.
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