Chapter 39: Action With Blazelor (2)
The Blazelor's roar tore through the plain valley, shaking the ground as its wings beat like thunder. Ice and water spiraled above its head, forming a storm that twisted into a giant vortex. Shards of frozen water glittered within it, sharp enough to tear flesh from bone.
Naviga's face paled slightly, her breath fogging in the bitter cold. The silver glow around her flickered as if the moon itself was wavering. She braced her sword, but the storm came too fast.
"Get down Naviga, it really fast this time!" Minerva shouted, diving forward with her blade blazing.
The storm crashed. A wall of freezing shards slammed into the ground, cutting deep trenches into the plain soil. Naviga darted sideways with Phantom Moon Step, her form flickering, but even so—slash! A shard caught her across the shoulder. Blood sprayed from her shoulder, a crimson stain against her white robe.
"Agh!" Naviga hissed, biting down on the pain. Her body staggered, knees almost buckling, but she planted Black Death into the ground to steady herself.The cut ached, the freezing edge of the shard slowing her movements.
Minerva saw it instantly. Her teeth clenched, fire roaring hotter around her sword. She spun, unleashing Infernal Burst Slash. Flames exploded outward in a violent shockwave, forcing back the icy storm and buying them a breath of space.
"Naviga!" Minerva's voice cut sharp, her eyes darting to the blood seeping down Naviga's arm.
Naviga inhaled through gritted teeth, She pressed her free hand to the wound, her aura cooling the blood, slowing its flow. Her lips trembled from feeling pain.
"I'm fine," she whispered, though her voice carried a soft shake. She straightened, lifting Black Death once again for another fight.
The Blazelor angrily looking at them, its blue eyes locking on Naviga like prey. It lunged, claws crashing forward with a sound like stone splitting. Naviga barely had time to react. Her body swayed back, her footwork flowing into Phantom Moon Step. The claw grazed across her side, tearing fabric and sending her spinning back across the cracked ground.
She breathing heavily. Pain lanced through her ribs, She forced her body upright again. Universal Essences flickered faintly around her blade.
Minerva moved in front of her without hesitation, her flame-clad figure shielding Naviga's battered form. Her Scorching Tyrant sword blazed like a miniature sun.
Her aura surged. Blazing Phoenix Reversal awakened, flames wrapping her body in the phantom silhouette of a phoenix. She dashed forward, every step leaving scorched footprints in the ice. Her blade slashed upward, fiery arcs tearing through the cooling air, clashing head-on with the beast's claw.
The collision shook the valley. Sparks and ice shards scattered everywhere. Minerva grunted, her arms straining, But she firmly clutched her sword.
Behind her, Naviga steadied herself, forcing her breathing calm. The silver glow around her grew sharper, her wound ignored as her mind locked onto the rhythm of battle. She whispered softly, "Lunar Edge…" Her blade rose, moonlight gathering.
The Blazelor screeched, wings stretching wide again, cold mist curling off its body like storm clouds.
The Blazelor's body swelled with tension, its chest glowing faintly blue. A low rumble came from its throat—deep, rolling, like a storm building from the depths of the sea.
Naviga's breath caught. "It's gathering essence!" she shouted, silver eyes narrowing.
Then it came. With a roar that split the air, the beast opened its maw and unleashed a torrent of pressurized water. The water spun with a razor-like force, a flood that could slice through stone walls like paper. The blast tore through the barren valley, driving a hurricane of icy mist toward the two women.
"Move!" Minerva barked, her body igniting with flame. She dashed forward with Blazing Step, her sword blazing as she slashed arcs of fire through the incoming torrent. But the water was really powerful. Each wave extinguished chunks of flame, hissing steam wrapping around them, choking the battlefield with white fog.
Naviga staggered under the pressure. Her wound screamed with pain as the icy mist seeped into her cut, freezing her blood and slowing her limbs. But she clenched her jaw, refusing to fall. She lifted Black Death, moonlight pooling faintly at the tip.
"Eclipse Slash!" she cried, swinging her blade. A crescent of silver cut through the fog, splitting the incoming water blast, parting it enough for her to breathe again. The effort drained her; her knees bent slightly, blood dripping into the ice below.
Minerva glanced back for just a second, her heart squeezing at the sight of Naviga trembling figure. "Stubborn maid," she muttered, fire flaring around her body again.
The Blazelor pressed forward, its claws scraping the plain ground, tail smashing chunks of rock aside. It lunged again. Minerva met it head-on, sparks and flames clashing with icy mist. She roared back, her body blazing like a furnace.
The clash was brutal. Its claw hammered against her blade, driving her back a step. She gritted her teeth, shoulder burning from the impact. She twisted her wrist and unleashed Flame Vortex Slash, a spiral of fire exploding upward, wrapping around the beast's head.
The Blazelor screamed, shaking its massive skull, flames licking across its scales. It reared back, mouth opening again to spray another torrent.
Not giving it the chance, Minerva's eyes blazed with fury. She planted her foot, gathering every ounce of universal essence left in her. Fire surged violently, wings of flame spreading wide behind her. Her sword glowed a blinding red, molten light dripping from the edge.
"Blazing Sun Slash!" she roared.
She leapt, flames trailing behind her like a comet. Her blade came down in a single, devastating strike—splitting the air with a roar of fire.
The sword pierced straight through the Blazelor's skull.
A deafening crack echoed as flame erupted from its body, bursting through scales and flesh. The beast screamed one last time, its massive body convulsing before collapsing onto the destroyed barren ground with a crash that shook the plain valley. Steam and smoke rose from its corpse, the stench of burned blood filling the air.
Minerva landed hard on one knee, panting, her grip on her sword trembling. A thin line of blood trickled down her cheek where a frozen shard had grazed her earlier. She ignored it, turning her head quickly.
"Naviga!" she called, voice sharp with worry.
Naviga leaned against her sword for support, her chest rising and falling in shaky breaths. Sweat and blood mixed on her pale skin, but when she met Minerva's gaze, her lips curved into the faintest, tired smile. "Still here Miss…" she whispered, her voice weak.
Minerva exhaled deeply, relief flooding her chest. She staggered closer, placing a beautiful hand on Naviga's shoulder, heat searing away the frost that clung to her wound.
"Fool… you scared me," Minerva muttered, her voice softer now, almost trembling.
The battlefield fell silent except for the crackling of dying flames and their heavy breathing. The Blazelor lay motionless, steam rising from its broken body.
The enormous creature, the winged beast know for hatred against human, the monstrous Blazelor dead under Minerva Medure sword.
Naviga dropped to one knee, breathing hard. With shaky hands she pulled a small vial from her storage ring —a clear healing potion glowing faintly. She uncorked it and swallowed it down. Warmth spread through her chest as the healing potion started mending her wound. She followed it with a sip of a universal essence potion,sliding down her throat and steadying her flow of essence.
Minerva let out a low grunt and did the same. She pulled two vials from her storage, pulling one open with her hand. The healing potion knitting her shallow cuts, and the essence potion chased away the drain in her limbs.
The two of them sat in the fading mist, their breaths heavy but slowly evening out, shoulders rising and falling in quiet rhythm. The battlefield around them was silent now. Only the dead Blazelor steaming on the lifeless land.
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