Spiritbound [Spirit Magic, Military, Progression] (Book 1 Complete)

The air hung heavily on their shoulders. Dark clouds loomed over their heads, yet Luka and Tucker's eyes filled with determination. There was only one way to beat Igneel, and it was to bleed him of his aura. Aura was a resource that took time to replenish. Both of them had spirit essence and aura, so in terms of resources. They had a sufficient amount in reserves.

"What's the plan?" Luka quietly asked.

"A battle of attrition," Tucker replied in a grim voice.

"Sounds like an awful plan."

"But it's the best we got."

Their hands remained firmly on the hilt of their swords. The watchmen gazed at Igneel, who chuckled at them mockingly. They needed to weaken the knight, but such a thing was easier said than done. Just being near the knight felt like inhaling fog. Sweat trickled down the side of their face, pulling against their convictions.

Tucker took a deep breath. He didn't know how they were going to win, but they needed to make it happen. Countless injured soldiers were retreating behind them, soldiers who relied on them to buy time. He glanced at Luka, who responded with a stern nod, and in a heartbeat, both of them charged forth.

The wind pushed against their bodies, and a surge of energy filled their muscles. Their blades met Igneel's in a thunderous clash as the ground violently trembled beneath their strikes. They couldn't make an opening with simple sword techniques, not against a master like him. So there was only one choice left.

Tucker slipped behind the knight, his blade glistening through the ashes that fell from the skies. He could see it now—the intent in Igneel's attack. A single line of silver traced across his body, marking the sword's path. Tucker's blade sang as it whipped upwards, colliding with the overhead strike. Both blades cried out, the vibrations sending shivers down their spines. As Tucker deflected the blow, a faint trail of white vapor lingered.

This was the key—Tucker was certain of it.

The vapor followed the sword's arc like a second blade, clinging to its path down to the bone. There had to be some sort of condition that activated the strike. A way to know when the attack would come to life. Sweat dripped down his face, but before he could piece it together, the vapor ignited with aura and burst forth, slamming into him and hurling his body backwards.

Seizing the opportunity, Igneel pressed forth, each swing heavier than the last. It took every ounce of strength within Tucker to deflect the attacks. By intercepting the sword path midway, Tucker bought precious time for Luka to chip away at Igneel's defenses. But a single mistake was all it took for their formation to fall apart.

Tucker clenched his fist while leaping back, pulling the howling wind to the side. Igneel felt the force fight against his body, staggering for a moment before regaining his posture. It was only for a few seconds at most, but Luka saw it. An opportunity to land a decisive blow.

His blade crossed through the vulnerable opening Tucker had created, cutting deep into Igneel's runic armor as its markings glowed a dazzling violet color. It hummed in defiance and instantly repelled the two parties away from each other, leaving behind a dirt trail and faint streams of golden light from their point of conflict.

Tucker glanced at Luka, watching as his friend switched his sword to his right hand while shaking the other. "You good?"

"Yeah, that bastard seems to have high-level protection engravings on his armor." Luka stared at his bloodied hand before focusing on Igneel. "But I managed to damage it from that opening you made."

"How many more hits can you land?"

"As many as needed."

They watched as Igneel lifted his visor and spat out a mouthful of blood. The crimson liquid painted the bricks in a vivid hue as Luka and Tucker raised their blades once more. At their current pace, they could slowly whittle down Igneel, but it felt like they were walking on eggshells, the tension gripping onto their hearts. The knight's aura flared once more, shimmering with power as it enveloped his entire body.

Without an exchange of words, Tucker and Luka both knew what this meant. Igneel wasn't conserving his strength anymore. That one strike they landed was enough to change the knight's perspective of them. Some would feel honored that a master duelist like Igneel was going to such lengths, but for the watchmen, it was the opposite.

Their bodies moved once more, blades colliding one after another. The terrain fell apart with each of Igneel's swings, sending debris flying in every direction. His attacks were becoming more precise, and he was slowly adapting to their tactics. No matter how many times Tucker tried to hinder his movement, he would adjust accordingly and take advantage of the roaring wind.

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When Tucker tried to push the silver knight back, he would use the momentum to turn around and attack Luka, forcing his comrade back. The only way to create an opportunity for Luka to attack again was to stop using the surrounding currents, but the disadvantage would be too great if he did so. The knight had yet to fully adapt. They just needed a few more hits to force Igneel into a corner. If they exhausted the knight of his aura, then it would make him retreat, and that was enough of a victory.

Tucker watched the trail of vapor hang in the air. Counting the seconds it took for the mist to erupt with energy. Five seconds, then seven, then three. There was no consistent pattern between the strikes, but it always appeared after the blade's full swing. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was managing to deflect Igneel's attack.

His arms felt like lead, and despite Luka's best efforts to create room for Tucker to regain his ground, it didn't matter. Igneel kept his relentless assault and drove Tucker to a corner with each step. He clenched his jaw and focused on defending against the attacks. As Igneel swung his sword down with both hands from the sky, Tucker struck the center of the blade—just before it could land.

Luka's eyes lit up. It was the perfect chance for him to land another attack while the knight's back was exposed to him. Yet as he drew near, Igneel spun on his heel, following through with the swing as it swept across the open space behind him.

"Shit!" Luka cursed, his sword knocked back by the follow-through. But before he could say another word, the white vapor in front of them erupted with energy. An explosion roared outward, tearing through the ground and air alike while launching both of the watchmen back.

With hardly any time to react, Tucker's aura flared around his body. Protecting him as he stabbed his sword into the ground. His blade sliced through the tiles, kicking up dirt and stone while leaving behind a large gash on the floor. His eyes shot up. He needed to raise his guard. Igneel wouldn't let such an opportunity escape. Yet as he looked up, no one was there.

Before Luka could steady himself, Igneel was already there—sword pulsing with aura. The white light pierced through the smoke, and in a hurry, Luka met the knight in a contest of strength. The impact drove Luka to one knee, arms trembling beneath the sheer force as the ground beneath him cracked open.

The second slash came in a blur and shattered his blade. The sword tore into Luka's shoulder, activating the engravings in his blood-soaked armor. A green flash emerged, and Igneel could feel his sword get pushed back by the inscriptions. His eyes focused on the watchman, but before he could continue, Tucker slashed at his head, narrowly missing Igneel's neck as he rolled to the side.

Tucker kept his gaze on the figure through the dust. The clouds slowly settled, and Igneel stood there, his expression hidden by the visor of his helm. They couldn't tell what the knight was thinking, but a sharp white light seemed to shine from one of his eyes. The surrounding wind grew quiet, and Tucker could tell that something was coming. Without hesitating, he pushed Luka to the side and ran in the opposite direction.

The ground quaked as the sharp line of light tore apart the terrain, leaving the brick roads asunder as a deep gash left its mark on the world. A pillar of white light blocked their vision, and Luka couldn't see anything from the rocks and dirt that rained down on them. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the terrain for any trace of movement. But soon noticed the shadow beneath him growing darker.

His eyes darted up to Igneel's falling figure. The white aura shrouding his body blazed like a meteor, falling with such a force that the structures around them crumbled. Faced with such a devastating power, Luka was at a loss for words. It was just like his previous mission, the one where everything came crashing down. Power descending like judgment from the sky. Memories of crumbling structures and the looming fear of death pressed down on his body. Each breath he took felt thick and suffocating, his chest tightening like a vice. The scene felt familiar, and a sense of heartache held him still. He stared at his broken blade, his bloodstained hands unable to move a muscle.

Yet, it was at that moment, a flash of emerald flickered through the sky. Meeting Igneel head-on as a gale of wind wrapped around Tucker's body. The two energies collided with a deafening explosion that blew away the surroundings. The gothic structures around them crumbled, and the men fighting in the nearby area were blown away from the epicenter of their attack.

Luka covered his face, staring at Tucker's back as his friend landed before him. The torn cape draped over his shoulders swayed, and for a second, a figure of a man with charcoal hair and warm brown eyes flashed across his mind. It was happening again. He was going to lose someone once more.

"What are you doing!" Tucker shouted. He stared at Luka, who was in a daze, and bit back the blood that crawled from the back of his mouth.

He didn't know why his friend was in such a state, but right now, he needed to focus on Igneel. The knight kicked off the brick walls and drew closer. Igneel's blade left a trail of white vapor as he swung it before them. In an instant, the white vapor filled with aura and shot forth, sweeping the area around them in a wide arc while racing in their direction.

Tucker gritted his teeth. He didn't need to block the entire attack. Just enough to get them out of this hell. His sword glowed with a surge of energy. The wind wrapped tightly around his blade as Gale flew behind him.

He needed just one strike. One attack that would split the slash in half.

Drawing every last drop of essence in his heart, Tucker mustered every bit of energy and pushed forward. Time seemed to slow down, and the world around them turned grey. A whirlwind of aura swirled around him. Threads of essence wrapping around his blade and sharpening it beyond steel. Beyond reason and into something forged by sheer will.

Everything he had was in this one swing, and faced with the upcoming threat. He needed to stop Igneel's attack here and now.