The Devouring Knight

His veins pulsed with light, glowing blue and red as mana surged wildly through his body. The cracks in his armor deepened with a harsh metallic screech before the steel finally shattered apart. His frame expanded, muscles swelling with power, skin darkening to a burning crimson as if his very blood were aflame. The already imposing man grew even larger, more beast than human.

"This…" Vaenyra muttered, her eyes narrowing as she raised her sword. "A body enhancement technique… pushed past its limit."

The Legate's grin twisted, teeth glinting beneath the grime and blood. "This is the price of underestimating a Legate!" he roared, his voice shaking the air. "You think a Magic Circle Seven Mage can match a true commander of men? You'll learn the difference now!"

His voice was thunder, and before she could reply, he vanished.

A shockwave erupted where he had stood. Vaenyra's eyes widened, his speed had doubled, no, tripled. Mirages flickered in every direction as he darted around her, the sound of his footsteps blending into one continuous roar.

Then the storm of strikes began.

Spears of afterimages pierced through the air from every side. Vaenyra barely had time to block as the first blow sent sparks and wind scattering. The next followed instantly, then another, faster and heavier than before.

Her sword clashed with his spear again and again, each impact sounding like thunder. She twisted, slid, and parried, her movements graceful yet strained.

The Legate appeared before her in a blur, his crimson body gleaming under the lightning. "You can't defend forever!" he roared, bringing down his spear with earth-shattering force.

Vaenyra crossed her blade just in time, wind flaring around her to absorb part of the blow, but even then, she was thrown backward, her feet skidding across the cracked ground.

The old man grinned savagely, his eyes wild. "Let's see how long you last now, sorceress!"

Vaenyra exhaled softly, flames flickering brighter in her eyes. "Then come," she said, her tone calm as lightning gathered around her once more. "Let's finish this."

Lumberling's gaze locked on the battlefield, his heart pounding as the storm raged before him.

He clenched his fists. "We should help her," he said, stepping forward without thinking.

"Not so fast, Lumberling," Thessalia said sharply, grabbing his arm.

He turned to her, brows furrowed. "What? Why not? She's fighting that monster alone!"

Thessalia's expression stayed calm, her voice low but firm. "Lady Vaenyra won't like it."

Lumberling clicked his tongue in frustration. "Doesn't matter, we can't just stand here!"

"Calm down." Aurelya's voice cut through, calm and composed. She stood beside them, her eyes narrowed on the swirling chaos ahead. "She hasn't shown her full strength yet. Watch closely, this next part…" A faint smirk touched her lips. "…is where the real fight begins."

Lumberling blinked, confused, but then, before he could respond, he felt it.

The world itself seemed to change. The mana around them trembled, every strand vibrating in response to something unseen. The air grew heavy, thick with power that made the skin tingle.

Lumberling's eyes widened. "What's happening…?"

From the center of the chaos, Vaenyra raised her sword slightly. The blue flames that wrapped her weapon flared brighter, then something inside her seemed to shift.

The air itself seemed to bend toward her. The mana in the surroundings no longer drifted freely, it moved with purpose, drawn to her like metal to a magnet, as if it recognized its master.

Wind howled, lightning twisted around her body, and crimson threads began to weave across her skin like markings of power. Her blood fused with her mana, turning her form almost ethereal, half woman, half elemental being.

For a heartbeat, she didn't seem human anymore.

"What was that?" Lumberling asked in disbelief, his voice cracking slightly. "I didn't know mages could do that."

Thessalia's lips curved into a small smile. "That's what happens when you master your element," she explained softly. "It's not a spell anymore, it becomes part of you. Watch carefully, Lumberling. That's the stage you'll need to reach one day."

Lumberling swallowed hard, nodding slowly, unable to look away.

Then, Vaenyra raised her hand.

The ground trembled.

All across the battlefield, the blood spilled from thousands of soldiers began to stir. Pools of crimson lifted into the air, swirling and spiraling toward her like a river breaking its banks. The storm of blood grew, twisting into blades, spears, and torrents that circled her in perfect harmony.

"What kind of madness is this…?" Lumberling blurted out, his eyes wide.

Thessalia's smile deepened, calm yet tinged with awe. "The Legate was already at a disadvantage from the start," she said. "For Lady Vaenyra, the more blood there is around her, the stronger she becomes."

Her eyes glowed faintly as she whispered, "This battlefield… it's her domain now."

The storm of blood and mana raged across the battlefield.

The Legate, who once towered like an unshakable mountain, was now being pushed back step by step. His giant, red body swung his spear wildly, cutting through countless blood blades, but for every one he shattered, dozens more took its place.

"Enough!" he roared, his voice echoing like thunder. His spear spun in a blur, slicing through the air, tearing apart the earth beneath him, but still, the storm wouldn't stop.

Vaenyra stood in the heart of it all. Her eyes glowed faintly red and blue, and with each motion of her blade, more blood gathered to her command. The blades twisted, split, and merged again in endless patterns, dancing with her every thought.

The Legate's breathing grew rough. His domain flickered. "Impossible…" he growled through gritted teeth, blocking another wave. "Even a Magic Circle Seven shouldn't have this kind of control…"

Before he could finish, the air shifted again.

The countless blood blades that surrounded him suddenly froze midair, hanging in silence like a thousand crimson mirrors. Then slowly they began to spiral, merging together, fusing into one massive blade of liquid blood.

The blade pulsed, absorbing the storm around it.

Lightning crackled through its core.

Wind wrapped tightly around it.

And finally, a blue flame burned along its edges, setting the very air ablaze.

It was like watching the birth of a god's weapon, unstable, destructive, and yet breathtakingly beautiful.

Lumberling's jaw dropped. "She's… combining them?!" he shouted over the roaring storm.

"Even combining elements?" he said again, almost not believing what he saw.