As the air crackled with energy, the two combatants faced off with unwavering resolve. Ethan and Andriel stood in the heart of the battlefield, a clear divide forming between them: one embodying the eternal grace of the moon, the other harnessing the raw power of both the Earth and his mind.
Andriel's pale silver eyes glinted as she sized him up. Her aura pulsed like the light of a thousand moons, a radiant force that bent the very light around her. Ethan's golden-blue aura flickered, his Psychic powers quietly humming beneath his skin as he prepared for the next exchange. He wasn't about to let her make the first move.
"You still believe you can win?" Andriel taunted, her voice lilting like the wind. "You will soon realize that the moon's light outshines your paltry efforts."
Ethan's lips curled into a defiant smirk. "The moon may shine, but the Earth stands firm."
In an instant, Ethan reached out with his mind, activating his Telekinesis to lift massive chunks of the surrounding ground beneath him. The earth trembled as he hurled a barrage of rocks and debris toward Andriel, the projectiles moving at lightning speed.
Andriel's eyes narrowed, and she raised her hand in response, creating a crescent-shaped shield of moonlight that effortlessly blocked the barrage. The rocks disintegrated upon contact, but the force of Ethan's assault was enough to send ripples through the air.
Ethan teleported instantly, his body vanishing in a blur of motion and reappearing directly above Andriel. He swung his machete downward, the dark silver blade shimmering with a deadly edge.
But Andriel was ready. She twisted in mid-air, a scythe she had created, coming up to intercept Ethan's machete with a dazzling spark. The two weapons clashed with the force of a thunderstorm, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
With a mental flick, Ethan used Telekinesis again, lifting Andriel's weapon just enough to create an opening. At the same time, he summoned the Clutch, the massive purple appendage ripping through the air toward Andriel's side. The claw's razor-sharp edges gleamed as it streaked toward its target.
Andriel reacted quickly, her body glowing as she extended her moonlight shield once more to intercept the claw. The barrier shattered upon impact, but not before the spectral appendage left a deep gouge in her side. The wound began to heal almost immediately, silver energy weaving the flesh back together.
"Impressive," Andriel said, eyes flickering with grudging respect. "But your persistence will not save you."
With a flash of movement, Andriel reappeared several meters away. She raised her arms, summoning the power of the moon to coalesce above her. A crescent beam of blinding lunar light shot downward, and in an instant, the beam intensified into a destructive wave, crashing toward Ethan with the speed of a comet.
Ethan's body shuddered under the immense energy of the attack, but he immediately reacted. With a sharp command, his Telekinesis surrounded him, forming a protective bubble that bent and warped under the pressure of the lunar energy. Though the shield cracked under the force, it held long enough for Ethan to teleport to safety, reappearing just behind Andriel, a mere instant later.
He swung his machete at her back, but Andriel was faster. With a flick of her hand, she conjured a swirling lunar vortex around her, causing Ethan's blade to slide harmlessly through the energy barrier without making contact. She spun, using the momentum to bring her scythe crashing down at Ethan, the edge glowing bright with pure lunar energy.
Ethan barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side as the scythe cleaved through the air, creating a rift in space itself. As he came to a stop, his Aura Shield flared up around him in a protective burst.
"Your mind may be sharp," Andriel called, her voice icy. "But it will never be enough."
The air was thick with tension. Andriel's attacks were relentless, each strike a masterclass in the use of lunar magic. But Ethan was no slouch. He needed to turn the tide. He reached deep into his connection with the Earth beneath his feet. The ground trembled as Ethan called upon his Earth Affinity, drawing immense power from the world itself.
He extended his hands toward the ground, and in response, towering stone spires erupted from the earth, shooting up to encircle Andriel. The massive pillars twisted and reformed into jagged, spear-like structures that aimed to trap her in a cage of stone.
Andriel's eyes gleamed with the light of the moon, and she effortlessly sliced through the stone with a wave of her scythe, shattering the pillars as though they were nothing more than paper. But Ethan wasn't finished.
"Come on!" he gritted through clenched teeth, concentrating. He called upon more of the Earth's energy, forcing the very ground to rise and surge forward like an avalanche of rock and dirt. The terrain itself became a weapon, sending debris, boulders, and spikes directly at Andriel.
Andriel's hands glowed brighter, and she summoned her lunar energy once more to form a colossal crescent shield, the moonlight bending to her will. The debris collided with the barrier, splintering upon impact. But Ethan kept pushing, using his Telekinesis to enhance the force of his Earth manipulation, the attack growing ever more intense.
As Andriel struggled to maintain her defense, Ethan seized the opportunity. He used Telepathy to invade her mind, probing for weaknesses, attempting to create a mental connection.
"What's your real purpose here, Andriel?" Ethan's voice entered her mind, cutting through her concentration.
The momentary distraction was enough for Ethan to move in. With a mental command, the ground beneath Andriel erupted into a massive Earth Spike, which shot toward her. At the same time, he swung his machete again, the Sky Uppercut blazing in his other hand, while his Clutch extended to grab her.
Andriel's eyes flashed, and she raised her scythe to deflect the incoming earth and attacks, but Ethan's Psychic abilities overloaded her defenses. The Earth Spike punctured the air toward her, forcing her to divert her focus. She sidestepped the strike, but Ethan teleported in an instant, landing behind her and driving his Sky Uppercut forward into her ribs.
Andriel cried out as the blow sent her spiraling backward, but she quickly regained her composure. Her lunar light flickered, and the healing magic within her began to restore the damage.
On the ground below, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Powerful figures continued to gather around the perimeter of the city's barrier, watching the battle unfold. The sheer power unleashed from above had drawn the attention of many—warriors, mages, and influential leaders. But as they began to move toward the barrier, the air itself seemed to bend and twist.
A dark energy descended from the skies, and a figure appeared in their midst—Miss Carmen. Her presence was commanding, her dark aura suffocating, and her cold gaze silenced the oncoming warriors in an instant.
"You are all too late," she said, her voice carrying an unnerving weight.
A mage stepped forward, his aura flaring. "This battle—this power—it threatens the city! We must act!"
Miss Carmen's eyes flashed with an unspoken threat. She raised a hand, and the barrier around the city shimmered, as if responding to her will.
"Do not test me. You will stay where you are, or I will ensure you regret it." Her tone was calm, but there was a dangerous undercurrent in her words.
The new arrivals hesitated, their faces filled with unease, but none dared to challenge her authority. They stepped back, unwilling to provoke the powerful figure that now stood before them. She wasn't just powerful but had a powerful background. They all knew her and her feats and weren't willing to get in her bad graces.
Above, the battle continued, each strike between Ethan and Andriel pushing them to their limits. The outcome was uncertain, but one thing was clear: Miss Carmen had drawn the line, and no one would cross it.
"This came faster than I expected. I hope my favorite disciple is okay."
"Master, don't you care for your son?"
"Don't ask me that, Amor. You know I love my son above anything else but what I'm worried about is Carmen finding about her destiny and doing something uncalled for."
"Master your worries are for nought. You know Carmen is one of the calmest among us. She would never do anything to jeopardize the ritual battle of soulmates. Besides, she must have felt that she can't interfere in anyway."
"I guess you are right."
"The next thing is that your father has contacted you."
"I'm serious Master."
"Pfft... hahahhahahahahahaha!"
"That old fucker contacted me! Hahahahaha! He must have noticed my baby boy!"
"Probably... but he was concerned."
"Like the fuck I care! Hahahahahaha!"
"Miss please this is serious..."
"Petra. Do you think anyone can threaten me? No one, not even my father or mom. They brought this upon themselves, and I will let them pay for it, dearly."
"I'm going to train my two sons after the outing. I already have an idea where their combat level is. It's time I created more diamonds; don't you think?"
"Master, you create monsters, not diamonds."
"But they are cute..."
"You are really beyond saving, you know."