Alden instinctively tensed.
A large explosion rocked the arena, upturning both dust and earth; the blinding glow from the lightning attack dispelling the gloom brought about by the storm.
As the light faded and the dust settled, the extent of the destruction was revealed. Large cracks ran through the ground. A huge, broken crater formed at the point where the Kirin had unleashed its monstrous fury, shattered earth scorched and flung about in the ensuing explosion.
And in the centre of that depression, three figures struggled to remain upright.
…The crowd gasped at the wounded forms of the Holy Knights.
Their armour was broken in countless places, shards of dark metal digging painfully into skin. Dented helmets, and an alarming amount of blood leaked from their figures, slowly pooling around them.
Alden marvelled at the fact that they were still standing. If he had faced an attack like that, he would have died a hundred times over.
No question about it.
'The endurance of Experts really is on another level!'
…Although, the Holy Knights were probably outliers in that regard.
Worried murmurs reverberated in the silence, sounding like the rustle of countless leaves. However, everyone in the crowd suddenly froze, spying a soft, golden glow enveloping the Holy Knights.
Just gazing at the warm light was enough to soothe Alden's soul.
The golden accents on the Holy Knight's armour - those that had not been destroyed -, also shone, resplendent light spilling out and banishing the darkness which threatened to return. Under Alden and the crowd's stunned gaze, the Holy Knights healed.
The warm light mended their injuries, and the symbols which the Keeper's Apprentice thought were just mere decoration, turned out to be runes.
…Runes, which restored their armour.
Not all of it, but most.
Right in front of their eyes, the Holy Knights returned to their former, pristine glory.
Their opponents, the Storm Sentinels, could only watch on in a daze, unable to fathom how their opponents had emerged almost entirely unscathed. While the Holy Knights had a reputation for being tenacious, this feat exceeded anyone's expectations.
'As expected of the top-ranked Guild.'
Alden couldn't help admire them.
In the blink of an eye, the Holy Knights had recovered.
…And they were brimming with vengeance.
The Storm Sentinels had earned their ire.
Without wasting any time, a Holy Knight burst out from the crater, a green hue enshrouding their figure. The soles of their feet glowed, the wind propelling them onward towards their target - the scepter-wielder - with great speed.
Snapping out of their daze, the now freed Storm Sentinels flickered, their forms transforming into swift lightning bolts as they raced back to block the attacker. The wind howled, and the rain fell in greater torrents, a deluge that threatened to soak the spectators, if it weren't for the magical enchantments installed into the Theatre.
It must have been quite a sight, Alden thought. A thundercloud hovering over pale, sun-bleached stone which glistened as it absorbed the falling moisture.
Inside, however, the battle raged.
The spectators leapt to their feet, cheering on their champions with impassioned fervour. Alden felt himself succumbing to the thrill of the battle, his neutral mask almost cracking; an excited, blood-lusted grin threatened to mar his pale face.
A loud resonant clang suddenly resounded, a shock-wave of air spreading from the impact.
The Storm Sentinels barred the Holy Knight's path, just in time to protect the scepter-wielder. Not that the individual needed protecting, based on the readiness with which they levelled their staff.
Although a large portion of its mana had been consumed to summon the lightning Kirin, there was still enough stored inside to provide ample threat to the stone-like warrior.
The Holy Knight disengaged, shrugging off the broadsword and the sledgehammer with a deft flick. Just as they stepped back, a green gale erupted upward from where the Holy Knight just stood, preventing the two Storm Sentinels from pursuing them.
On the other side, the two remaining Holy Knights crested the crater with a wind-enhanced leap, joining their companion.
And so, a fragile equilibrium was reached.
Much like the Rage Knights, the Storm Sentinels excelled at finishing off their opponents in only a couple of moves. Once their foes survived the first onslaught, things became tricky. It became even more difficult and complicated when they faced an especially tenacious Guild, like the Holy Knights.
The Storm Sentinels wore grim expressions, recognising that any odds they might have had at the start, were now no longer in their favour. The scepter wielder was unlikely to unleash an attack of such magnitude again. Worse, their opponents could recover from pretty much any attack they'd launch, as well.
Still, the navy-blue warriors did not give up.
As the sky bellowed, and arcs of lightning flashed through dark clouds, thunder boomed its loud peal.
In an instant, the Storm Sentinels moved.
However, instead of attacking their opponents, they paused a short distance away, surrounding them in a triangle. The broadsword wielder positioned themselves at the tip, while the warrior with the sledgehammer and the scepter wielder stood at an angle to the opposing Guild, functioning as the 'edge'.
In tandem, the three Storm Sentinels raised their weapons, calling on the heavens. Their figures glowed with a dazzling hue, and Alden suddenly realised what they were trying to achieve.
The storm-clad warriors knew that for them to have any chance of winning the bout, they had to use an unconventional method. So, instead of a frontal attack, they opted for a more cunning strategy. As the Storm Sentinels siphoned more and more lightning from the heavens, the Holy Knights tried to strike.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
The Storm Sentinels abruptly shifted, pointing their weapons at each other.
In the next moment, a large net of lightning sprung into existence, shocking the Holy Knights and causing their forms to convulse. Using themselves as a conduit, the Storm Sentinels planned to test just how durable and tenacious their opponents were.
Would the Holy Knights last until the Storm Sentinel's mana ran out, or would they admit defeat before then?
Alden's good eye gleamed.