Maena glanced between Caelum, who was now single-handedly holding off the mages, and Jolthar, her voice trembling with both desperation and conviction. "I know it's shameless of me to ask," she admitted, her words rapid as she tried to convey the gravity of the situation, "but I need your help. Please."
Jolthar's brow furrowed slightly, but he remained silent.
Maena knew that they wouldn't last against the army of mages. And there were hardly a couple of knights present with her. Eran and Clifton, they weren't in their better condition.
Her words hung in the air, filled with an urgency that even Jolthar couldn't ignore. He looked toward the battlefield, where Caelum was now visibly straining to protect his family while simultaneously engaging Segarus.
The red-robed mages were regrouping, their numbers seeming endless.
Jolthar clenched his fists, his emotions a tangled mess. He despised the Kaezhlar clan, and yet, watching outsiders dismantle it ignited a fire within him—a mix of rage, frustration, and an unexpected desire to prove himself. Orıginal content can be found at Nove1Fire.net
Meanwhile, Segarus made his move.
Raising his hands, he muttered an incantation, his voice resonating with power. A gust of wind erupted from him, carrying with it spiralling arcs of fire that burned with an intensity that turned the air searing hot. The swirling storm of flame and wind surged toward Caelum, an attack meant to overwhelm even the strongest of warriors.
Caelum didn't flinch. He gripped his sword tightly, his eyes narrowing as he faced the dual spells head-on. With a mighty swing, his blade glowed with an ethereal light as it struck the incoming storm.
The collision of power was catastrophic.
The hall shook violently, and the deafening explosion sent debris flying in all directions. Flames and winds tore through the structure, ripping the roof clean off. Shattered stone and timber rained down, forcing everyone to scatter.
The once-grand hall now lay in ruin, open to the sky. And it all happened in an instant.
The remaining Kaezhlar family members rushed outside, seeking refuge from the destruction. The red-robed mages moved swiftly. They stopped their assault on the family as the fight between the two giants was intense. Just being in the vicinity of their attacks would slit them and shred them into pieces.
Segarus and Caelum floated into the air, their power lifting them above the ground as they prepared to face off without restrictions. The air around them crackled with energy as they exchanged attacks.
Segarus unleashed a barrage of spells, weaving in seamless combinations. Each spell was destructive in its own right, and together, they formed an onslaught that few could hope to withstand.
Caelum met him blow for blow. His sword wasn't just a weapon—it was an extension of his will, slicing through spells and retaliating with precision and force.
The two titans clashed fiercely, their battle a spectacle of raw power and skill.
Below, Maena continued pleading with Jolthar. "Please," she said, her voice breaking slightly. "I know you want to see this clan fall, but not . Not to them. If you won't fight for the clan, then fight for yourself. Prove that you're stronger than this—stronger than them."
Jolthar's gaze shifted from Maena to the sky, where Caelum and Segarus battled like gods.
Jolthar was watching Caelum and the aura he emitted; it felt completely different from the swordsman he had seen until now. It was like a volcano ready to burst anytime; Caelum's aura was so composed, and the way he used his sword made Jolthar feel enlightened. He was watching him with detail; Caelum's sword, he observed every part of it, its size, sharpness, and the metal.
Just then, Segarus seemed to have finished a chanting spell, which resulted in forming a phantom swordsman; it was like a copy of Caelum. He hovered before Caelum, holding a similar sword.
Everyone was too shocked to see him. The blue, ethereal form of Caelum shook them.
Segarus grinning, "How about you fight yourself, Caelum? It is one of my creation magic, which I had developed only for you."
Caelum scoffed, and in an instant, the phantom shot towards Caelum.
The sound of metal clashing reverberated, and a sharp wave of wind swept from the point where their swords collided. The phantom was like Caelum himself; down below, everyone stood in their place, watching the clash above.
Caelum, though, never wavered; he kicked the phantom, which was about to strike him, and swung his sword vertically, twisting his body to the right.
What followed the next second was a brilliant flash of blue light; the moment the flash erupted, a whistling sound filled the air as the blue flash struck the incoming phantom.
As soon as the light struck him, an explosion occurred in the midair, covering the entire estate grounds in a blinding blue light.
Segarus' smirk disappeared as he saw Caelum hovering before him. He wasn't affected in the least. Then he said, "A fake will always be a fake, Segarus."
Segarus looked below towards where Lodawg was present, as if he was conveying something to him.
Then Lodawg nodded, and the next second, the mages stormed the estate grounds.
Caelum understood that Segarus wanted to distract him by attacking his family, but he had no choice but to fight Segarus. He gripped his sword as Segarus was coming onto him.
Their battle continued on while below, the sight of the red-robed mages encroaching further into the estate filled him with a bitter resolve.
Lodawg was now standing before Maena and Jolthar. Behind them, the rest of the family was present. Isodora and Elowen were unarmed while Johamma seemed like she was watching her son fight. She didn't seem to be concerned but evaluating.
Maena stopped Lodawg, "You piece of dogshit, you dare step into these grounds again."
Lodawg's eyes widened as he seemed to be excited. "Maena, oh my dear Maena, I was dying to meet you again, you know."
Maena spat, her voice filled with disgust, "You filthy bastard, I am gonna kill you today."
Jolthar frowned seeing the enraged Maena; it was his first time seeing Maena this angry. Her expression and her aura had turned severe as she confronted the man.