The tension in the air thickened with every heartbeat. The mercenaries fanned out in a wide crescent, their boots crunching over brittle leaves, blades glinting as they closed in. Sunlight filtered through the canopy in fractured beams, casting the clearing in a mix of gold and shadow.
In the center stood the scar-browed leader, his broadsword resting easily in one hand. The scar on his face caught the light like a brand. He wasn't even looking at Luenor; his smirk was directed at Hunter.
"You picked the wrong woods, boy," he drawled. "Walk away, and maybe you'll live long enough to regret your choice."
Hunter tilted his head, completely unfazed. "Boy?" He gestured lazily toward Luenor with a nod of his chin. "That one will cut your throat before you even blink."
The longbowman chuckled softly to himself. "Pretty words. We'll see about that."
Luenor tightened his grip on his mana-forged blade, the weapon thrumming in his hand, almost impatient. His gaze never wavered from the leader.
"Wrong," Luenor replied, his voice flat.
The leader's smirk faltered slightly. "Then die with him."
And just like that, the clearing erupted.
Luenor was the first to move, lunging forward with his sword flaring with blue-white mana as he slashed. A pulse of raw energy surged from the blade, racing toward the rune mage. She barely had time to gasp before the blast slammed into her chest, sending her sprawling into the dirt. The runes she had been weaving fizzled into glowing ash at her fingertips.
"Shit—cover her!" the longbowman shouted, already nocking an arrow.
But Luenor was already on the move, pivoting like a dancer, his eyes locked on the archer. Long-range threats had to go first. His sword carved a silver arc through the air, forcing the bowman to retreat, his arrow released too soon, whistling wide.
The brute roared, completely ignoring Luenor. His axes gleamed with a dull red hue as he charged toward Hunter, each step like a boulder crashing into the earth.
"Hunter—!" Luenor shouted, his voice sharp and commanding.
But Hunter didn't even flinch. He stepped forward, looking almost bored, and caught the falling axe with one hand, stopping it dead in its tracks. The brute's eyes widened in shock. Before he could yank the weapon back, Hunter's boot slammed into his stomach.
The man was sent flying backward, crashing into a tree with a loud crack that sent bark flying everywhere. He gasped in pain but managed to push himself upright, blood trickling from his lips.
The rune mage groaned, struggling to get onto her knees. Her trembling fingers began tracing glowing symbols in the air. She opened her mouth to chant—
And then Hunter was gone. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind her, and his fist connected with her jaw in a crunch that cut off her words. Her eyes rolled back as she crumpled, lifeless, into the dirt.
"Pathetic," Hunter muttered, casually brushing his knuckles against his coat.
Steel screeched as Luenor's sword clashed with the leader's broadsword. Sparks flew as their blades strained against each other, each trying to gain the upper hand.
The leader grinned through clenched teeth. "Strong. But sloppy." He pushed forward, trying to force Luenor back.
Luenor snarled, twisting to break the bind, and slashed low. The leader parried with brutal precision, his strikes heavy and deliberate. Each impact rattled Luenor's arms, forcing him to retreat.
A shadow flickered at the edge of his vision — the longbowman. Another arrow whizzed past, grazing his cheek and leaving a burning line of pain.
"Stop squirming!" the archer snapped, releasing another arrow.
Meanwhile, Hunter squared off against the brute once more. The man's chest heaved, his body swelling in a grotesque manner, veins faintly glowing crimson. He let out a roar, foam flecking his lips.
"Berserker," Hunter muttered, narrowing his eyes.
The brute charged like a hurricane, both axes spinning in deadly arcs. Hunter danced between them, each dodge calculated to perfection. One swing cleaved through a tree trunk, splitting it cleanly in two. Another dug deep into the ground where Hunter had just stood a heartbeat before.
"You swing big," Hunter remarked coolly. He caught one axe between his palms, the impact rattling his arms — then he brought it down hard. The weapon cracked, splintering under his grip.
The brute's eyes widened in shock.
Hunter's fist moved like lightning. Bone crunched under the force of his blow as it connected with the man's jaw, teeth spraying blood into the dirt.
The brute staggered but remained on his feet, a red haze driving him forward.
Finally, the water mage stepped into the fray, her cloak falling away. Her bare skin shimmered with mana-infused moisture, droplets swirling around her. A faint smirk played on her lips.
"Try to fight me without staring, old man," she taunted, raising her arms as streams of water twisted into sharp blades.
Hunter snorted, completely unfazed. He grabbed the unconscious rune mage by the collar and hurled her limp body at the water mage.
She cursed, her arms moving swiftly as she conjured a cushion of water to catch her ally. The impact sent ripples through the shield, nearly shattering it. Her smirk morphed into a snarl.
"Bastard!"
Meanwhile, Luenor ducked under yet another arrow, sweat trickling down his temple. The longbowman was relentless—every time Luenor dodged, another arrow whistled past him.
"Slippery little shit," the archer muttered. "Keep running. I've got plenty more where that came from."
"Enough," Luenor hissed, determination fueling his words.
He dug deeper, feeling mana surge within him, a fiery rush that burned through his veins, while the emptiness in his chest screamed in protest. His sword trembled violently, glowing brighter with each breath he took.
"Master Luenor—!" Hunter snapped, sensing the power building. "Not here!"
But it was too late.
Luenor's eyes flew open, glowing a fierce blue.
The very air around him cracked.
A shockwave of raw mana exploded outward in a blinding flash, tearing through trees, soil, and stone. The berserker's roar was abruptly silenced as his body disintegrated in a spray of blood and ash. The leader's scream caught in his throat as flames engulfed him, his broadsword clattering to the ground as he was consumed. The longbowman attempted to leap aside, an arrow half-drawn, but the wave shredded him mid-air.
Hunter snarled, dragging the berserker's corpse in front of him as a makeshift shield. Flesh burned away, bones crumbled to dust, but the body shielded him from the worst of the explosion. He emerged, smoking, his coat scorched, lips curling in irritation.
The water mage screamed, torrents of water bursting from her hands to form a desperate barrier. Steam hissed as the shockwave collided with her shield, boiling it under the pressure. She poured every last drop of mana into maintaining it, cradling the rune mage within its protective heart. When the blinding light finally faded, both were still alive—but she collapsed to her knees, trembling, her skin pale.
The clearing lay in ruin. Trees splintered, soil charred, corpses nothing but ash.
Luenor staggered forward, coughing blood. His legs trembled, his body wracked with spasms as the mana burned itself out. He leaned heavily on his sword, dragging it free of the blackened ground.
Hunter's gaze locked on him, unreadable. "Reckless," he muttered.
Luenor didn't answer. His eyes had already found the survivor.
The water mage crouched in the dirt, naked without her cloak, clutching the unconscious rune mage to her chest. Her wide, horrified eyes fixed on Luenor as he stepped toward her, blade dragging at his side, smoke still curling from its edge.