As soon as Um'Am was hit by a disorienting spell, Aurora conjured innumerable shards of ice. She pointed her wand, and the icy razors slashed at the thick tiger fur of the chieftain.
However, that wasn't everything. Avaros conjured a ball of fire and hurled it toward Um'Am. Unlike in the previous timeline, the rot weakened, and thus the damage remained, making Um'Am grunt.
In response, Um'Am raised his axe, yet Mia was not about to let such a defensive action stand. She aimed her weapon toward his wrist and shot, making him stumble.
Um'Am's berserkers surrounded the elves, ready to attack them.
Yet, before he could even register what had happened, they were consumed by the black fire, leaving nothing where his mightiest warriors stood.
He snarled, his eyes widened in panic.
Whatever the trick was, Um'Am would not let mere cattle get away with it. With a roar, he stomped the ground, sending a shockwave that disoriented the group, the crescent moon axe in his hand.
He charged forward.
A bullet struck his head, and Aurora slid in, a spear of earth forming below the chieftain.
He dug his heel and used his tail to balance himself. He then buried the axe in the ground and launched a kick toward an ice spike flying at him.
Um'Am raised some earth and threw it at the group and used his weapon's enchantment to launch a silvery strike.
Avaros and Aurora turned to each other and nodded.
The elves split and ran to the opposite sides of the chieftain, their spells and bullets battering his fur and scorching his flesh, the rot burning away.
Um'Am didn't have time to worry about that. He picked up a large slate of earth and threw it at the group. A small barrier appeared over them, and it shattered into ice razors, forming a mist of dirt and snow.
Aurora dashed forward, launching another icy projectile into Um'Am's back, drawing his attention. He was the most powerful member of his tribe, he was the one who brought the most cattle to his village.
He was the one who defended his kin. He would not fall, and he would not let his berserkers' death be in vain. He roared, stunning every elf around him, their ears ringing from the powerful sound. His fur stood up, and his tail became many times wider.
He crouched and gripped his axe, his feet digging into the ground. The spells pummeled him, yet the pain only made him stronger.
He swung his weapon again, a silvery streak punching through the barrier and sending the elves flying.
The mighty beastman threw the axe in the air and ran past the dazed elves and disarmed Mia, crushing her arm and sending her flying into a tree. Avaros launched a lightning bolt at him, but he grit through it and kicked the young noble away.
The axe fell into his hand, and he launched a silvery strike at Aurora.
The young princess widened her eyes and raised her wand, creating a makeshift barrier. The strike cut through as if the barrier wasn't even there, slicing Aurora's flesh and drawing large amounts of blood.
He approached, raising his axe, the rot enveloping it. As he was about to connect with the cattle's neck, another ball of flame burned his back, the rot barely fast enough to protect him from the damage.
He cracked his neck. These fighters were formidable, despite being cattle. They were a type that his tribe would cull to prevent the rest of the herd from ever thinking of striking at their handlers.
They were alphas of the elven cattle. The alphas needed to be culled, and the meek would be the heifers that would provide food for his tribe for years to come.
This was neither the first nor the last time Um'Am had to cull some unruly cattle.
***
Noticing the slow reaction of the rot, Avaros nodded to Aurora.
All three of the fighters understood it. If their strikes were fast and powerful enough and hit the same weakened spot, they could defeat the chieftain.
It seemed to be easier said than done; Avaros pushed himself to his feet despite the pain. The striped savage before them was far more powerful than most lesser monsters.
And to think Lady Hallowshield had to deal with people like this for so long. I think she isn't getting paid enough. He adjusted his arm and dodged a large boulder hurled at him.
The earth shifted around Um'Am, and large earthen hands grabbed his legs. The savage turned his gaze toward Aurora, roaring and breaking the spell.
Mia stashed away her gun, grabbed a healing potion, and chugged it, restoring her arm before a ball of lightning formed between her hands.
The chieftain charged toward Avaros, ignoring Aurora's attacks at his back. Avaros launched a lightning strike, which he blocked. The young heir braced for impact.
Yet the impact never came. A powerful lightning strike sent the powerful beast tumbling to the side and into the forest.
Avaros blinked. Mia had told him that she was not a fighter, yet her lightning had just made Um'Am fly into the forest.
His eyes wandered to Aurora, who was equally as impressed. The tiny professor was always good at improving her magic, yet this was the first time Aurora had witnessed it firsthand.
In both hands, sparks of electricity formed. Mia clapped her hands together, and her eyes shone in a mad glint. "I understand it now!"
From the ball of blue electricity, a plasma of immense heat sparked. It struck the ground, scorching everything around her.
"After so many sleepless nights, seeing Avaros and her Highness fight, I have come to an understanding of the Aether. It's beautiful in a way," she said, her hands barely containing the immense amount of power.
"Using such an amazing energy source only for the runes is such a waste!" she shouted, and the ball grew larger.
Um'Am rushed out of the forest, the earth shaking beneath his feet, and Mia gestured toward him with her eyes.
Avaros and Aurora looked at each other in understanding.
Mia needed time.
The princess and the future duke conjured their spells, intending to keep the chieftain from slicing Mia's head off.
Ice and Earth, they struck his legs, not allowing the rot to protect him.
Um'Am roared again, forcing them to protect their ears.
Um'Am's eyes locked on Aurora, who was still gushing blood from the previous strike. She was weak enough to be eliminated.
The savage slammed his axe into the ground, raising dust and debris before launching a powerful strike at the princess.
Aurora conjured a barrier, which the crescent moon axe shattered.
The princess sweated profusely, already at the verge of exhaustion from defending against such heavy strikes.
Um'Am was not blind to her exhaustion and damage, he prepared another attack.
"Lady Aurora, retreat, let me handle the rest!" Avaros shouted, erecting a wall of earth between Aurora and Um'Am.
The princess grumbled something out of his earshot, yet she quickly raised tal. "I will not!" she shouted and grabbed the crystal given to her by Aqua. She quickly swallowed it, and her exhaustion disappeared.
She rolled to the side and conjured an icicle that penetrated the wall of earth and struck Um'Am in the eye.
The chieftain roared in pain, gripping his lost eye.
Aurora grinned and conjured another spike toward his hands. They connected to his fist, forcing him to drop his weapon, the twilight rot unable to keep up with the damage.
He swung his tail, crouching and making a sweeping kick, raising dirt between them, searching for his axe, yet his good eye noticed Mia's massive lightning ball. "Cattle! I will make you pay for dis!"
Um'Am did not have time; he rushed forward, yet Aurora and Avaros aimed at his legs, making him collapse on the ground with a heavy thud.
Avaros and Aurora joined together. Their spell barrage slowed him down even more. His fur was scorched and frozen, his blood finally dripping on the ground.
"You two, move!" Mia shouted, and in an instant, both Avaros and Aurora jumped to the sides, ducking for cover.
The tiny professor conjured a sphere many times larger than herself, it's power scorched the air, and fried anything unfortunate to be within its vicinity.
Um'Am, noticing the power, attempted to run toward his axe, yet he was far too slow.
"No running, kitty cat!" Mia mocked as she launched the ball of electricity.
The damage was far too severe for the rot to protect him, giving a perfect opportunity for Mia's [Electro Sphere] to crash into the chieftain's back.
As soon as the contact was made, the smell of burnt fur and the screech of the chieftain reverberated through the air.
The electricity spread through him, incinerating the flesh of the savage before the rot could even begin covering him.
His skin burst open, the arcs escaping through his body, scorching the ground, and chieftain Um'Am was no more. His form turned into ash.
Mia jumped back, the ground current almost catching even her.
However, it was not over. The rot that enveloped Um'Am seeped out the ash.
Soon, slowly and surely, it formed into a spindly monster, yet it was small and pathetic, merely the size of Aurora's fist.
Before it could do any damage, Aqua appeared in front of it, and the small monster attempted to run, yet with a mere flick, the black flame consumed it.
Aqua smiled and turned toward Mia. "Impressive, Mia."
The tiny professor smiled awkwardly. "I was studying so hard. I think I finally got the fine workings."
"I can see," Aqua couldn't help but smile. Mia was truly a great student.
Avaros and Aurora approached from her sides, their wounds still fresh, yet they were holding themselves with pride.
"We did it…" Aurora said softly, collapsing forward, letting herself get caught by Aqua.
Avaros winced in pain, touching his broken arm. "That savage was way too powerful."
Aqua inspected the wounds on the duo and conjured some potions, and handed them to the duo. "I assume he was empowered by the rot, and before you ask, how. I have no clue myself."
Aurora chuckled and grabbed the potion, chugging it. "I really need you to teach me aether. Only I had to exhaust myself here."
"Of course, Aurora."
Aqua smiled as the sounds of battle echoed from the forest. "I will go continue observing Azu. You three can come with me, but do not try to fight the rot."
Nobody had any complaint; it was not every day one got to see the champion fight a powerful enemy. "Lead the way, teacher," Mia said.
A [Blazing Barrier] shimmered over the trio. "Let's go," Aqua said before teleporting the group high into the air.