The spear spun once in his hand before he thrust downward. The earth exploded upon contact.

Molten fire burst upward beneath Atheline’s feet. He leaped backwards instantly only for the spear to be waiting. The attack was too fast for him to contest mid-flight.

The spearhead slashed across his side, blood spluttering across the burning forest grounds. He briefly touched his throbbing rib.

Igrad stepped forward immediately, spear rotating fluidly into another thrust aimed directly at his throat.

Atheline raised one hand. Wind and water burst forward. The spear pierced through it instantly but that was enough.

Lightning exploded beneath his feet and his body vanished in a flash of speed. The spear missed him by inches.

Igrad turned sharply but he was still too late.

Three arrows screamed towards him simultaneously from different directions.

One was coated with spiraling lightning, one in ice, and the other compressed earth.

He swung his spear once. A circular explosion of flames erupted around him, violently enough to vaporise the lightning arrow instantly.

The ice arrow shattered against the spear’s shaft but the earth arrow slipped lower and struck his thigh deeply. The impact forced him back half a step. That alone was shocking. No one has ever managed to pass through his defense for as long as he could remember.

Igrad ripped the arrow free immediately, expression darkening.

"You really don’t know when to stop."

Atheline stood atop a broken skull several meters away, bow already drawn again. His gaze was calm and almost unaffected despite the blood flowing down his arm.

Igrad clicked his tongue then smiled again.

"Fine."

He spun the spear once and the surrounding flames condensed violently towards the blade. The air seemed to have folded into itself and the Aether around him moved towards him in droves.

Atheline’s eyes sharpened instantly. He knew it, this was real danger whatever skill he had used shook his heart a little.

Igrad lowered his stance slightly and then the spear vanished from his hand.

He threw.

The spear shot forward like a launched meteor splitting the forest apart. The sheer speed alone created a tunnel through the flames while the surrounding earth collapsed beneath the pressure.

It was too fast to dodge normally. Atheline slammed both his hands downward and earth walls erupted upwards. Ice reinforced it instantly with water spiraling around the surface.

Wind formed a clear barrier around him.

The spear hit and the world seemed to have exploded.

BOOOOOM!

The first barrier was shattered instantly.

Then the second.

Then the third.

The spear tore through every monstrous defense with monstrous force before finally slowing enough for Atheline to evade at the last possible second.

Even then, the explosion still caught him. Fire continued to consume the surrounding area while shock waves rippled through the forest.

Atheline crushed hard across broken ground, blood running from the corner of his mouth.

Igrad extended his arm calmly and the spear trembled beneath the rubble then flew back into his grasp. The flames surrounding him roared higher.

"You see the difference now?"

He rested the spear against his shoulder again.

"You survive because you’re fast to adapt. "

The spearhead ignited blue again.

"I like to destroy adaptation."

Atheline slowly rose to his feet, his breath had finally deepened slightly. Blood stained his sleeves, burn marks spread across his side yet his eyes remained calm and calculating.

Igrad frowned slightly.

"You’re still analysing at this point."

No response.

Atheline lifted the bow again. Igrad laughed once in disbelief.

"Are you incapable of fear?"

Was Atheline supposed to tell him if he were in his position fear would be the last thing on his mind especially with who he was married to? That well had dried up.

The arrow was released and lightning erupted across the battlefield.

Igrad spun the spear instantly, flames spiraling outwards in a rotating shield but the lightning arrow curved.

His eyes widened.

Wind retracted the trajectory mid-flight. The arrow struck the ground beside him instead but then, Earth activated.

The ground exploded upwards, chains of stones wrapped around his one leg instantly. Igrad reacted immediately but it was too late, a second arrow pierced through the smoke.

Ice exploded across the spear shaft, the frost instantly spreading rapidly. Igrad shattered it with flames but the delay lasted exactly long enough.

Atheline appeared directly in front of him, dagger drawn. Lightning and wind hastened his speed to terrifying levels. Igrad barely managed to move the spear in time...

The dagger slammed against the shaft then more relentless strikes followed.

Igrad suddenly realised the truth. The bow had never been the threat but Atheline’s perfect control. The way every element was layered together, every attack creating the next opening.

Atheline’s fighting style resembled a web tightening slowly around its prey. Igrad grinned fiercely despite himself.

"Yes."

Flames exploded from his body again. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"This is a real fight!"

He spun his spear violently.

The battlefield had long since stopped resembling a forest. Nothing remained intact. Ancient trees burnt like torches across shattered ground while rivers of molten fire curved scars on the once green earth.

Smoke darkened the sky overhead so heavily that even the risen moonlight struggled to pierce through it.

And still, the battle continued.

Igrad twisted his spear violently, blue flames spiraling outwards in a massive arc meant to force distance between them.

BOOM!

The explosion flattened everything nearby.

Before the flames could fully spread, ice erupted through them. The fire was frozen instead of extinguished.

Igrad’s eyes widened instinctively as crystalline frost crawled across the explosion itself, locking his burning flames in place for half a second.

That half a second was enough.

Lightning flashed through the battlefield. Atheline appeared directly beneath the spear’s range, dagger already moving toward his ribs.

The spear blocked the strike in time. The impact shook both their weapons violently. Igrad retaliated immediately with a knee coated in explosive flames.

Atheline twisted sideways narrowly, but the blast still caught part of his shoulder and sent him skidding back in ash-covered ground.

Igrad followed relentlessly.