Building A Carnal Empire In The Fantasy World-Chapter 32: Hunters And Prey III

The lake erupted like a volcano made of water and mud. Velara’s earth magic struck the lakebed with the force of a hammer blow, sending geysers of dark water fifty feet into the air.

The peaceful ornamental pond became a churning maelstrom in seconds, tainting the beautiful scenery.

Sergeant Cole’s instincts surged and he threw himself backward as a wall of muddy water crashed over the spot where he’d been standing. His armor was soaked through, and lake weeds clung to his helmet like a crown of green slime.

"What in the sacred flame’s name—" he started to say, then had to dodge again as another geyser exploded from the churning lake.

Soldier Hayes wasn’t so lucky. The wave caught him full in the chest with the force of a petrified fifty feet pillar of water, lifting him off his feet and hurling him twenty yards back toward the rose garden. He hit the ground hard, his armor scraping against stone as he skidded to a stop among the thorny bushes.

Mills managed to stay upright, but barely. Water streamed from his armor as he struggled to keep his footing on the now-muddy shore. His earlier wound was bleeding harder now, the lake water having washed away the clotting blood.

"Clever girls," Sergeant Cole admitted, spitting out a mouthful of dirty lake water. "But puny water tricks won’t save you."

He raised his sword, and his Level 3 Earth Rank cultivation flared around him like heat from a forge. The muddy ground beneath his feet hardened into solid stone once again, giving him stable footing despite the chaos Velara had created.

But the explosion had cost Velara dearly. Infact, she swayed on her feet, her face pale as milk in the moonlight. Using that much power at once had drained her badly. Sweat beaded on her forehead despite the cool night air.

"That was... impressive," she gasped, wiping blood from her nose. "But I don’t think I can do it again anytime soon."

Madam Vex nodded grimly. She’d seen the cost written on her companion’s face. Such powerful magic always came with a price, and Velara had just spent most of what she had in reserve.

Meanwhile, Hayes was picking himself out of the rose bushes, cursing in language that would have made a sailor blush as the thorns picked at his skin through the armor cracks.

His armor was dented from the impact, and thorns had found every gap in his protection. But he was still moving, still giving off a dangerous aura.

"Regroup!" Sergeant Cole barked. "Standard formation. These bitches are trickier than they look."

The three soldiers began to spread out again, but more carefully this time. They’d learned to respect their opponents’ capabilities. No more assumptions about helpless fleeing women.

Madam Vex hefted her enchanted dagger, feeling its familiar weight in her hand. The blue glow along the blade seemed brighter now, as if it sensed the violence to come.

"How long since you killed a Church soldier?" she asked Velara conversationally.

"Seven years," Velara replied, raising her hands as earth magic began to gather around her fingers again. Weaker than before, but still deadly to anyone who underestimated her. "You?"

"Yesterday," Madam Vex lied smoothly. Actually, it had been three months, but there was no need to share that detail.

Mills attacked first this time, his sword flashing in a series of quick cuts aimed at Madam Vex’s legs and torso. The young soldier had learned from their earlier exchange, no more textbook moves, no more predictable patterns.

But Madam Vex had been learning too. She gave ground steadily, using her smaller size to stay just out of reach of his longer weapon. Each time he committed to an attack, she would slip aside and try to get inside his guard with her dagger.

The cut on his arm was making him favor his left side slightly. Not much, but enough for someone with her experience to notice. She began to press that advantage, forcing him to use the wounded arm to block her strikes.

Blood spots appeared on the muddy ground where they fought, bright red against the dark earth.

On the other side of the ruined lakeshore, Sergeant Cole was advancing on Velara with the patience of a hunting cat. His sword stayed in a middle guard position, ready to attack or defend as needed.

Velara sent a spike of stone shooting up from the ground where he was about to step. Cole sidestepped it easily, but had to pause in his advance. That gave her time to prepare her next attack.

This time, she tried something more subtle. Instead of the dramatic stone spears, she softened the ground beneath his feet. Just enough to make his footing uncertain, to slow him down and disrupt his timing.

Cole noticed immediately. His boots sank an inch deeper into the mud with each step, and he had to work harder to maintain his balance.

But his cultivation was strong enough to compensate. Earth magic flowed through his legs, hardening his stance and giving him the stability he needed.

"Nice try," he said, and lunged forward with surprising speed.

Velara barely got her hands up in time to block. Her hasty earth shield managed to stop his sword, but the impact sent shock waves up her arms.

She staggered backward, her Level 2 defense crumbling under the force of his Level 3 cultivation.

The sergeant pressed his advantage, his sword work becoming more aggressive. Each strike was designed to break through her magical defenses and find the soft flesh beneath.

Meanwhile, Hayes had finally extracted himself from the rose bushes and was looking for a way to rejoin the fight.

His armor was scratched and dented, and dozens of shallow cuts from the thorns leaked blood down his arms and face. But his sword was still sharp, and his eyes still burned with righteous fury.

He spotted an opportunity as Madam Vex and Mills circled each other near the water’s edge. If he could get behind her while she was focused on his companion...