The battle continued to rage within the Ruins of Never-ending Dreams. Every terrain had become a storm of chaos and confusion, each group struggling against the powerful beings who had suddenly appeared.
---
First Terrain
Lila turned around, and her breath froze. Standing before her was a familiar face she never thought she'd see here, her father, Zora.
Her body trembled, unable to move, unable to think. Questions poured into her head all at once, What? How? Why? None made sense. Her father's expression wasn't filled with warmth or love. Instead, it was disappointment.
"Why did you have to break my trust?" Zora's voice was heavy, echoing softly through the mist. "Why won't you listen to me? Why did you hide all this from me?"
The words stabbed into Lila like knives. Guilt rose within her chest, mixing with fear. Her lips trembled as she tried to respond. "Dad, it's not like what you think… I—I was about to tell you everything."
"But you didn't," Zora said, his tone sharp and cold.
Before Lila could speak again, another voice joined them. Behind Zora, Yera'el appeared silently, her form swaying slightly as her spectral veils shimmered in the mist. Her eyes gleamed faintly blue, and her voice carried the melody of an ancient sorrow.
"Are you happy disappointing your father?" Yera'el whispered. "It's such a shame. You had his love, his trust… and you threw it away."
Lila's eyes widened, her heart pounding. "No, I—"
Yera'el turned to Zora, her tone calm but cruel. "Don't you think your daughter should learn a lesson? Ah, but you're her father, you wouldn't have the heart to hurt her. Don't worry, I'll take care of her."
Her hands rose slightly, and in a blink, countless droplets of water formed around her, swirling into sharp spheres. Water bullets shot toward Lila one after another, slicing through the mist.
Lila stumbled back, but her body didn't respond fast enough. She was too distracted, too shaken. The attacks hit her shoulder, her side, her leg, each one light but carrying sting and force. None were fatal, yet each one deepened her despair.
Every word Yera'el spoke, every memory of her father's disappointed eyes, broke her concentration further.
Her mind screamed to fight back, but guilt was louder.
Not far from her, the mist thickened, dividing the others into isolated illusions.
Yera'el stood before Iria now, her haunting melody echoing. But in front of Iria was herself, a future version of her, older, tired, eyes hollow.
"You never took your gifts seriously," the future Iria said coldly. "You wasted your talent, your potential. You let your fears rule you. Look at what I have become, and it is all because of you."
Iria clenched her fists, trembling, unable to speak.
Elsewhere, Yera'el confronted Darius, forcing him to relive the one memory he had buried the deepest, his past.
Deigo found himself crawling across a burning desert, his body weakened, the sun blinding, unsure if he was truly there or just trapped in his own mind.
And Anya… she stood frozen. In front of her were her parents, her younger siblings, and Darius, all watching her in silence.
Their expressions were calm, but something about them was deeply wrong.
The mist around each of them thickened again, swallowing the sounds of the battlefield.
Yera'el's voice echoed faintly through it all. "Guilt, regret, failure… you all carry it. Let me see how much before you break."
The illusions tightened their hold as the scene faded to silence.
---
Second Terrain
The air burned with heat and crackling energy. Tzarkhul stood tall, his four arms raised, his chest cavity glowing like a forge. Fire, water, rock, and air gathered in his palms, each spinning around the other violently.
The elements merged into a blinding orb that hummed with raw power.
Tzarkhul's lips curved into a grim smile. "Now, can you defend this?"
Caelus braced his stance, gripping his sword tightly. Hugo, seeing the danger, quickly fired an arrow toward Tzarkhul, hoping to interrupt the spell, but the arrow evaporated instantly as the pressurized aura surrounding Tzarkhul destroyed it midair.
The orb pulsed and roared, and then Tzarkhul thrust his arms forward.
The elemental sphere shot forward, tearing through the air like a falling star.
Caelus swung his sword upward, meeting the incoming blast. The collision created a massive burst of energy, sending violent wind currents in every direction. The shockwave forced Elric and Rosa to shield their eyes, while Hugo struggled to remain standing, his boots sliding backward across the dirt.
Caelus gritted his teeth. The force pressing against him was immense. His arms trembled. Sparks of magic flickered across his blade as he fought to push back the elemental storm.
The pressure increased, sweat rolled down his face. He could feel himself losing ground.
He took a deep breath. "State of Flowing River!"
His sword shifted, energy twisting through his body. Instead of pushing back, he redirected the attack. His movements became fluid, precise, he guided the orb upward, redirecting its path.
The sphere shot into the sky and exploded high above them, clearing the clouds and filling the battlefield with a blinding light.
Caelus barely had time to exhale before Tzarkhul appeared in front of him, faster than he could react. A heavy punch hit Caelus in the stomach, launching him backward. He slid across the ground, coughing, but quickly regained his footing, panting.
Tzarkhul charged again. Caelus dodged narrowly, his sword grazing Tzarkhul's arm but leaving no wound.
From behind, Hugo fired another arrow, this one aimed straight for Tzarkhul's head. Without even turning, Tzarkhul caught the arrow midair, snapped it in two, and raised one of his lower hands. A ball of flame formed instantly and was hurled toward Hugo.
Elric jumped forward, summoning a powerful gust of wind that collided with the fireball, dispersing it before it reached Hugo.
Meanwhile, Rosa lunged toward Tzarkhul, her twin hook blades flashing. She struck fast, but Tzarkhul grabbed her mid-attack and flung her across the field effortlessly. She hit the ground hard and rolled before coming to a stop.
Caelus stepped forward again, his breath heavy, eyes focused. "He's too strong… but I can't stop now."
His grip tightened on the sword. I need to step up.
---
Third Terrain
The forest was silent except for the rattling sound of chains slithering across wood and stone.
Lucien, Lunis, Adriana, and Adrian stood back-to-back, their eyes darting in every direction.
The chains attacked from every angle, each strike faster and sharper than the last. Some came from the treetops, others from underground, and some even curved through the air.
Zhyra herself was nowhere to be seen. Her laughter echoed faintly, blending with the rustling leaves.
Lucien deflected a chain just in time, the force vibrating through his arm. He scanned the treeline, but nothing, only moving shadows.
Adrian's eyes glowed faintly as he tried to focus, glimpsing brief flashes of possible futures. But the speed of the attacks left him no time to react for anyone but himself.
Lunis moved with instinct alone, reading the rhythm of the attacks, ducking and twisting just before each chain could touch him.
Adriana spun her hammer in circles, using her ability to Redirect, whenever the chains struck, she would deflect them off her weapon, bouncing them away at sharp angles. Each clash was loud, heavy, and close.
Still, it wasn't enough. The chains never stopped, never slowed.
Lucien clenched his jaw. "We're close… but not close enough."
They waited, patient but trapped, unable to find Zhyra, or find a way to stop her chains
---
Fourth Terrain
The ground shook as Gor'Mak swung his massive arm, creating a shockwave that cracked the stone beneath.
Alex dashed forward, his colossal axe glowing faintly, while Clara and Sera chanted spells behind him. Roland raised barriers around them, his magic pulsing faintly blue.
Each time Gor'Mak struck, the impact sent waves of pressure through the air, threatening to knock them all off balance.
Alex pressed forward, attacking again and again, sparks flying with every hit. But his weapon left no marks. Gor'Mak stood unmoved, his molten veins glowing brighter with each strike.
"Come on!" Alex shouted, swinging harder. His axe collided again, the sound echoing through the terrain. Still nothing.
But Clara's enchantments began to strengthen his strikes little by little. Each hit grew heavier, each impact sharper.
But, Gor'Mak was also learning. His swings began to follow Alex's rhythm, cutting off his angles.
Both stood locked in a brutal rhythm, strength versus endurance.
Neither willing to fall first.
---
Fifth Terrain
Rynara laughed wildly, her voice ringing through the chaos. "Don't tell me this is all you've got!"
She lunged forward, her claws slashing through the air. Sparks burst as her strikes collided with the weapons of her opponents.
Rok grinned, blood dripping from his lip. "I'm just getting started!"
Tovern shouted, "I'll be the one who takes her down!"
Doran growled, "Quit dreaming! She's mine!"
Their clash was pure madness, three against one, each attack followed by laughter, shouts, and explosions of energy.
Despite the competition between Tovern, Doran and Rok , they fought with perfect rhythm, covering each other's weaknesses, each refusing to back down.
Rynara never dodged, never backed off. Every blow she took, she gave back twice as strong. The ground beneath them cracked from the sheer pressure of their combined force.
From the edge, Movern watched quietly, eyes sharp. He didn't interfere, but his aura had already begun to rise. He could see it clearly now, Rynara was not just enjoying the fight. She was building toward something stronger, something worse.
And when that moment came, he'd have to step in.
For now, he waited.