Kurohono was not a flame that required the body to move in order to be summoned.
If one was talented enough, the flames could be manifested purely through thought.
Enoch was not such a man, but his body moved too slowly to raise his hand in time to control the fire precisely.
As the golden light in his opponents hand grew brighter, ready to be released against him, Enoch realised what he had to do.
It was a decision others might not have approved of, but there was no other option.
"You fool!" Enoch roared, unleashing the black flames of Kurohono to engulf the entire area.
They began around Nero, erupting wild and uncontrollably. The flames sparked into existence as if the air itself had ignited.
Enoch tried to direct them with his mind, but the skill required was beyond him.
A burst of black fire flared beside Nero's glowing hand, engulfing his arm and cutting off his spell in an instant.
At first, Nero looked down in disbelief. As the flames crawled from his hand to his shoulder, his expression twisted in agony.
"Aghhh! My arm!"
He stumbled to the lake and plunged his arm into the water, extinguishing the flames with a hiss.
After a final sizzle, his screams faded. When he lifted his arm from the water, the sight made him recoil.
His entire limb was ruined. Flesh had melted together with what was left of his clothing.
The skin of his fingers had fused from the heat, and his once pale arm was now a mixture of pink and black.
Nero stared at the mangled remains of his limb, his breathing quickening into hyperventilation. Then he collapsed unconscious.
Enoch sighed. He had wasted more mana on an opponent already disqualified from battle.
"Why did you have to push me?" he muttered, half-hoping the man was dead.
Regardless, he knew he had just made an enemy of the theocracy after today's events.
He only hoped the battle organisers would arrive soon to retrieve Nero's unconscious body and provide aid.
After glancing around and watching Kurohono's black flames devour the nearby trees of Strategem Forest, Enoch decided it was time to leave.
He couldn't use the Angelbird to travel through the spirit realm, as Jane wasn't here to guide him, and the bird wasn't currently within his soul space. He had no means of summoning it back.
So, he would have to run.
---
Enoch ran through the forest for minutes upon minutes, but no matter how far he went, there was no sign of Jane.
Eventually, unease set in. Perhaps he was lost. Strategem Forest was giant, after all.
He soon reached the clearing where General Vohan had dismissed them and began travelling in the direction they'd originally been sent, back towards their starting points.
Then, his ears caught the unmistakable sounds of combat from that very direction.
Enoch cursed under his breath.
Have I taken too long? Thanks to Sunburn, the start of my journey has been at a snail's pace.
Still, he didn't hesitate. Activating Shadow Step again would give him a 500% boost in speed, which would be enough to reach the battle quickly, even if it meant enduring the movement penalty afterwards.
Becoming a shadow once again, he darted through the forest, leaping over puddles and branches, leaving streaks of shadow darkness him.
Before long, the sounds grew louder.
Between the trees ahead, bursts of multicoloured energy lit up the air. Spells and skills were being sent flying between two groups.
Before getting close enough to be noticed, Enoch deactivated Shadow Step.
His mana was nearly drained. Any further, and Kurohono might consume part of his core permanently, just as its description warned.
He crouched beneath a tree to recover, though cracks of sunlight still broke through, burning his skin and forcing him to endure the effects of Sunburn.
For a full minute, he watched, waiting for the effect to ware off.
There were roughly ten combatants on each side, and at the rear of both groups stood two unmistakable figures:
Judas Arnoldii and Charlotte White.
A grin spread across Enoch's face.
The two remaining leaders were fighting each other.
Judging by their numbers, they've each have half their forces with them. They must have sent the others must be search for me, before running into each other.
That suited him just fine.
If I wait, one of them will claim the other's pendant. Their mana will be low, then I'll strike and end this battle myself.
The tactic didn't particularly please Enoch. In a real war, he wouldn't sacrifice his allies' safety merely for victory.
Would he?
---
The battle raged on. The nobles hurled a variety of magics, ranging from elemental blasts, reinforced strikes, and bursts of light.
But it was the two leaders whose abilities truly dominated the field.
Charlotte White appeared to be some form of summoner. She rode atop a magical spider made from a translucent purple energy. It was easily half the size of a chariot.
At her command, it fired purple webs that clung to enemies, slowing them long enough for her allies to attack.
Her opponent, Judas Arnoldii, was clearly a tank. Summoning a giant suit of spectral armour and wielding a two-handed warhammer, he smashed through enemies, shattering limbs, though carefully avoiding fatal blows.
Despite both sides' efforts, only one could emerge victorious.
Judas eventually broke through the enemy ranks and brought his great hammer down upon the spider's head. It burst apart, scattering mana like blood.
Charlotte tumbled from her summoned spider, giving Judas the chance to snatch her pendant.
The bell tolled, signalling that only two teams remained.
Charlotte lay on the ground, exhausted but still beautiful despite her dishevelled brown hair.
Judas let his armour dissolve, revealing his handsome face and golden hair. He reached out, offering her a hand with a confident smile.
"You fought well," he said proudly.
Charlotte smiled faintly, brushing a strand from her face.
"Clearly not well enough," she replied playfully. "At least I wasn't—"
Her voice stopped mid-sentence. The smile left her face.
Judas frowned. "Is something wrong?"
Charlotte's gaze shifted past him, her expression turning cold. She lifted a finger and pointed.
"Death is here."
Before Judas could react, a shadowy blur passed through his body painlessly, snatching the chain from his neck and leaving a bloody mark.
The bell rang once more.
Everyone froze, staring at the figure that clutched the pendant in its grasp.
Then, the shadow began to fade away, dissolving into black mist, until a human figure remained.
The white-haired Prince, Enoch, stood smiling, with the final pendant dangling from his pointer finger.
---
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