Goodnight.

The female warrior loomed over Lucien and Zalthor, her dark energy flaring violently around her as she prepared to deliver the final blow. Lucien, bruised and battered, struggled to lift his arm, but the weight of the battle had taken its toll. Zalthor, beside him, was barely conscious, his shadow clones long gone, and his breath shallow. They had given everything, but it wasn't enough.

The female warrior smirked, her blade shimmering with malicious energy as she raised it high above her head. "This is the end," she whispered, her voice laced with cruel satisfaction. The deadly blade began its descent, the air crackling with the force of the strike.

But just as the sword was about to connect, a blur of movement flashed before their eyes. A sudden gust of icy wind cut through the battlefield, followed by the sharp crackle of freezing energy. The female warrior's blade halted mid-air, encased in a block of shimmering ice.

"What the—?" she gasped, stumbling back as her weapon was rendered useless, the frost creeping along her arm.

Lucien blinked in disbelief, his vision clearing enough to see the familiar figure standing before them. Commander Viktor, with his confident grin and a glint of amusement in his eyes, had appeared just in time. Slung over his shoulder was the unconscious body of his opponent, the one he had clearly bested in his own battle.

"You two really need to learn how to handle your battles," Viktor chuckled, casually tossing the unconscious foe to the ground with a thud. "I leave you alone for five minutes, and you're already about to get yourselves killed."

Zalthor coughed, struggling to sit up. "Commander Viktor… what are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be protecting the throne."

Viktor smirked, crossing his arms. "Oh, I finished up a little earlier than expected. Took care of my opponent over there," he gestured with his thumb to the limp body on the ground, "and thought I'd swing by to see if you two were still breathing. Good thing I did."

Lucien, still catching his breath, stared at Viktor in awe. "You took them down… that easily?"

"Please," Viktor waved a hand dismissively. "They weren't much of a challenge. But I have to say, you two really gave her a run for her money. I'm impressed."

Before Zalthor or Lucien could respond, Viktor stepped forward, his demeanor shifting from playful to serious. His eyes locked onto the female warrior, who had managed to free her arm from the ice, though she still looked shaken. "Why don't you two take a rest?" Viktor said calmly, his tone carrying a quiet authority. "I'll handle the rest of this fight."

Lucien opened his mouth to protest, but Viktor shot him a reassuring look. "You've done enough. Let me show you how it's done."

With a flick of his wrist, Viktor summoned the full force of his Ice Aether. The air around him grew cold, the temperature dropping rapidly as frost spread across the ground. His hands glowed with a pale blue light, crackling with icy power. The female warrior's confident smirk faded, replaced by a wary expression as she realized the gravity of her situation.

"You think you can beat me too?" she hissed, her dark energy flaring once again. She lunged at Viktor with ferocity, but he was ready. With a fluid motion, Viktor raised his hand, sending a torrent of ice shards toward her. They spiraled through the air, glistening like deadly crystals, and slammed into her defenses.

The impact sent her skidding back, her feet digging into the frozen earth as she struggled to maintain her balance. Viktor didn't let up. He advanced with calm, measured steps, each movement deliberate and powerful. With a swift gesture, he created towering walls of ice, boxing her in.

The female warrior snarled in frustration, slashing at the icy walls with her dark energy, but Viktor was already anticipating her every move. He summoned a massive, jagged spike of ice from the ground, forcing her to leap into the air to avoid it.

"You're fast," Viktor commented casually, "but not fast enough."

Before she could land, Viktor unleashed a barrage of freezing winds that encased her legs in ice, freezing her mid-air. She screamed in frustration, trying to break free, but Viktor's control over his Ice Aether was far too refined. With another flick of his wrist, the ice shattered, sending her crashing to the ground.

Lucien and Zalthor watched in amazement as Viktor continued to dominate the battlefield with ease. His movements were precise, almost graceful, and the power he wielded was overwhelming. The female warrior, who had pushed them to their limits, was now barely able to keep up with him.

Viktor smirked as he conjured a massive spear of ice, raising it high above his head. "This ends now," he declared, hurling the spear toward his opponent with incredible force.

The female warrior's eyes widened in panic as the spear hurtled toward her, but just before it made contact, she managed to summon a burst of dark energy, deflecting the attack. The force of the deflection sent her sprawling backward, but she quickly scrambled to her feet, panting and disoriented.

Viktor sighed, his breath visible in the cold air. "You're tougher than I thought," he admitted, "but this is over."

With a final, decisive gesture, Viktor summoned a swirling vortex of icy wind, trapping the female warrior in its center. The winds howled around her, growing colder and stronger with each passing second, until the frost began to creep up her body, freezing her in place.

"Goodnight," Viktor said with a smirk, and with one last pulse of his Aether, the vortex exploded in a shower of ice and snow, leaving the battlefield eerily silent.

Zalthor and Lucien stared in stunned silence as the female warrior lay unconscious, frozen solid at Viktor's feet. The battle was over in mere moments, but the display of power had been nothing short of incredible.

Viktor dusted off his hands, turning back to the two younger warriors with a playful grin. "See? Easy as pie."

Zalthor blinked, still processing what had just happened. "Commander Viktor… that was…"

"Epic?" Viktor finished for him, laughing. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

Lucien couldn't help but chuckle, despite his exhaustion. "You really saved us back there. We owe you."

"Nah," Viktor waved them off. "You did most of the hard work. I just cleaned up the mess."

Zalthor shook his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Still, it's good to know we have someone like you watching our backs."

"Always," Viktor replied, his grin widening. "Now, how about you two get some rest? You've earned it."

As Zalthor and Lucien nodded gratefully, sinking to the ground to catch their breath, Viktor turned his attention back to the battlefield, his eyes narrowing slightly as he scanned the area.

"Let's hope the others are having as much fun as we are," he muttered to himself, a mischievous glint in his eye as he prepared for whatever challenge lay ahead.

*To be continued...*