52 Ice vs Flames

The early morning had arrived, Celina sprang up from her soft bed, she had a groggy head and her vision was swirling. She noticed she was in the apartment where Skylar and Herana stayed.

A sudden knocked on the door spurred her to leave the bed. She staggered to the door and opened it wide, she noticed it was Princess Herana, the first thing she noticed was her worried look.

"Skylar is..." Herana said.

Celina heard her story, she readied fast and then swiftly ran across the corridor without regards to her steps. She bumped into the walls as she made her way, nonetheless she ignored it and dashed like fox. When she reached the streets she never took a break, she was now heading to the gates of the city.

***

Somewhere outside the city walls, on a spacious green landscape, Blue and Skylar had a distant gap between them, they read each other's face as they stood still like a statue.

Pelvin was on a safe distance, he gave a low smirk as he stared at Blue, wishing he was gone.

Skylar glared coldly unto him. "So did you mean what you said? You're gonna eliminate humanity if she fails?"

Blue cackled villainously, his grinned oozed out some malice. "Of course." His voice was determined.

Finally Skylar held a sneer. "I don't know what was going on in Celina's mind that she didn't bother to tell me, but right here and now, I'm gonna take care of you for good."

"Don't you get it? It's because she's the only who's capable in doing so, if you fight me you will only lose your life." Blue said.

Skylar grunted in disapproval. "Don't underestimate me. I can take care of you, and those eyes, they're the eyes of the killer, worse a monster. I won't let you leave from this place. But before we fight, why don't we shake hands it's a custom from where I grew." He casually strolled towards Blue and gave his arm.

Blue snickered scoffingly. He took his arm and shook it. "Of course you would respect the one who would take your life."

Skylar closed his eyes. "Oh yeah I forgot to mention, but I." His tone changed and turned threatening. "I don't play fair." He smirked coldly.

Blue got startled, he tried to control his fingers but it felt rigid and a piercing cold were climbing on his arm. It slowly surged towards his chest and then through out his body. At some point his body was stiff as a crystal, his eyes couldn't even move, frigid mists escaped his mouth and his skin turned pale blue. "Ice break."

Skylar coldly eyed him, he sweeped his arm and Blue shattered, turning into icy dust crystals that glimmered in brilliance under the sunlight. He had a satisfied look of a victor. "I think that settles it."

When he turned around he got startled when a bluish light were being effused from his back. When he spun he got kicked on the chest and were sent flying outward.

Blue had an irked look, he gnashed his teeth as his eyes followed Skylar. He huffed in annoyance. "That felt very uncomfortable."

Skylar rolled on the ground, but he quickly stood back up with a cough, he carressed his chest where he got hit. He then flinched and stomped his foot. "Ice spear!"

From his foot, ice crawled on the surface of the ground heading towards Blue. Blue flew away as ice spikes emerged from where he stood.

Blue lifted his arm and threw it on Skylar's direction, spewing out streams of blue flames.

Skylar quickly reacted and casted his spell. "Ice wall!" Several layers of walls of ice resurfaced from the ground, the flames pushed against the walls, it held it back for few seconds but it got vaporized. Skylar quickly sprinted away and leaped from the flames' path. The flames gobbled the walls and went through them. He managed to evade barely, and he had a dismayed look.

"What a powerful flames." Skylar said.

When Blue was done, he landed and strolled towards Skylar, they were about to initiate their fight in a second round.

Skylar gripped his fists. "You leave me no choice. Ice Knight!" He casted. In a sudden, plate armors made from ice were slowly wrapping his body. Then, before he knew it, he had a tough, gleaming armor made of ice, only his eyes were left seen. He held a tall ice sword and on his other arm was a broad, rotund ice shield.

He charged towards Blue with his sword ready, he swung his sword, the sword's tip almost hit Blue, but ge got startled, he noticed he wasn't cut as he had no damage. Yet, in that instant he got encased inside an ice, then the ice erupted and shattered and came out the bluish flames, mists enveloped the air. Then Blue emerged from the mist and raked Skylar's armor with his sharp nails, its surface got peeled off but it was a shallow cut. Blue clenched his fist and struck Skylar's helmet, with a clink, Skylar got toppled over and rolled on the ground.

In a sudden, Celina butted in between the two, she was catching her breath before she tried to speak. "Please stop!" She faced Skylar.

Skylar panted, he rose himself up and his eyes were disgruntled as he stared at Celina. "Celina, why didn't you tell me something this important?"

Celina gulped. "Sky, you see I'm the only one who can deal with him."

Skylar snorted in displeasure. "Celina I can't believe you're so selfish as to take this yourself. Please stand back as I'll deal with him myself." He stared at Pelvin who stood on the sides. "You, could you guide Celina away."

Pelvin nodded, he went close and grabbed Celina's arm, he slowly dragged her away, but she struggled to break free. "Sky, please." Her voice was breaking as she uttered.

Skylar sighed. "Celina let me ask you frankly, what did you see in him? I don't care about your deal or what ever, but if this guy is on the loose, I wouldn't be able to sleep well at night."

"But Sky, Blue respected our deal and he never hurt me, not even once. I think tha--"

"Celina." Skylar gave her an upsetting glare. "Let me ask you again, why are you stopping me?"

Celina tried to come up with her words, but she was unable, she gripped her cloth as she started to reflect. Pelvin pulled her away and she was forced to follow. "Let's go back Miss mage."

Skylar's tone was brimming with confidence. "Celina just stand back, and allow a high ranking Pillar to deal with him. I'm not foolish enough to deal with an immortal, because I have a trick under my sleeve."

Celina looked away, her eyes were unwilling to observe their fight. She clenched her fist and tried to recall their adventures from the first time they met, their constant berating and the times when she was saved. Her face turned sullen and her heart started to pound irregularly. Especially that time when he spoke those words. Those words resonated in her mind.

She dropped on the ground, recollecting herself. "Why am I feeling sad? Didn't I want to kill him myself?" She guided her hand to her chest. "But what is this uneasiness, why am I sympathizing with someone who threatens to end humanity?"

Skylar eyed her with pity, he turned to Blue. "You bastard, did you brainwash her?"

Blue cackled menacingly. "I don't have such spells, otherwise I would have used it on you."

Skylar gritted his teeth. "Then, why is she acting this way?" He barked.

Blue stared at Celina, assessing her face. "I don't even know, since the first time I saw her she was quite odd."

Skylar sighed. "Celina listen closely, you must have been attached to this person, but if you look at him clearly. He's nothing you should care about, this man is a psychopath who would murder trillions if he wills it. I can see it in his eyes."

While Celina kneeled, she pressed her fingers on the dirt. "But, Blue is just sad, I know what it feels like to be in such state." She sniffled.

Skylar and Blue were in a trance as they stared at her. Skylar then grunted, breaking the silence. "Sad? That won't justify anything."

Blue stood firmly as his eyes were slightly hollow, his face was worried but it was faint. In a sudden, Skylar pounced upon him. Blue sneered as he was still unprepared, when Skylar swung his ice blade, Blue got frozen inside a mound of ice. Blue's body released a gust of blue flames, breaking the ice in the process.

When he broke free he was barraged with ice spears coming from Skylar's palms, he crisscrossed on the air to dodge each attacks. "Damn it, I'm not yet in a condition to fight!" He shot out blue flames but this time it was weaker, he could not bring himself to concentrate and fire accurately.

Skylar smirked after he sensed Blue was slipping, probably it was due to what she just said. He stanced himself and his body burnt in arctic blue. "Rana, I summon thee!"

A giant white serpent emerged from close to Skylar, its smooth clear scales glistened like crystals, it hovered and circled around Skylar. It had a pair of noodle-like mustache that fluttered on the air, it then spoke. "Master, what do you want me to do?"

"Give me all your mana."

"As you wish." The serpent glowed bright blue and transferred its glow unto Skylar's body. After they were finished, Skylar moved his foot sending out a layer of ice to Blue's foot, then suddenly ice columns rose up like towers. Blue became unsteady as he tried to evade each one, he flapped his wings and hovered away. He rose his arm up and hurled a bluish flame ball unto the ground where he once stood. Then a giant explosion swelled on the scene, it left a crater on the hard soil. Dark smoke enveloped the air and Blue wasn't a bit cautious, he sighed as her words kept on clinging on his head.

Abruptly, from the curtains of smoke, the serpent lurched and coiled around Blue, he smacked his lips. He squirmed attempting to break free but the serpent's grip tightened. His eyes widened when he noticed Skylar was infront of him. Skylar rose his arm and aimed it upon his face. "Ultimate Ice Seal!"

From the ground, ice crystals rose up, slowly wrapping his entire body. When he was fully incased, he noticed his body was locked, he couldn't release a bit of his blue flames. "Damn it!" His voice muffled inside the crystal.

The serpent around him slowly vanished leaving him alone inside the thick ice crystal, runes suddenly emerged around the surface of the ice. He figured he wouldn't be able to break free that easy, since this ice felt different, for one thing it was solid and unbreakable.

Celina who was found on the sides, had a concerned look, she quickly went close to the crystal and pressed her hands unto it. She peered at Blue's blurry body found inside the ice. "Blue."

Skylar sighed, he loosened up when he noticed it was finally over. "Celina, I find it odd why you are sympathizing with this person."

Celina's finger slid down from the ice surface. "Because, he told me he believed in me."

"He could be lying you know."

Celina shook her head. "I know Blue more than anyone else, there's no way he would lie."

Skylar turned around, exposing his back to her. "Anyway you should forget about him, we already have too much problem on our side and also don't leave my side from now on." He glared at the city. "I sense something is about to happen."