Chapter 68

Around the grand fountain of Moonveil, a thick mist enveloped the area, reducing visibility to near zero. The intense battle between Amara and Kaden added to the mist, each clash of their magical powers creating a swirling haze. Each burst of flames conjured by Amara was met with a counter of chilling ice from Kaden, a constant cycle of burning and freezing that only added to the obscurity. Amara and Kaden, locked in a magical duel, continued their relentless clash amid the swirling mist, and the battleground echoed with the sounds of their elemental battle.

Amidst the magical duel, neither combatant showed signs of yielding. Kaden sought to punish Amara for the destruction of Mayor Victoria's fountain, while Amara, for her part, saw the confrontation as more of an entertainment than a serious challenge. Unbeknownst to the Supreme Officer of Triton, Amara was intentionally holding back her true power. Instead of swiftly overpowering Kaden, she indulged in the foreplay of their magical confrontation. The consequences of their battle extended beyond the mist, however, as the ground beneath them trembled from the force of their magical clashes, affecting the ritual site beneath the fountain.

**Back to the ritual site**

Beside the fallen and tormented Lennix, who suffered the loss of his right leg up to the knee still, Xain was unsure of what to do. *Clarissa instructed me to assist him, but what on aetheria can I do for a missing leg?* Xain pondered, feeling a bit lost. Kneeling beside Lennix, he asked, "Is there anything I can do?" Lennix, enduring the pain, shook his head. "No, not for the leg, but you can lend me a shoulder to stand on," he suggested. Without hesitation, Xain helped him up, supporting Lennix with his right arm over Xain's shoulder.

As they rose together, Xain asked, "Can't you heal it?" Lennix, still in pain, shook his head once more. "Not instantly, but give me about 10 minutes, and I'll regrow the lower half of my leg," he explained. Xain's gaze shifted to the ongoing clash between Eirisse and Ercale, and the black knight. "We don't have 10 minutes," Xain noted. Lennix agreed with a nod, "Yeah, I can see that. Anyway, how far do you reckon you can throw me?" The sudden question left Xain bewildered, glancing at Lennix with confusion etched across his face.

Eirisse gracefully evaded Ercale's lightning attack once again, demonstrating her agility. Seizing an opportunity, the black knight swung his shadow greatsword horizontally, aiming to cleave Eirisse in two. However, she swiftly crouched beneath the swing, placing one hand on the ground. In a fluid motion, she swung herself and extended her mostly regrown left foot for a sweeping kick toward the black knight's legs. But just as her kick was about to connect, thick shadows materialized around the black knight's legs, halting her attack before it could reach the black knight's armored legs.

Annoyed, Eirisse clicked her tongue, and the black knight prepared for another strike. As Eirisse leaped out of harm's way, the greatsword descended, hitting the ground with force and creating cracks in its wake. Meanwhile, Ercale, readying another lightning bolt, found himself momentarily thrown off balance as the ritual room shook from the intense battle above. The unexpected disturbance caused his attack to veer off course, slamming into the room's wall instead of hitting Eirisse.

The shaking not only disrupted Ercale's attack but also had another consequence. The debris trapping the artifact shifted, freeing it from its confinement. The artifact, now liberated, floated into the air before it turned its gaze toward Ercale. Its eye color changed to green as it unleashed razor-sharp winds in his direction. Reacting swiftly, Ercale leaped out of harm's way, narrowly avoiding the slicing currents that left deep cuts in the ground.

"Shit, not this again!" Ercale exclaimed, frustrated by the artifact's renewed assault. Meanwhile, seizing the distraction, Eirisse sprinted towards the artifact. Ercale attempted to halt her advance with a surge of lightning, but the artifact's eye transitioned to a deep black, effortlessly negating his magical onslaught. Frustration surged through Ercale as Eirisse reached the artifact, she directed it to float above her shoulder, and with a triumphant smile, she taunted Ercale, "Looks like I don't need to know how to harness its powers effectively to beat you." Her gaze locked onto Ercale, who felt like his anger was going to make him pop a blood vessel that the shadow body didn't even possess.

The black knight held his greatsword in a defensive stance and turned to Ercale, asking, "So, uh, any idea on how we deal with her now?" Ercale's hands crackled with lightning as he replied, "I'll keep attacking her, keeping the eye occupied." The black knight turned to him with a puzzled expression on his helmet, asking, "That's it? Okay, then what do I do?" Ercale turned to him, frustration evident in his voice, "You're a monster hunter, for god's sake! Hunt the damn monster right in front of you!" The black knight nonchalantly shrugged, "Alright, ready when you are then."

As both Ercale and the black knight focused on Eirisse, readying their attacks, they found her yawning, her foot almost completely healed. With a mocking tone, she held up three fingers and said, "Are you boys done with your strategizing? Because I have lunch in three minutes." She licked her lips provocatively, and Ercale, briefly distracted, remembered the pressing time. *Only three more minutes until it's 8 o'clock. As long as we keep her busy, she can't reach Mari.* Just as Ercale and the black knight prepared to launch their attacks on Eirisse, a sudden "AGH!" yell pierced the air, prompting all three to turn around and witness the most idiotic thing they had ever seen in their lives.