The battle had erupted faster than Ethan had anticipated. The moment the door had opened, the figure—now unmistakably the leader of the Crimson Order—had unleashed an overwhelming surge of magic, the likes of which Ethan had only seen in his most desperate nightmares. The very air had thickened with power, causing his body to tremble with an unknown force. Every muscle in his being screamed for him to fight, to survive, but the sheer magnitude of the power before him made his heart race with uncertainty.
Eline's presence beside him was steady, unwavering. Her sharp gaze was fixed on the leader, her fingers grazing the hilts of her weapons, ready for the first strike. Ethan could sense her readiness, but even with all her expertise, he knew they were stepping into a battlefield far beyond their control.
"You should have stayed away, Ethan," the leader of the Crimson Order said, their voice dripping with malice, though there was an eerie calmness to it. The figure slowly stepped forward, their long cloak swirling around them like shadows coming to life. With each movement, it seemed as though the world itself was reacting—cracks formed in the walls, the air grew colder, and the once steady floor now quivered beneath their feet.
"I've seen enough," Ethan spat, clenching his fists. He didn't have time for the games, for the speeches. This was it—the moment everything changed.
Eline stepped forward, positioning herself slightly ahead of Ethan, her eyes narrowing. "We came here for a reason. You won't leave this place alive."
The leader of the Crimson Order chuckled darkly, as if the statement was an amusing trinket. "Brave words for someone who has no idea what they're truly dealing with."
Before Ethan could react, the figure's hand moved in a fluid arc, and the very space around them seemed to warp and bend. Time itself seemed to stretch, slowing the world around him. Magic, pure and untethered, surged toward them like an avalanche. But Ethan's body reacted faster than his mind could comprehend. The moment the attack began to form, he lunged forward, his legs burning with speed as he tried to close the distance.
Eline was quicker. She had already leapt into the air, her body flipping gracefully as she intercepted the incoming barrage of magic with one of her blades, slicing through the attack as if it were nothing more than a veil of smoke. The explosion of force sent a shockwave through the room, rattling the stone and making the very ground tremble beneath them.
"Impressive," the leader remarked, unfazed by the display of power. "But you're not the first to try and stop me."
Eline landed smoothly, her eyes flashing with intensity. "We will be the last."
Ethan followed her lead, moving with the same speed and focus. His body, enhanced by the abilities he had unlocked through his relentless training, was a weapon in its own right now. He could feel the raw energy coursing through his veins, a surge that was part of him and yet still foreign. He had trained for this moment, but he knew, deep down, this battle would test every fiber of his being.
Without another word, the battle began in earnest.
A Clash of Power
The leader of the Crimson Order moved with an otherworldly fluidity, their cloak swirling as they summoned another wave of dark magic, this time in the form of jagged shards that shot toward Ethan and Eline. It was almost like watching the world break apart in real-time, the attack as destructive as it was beautiful.
Eline reacted first, her twin blades flashing as she sliced through the shards, their destructive force barely slowing her down. Ethan, following her lead, summoned the power of his newly acquired abilities—his muscles rippling with strength beyond what he'd ever experienced. He launched himself toward the leader, his fist clenched, ready to strike.
But just as he reached them, a barrier of solid energy erupted around the leader, throwing Ethan back with a force that sent him skidding across the floor. The impact shook his body, but he quickly regained his footing. The power of the barrier had been formidable, but he could feel the leader's energy slowly beginning to wane. It was subtle, but Ethan wasn't blind to it. They had to keep pushing, keep testing the limits.
"You're stronger than I thought," the leader said, almost impressed. "But you're still just a pawn in a much larger game."
"I'm no one's pawn," Ethan shot back, his voice filled with determination.
The leader smiled coldly. "Perhaps you'll understand soon enough."
With a flick of their wrist, the ground beneath Ethan's feet shattered, and monstrous, shadowy figures erupted from the cracks—twisted versions of beasts made from pure dark energy. They roared, their eyes glowing with malevolent intent as they charged toward Ethan and Eline, their claws and teeth gleaming like daggers.
Eline moved faster than Ethan could blink, her blades flashing through the air with deadly precision as she sliced through the shadowy beasts with ease. Each strike was a calculated move, but even as she fought, her eyes never left the leader. She was waiting for an opening, an advantage, but it was clear that the leader was holding something back.
Ethan, meanwhile, was holding his own against the shadow beasts, his fists smashing through the monstrous forms with raw power. But the more he fought, the more he realized that they were endless. Each beast he defeated seemed to be replaced by two more. It was a strategy designed to exhaust him, to wear him down until he had no strength left.
He didn't have that luxury.
With a roar, he summoned every last ounce of strength, focusing all of his willpower into one final strike. His body surged with power, his muscles straining as he shot toward the leader, the air around him crackling with energy. He was no longer just a man—he was a force.
The leader's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before they raised their hand to counter the attack, but Ethan was too fast. His fist collided with the energy barrier, and for a moment, there was nothing—no sound, no movement. Just the overwhelming pressure of their clash. The ground beneath them buckled, and the energy that erupted from the collision was so powerful that it threw everything around them into chaos.
When the dust settled, Ethan was standing, his breathing heavy but controlled. His eyes locked onto the leader, who was now on one knee, their energy flickering weakly.
"You… will not win," the leader spat, their voice trembling with the weight of defeat. "The Order is already in motion. You're too late."
Ethan took a step forward, his expression grim. "Maybe. But today, you lose."
Before the leader could respond, a sudden explosion of dark magic erupted around them, throwing Ethan and Eline backward. The force was so intense that it felt as though the very fabric of reality had been torn asunder.
When the smoke cleared, the leader was gone—vanished without a trace.
Aftermath
The silence that followed the battle was almost unbearable. Ethan stood there, his body aching, his mind racing. They had won—temporarily, at least—but the cost was evident. The academy was in ruins. The walls were cracked and broken, the floor littered with debris, and the once grand chamber now looked like the aftermath of a catastrophic event.
Eline moved to his side, her expression unreadable as she took in the destruction. "It's not over. We've only scratched the surface."
Ethan's gaze hardened. "I know. But for now, we've taken the first step."
They stood together, looking out over the aftermath, knowing that the path ahead would be even more treacherous. The Crimson Order wasn't finished yet. In fact, they were only just getting started.
But Ethan was done playing defense. The time for waiting had passed.
The war was on.
To be continued…