In another part of the kingdom, Uril's blade came down in a direct motion, without hesitation, cutting through the simple defense of the soldier in front of him. The impact was clean, fast enough to end the confrontation before the opponent could react. He didn't stop to observe the result, only turning his body immediately upon hearing the metallic sound nearby, where another knight from his group was being pressured by a second enemy.
'Damn'
The opposing soldier advanced with repeated strikes, forcing Uril's companion backward, his stance already unstable from the lack of space to retreat. Uril closed the distance in a few steps, the mana around his body adjusting naturally as he raised his sword. A dense flow of energy ran through the blade before a lateral strike hit the enemy directly in the chest. The impact interrupted the attack and threw the body aside, ending the pressure on the knight.
"You took too long"
"Sorry, someone was getting in my way. You should be more careful, Siriu"
The knight who had been saved adjusted his posture, taking a deep breath before looking around. The field was already filled with similar clashes, direct collisions between soldiers who had no room to retreat or reorganize.
"This is a disaster… you're improving your use of magic"
"Well, I have to train if I want to be a good knight"
Uril kept his sword steady while his mana remained active, flowing constantly through his body. His affinity was known among those who fought beside him, a variation of earth magic, more precisely tied to density and structural reinforcement. The name he carried had directly influenced its development, making his mana behave like compacted layers of soil, reinforcing the impact and resistance of his blows.
'Layered earth magic'
His strikes were not the fastest, but they were solid, difficult to block completely, and his defense was stronger than most soldiers at the same level. One of his companions nearby spoke, watching the enemy's constant advance.
"They're not retreating"
"And I don't think they will"
After speaking, Uril advanced again, intercepting another soldier trying to break through the line. The clash of blades echoed around, accompanied by the sound of magic being used on a smaller scale by the mages positioned farther back. This battle was happening because the war that had briefly paused had resumed. The enemy kingdom had launched attacks across multiple regions, forcing rapid deployment of defensive forces. Uril had been summoned to the western zone, a point considered vulnerable at that moment due to the area's size and the difficulty of fully controlling the territory.
'Since they started the attack, they haven't stopped. It's hard to keep myself physically stable. If it weren't for my magic, I'd already be too exhausted to continue'
He blocked another strike, the impact running through his arm without destabilizing him, and responded with a short advance, hitting the opponent in the torso and opening space again. Around him, other knights did the same, but their exhaustion was already becoming visible. The number of enemies was high enough to prevent any real advance.
"If this keeps up…"
"It won't continue"
All the soldiers, including the enemies, stopped moving for a second upon hearing a voice that seemed to increase the pressure in the environment. The mana pressure around them began to shift. This wasn't something an ordinary soldier could do, so it could only mean one thing. The enemies looked behind them, some taking a step back.
"They've arrived"
"Hold the line, men—"
A mass of liquid formed above the enemy front line, quickly taking shape before descending in a controlled impact that pierced through several soldiers at once, completely halting the advance at that point. The movement wasn't chaotic; there was precise control in every part of that magic, something that made the soldiers beside Uril admire it for a moment.
"So they really came"
Uril murmured softly, looking back. A figure appeared just behind the formation, walking without haste as the water around her responded to every movement. Her light hair contrasted with the environment, and her eyes remained fixed on the battlefield ahead. She was Lyren Vael, one of the five elementals, the one who could control all water as if it were part of her.
"I have to go back to take care of some people, so let's finish this quickly"
Before the enemies could reorganize, a second attack came from the air. The wind around them began to compress, creating visible distortions before advancing in concentrated bursts that cut through multiple targets at once.
"Take care? Are you sure you're not a babysitter? Because that's what it looks like to me"
"I'm just taking responsibility for what my family did"
"That doesn't change my opinion that you're literally a babysitter"
Aeron Lyskar, another elemental, appeared shortly after, positioned slightly higher, maintaining full control over the surrounding area with his wind magic. With both present, the difference in level became evident. Enemy attacks began to lose consistency, their formations breaking before they could stabilize. The pressure that had been on the kingdom's soldiers began to gradually reverse.
"Why are you standing still? Advance"
Lyren's order came without needing to be repeated. Uril and the other soldiers did not hesitate. They advanced together, taking advantage of the opening created. Their strikes maintained the same solid pattern, but now with less resistance, as the enemy line was disorganized. Water and wind continued acting above them, eliminating greater threats and preventing any attempt to regroup. Within minutes, the battlefield had completely changed. The enemies began to retreat, and those who tried to resist were quickly eliminated.
"So this is what it's like to fight alongside elementals in a war"
Uril paused for a moment, adjusting his breathing while observing the result. Around him, the soldiers were still standing, many injured, but the line had held. He simply looked toward where Lyren and Aeron were.
'I already fought with Lord Leon in that attack, but even so, in a war it's different'
"How is Leon getting married before me?"
"This has to be a joke, that guy actually likes someone?"
To Uril's surprise, as soon as the battle completely ended, some knights began talking about Leon's marriage, catching both of them off guard. The wind mage had a hand on his head, crouching as he thought about how Leon got married before him, while the water mage looked completely incredulous.