The roar still filled the submerged hall. Waves crashed against the crystal walls, and dancing lights cast blue shadows.
Lucien struggled against the water currents, his breath catching in his throat, his chest burning like a smoldering ember, as Atlas relentlessly attacked him, battering him with waves of water pressure that pushed him further and further back until his body slammed against the hall's watery ceiling, clinging to the last vestiges of consciousness.
Lucien raised his head, his eyes desperately searching for a single breath of air to separate the water from the surface, but above he saw only a faint ray of light. He pushed himself forward with all his might, and as he rose desperately, a furious cry echoed behind him: "You won't escape me!"
Atlas had caught up with him, his face contorted with rage. Lucien raised his spear and launched frozen barriers that quickly formed walls before Atlas, blocking his advance.
Atlas crashed into the first barrier, then the second, then the third. Lucien's breath grew increasingly labored; his eyes watered from the pressure and lack of air, and every beat in his chest felt like an echo of death.
But he didn't stop. He let out a stifled cry, a cry of life, and finally reached the top. He reached out and broke through the water's surface, taking his first breath since the battle began. The air pierced his chest like a stab. He closed his eyes, then opened them again, catching his breath, and whispered, his voice low but full of power: "Breathe... ice."
At that very moment, everything changed. The water in the hall began to quiet down, the currents ceased, and an eerie coldness slowly spread around him. At the bottom of the hall, Atlas felt something unnatural. He looked down at his hands and saw a thin layer of ice forming over his skin. "What... is happening?!"
He cried out, trying to move his body, but his movements slowed, as if time itself weighed him down. Suddenly, Lucien appeared before him, a flash of blue light, surrounded by an aura of cold vapor. "Here I am…" Lucien said in a low voice.
Then he charged with incredible speed. Blows rained down: a strike from the right, a kick from the left, a swift thrust to the shoulder, then a rapid twist behind his back. Every movement was precise, every impact sending sparks of ice and water flying, while Atlas staggered, unable to keep up. But Lucien knew time was against him. Breathing ice wasn't eternal; he could feel his body growing heavier, his temperature dropping, his strength almost fading. "I must finish this now…" he whispered between breaths.
Then he slowly raised his spear. Around him, blue light swirled like a cold vortex, the shape of the luminous moon reflected in his eyes, as he whispered the final words of his skill: "The Frozen Moon."
The water froze for a moment, then he launched his spear with astonishing speed. It pierced the water like a flash of light. Atlas tried to dodge the attack, but it struck him directly in the chest, propelling him with tremendous force to the ground. He crashed against the water wall of the arena, scattering ice in all directions. Silence fell, then Selena's voice rose from behind the barrier: "He won! Lucien won!"
Her eyes shone with worry for her brother and joy at Lucien's victory, while Saruto began to move his hands, sealing the cracks in the arena wall and gradually draining the water.
The temperature dropped as Lucien stood erect in the arena, his breath slow, his eyes glowing with a dull light of exhaustion. He smiled as he looked at Selena, but at that very moment, a shadow shrank behind him—Atlas!
He was still able to move, and with what little strength he had left, he delivered a sly thrust of his spear into Lucien's back. Saruto saw this, and his eyes widened with rage. In an instant, he moved ahead of Lucian with incredible speed, using his arm to deflect the attack.
The impact was violent, sending Atlas reeling, while a dark and terrifying aura emanated from Saruto's body, making even the water tremble around him. He advanced slowly toward him, his voice cold and unwavering: "You lost... so don't try these tricks again, or I'll tear you to pieces in front of your sister."
Atlas lowered his head, blood trickling from his mouth, but the anger in his eyes remained unmistakable. "I... understand," he said weakly.
Saruto stepped back, placing a hand on Lucian's shoulder. "Well done," he said in a quiet but condescending tone. "He won. He got your fiancée back. Rejoice in what he's achieved."
Selena watched the two of them, her eyes brimming with pride, as the lingering blue light from the fight reflected off the wet surface of the hall.
The sea had calmed, the waves returning to their tranquility after the storm left by the fighting. Inside the palace, Lucien stood in his new clothes, his wounds finally healed. Before him stood Selena, who stood silently, her gaze fixed on his face as if afraid she might never see him again.
He approached her slowly, then said in a quiet voice, tinged with deep gratitude, "My absence won't be long. I'll return soon after fulfilling my promise to Saruto."
She smiled shyly and replied softly, "Very well, I'll wait for you. Take care."
Lucien chuckled slightly, then bowed respectfully before turning away, her eyes following him until the very last moment. Near the palace gate, Saruto waited, leaning against a gatekeeper, a faint smile playing on his lips as he watched Lucien approach. He spoke in a playful tone. "Have you finished saying goodbye to your beloved, Ice Knight?"
Lucian smiled without replying, then said seriously, "Come on, Saruto, I have a debt to repay."
Saruto raised his hand and placed it on his friend's shoulder. In a flash, a vortex of dark light surrounded them, engulfing them before vanishing into thin air like shimmering black smoke.
When the darkness lifted, they found themselves standing on a high balcony overlooking the majestic city of Luin, its towers shimmering amidst purple clouds, surrounded by an eerie, almost celestial energy that spoke of the Luin family's royal grandeur.
The two entered Saruto's opulent mansion and went directly to his private chamber. The lighting was dim, and the air was thick with the scent of royal incense. Saruto sat on a black chair adorned with silver symbols, while Lucian sat opposite him with his arms resting on the table. "So, Saruto, how do you want me to help you?" Lucian asked, studying the map.
Saruto paused for a moment, then slowly recounted what had happened to him with the two princesses, Camellia and Eliza, and with the Queen of Hell and the King of Light.
After Saruto finished his story, Lucian asked, "So how will you get the princesses back? Will you fight their families?"
"The problem isn't fighting," Saruto replied, "it's persuasion. Our families won't allow us to fight; it might even spark a war between kingdoms."
Lucian lowered his head thoughtfully, then suddenly looked up, a new idea flashing in his eyes. "What if we don't go to them… but send someone to watch over them instead?"
Saruto raised an eyebrow, interested. "Explain further?"
Lucian smiled confidently and said, "I will use the Shadow Soldiers' skill. Send one to the Hell Kingdom and the other to the Light Kingdom. Their mission is to observe the two princesses and two kings, and then we will devise a plan to either retrieve them or resolve this feud between the two families."
A moment of silence followed, then a short laugh escaped Saruto, followed by a look of genuine admiration. "Ah… a clever idea, Lucian. I think your training has sharpened your intellect."
Saruto stood, extending his hand before him. A vast magical circle formed beneath his feet, and from it emanated dense shadows that swirled around them like connected spirits. From the darkness, two soldiers materialized, clad in black armor. They knelt before them in silence, and Saruto said firmly, "The first… to the Hell Kingdom. Observe Camellia and her mother. The second… to the Light Kingdom. Observe Eliza and her father."
The two soldiers nodded, and then he raised his hand, ordering them to leave. He smiled calmly as he looked out the window at the sky.
"Now let's wait and see what happens."
Lucien nodded in agreement with Saroto.