Clang
A glowing white blade slashed through the red arc, dispersing the attack as three slender figures appeared in front of Rael.
"Elves?!" Rael widened his eyes in shock before ducking, dodging a short knife that weaved through the space where his head had just been. Leaping backward, Rael assessed his intruders, and he was shocked to see the most beautiful women he had ever seen in his two lives—pale-skinned, with white and blonde hair. They were tall and slender in a way that felt unnaturally perfect.
Rael had heard that elves possessed beauty and grace far beyond humans, but he never expected to be so captivated. He snapped himself out of it before he slipped too deep into their enchanting—but clearly hostile—green eyes.
He didn't like the situation at all. First, he had never faced three real Aether users before, and definitely not experienced ones, as he could tell from their black mercenary tunics. And no—the goblins he had slain could not even be compared to this situation.
Secondly, from the tingling sensation in his scalp from the Dominion senses, he could tell they were strong—very strong—and had no intention of talking, not after he had just thrown an attack at them.
Rael frowned when he noticed they simply watched him, not moving at all. A stalemate that would break soon enough. He racked his brain before coming to a decision. He had just one more Aether recovery potion. He would play the same trick he used on the redskins, but this time with knowledge of their weaknesses.
He breathed in slowly, feeling the tension in the air and the readiness of the intruders.
As quickly as he could, he summoned the potion, gripping it with the intent to swallow it, but a spiraling blue ball of energy shot toward him with astonishing speed.
"Shit." Rael darted left, dodging the energy ball as it blasted a hole through the fence. While moving, Rael uncorked the bottle and swallowed the liquid—only for his eyes to be drawn, by the Dominion senses, toward his shadow as a figure with crossed blades burst out of it. Shocked, he swung his short sword, parrying the blow aimed at his neck before pivoting to the side, ready to strike back.
But his Dominion senses kicked in again. He whipped his head back as a glowing white blade slashed straight for his neck. Twisting his grip clumsily, he swung, sending a red arc forward—only to be blasted back as the glowing white blade cut through the arc, slamming him into the armory wall.
"Tsk." With no time to waste, Rael cast the Eye of Critic spell on the elf with the glowing white blade. His eyes glowed red.
Name: *****
Title: Elven Outcast
Rank: Tier 3 Iron Fighter
Seeing her rank, Rael squinted before focusing on the only glowing red spot on her waist. A weakness. But he knew this would still be a challenge. He cast the spell on the spellcaster standing in the distance.
Name: *****
Title: Elven Outcast
Rank: Tier 3 Iron Adept
'Shit… this isn't good,' Rael thought. He didn't bother casting it on the third one as she has clearly slipped back into the shadows .
With their weaknesses revealed, he swallowed the potion he had kept on his mouth, refilling his Aether reserves. Tightening his grip on the short sword, he slipped into battle mode, relying entirely on the Dominion senses, because his warrior senses were practically useless against their speed.
With speed that almost left afterimages, the white-blade elf rushed toward him, slashing downward. Preparing to meet her blow, Rael whipped his leg toward the shadow-figure erupting behind him—only for her to twist and slash her curved blade across his ankle. Ignoring the sting, he blocked the descending arc, his arm trembling under the impact. Gritting his teeth, he pushed back against the glowing blade, feeling its scorching heat. Bending his sword to stab, he paused and dashed sideways, leaping over another energy ball whistling through the air.
He could tell these women were extremely experienced—they had already figured out he needed space to swing and use his technique, so they chose close combat pressing him.
Clang
Blocking a stab from the shadow-slipping elf, he parried with the back of his sword before pivoting, dodging the scorching white blade that swooshed past his face—only to be kicked in the gut, sending him skidding straight into the path of a blazing fireball.
Rael swung his sword awkwardly, sending a red arc to meet the fireball.
Boom
The explosion gave him the perfect opening. He darted toward the spellcaster—he was not fighting by their rules anymore, not in his territory. With maddening speed, he charged, slashing to his right as the shadow elf appeared again, clashing blades mid-run, causing sparks to fly.
He didn't stop. He lowered his head and rammed it into her glabella, forcing her into a backflip as she glared hatefully at him. He ignored her completely and lunged at the spellcaster.
But she didn't panic. She threw seeds onto the ground.
Rael wanted to pause his Dominion senses were pointing at the seeds—but just as quickly they snapped back to the three elves.
The spellcaster widened her eyes. Rael used that moment and leapt, sending a larger red arc her way. He landed behind it, following closely.
The attack was blocked again by the white-blade elf, who was pushed back and slammed into the spellcaster, making them stumble. Taking advantage, Rael thrust his blade toward the blade wielder's waist—only to stop mid-thrust and whip his blade sideways to block the crossed blades. He whipped his leg kicking the shadow elf, sending her back.
Pivoting quickly, he blocked the white sword again. Dropping low, he touched the ground with his left hand, clenched it, and flung sand into the spellcaster's green eyes, blinding her momentarily. As he moved to kick her, the white blade slashed past his shoulder, leaving a deep bleeding scar that would have been fatal if he hadn't dodged.
Groaning as the wound sizzled, he refused to waste the opportunity. He kept parrying, then sent a red arc toward his shadow, blasting the hidden elf out of it. Blocking another blow from the white sword, Rael frowned—the short sword was breaking. The only reason it hadn't shattered was because of his Aether coated around it.
Gritting his teeth, he gambled. He swung in a heavy arc, sending another red beam and pouring a large amount of Aether into it, leaving him with only 3.5. The blade wielder dodged—but the spellcaster, just regaining sight, could not in time.
The white-blade elf reacted instantly, glowing before she blurred teleporting and leaving an afterimage and blocked the attack again, being pushed back a second time.
Rael didn't waste it.
He darted forward, threw the cracked sword, and watched her parry it aside. Biting his lip, he leapt toward her face and spat blood into her eyes before clenching his fist, pouring Aether into it, and slamming it into her waist—the exact weak spot the Eye of Critic had revealed.