The light faded, revealing Clifton as he swung his chain sickle straight toward Theia, his attack sharp and long.
The rainbow bridge shattered into glowing particles and vanished beneath his feet.
"Bramble Vine!"
Theia thrust her scepter forward, and thick, thorny vines burst from its tip, twisting and surging through the air to block Clifton's strike and slow his advance.
"Viper Cleave!"
The chain sickle, twisting like a coiling viper, tore through the vines with brutal force, shredding them as if they were nothing.
Clifton dropped to the ground, his chain sickle snapping back into his hand before he spun again, unleashing another wide and powerful arc aimed directly at Theia.
She raised her scepter to cover herself, but the force of the blow overwhelmed her, slamming her hard into the ground.
"Theia!" I shouted, my voice filled with panic as I watched her hit the ground.
"I am your opponent, remember!" a loud voice rang out behind me.
I turned quickly, my eyes narrowing as I locked onto Raven.
Her dual fans had already returned to her hands, glowing brightly as she hurled them straight toward my side without hesitation.
"Whirling Zephyr!"
The two fans collided mid-air, merging into a single wide, cutting arc that ripped through the arena as it raced straight toward me.
"It's impossible to knock this away with a normal attack… I'll have to use one of my skills," I muttered under my breath, tightening my grip on my spear.
"Scorching Surge!"
Flames erupted from the tip of my weapon as I lunged forward, thrusting directly into the incoming attack with everything I had.
Clang!
The impact rang out sharply, metal crashing against metal as I barely managed to deflect the fans just in time.
"Crystal Shards!"
I spotted Luna as she raised her wand, pointing it straight at me as five sharp pink shards shot toward my position at high speed.
I spun my spear rapidly, intercepting the attack as the shards shattered upon impact, exploding into countless glowing fragments that dropped below me.
"Theia!" Dahlia's voice echoed urgently in our minds. "Help Malachi! I'll handle this one!"
Just as I was about to turn my head, I felt it—too late.
Raven suddenly charged in from my side, her movement swift and silent.
A razor-sharp fan slashed toward me, aimed to cut me down in a single strike.
"Verdant Dome!"
Green light surged from the antlers on my head as thick vines spiraled outward, wrapping around my body in rapid motion before forming a circular dome around me.
The fan clashed against the dome with a violent screech, but the barrier held firm. Raven leaped high backward, retreating to a safe spot.
I exhaled sharply, my heart pounding as I lowered my stance.
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, the excitement in the arena making my nerves tingle with every movement.
Some cheered for us, others for our opponents, their voices filling the arena with a deafening roar.
Theia sprang forward to my side, joining the battle line beside me.
"Thanks for creating a protective dome for me," I said, feeling grateful.
"I'll do my best to help you, Malachi, although the dome only lasts twenty seconds," she said calmly, her eyes locked on Raven.
Across the battlefield, Luna moved to Raven's side, her wand glowing faintly as she prepared for the fight.
We paused for a moment. The dome Theia had created around me began to fade.
The air around us crackled with tension as we waited to see who would make the first move.
Suddenly, Raven sprinted toward our position. At the same time, Luna waved her wand, summoning a shimmering rainbow bridge just above us.
Raven ran across it, her speed increasing with every step. I realized, that running along the rainbow bridge boosted their movement.
The bridge came to a stop directly in front of me. I tightened my grip on my spear, lowering into a battle-ready stance as Raven slowly approached.
I raised my spear, taking careful aim.
"Solar Bea—"
Before I could use the skill, Raven leapt high into the air, forcing my aim to miss. I froze mid-motion, readjusting my stance as she twisted gracefully in midair.
"Gossamer Shift!"
She shouted, throwing one of her fans toward me.
I swung my spear, ready to block, but in a blink, she vanished into the fan midair, reappearing directly in front of me just as she caught it.
Before I could react, she slashed her other fan toward my neck, the edge coming very close. At the same time, her body erupted in a blinding flash of light—just like Clifton had earlier—an attempt to blind me and break my focus.
I felt the heat of the moment, the rush of danger, and my instincts screamed at me. But I refused to falter.
"Bramble Vines!"
Green energy surged from my antlers, and thick, thorny vines shot outward, twisting and spiraling through the air.
They struck Raven's body, binding her in place as the blinding light around her faded. The vines tightened, strong and unyielding, holding her fast as the crowd gasped at the sudden turn of events.
Raven struggled, desperately trying to move and escape, but the Bramble Vines held firm.
"Did I forget to mention?" Theia's voice came into my mind, calm and gentle. "I can channel my other skills through the antlers I gave you," she said with a smile.
I glanced at Luna, who watched her companion struggling, her eyes flashing with anger.
"Prism Ray!"
She raised her wand and pointed it directly at us, sending a brilliant beam of rainbow light racing forward.
I tightened my grip on my spear, raising it just in time to channel my own magic.
"Solar Beam!"
A searing pillar of golden sunlight shot forward, colliding head-on with Luna's Prism Ray.
The two attacks met in midair with a blinding explosion of light, sparks scattering in every direction. The force of the clash shook the arena floor, and the crowd gasped, some shouting and arguing over who would win.
I planted my feet firmly, pouring every ounce of strength into the Solar Beam. The rainbow light twisted and bent under the pressure, struggling against the raw, concentrated force of my attack. Sparks of pink and gold spiraled around us as the two powers locked in a tense battle.
Theia's antlers glowed faintly, and her calm voice echoed in my mind.
"Hurry, Malachi. I can't hold Raven forever." Her scepter flared brightly.
With a determined grunt, I poured every ounce of strength into my Solar Beam. The golden light flared brighter than ever, searing through the air like a miniature sun and crashing into the Prism Ray with unstoppable force.
Luna's attack wavered, bending back as it struggled to hold its ground, its rainbow glow flickering and recoiling under the raw intensity of my power.
The Prism Ray was starting to give way, inching backward as the two magics clashed for dominance in the air.
With a final, determined roar, I thrust my spear forward, pouring every ounce of power into the Solar Beam.
But just as victory seemed within reach, a sudden attack interrupted our magic. A chain sickle sliced through the clash, shattering the beams.
"I was almost winning that one!" I muttered in frustration, glaring at Clifton, the one who interrupted. "Pfft! Claude's whip is much longer than your weapon… and a lot better, too."