Arrows rained down like a hailstorm, each one a perfectly crafted instrument of destruction.
And Eliron was running right into that storm.
[SSS-Ranked Swordsmanship Skill]
In an instant, his mind sharpened, his scattered thoughts melting away, only to be replaced by a sharp unshakable focus.
Eliron could feel the hilt of his sword on his hand, the cold steel feeling like an extension of him, instead of a whole other entity.
And then the arrows met him.
In a flash, Eliron twisted his body, lashing out at the multitude of arrows. He snapped the first one in half with a sharp cut, knocked another one out of target with his elbow, cleaved apart another three…
And then he summoned wind slash, blowing the rest of them away.
Everything took three seconds, and it was over, shattered arrows lying around him like the remains of a battlefield.
His arms were aching from the quick movement, but it was not over yet.
When his opponent was someone like Artie, Eliron knew to expect the unexpected.
Which was why he dove to the side, purely on instinct, no logical decision motivating his movement.
That was what saved him.
Bang!
A large beam of light exploded right where he had stood, cracking the ground and burning everything in sight to smithereens.
'Light magic, laser.'
And out of that beam light a figure appeared, slowly walking towards him with a short sword in hand, her face remained perfectly composed.
Emerald green eyes glared at him as though he was an insect, her long fiery, red hair drifting in the wind.
She was clad in a simple green gown that covered her curvaceous figure, the fabric brushing past her body whenever the wind would cause it to sway.
But there were two things that stole all his attention.
The bloodied bandage wrapped around her head, and the fact that her eyes seemed vacant, like she was hallucinating.
Whoosh!
Artie covered the distance in a heart beat, striking down with ruthless precision.
Both blades met with a clang, the sound echoing throughout the forest.
Just from that strike alone, Eliron could tell that she was skilled with the sword, but he was working with knowledge garnered from one of the best of the best.
And swords were not Artie's specialty.
'She isn't using much of her magic… is it because she is wounded?'
It was undoubtedly the work of the mercenaries that had attacked them a day prior.
Eliron jumped back as her sword brushed past his neck, he stepped into her guard, twisting to avoid getting stabbed.
Then he grabbed her by the shoulder and slammed the hilt of his sword into her solar plexus, knocking the wind out of her.
As she staggered back, Eliron pushed his attack, unleashing a multitude of strikes that caused sparks to erupt from their blades.
He was like a swordmaster, his form, technique and poise immaculate, his attention unwavering.
Atrie on the other hand was finding it difficult to keep up and was steadily being pushed back.
Not only was this not her specialty, she wasn't also in the right state of mind, and yet she was still doing this well.
'The longer this fight drags out, the worse my chances will be…'
While Artie could go on for hours, Eliron's body was lacking in stamina.
'I'll finish this quickly…'
From the side of the clearing, Ash watched the fight with his eyes wide, afraid if he blinked he would miss everything.
'How is this possible?'
Artie was a long ranged fighter, that was true, but Eliron was not someone who should have been able to last a second with her.
Yet, he was standing his ground and even winning?
"Is this the power of a divine ascension?"
Yennefer on the other hand had her back to a tree and was half asleep.
Clang!
Steel met steel, both blades brushing past each other with a shrill, the two of them distanced themselves from each other, slowly circling themselves.
Attempting to read the very next move.
'If this is what I think it is… then I just need to make her sweat—'
Eliron thought as he unleashed a wave of complex maneuvers, striking the injured elf even further.
It was working, the faster she moved, the more she was sweating.
But in a second, everything changed.
Artie suddenly jumped back…
And then she vanished.
Eliron held his sword forward, cautiously moving around.
'I know this spell…'
To think she even knew a spell like this was greatly impressive.
[light distortion magic]
It was a spell that allowed the user to manipulate light, allowing them to become invincible to the natural senses.
But Elirom had the perfect counter.
[SSS-Rank Skill, Foresight]
It drained far too much mana, but he only had to use it once.
The moment he activated it, Eliron sucked in a sharp breath.
"There!"
Clang!
He twisted his body in a flash, lifting his sword to meet Arite's, who had appeared right behind him, her blade driving towards his neck.
Eliron felt his arms quake from the impact, his body beginning to show signs of strain.
Even though he had been using the more basic moves, the skill was still enough to weaken him over time.
Artie pushed back and then raised her hand, condensed light forming in her fingers.
Eliron lifted his blade, taking his stance. 'It should be about time now…'
And then—
"Huh?" Artie blinked, the magic in her hands fizzling to nothing and her eyes returning to normal.
"Eliron? What are you doing here?"
She glanced around, noticing Ash and a stranger sitting at the edge of the clearing, but even stranger, Eliron was holding a sword?
"W-what happened?"
•••
The camp fire was burning brightly, the wood crackling under the influence of the intense heat.
The forest was calm, the rustle of leaves and the distant sounds of forest animals creating a serene atmosphere.
They were all seated around the fire, Artie looking a little down after hearing what had transpired.
"I apologize, I was not quite myself," Artie said.
She then went on to explain what had happened.
After the mercenaries attacked, she was severely injured so she went to the cabin after the battle to heal.
The wood elves have lived in the forest for thousands, if not millions of years.
During that time, they had learned to harness the resources available to them in nature.
One area this has advanced in is drugs and psychotherapy.
Eliron realised it the moment he smelled mugworts from the fire, the plant had been mixed up with a variety of other herbs to create a certain effect.
Before they arrived, Artie had used these drugs to put herself in a trance, promoting her healing by deceiving her mind.
That was why he had gone through lengths to make her sweat, that way she removed the drugs from her body through the fluids.
'The drug was already wearing out when we arrived, if not it would have taken longer.' Eliron mused.
Artie placed her hands together and bowed slightly.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't recognise you. Even in that state, there are no excuses for my actions."
Eliron slowly shook his head. "It wasn't your fault, we came here without informing you, we are at fault."
Artie sighed, then smiled. "Thank goodness Ash was here, I fear things may not have gone so smoothly."
She turned to him and bowed. "You have my thanks."
Ash stared at her blankly. "Umm, my lady… it was actually Lord Eliron who restrained you."
Silence…
Then her eyes suddenly widened in shock.
"W-what??"