A New World, An Immersive Game Experience

"Incinerate? Seems Eldrian is more serious now." Vivian commented.

"If he still isn't serious after ending up like that..." Myropsis paused. It was just like Eldrian to not make much sense. His countenance currently didn't seem worried at all. He appeared completely at ease—which, considering his state, appeared truly contrary. "Do you guys think it will be enough?"

"Seems he wishes to overwhelm the absorption ability of the vampire's spells." Sofiera answered. "That spell of his is truly something, so I suspect it will be."

"Indeed." Theas nodded in consent. He would certainly come out worse for wear if he had to face it head on. Those flames were anything but normal.

Eldrian was completely oblivious to the calm manner in which his friends were talking as they watched the match from the sidelines. The vampire's side had a bit more heat as they sense the danger that the spell was.

Sending the fireball at Levana with his whisper for destruction, it flew at incredible speeds. Breaking the sound barrier as it soared towards its target. Levana countered by sending her spear of darkness forward.

Eldrian had half expected an ultimate clash of two unstoppable forces—like so often depicted in anime and movies. He was disappointed when that never happened.

When the spear met the flames, it flew through the balls of flames and the flames kept moving towards to Levana. Now halved in size, but still a dangerous force.

Taking flight, the vampire found -to her dismay- that the flames were faster than her. Tracking her as she weaved up and down and behind distant trees, trying to avoid it.

As for the spear, after passing through the flames, it had started morphing—bulging and expanding uncontrollably. The mana composing Incinerate was not the normal type, afflicted with emotion and its caster will, it was far harder to steal. And a completely foreign substance to the spear. Bringing it to an explosion after just a few dozen meters.

The explosion was certainly powerful, but it was too far to affect Eldrian. A simple ice barrier kept the heat waves from reaching him while he kept the ball of flames chasing the vampire.

'Should I intervene?' Alec, the Tier 7 vampire, wondered as he watched the ball of flames licking at his charge's heels. Interfering would break the rules of the duel and result in her loss, but those flames appeared truly dangerous. A loss was better than death or permanent disability.

Just as the old vampire was about to move, he noted that the firebird was acting strange. It had retreated far from the stage once that power of cold had been emitted from the elf. Placing it now almost next to where Levana was retreating.

'What is it—' Stunned, Alec watched as the bird took flight. Fear gripped his heart as he watched it charge after his charge. And again, just as he was about to intervene, the bird acted strangely again.

As the fireball was about to catch Levana, the firebird aligned itself over the ball of flames and... pecked at it.

The sight made the old vampire stare in disbelief, doubting his old eyes. As if the ball of flames -that even caused him fear- was a bundle of seeds. The firebird continued to peck at it. It did not take long for the ball to slow and grow smaller by the peck.

"What the—?" Eldrian, along with everyone, couldn't understand what they were witnessing.

Eldrian watched as the ball shrank with each peck. The firebird kept its speed to match the slowing ball of flame, and after a few seconds, it pecked the last seed of flames.

Silence settled as everyone watched with wide eyes, unable to understand what had just happened.

'Well, I'm officially out of tricks...' Eldrian sighed. He still had around a thousand mana. More or less the same as Levana. However, he wouldn't be able to cast another Incinerate. The former spell having depleted the anger he had collected from losing his limbs and Two's teasing.

And without spirit magic, he doubted he could overcome her darkness spells that absorbed and stole mana. Not without more analysis, and in his condition, he doubted he could survive until he managed the analysis. Just one or two attacks getting through would spell his defeat, whereas Levana was still at full health.

Finishing the last seed of flames, the bird turned to Eldrian. Seeming more substantial than before, its glowing eyes of fire seemed to ask for more. With incredible speed, it flew towards Eldrian.

"Sorry, I can't." Eldrian shrugged as the bird sat next to him and nudged him for more. "I can't." Eldrian continued saying, hoping the bird would settle for a petting. Eldrian failing to notice that with each pat, the bird became slightly smaller.

A few seconds passed in which everyone watched what was happening. Trying to understand what they were seeing and what had just happened. The firebird, which everyone understood was a truly dangerous entity, acting like a tamed bird seeking attention. It simply made no sense.

"Huh, hum!" Levana cleared her throat loudly to get everyone's attention. Naturally, amplifying things with magic so her voice could carry to everyone. "How about we call it a draw now?"

Eldrian sighed. He didn't like ending things like this, but the firebird had ruined everything. Well, many things had gone wrong. It was just the last straw that broke Eldrian's will to fight. And a draw was easier to swallow than a loss.

"Alright, but...we didn't specify the details for a draw — where you always so small?"

His attention robbed from the topic at hand, Eldrian stared at the firebird. His eyes filled with curiosity. It used to be as large as a Roc, now it was as big as an eagle. Still quite large, but nowhere near three meters.

"Caw, caw!" the bird screeched, seemingly trying to communicate.

"What on earth is going on?" Turning to mana sense, Eldrian observed the bird again. Finding that the temporary next to the familiar title had disappeared.

'Oh, so I can't unsummon it anymore?' This was the most significant difference that Eldrian found.

"Caw!?"

'Two, did it just read my mind?'

"Kyew!" it chirped, changing the type to probably try and better converse.

"'Seriously, what is—" Looking up at the vampire who had closed the distance, Eldrian forced a smile. "Oh, hi."

"So we're calling it a draw?"

"Cruck?!" The firebird tilted its head questioningly.

'Is it trying to say crutch?' Eldrian scratched his head, trying to tell the bird to stay quiet for now. "We need to sort out the details, but yeah..."

"From what I gathered, you want the fort so you would have somewhere safe to perform experiments. I assume things like what happened to the stage are what you are afraid of."

"Huh? Oh, yeah..." Too distracted with the bird -made of flames, mind you- who was now resting on his shoulder. Eldrian only half listened to the person who he had been having a deadly duel just seconds ago.

Sensing what was going on, Myropsis moved quickly. "We can discuss the details in a bit. I would like to first ensure that Eldrian won't suffer any permanent damage."

"R-Right..." Levana doubted there was any need to worry about something like that, considering Eldrian was a Chosen. But she also felt she needed some time to reconsider her options.

While a draw was ideal, it also meant things were now up in the air.

And frustratingly, it appeared Eldrian was far more interested in the firebird on his shoulder than the fort at the moment. This should have been good news, but it made Levana feel truly weird.

Like the duel, and this entire deadly confrontation, was but a passing fancy of the elf.

'Is this what others feel like when I...' Thoughts spiraling, Levana wondered if she had caused those serving her such a terrible feeling when her mood shifted and her attention drifted. 'How terrible it must have been,' looking towards Eldrian's friends, she finished her thought, '...must be for them...'

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