New World - A New Beginning

Chapter 85: Last Stand (1)

ASTHIA DARCK'S POV:

I looked at the tall figure standing in front of the Dwarven army, his unmistakable aura already revealing his identity: Ares Hearth, the only S-rank the Dwarves possessed. That being said, he was easily capable of holding his own against the likes of Jean, and I knew how outmatched I really was.

The only hope I had of beating an S-rank was fighting side by side with the other individual who completed me, the integration of our powers boosting our strength past those of the S-ranks.

Was retreating our only viable option then?

I clenched my sword in frustration. Backing away from our current position would open up a direct path straight to Lares, and only Mother was capable of fighting on equal footing with an S-rank.

But we couldn't rely on her power either. The Empress was currently fighting on the Eastern front alongside her husband, both Elven S-ranks currently leading the offensive. If the Dominion forces were to break through now, the entirety of the Dragon forces would fall almost immediately after.

Before I could come to a decision, the sound of rumbling filled the area as I witnessed the horrific view of thousands of dwarves charging right at me. My eyes shot up, focusing on Ares as two stone spears the size of buildings emerged from the ground behind him, floating above him.

Without changing his posture the two spears shot right at the troops behind me, the wails of agony drowning the battlefield as I remained immobilized. Even if I were to use Integrate on my own now, what would I be able to do against that?!

A wave of ice shot forth beside me, instantly freezing dozens of oncoming soldiers. The caster looked at me worriedly, her brown eyes shivering from the show of power the S-rank had just demonstrated.

Three spears appeared out of nowhere, zooming right at the remaining forces as they struggled to defend themselves against the waves of militia storming them simultaneously. Within minutes of joining the battlefield, Ares Hearth had managed to wipe out more than half of the Dragon's forces with two bombardments, and the third wave was already being prepared.

"We can't stay here!" shouted Mia as the third attack decimated the Dragonkin's ranks, battle formations becoming obsolete against this kind of power as the soldiers attempted to split off and separate.

"As long as he's standing we won't make it anywhere," I responded finally, Mia scowling as she realized my point. Ares could easily unleash barrages of death upon any retreating troops, massacring all of them with ease.

"Then let's take him out, together."

I smiled, nodding.

Regroup and hold the line! I ordered telepathically, all my troops obeying immediately without questioning the seemingly suicidal tactic when faced with an opponent with Ares.

I dashed towards Ares, paying no attention to the hundreds of guards in between us as I avoided blow after blow, slashing with singular strikes as I decapitated every obstacle in front of me. Blood splattered onto the ground, the dark velvet color coating the fresh green grass like a curse.

The Dwarven soldiers formed a line, raising their massive shields like an impenetrable wall. I willed neutral bind into my legs, leaping into the air as I immediately converted the bind into infernal energy. I visualized the dark flames of death, eating away at all that stood in their path.

"Dark comet," I muttered, my body vanishing as I became an orb of fire and came plummeting down behind the line of iron.

BOOM

The Dwarves disintegrated immediately, their cries vanishing into thin air as small particles of ash followed their hollowed wails.

Mia took the lead, freezing the ground below her as she slid on it with superhuman balance and speed. I had always wondered if Mia possessed some kind of weapon, but I now realized why she didn't.

A lance made of ice shaped itself in her hands as she crashed right into a tight squadron of troops, obliterating all of them immediately with a single swing of her newly-created weapon. A trail of ice followed the strike, blasting forward as it annihilated absolutely everything with a glacial chill.

The girl leaped up, the weapon vanishing as two daggers suddenly molded themselves into her hands, her eyes radiating with a cool cyan glow.

Vaulting backward in midair like a graceful dancer, Mia came crashing down onto the final remains of guards standing in the way between us and Ares. A cloud of frost blasted outwards as she landed on the ground, freezing the lower bodies of the guards.

"What the-"

SHING

The final obstacles dropped dead instantaneously, Mia's movements too fast for the naked eye to catch.

Wow, she was something else, I thought as I caught up with her, simply nodding as we launched ourselves at our final target.

Ares's eyes shot open as he sensed two oncoming auras, both of them much stronger than your average military unit. He leaped back immediately, sighing in relief as we both came thundering down onto his previous location.

He grinned in satisfaction, clearly not disappointed at the spectacle he was currently witnessing.

"You two remind me of that boy. Let's see if you can keep up," he said as he pulled out a single spear from a small rift, preparing himself.

Mia opened the palm of her hand, a cold blue spear forming in her grip as she twirled it into position.

I flinched as Ares appeared in between us, slicing outwards confidently as we both barely managed to avoid the attack. Mia took the offensive, locking the S-rank in a series of blows with their spears.

BOOM

Each contact resonated with power, both individuals seemingly equal with the weapon.

I jumped up, flames following my feet as I kicked downwards. My body naturally followed the projectile, Mia sensing the attack as she disengaged right before impact.

BOOM

Ares grunted as the small fireball came crashing into him with the force of the sun, my sword appearing right in front of his face as the thick black smoke cleared. A sudden force erupted outwards from Ares's body, pushing me back as blood came gushing out of my mouth.

I stood back up, realizing he had expelled earth bind all around him as a method of repelling my strike.

Mia joined next to me, her eyes locked on the S-rank.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, her fierce aura calming ever so slightly as a hint of worried appeared on her face.

"I'm fine. Let's get serious now," I responded, smiling. Mia nodded, dashing back towards Ares as I followed slightly behind her.

The ice girl spun around, launching her spear like a javelin as it shattered on contact, momentarily blinding the earth binder.

I appeared right beneath Ares's weapon, igniting my surroundings with the full power of the ability.

BOOM

Ares groaned as the attack charred his clothes and singed his arm, even with the encasing of earth he had protected it with.

Mia materialized right above him, creating another spear. I dashed simultaneously, both of us approaching him to deliver a fatal joint strike.