The battles had begun, and it was clear from the start, the Commanders of Varnex were stronger, faster, and more dangerous than expected.
Each group was doing their best, using all they had trained for. But despite that, the Commanders were holding the upper hand.
---
The Thundergate
Inside the broken and storm-filled arena of the Thundergate, the battle raged on.
Borrum stood tall, unshaken. Each swing of his massive hammer caused the ground to crack. Thunder clapped around them with every movement. He moved faster than anyone expected for someone so large, his strikes crashing down like falling towers.
Cyrus darted around him, calling upon the four elements , fire, water, earth, and wind , all at once. His body was his weapon, flowing between attacks with bursts of flame, streams of water, sharp winds, and sudden spikes of rock. But every time he tried to get in close to Borrum, the hammer came crashing down and forced him to dodge.
Lila stayed near, her sword glowing with fire and water magic as she supported Cyrus. She tried to swing from the sides, timing her moves with his. But no matter how fast they were, Borrum always seemed faster. His strength left no openings, and his movements didn't slow down at all.
Sylra stood back, casting supportive spells to strengthen and protect the others. Her music-like magic helped steady their balance and recover from close calls. And behind her, Fizzle stayed hidden, peeking out from time to time, eyes wide with fear.
Even with all their efforts, Borrum remained untouched. He had full control of the battlefield, and they were simply trying not to get hit.
---
The Ironhall Core
Down in the hot and heavy chamber of the Ironhall Core, Thirak was a force of destruction.
The massive golem swung his thick arms wildly. Each hit sent dust and pieces of stone flying. His body glowed from within, heat pulsing through the cracks like veins of lava.
Ruvan stepped forward without fear. His fists alone were enough. He punched into Thirak's side, aiming for weak points, but the strikes only caused sparks. Thirak didn't even seem to feel them.
Zerik, always unpredictable, used his strange circus gear , spinning rings, whirling yo-yos, weighted ropes, trying to distract Thirak and pull his attention. He moved with flair, but every trick he threw was broken apart by Thirak's swinging arms.
Sera stood behind them, trying to help. But her hands were shaking. Her spells missed, and once she nearly hit Ruvan by mistake. Her fear was clear. Even though she kept trying, her actions were messy.
Ruvan and Zerik both noticed. Ruvan moved in to protect her whenever he could, while Zerik used his tricks to block any wild swings that came too close to her.
But no matter what they did, Thirak didn't stop. He kept charging, smashing everything, as if he couldn't even see them , only destroy.
---
The Nullmirror Vault
In the cold, dark space of the Nullmirror Vault, there was no light, no reflection, and no sign of their enemy.
Adrian stood still, eyes closed for a moment, and then opened them sharply.
"She's coming — left, three seconds!" he shouted.
Darek immediately shifted, raising his sword and casting a wall of earth, blocking the incoming shadow strike just in time. The black energy splashed against the wall, fading into the dark water around them.
Vaela gripped her frostwood bow tightly. She couldn't see their enemy, but still, she raised the bow and fired a freezing arrow based on instinct. The arrow flew into the darkness… and hit nothing. Just silence again.
"She's getting faster," Adrian muttered, sweat forming on his forehead. "The attacks are… overlapping."
And it was true. Velthra, hidden in the shadows, had increased her speed. Her strikes were sharper, faster, and more frequent now. Every second, a new attack came from a different direction — like invisible blades cutting the air.
Adrian struggled to keep up with predicting them, but he stayed focused, calling out warnings. Darek followed his instructions without hesitation, using a mix of earth and nature spells to block or deflect the strikes while guarding both Adrian and Vaela.
Vaela fired another arrow, nothing again.
The three of them hadn't even seen Velthra yet. But she was watching. Waiting for a mistake.
---
The Echoing Hollow
Wind howled through the hollow, stronger now than before. The peaceful breeze had turned sharp.
Ristella floated in the air, untouched, her hair and clothes moving with the storm. She didn't shout. She didn't show anger. She was calm, like a cold wind brushing against your face before a storm breaks.
Junith charged with her spear, her steps perfect and precise. Every movement was meant to push through the wind. But right before her strike landed, a burst of air knocked her back.
Doran raised his hammer, slamming it into the ground, trying to steady the battlefield. The ground cracked and dust flew, but it did nothing to the floating Ristella.
Nira, ever agile, danced through the wind with her dagger glowing green. Her nature magic reached for roots, vines, anything to slow Ristella down. But the wind blew it all away before it could take hold.
None of them could reach her.
Ristella waved her hand, and sharp blades of wind circled them, cutting paths in the dust. The group stood back-to-back, protecting one another, but they weren't getting any closer.
She had full control of the space. And her silence only made the pressure worse.
---
The Skyvault Sanctum
Up high above the clouds, where golden light broke through the storm, Kalix stood calmly.
And all around him, Orin, Kael, Nymera, and Drakar attacked with all they had.
Kael's katana burned with blackfire, his slashes fast and deadly. Nymera's eyes stayed sharp, watching Kalix's every move, trying to find a weakness, but there was none.
Orin moved with strength and purpose, his spear enhanced by his own power, swinging with expert timing. Drakar soared through the air with his axe, using fire magic to boost his movement, hoping to land a heavy blow.
But Kalix didn't attack.
He simply moved, one step, one lean, a simple twist , avoiding everything. No effort. No trouble. A soft smile remained on his face as he dodged them all.
And he hummed.
A quiet tune, light and easy, as if he were walking through a garden rather than standing in the middle of a battle.
Their attacks grew faster, more desperate. Still, Kalix avoided them, humming the same song, never once losing his balance.
He was toying with them.
And they knew it.
---
The Commanders of Varnex weren't just strong.
They were built for this.
Each of them had once been something else, a protector, a warrior, a priestess, a spy, a legend. But now, with the Corrupted Core's influence burning through them, they were something more.
And at this moment, they were winning.
The challengers hadn't given up, but they were struggling.
The real question now was — how long could they last?