The chilling haze began to clear, revealing Ravin's furious look and Cetana's angry reaction.
"You thief!" Cetana's voice cracked like a whip, filled with disbelief and rage. "That dagger is from my shop! You stole it!"
Ravin growled, frost crackling on his sleeves. "This shows your weakness and cheating. And now you're using that powerful weapon!"
"Mohit gave a half-smile, the frost light flickering in his eyes. 'Cheating? That's rich coming from you,' he replied. 'You and your friends used ropes, a weapon, a metal ball, and other items—and now you cry foul?'
He tilted the dagger slightly, admiring its frozen gleam.
"When I decided to follow both of you, I noticed the dagger inside a glass box near a wall—right next to a patch of small, glowing plants. I knew if this weapon was here, it wasn't ordinary. And I was right. This dagger blade… it releases ice energy.' Mohit showed the dagger to Ravin. 'Look at this.'"
He pointed it calmly toward them. "Tit for tat."
Cetana's face paled as she looked at the two rock serpents—now frozen stiff, their bodies glazed with a deathly sheen of ice.
She clenched her fists. This isn't good, she thought quickly. If I use my full power and that dagger gets damaged…
Her eyes flicked to the blade in Mohit's hand.
That would create a problem for me, and If i wouldn't be able to gift it.
"And then it hit her. When the Elven Captain visited me, I had ordered all the servants out. At that time, that careless girl—yes, I told her to store the dagger in a proper, safe place. She must've left it out near the wall when she rushed out. That's how this boy got it and as he said same thing."
Ravin's fingers twitched in frustration. In a last-ditch effort, he pulled a metal boom ball from his pocket and threw it at Mohit.
As soon as it passed into the sphere of freezing energy around Mohit, the orb froze solid in midair. It then dropped to the ground with a metallic thunk, rendered useless. Mohit didn't even flinch.
Cetana's eyes narrowed. This boy... he's more than just a nuisance now. He's a walking threat—to her.
Her fingers twitched at her side. Good... he's focused on Ravin. That gives her time, but not much.
A sudden hiss of pressure cut the air. Mohit launched forward, slashing his dagger in a wide arc. A glacier-cold blast burst from the blade, a ribbon of frozen wind and biting frost spiraling toward Ravin.
But Ravin was no ordinary fighter.
His eyes glinted, and in one swift motion, he activated a skill power.
"Craftsman's Skill ! "
His ex-bow shimmered, magically transforming and upgrading in seconds. Gears shifted, the arrow point released flame energy, and the wood of the bow sparked to life—its limbs now reinforced with darksteel, glowing red veins of enchanted magic racing through them.
The bow thrummed once.
Then came the fire.
A blazing arrow, kissed with crimson flame and trailing embers, surged from the bowstring toward Mohit's oncoming ice wave. The ice dagger's energy and the fire arrow collided.
The impact shook the air, a thunderclap of opposing elements. A swirling explosion of steam and smoke erupted upward, curling like a storm into the sky. The sheer force of the blast sent both combatants flying. Ravin was hurled backward, crashing to the ground, his boots skidding through dirt and leaves. Mohit was also thrown back, rolling a short distance as the ice beneath him cracked from his hard landing. The energy wave even pushed Cetana, who felt the impact frozen reverberate through the forest trees.
The air grew tense; magic thickened like a storm cloud.
As the clash between Mohit and Ravin escalated, Cetana was also caught in the blast, crushing her to the ground. Her expression turned grim. Struggling to get up, her hand went to her one eye, and she slowly uttered, "I thought I would die just now from their attack. I could feel death in that blast." With an angry reaction, she activated her skill, rising to her feet—not with full force, but with controlled power over the area.
From the twisting bark of a nearby tree, a sudden hiss echoed.
Kurupira emerged with a notorious smile.
The creature was a bizarre blend of notorious and mischievous—a dwarf-like creature just like human being with a thin body, wiry limbs, cat-like legs, a scarred face, and a tangled mane of fiery red hair. His mismatched eyes shimmered with wild flame as he dropped from a branch, his hand twitching.
On the other side, Ravin, crumpled on the ground after the collision, wiped a trail of blood from his nose. The pain only fueled his rage. He slammed his fist into the earth. "I'm still alive!" he growled, eyes ablaze. "And now... I'll kill him. No mercy. I am a student of a great teacher with magical skill power. Now he is only using a weapon against me."
At the same time, Mohit stirred, his back aching, blood staining his lip. The dagger pulsed with cold fury in his hand, affecting him as well—the frozen magic had begun to climb his wrist, slowly crystallizing his skin in jagged ice.
Mohit's thoughts raced: Even if this dagger affects me, I won't worry. There was no one to protect me before, and there's no one now. If I give up this fight, he'll surely kill me here. A grim smile touched his lips. Okay, so I have to fight this person , after all i fellowed and i only decided to fight this person here. His jaw clenched. Even if this hand turns to ice, I'll still fight like a warrior, just like I saw in that elf Ankur and my friend Madhav.
He rose slowly, every movement laced with defiance. Lifting the dagger, he swung it once more and hurled a sharp arc of ice energy toward Ravin.
But before the frozen spell could reach its mark—
A streak of flame shot through the air.
Kurupira struck.
The fire collided with the dagger's magic mid-cast, exploding in a burst of steam and disrupting Mohit's aim. The glacial blast veered wide, striking the earth and forming a jagged ice spire instead of piercing Ravin. Ravin himself moved, attempting to dodge the attack.
From behind the smoke, Ravin's eyes narrowed. He glanced toward Cetana, with her one unknown creature is there, she now stood commanding Kurupira in the field.
"Keep it up, Kurupira!" she ordered, her voice sharp as a blade but "Oh, by the way," she said, looking at Kurupira, "this is the first time I've called you for help and had control over you. Don't worry, just buy me some time—I must call someone for help."
She stepped aside and took out a pen, using it to write in the air. Each word appear in air like heat through the veil of reality.
Back in the fray, Mohit braced himself, warily circling the erratic Kurupira. The creature moved like flickering flame, its laugh crackling in the smoke. Mohit tried to strike, but the dagger pulsed energy violently, its frozen magic spiraling out uncontrollably. It crept up his arm, causing intense pain, and he could no longer feel his hand.
Suddenly— Ravin moved toward Mohit.
With a roar, he sprinted forward and unleashed a flaming arrow from his ex-bow. The shaft screamed through the air, landing with a sharp blast at Mohit's feet.
BOOM!
Dirt, ice, and embers exploded upward. Mohit was thrown back, but this time, he landed on his feet, barely stable, his breath shallow.
"Damn it... I.I'm safe, thank God," he muttered, his heart thundering. "If I hadn't dodged that last second... but my..my leg, I think I got injured because of that arrow."
The wind howled with a rising fury, carrying with it the stench of blood and scorched earth.
Ravin stepped over cracked soil, laughing—a grin stretched wide across his bruised face, teeth stained with blood and madness. He came close, standing infront of Mohit's battered figure.
"Well?" he sneered. "How was my last attack? Did it sting… or did it burn?
Or are you happy I missed my attack?"
"Oh, no, not at all!" Mohit replied, his voice a mix of pain and confidence. "Who cares about attacks or injuries? I know that today, one of us will surely die."
He replied but his chest rose with a bit of fear as Ravin drew near. With each labored breath, he felt his right hand, encased in glimmering frost, twisted awkwardly.
His leg trembled, nearly buckling beneath him. Yet, through the mask of blood on his face, his eyes blazed—unyielding.
"You're enjoying this too much," Mohit said, spitting blood from his lips. "But did you know one thing? If you have a chance to kill your enemy, you should aim to kill directly or your will be in danger."
He lunged forward, dagger in hand, ignoring the pain, the chill, and his screaming nerves. He swung the blade wide—an act of pure will.
But Ravin was faster.
With a mocking flourish, he struck Mohit's wrist with the hilt of his reforged ex-bow. The dagger flew from his hand, clattering across the ground and skidding into the dirt like a falling star.
Ravin didn't stop. His punches connected with Mohit's face—once, twice—blow after merciless blow. Mohit's vision blurred, crimson flooding down his cheek, but he stayed upright.
"What's wrong? I think today between us, you'll die by my hands, and yes, you were right, I'll hit your heart so you die directly," Ravin replied, looking at Mohit's face. He continued, "Still standing, What a waste of spirit."
Mohit swayed, pain rippling through his body like fire. Yet he smiled through the agony.
"You hit like you're trying to win a game," he muttered. "I'm fighting to survive. And I can't forgive a person who hit me before; this is revenge ." He was thinking this in his mind,i wanting to buy some time also.
In a sudden burst of motion, Mohit twisted on his good leg, swinging his left fist with the raw strength of a combat boxer—catching Ravin off guard. The strike landed with a thud against Ravin's jaw. At the same time, Mohit slammed his knee into Ravin's ribs, sending the boy stumbling back.
But Ravin recovered quickly. His pride wounded more than his body, he muttered, "Enough games. Time to end this." His fingers tightened around his ex-bow.
And then—chaos returned surrounding.
A flash of violent wind and crackling thunder split the sky.
Kurupira screamed.
The creature was no longer bound by Cetana's command. The magical energy surging through the battlefield seemed to twist its instincts into madness. A vortex of wild magic exploded from its small frame—whips of wind and lightning lashing everything nearby.
One bolt struck Ravin, hurling him back through the air like a ragdoll. He hit the ground hard, smoke rising from his shoulder.
Then—a sudden blast veered toward Cetana.
She had been mid-message, writing with her magic pen in mid-air. The moment the magic hit, she gasped, stumbling backward, her concentration broken.
"What—?" she hissed, her eyes darting to Kurupira, wide with disbelief. "You dare turn your attack on me?"
Kurupira snarled, a warped sound that echoed like thunder off stone walls.
From the ground, Ravin on lie down, he shouted at the sky, "Miss Cetana, is something wrong with this creature, or is this attack on me your fault?"
As Cetana, completely surprised, replied loudly, "I don't know, but you're right, there's something wrong with this creature!" She raised her hands to regain control. Meanwhile, Mohit, battered and bleeding, stepped back slightly, trying to dodge Kurupira's erratic attacks. He dragged himself toward his fallen dagger, but he couldn't pick it up with his right hand as it was affected by the dagger's power. Suddenly, the dagger was covered in solid ice. Mohit tried, but the ice wouldn't melt. It was then Mohit understood that this dagger would no longer work.
Kurupira snarled wickedly, leaping from the ground onto Cetana's shoulders.
The high enchantress staggered, her balance lost as the creature clawed at her hair and robes, laughing with notorious, impish glee. She screamed and thrashed, trying to shake him off.
With desperate hands, she raised her magical pen, the quill still glowing faintly from her interrupted spell. But Kurupira was faster—he snatched it from her grasp as easily as stealing coins from a beggar, his crooked smile gleaming like a demon's.
Before she could react, he jammed the pen deep into her neck, right below her jawline.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips.
Blood spilled down her throat and mouth, staining her emerald robes crimson. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she touched her throat, attempting to speak—but nothing came out. The magical pen had punctured her vocal cords, silencing her forever.
She collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe, her fingers twitching weakly as life ebbed away. Moments later, her movements ceased. Cetana—sorceress, merchant queen, feared beautiful elf lady—was dead.
Kurupira, his task complete, gave a little chuckle, then looked at Mohit and dashed into the forest, vanishing like smoke in the wind.
A few minutes before, Mohit had seen it all unfold.
He turned toward Ravin and shouted, "That creature is attacking your lady friend! Go help her!"
But Ravin, his face expressionless and eyes cold, simply replied, "She could handle herself. We're in the middle of our fight, Mohit. Don't get distracted."
His words were laced with apathy—as if something happening to another meant nothing to him.
Ravin charged forward with grim determination, his flaming arrows in his ex-bow drawn and ready to strike. Mohit, still weakened and unable to move properly with his injured leg, realized he couldn't dodge the attack this time.
But just a few seconds before the arrow was released, a blur of motion flashed between them.
A powerful hand slammed into Ravin's chest, sending him tumbling backward across the scorched earth.
Mohit blinked in surprise. Standing before him now was Madhav.
"Wow," Madhav said coolly, brushing dust from his tunic. "You should really look ahead before charging. What if someone decided to stop you?"
Ravin's mind suddenly spun out of control. "What happened?" he exclaimed. "Why does the situation always turn against me? And every time I open my eyes, I'm on the ground. This keeps happening when I try to kill that boy !"
From the distance, Ketaki's voice rang out, "Wait for me!"
She arrived moments later, the tiny fairy flitting beside her like a trail of light. Madhav glanced at her and nodded.
"Please—take care of Mohit."
Ketaki moved swiftly to Mohit's side, her hands already glowing with healing energy. "Don't worry," she said firmly. "I've got him."
Ravin, now rising from the ground, his eyes blazing with fury, shouted at Madhav. "Hey boy, or should I say Madhav, how dare you interfere in our fight?"
"Did you forget me and my friends?" Ravin snarled, "How we captured you that time and even took that cursed coin from you?"
Madhav stepped forward, calm but unwavering. "Oh no, no, I remember fully. I'm here, and I want to return that... thing... with interest. As for your fight with Mohit? Can't you see his condition? My friend is injured. You want a battle—fine. But don't expect me to stand by and watch."
Ravin snarled. "Okay, then I'll kill every last one of you."
The air grew thick as they lunged at each other. Madhav activated his combat skills.
Moving with a grace and strength honed through hardship, Madhav faced Ravin. Ravin's flaming arrows shot through the air, but Madhav's resistance to fire and frost nullified their impact, the flames flickering harmlessly against his aura.
Frustrated, seeing no effect of fire on Madhav, Ravin's fingers shimmered with magical energy.
"Let's see you block this!" he growled.
He activated his Craftsman's Skill, upgrading his arrows in an instant—transforming them into boiling, corrosive acid bomb arrows.
The battlefield suddenly changed. The air hissed, and the ground seemed to steam beneath their feet.
As Ravin launched the acid arrow, Ketaki's eyes widened; she felt something wasn't right about that arrow.
So Ketaki shouted loudly, "No! That's not a normal arrow—Madhav, move!"
Reacting on instinct, Madhav rolled to the side. The arrow exploded on contact with the earth, releasing a thick, bubbling green liquid. Where it landed, a gaping hole began to melt into the soil, smoking and hissing violently.
Madhav landed on one knee, eyeing the damage.
"Acid arrows... clever," he muttered, rising to face Ravin again.
"But not clever enough."