Chương 32: The Fire of Ash Art

Xarath lowered his gaze to Soraya's belly.

"I'm curious", he said in an almost absent-minded tone.

"If I sliced open your stomach, would you be able to regenerate the fetus as well?" Soraya remained silent, her expression cold and unmoving. A slow smile spread across Xarath's face.

"I suppose not". In an instant, he teleported in front of her and unleashed a devastating shockwave. Soraya reacted on instinct, creating a transparent barrier that trembled violently under the impact. A moment later, she retaliated with a wave of equal power, overwhelming Xarath and hurling him hundreds of meters away. His body skidded across the snow before finally coming to a stop. He stood up. Soraya appeared behind him and completely immobilized him. Xarath tried to move. Nothing.

Soraya raised one hand, and a monstrous spiritual pressure crashed down upon him, crushing him beneath the weight of what felt like a mountain.

"A pressure like this would crush even an elephant…wouldn't it?" he murmured. She increased the force further. Blood began to trickle from Xarath's nose.

"You should never have come here, sorcerer". Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. With her other hand, Soraya conjured a black flame, dark and unnatural. Xarath's eyes widened slightly.

"That wouldn't be…?"

"It's exactly what you think it is", she replied firmly.

"The fire of the Ash Art". She struck him directly. Xarath's body was completely reduced to dust. Silence remained and nothing but ashes lay on the ground. Soraya turned around and began walking away at a slow pace. Then she heard a sound behind her. The ashes were reforming. Flesh, bones and skin slowly rebuilt themselves. Soraya stopped, stunned.

"That's impossible…regenerating after Ash Art requires an enormous amount of energy. With your limiters, you shouldn't be capable of it". Xarath's naked body was still severely burned, but it was healing, inch by inch.

"You're right", he said, getting back to his feet.

"I shouldn't be. But thanks to all the magical particles I've absorbed recently, I managed it". He studied her carefully.

"You surprised me. I didn't think you were capable of power like that. But I imagine it exhausted you…you're worn out, aren't you?" Soraya assumed a defensive stance. Xarath smiled. Two black flames appeared in his hands.

"I feel sorry for you", he continued, "but you're not the only one who knows how to use the fire of the Ash Art". He began hurling dozens of them. Soraya raised barrier after barrier, retreating as her breathing grew increasingly labored. Xarath suddenly appeared behind her and flicked a hand. Soraya managed to teleport away a split second before an invisible slash could cut her in half. Her vision blurred.

"Tired, aren't you?" he mocked.

"I suppose that big belly is to blame".

"Shut up!" Soraya shouted, unleashing a shockwave. Xarath blocked it with a barrier. Without moving his hands, he generated dozens of invisible slashes. Soraya sensed almost all of them, dodging or blocking them. Only one struck her. Her head was severed cleanly from her body. The body collapsed, and then the head slowly began to regenerate. Soraya struggled back to her feet, utterly exhausted, her breathing ragged. Meanwhile, Ethan had resumed his journey with the elves.

He rode atop his large black horse, his gaze fixed on the starry sky. Renlin approached him.

"We're close to our people's favorite inn", she said with a smile.

"I'm sure you'll like it".

"I don't doubt it", Ethan replied, returning the smile. They continued onward together while the elves sang songs that drifted away into the night.