P78 - An Effortless Feat

The stadium roared as the two teams entered the battlefield. On one side: the disciplined strength of NTG5--Blaidd, Glonk, Jin, Rez, and TLK.
On the other: the pride of the skies, Team AURA -- Vailen, Thess, Jira, Mirel, and Nixie.

Blaidd stepped forward first, his Archangel form already active. His two daggers glinted at his sides, while his katana sat calmly on his back, radiating frigid energy. A quiet aura of power surrounded him, frost curling up around his boots.

"I want to test something," Blaidd said as he stepped to the center of the field. "Don't interfere. Let me handle them alone."

Glonk tilted his head. "You sure?"

Jin gave a small smirk. "That's fine with me.."

Rez yawned dramatically. "Alrighty"

TLK remained silent.

AURA moved fast. Wind whipped across the battlefield as Vailen darted to the left with twin knives shrouded in smoke. Thess remained near the back, drawing her bow tight with a glowing arrow. Jira lunged forward with his spear, accompanied by a wall of cloud that cloaked his movement. Mirel swept to the side, their long-glaive dragging gusts of air in a crescent. Nixie blurred forward with her mist-wreathed sonic-blade humming like a whistle.

But Blaidd closed his eyes.

Then placed his palm to the ground.

"Mastered Frozen Requiem."

The entire battlefield transformed in an instant--a deep blue pulse swept from his hand, ice spiraling outward in fractal-perfection. The floor froze solid. Sheets of frost erupted beneath the feet of AURA, instantly locking them in place. Ice spread over their legs, up their weapons, over their arms--a crystalline cage of sub-zero torment.

A pause.

Then Blaidd rose to his feet slowly, frost trailing from his shoulders like falling feathers.

He raised his hand again--but a sudden thwip broke through the tension. A glowing blue arrow embedded itself in his right shoulder, snapping him back. Another soon followed, piercing his left.

Blaidd's eyes flicked toward Thess, still shivering but upright, her hand already pulling back her bowstring once more.

He looked at the arrows, then chuckled softly. "You're still moving? You'd be a good apprentice to recruit. I like your bravery."

He exhaled, steam curling from his lips. Then lifted both hands skyward.

"As a reward, I'll end it swiftly"

"Mastered Ray of Dissolution."

Above the frozen battlefield, five beams of pure arcane light formed--blinding, chaotic, and vibrating with sheer destructive force. Each one targeted one of the AURA fighters.

Then--

Impact.

The sky itself seemed to howl as the beams fell.

Each target was engulfed. The ice vaporized and the ground cracked. Light, ice, and arcane fury intertwined in a brief but overwhelming flash.

And then silence.

Only Blaidd remained standing in the center. Thess's bow had snapped in half mid-draw. Vailen's smoke had vanished. Nixie's sonic blade laid cracked beside her frozen silhouette. Mirel and Jira were unconscious in twisted heaps of frost.

The announcer's voice echoed into the heavy silence.

"And with that... NTG5 claims victory over AURA!"

Rez strolled up beside Blaidd, a lazy smirk on his face. His gems floated calmly behind him, rotating in lazy arcs.

"Bit overkill, don't ya think?"

Blaidd rolled his shoulders, blood dripping silently from the arrow wounds. "Wanted to test my abilities on what I thought was strong foes.."

Jin opened a portal for the team to exit the arena. TLK hovered up slightly and followed silently. Glonk cracked his knuckles and grunted.

As they walked out, Rez looked back one more time at the scorched frost-covered battlefield.

"Welp, I'm glad I'm no longer your enemy."

The gate behind them shut.

And another victory under their belt was secured.