Chapter 31:

Frostfire

Counterblade: Frozen Kingdoms

Traxxia | Arena | Midnight

The arena lights glow beneath the night sky. Across the holographic walls, enormous images of Barathesch and Frost appear. Barathesch slowly enters the arena in his new attire. His red kasa sits upon his head, while his scarf flutters in the wind. Frost enters from the opposite side. He carries two swords, the modern blade belonging to Aurora and a sword of frost hanging from his waist. They stop and stare at each other.

“Blood Samurai. Half-Blood. Most Wanted. Maniac. Counterblade.”

Frost smiles.

“Far too many titles for a man of your caliber.”

He places a hand on one of his swords.

“I am a classy man. To me, you are simply the Ronin.”

“A God of Time. A God of Ice. A king.”

Barathesch shrugs.

“I don’t care about any of those titles.”

His expression softens slightly.

“To be honest, I consider you a friend.”

Frost looks at him in confusion.

“Come on.”

Frost eye twitches.

“Let me hate you. Just a little!”

“Nah.”

Barathesch grins.

“You will suffer just like I do,” Barathesch says.

He places his hand on Revia’s hilt.

“This will be a battle between kindred spirits.”

A countdown appears in the sky.

A deafening electronic bell rings throughout the arena.

Barathesch draws Revia in one swift motion.

“Phoenix- Heart!”

A crimson line appears across the blade. The entire sky turns red. With a deafening cry, an enormous fiery phoenix descends from above. Frost floods the arena with freezing white mist, but the ice melts the instant it touches the phoenix’s flames. The phoenix dives toward him. Frost whistles. A motorcycle suddenly materializes in the sky. Barathesch immediately leaps toward it, but Frost warps through time and appears on its seat. He accelerates directly toward the descending phoenix. As the creature opens its burning beak, Frost jumps from the motorcycle and sends it crashing into the phoenix’s mouth. Then he snaps his fingers. The motorcycle explodes. The blast tears through the fiery phoenix and destroys Barathesch’s spell. At that exact moment, Barathesch appears above Frost and swings Revia toward his neck. In an instant, Frost vanishes. He reappears on the ground below. Barathesch narrows his eyes.

Time manipulation.

I need to cut those threads next time.

Frost looks up at him.

“So, you’re beginning with one of your strongest spells.”

His arms begin to glow blue and purple.

“I SUMMON YOU!”

Frost spreads his arms.

“TRAX AND XIA!”

The air trembles. A gigantic woman wearing a purple astronaut suit appears on Frost’s right. On his left, an enormous mech materializes. Its shoulders are unnaturally wide, and long swords extend from both of its arms. Frost studies Barathesch.

Summoning both of them consumes a significant amount of mana.

But each possesses an attack capable of killing him in a single hit.

His eyes narrow.

If he counters them, I will need a different approach.

Barathesch looks at the two summons and completely unwraps the bandages around his arms. His eyes burn crimson. The air throughout the arena becomes thinner. More and more oxygen disappears. Barathesch lowers his body.

I need to jump.

He tries to launch himself upward. His body refuses to move normally. Gravity has vanished. Above him, the mech descends with both sword-arms aimed directly at his body. Frost grins and launches himself into the air. Transcendent wings emerge from his back. He raises both swords and prepares ten enormous slashes of ice. Revia’s voice echoes inside Barathesch’s mind.

“IT’S A TRAP!”

The mech and the astronaut close in around him.

“HE IS TURNING THE ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT INTO A ONE-HIT KILL!”

Barathesch nods. Then he grins. He raises Revia and prepares a slash.

Frost swings both swords. Ten freezing slashes tear through the air.

“Thank you, Holundria…”

Barathesch’s grip tightens.

“For teaching me these slashes.”

His red eyes flare.

“HAUNTED - AZALEA - WIND RUPTURE!”

Barathesch swings. A violent current erupts around him. Oxygen floods back into the arena, and gravity returns. The instant every attack collides, a colossal storm explodes across the battlefield. The wind becomes so violent that an enormous tornado forms around Barathesch. The ground disappears beneath the storm.

“DESCEND!”

Frost points toward Barathesch.

“AND KILL HIM!”

The astronaut and the mech dive into the tornado. A deafening crack echoes throughout the arena. Then the tornado disappears. Frost’s eyes widen. Barathesch stands at its center, severely wounded. Blood runs down his body. Around him lie the remains of the astronaut and the mech. Both have been shattered into millions of pieces. Barathesch bends his knees. Then he launches himself toward Frost with all his strength.

Their swords clash.

Again.

Every impact is powerful enough to crack the atmosphere around them. After one final, devastating collision, Barathesch jumps backward and lands upon the ground. He looks down at his hands. Ice begins spreading across his fingers. Behind him, endless flames rise higher and higher. Their color gradually changes from crimson to a brilliant rainbow. Around Frost, the air freezes. He points both swords toward Barathesch and concentrates more and more power within them.

Every strike needs to be fatal.

I have already hit him several times, but he keeps parrying my attacks.

Frost’s eyes narrow.

And if he wounds me even once, he completely regenerates.

His grip tightens.

He is the perfect counter to gods.

This is madness.

Power erupts from Frost’s swords in enormous, lightning-like fractures. The sky turns light blue. Snow begins to fall. At the same time, the ground beneath Barathesch becomes so hot that the arena starts to melt. They rush forward. Red and blue collide at the center of the arena. The resulting shock wave tears through the entire structure. Walls shatter. The stands collapse. The arena explodes into millions of pieces. Caroline raises her hand.

“SHIELD ZERO!”

A transparent cube forms around Caroline and Aurora. Both women stare in disbelief as the destruction spreads around them. When the dust begins to settle, nothing remains of the arena except barren ground. Frost lies among the ruins. He forces himself back onto his feet and looks through the fading dust. Barathesch stands before him. Completely healed. Frost’s eyes widen.

“WHAT IS THAT?!”

His hand rises toward his cheek.

“WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? I DIDN’T—”

His fingers touch a small cut. A single drop of blue blood runs down his face. Barathesch rushes forward. Revia swings toward Frost in a lethal arc. Frost blocks the attack and flies higher into the sky. He looks toward Caroline.

“Caroline!”

She immediately raises both hands.

“SHIELD ZERO - TRAXXIA!”

A gigantic shield forms around the destroyed arena. It is digital and holographic, with an infinite symbol glowing across its surface. Frost looks down at Barathesch.

In a prolonged battle, he will kill me.

He forced oxygen back into the arena through his technique.

He began the battle with his phoenix.

And because his fire and my ice are both equal, he can challenge me directly.

Frost takes a deep breath.

It is a stalemate.

His eyes harden.

Only an attack capable of killing him instantly will work.

The air begins to freeze around him.

This spell killed the Tenth God-King.

I never imagined that I would need to cast it a second time in my entire life.

His hands begin to tremble.

It will drain every drop of my mana.

Frost looks at Revia.

I can still feel the aftermath of its collision with that sword.

His gaze returns to Barathesch.

But this time, he is the final threat.

Once he is gone, no enemy will remain.

Barathesch senses the gathering power.

“I WON’T LET YOU CAST IT!”

Fire erupts beneath his feet. He launches himself toward Frost and delivers an enormous slash. Frost blocks it. Barathesch immediately drives his foot into Frost’s chest and sends him flying even higher into the sky.

“ERATHIA—DOWNFALL!”

A gigantic beam of light descends toward Bartathesch. He swings Revia and cuts through it.

The beam expands. Its overwhelming force drives him back toward the ground. Barathesch remains upright. His feet carve trenches through the ruins. Then he looks into the sky. Something forms above Frost. Mechanical Dragon heads.

“RONIN!”

Frost’s voice echoes throughout Traxxia.

“WHAT IS YOUR NAME?!”

Barathesch grins and raises Revia.

“My name is…”

Rainbow flames gather around his blade.

“BARATHESCH FROM ZERITREA!”

His red eyes burn.

“THE COUNTERBLADE!”

“I am Frost, King of the Blue-Bloods!”

Frost spreads his arms.

“I declare you the strongest of them all!”

Four gigantic mechanical dragon heads emerge around him.

“You are the greatest rival I have ever encountered!”

Their jaws slowly open.

“And out of the utmost respect, I hereby dedicate my single most powerful attack to you!”

Freezing light gathers within the dragons’ mouths.

“Know the mercy of the Guardians of Erathia!”

Barathesch holds Revia with both hands. Rainbow flames surround his entire body. His phoenix tattoo glows. The heart within the tattoo begins to beat. The atmosphere itself burns around him.

“COUNTERBLADE!”

The four mechanical dragons unleash their attacks. Four colossal beams of incinerating frost descend upon Barathesch.

“ERATHIA—TRAXXIA’S HEART!”

Barathesch swings. A gigantic fiery slash collides with the four beams. Red flames and freezing blue light tear through the sky. Barathesch begins to bleed. His hands split apart. The frost tears through his body, and his Counterblade slowly weakens. Barathesch grits his teeth.

“It’s not enough!”

The four beams continue forcing his slash backward.

“I WILL GIVE EVERYTHING!”

Images flash through his mind.

Holundria.

Elisalea.

Mirai.

Hope.

Fate.

The fiery slash expands. For one moment, it pushes the four beams back. Then it begins to lose power. Barathesch’s eyes widen.

I’m losing…

Revia manifests beside him. Without hesitation, she jumps directly into the four beams.

“I WILL NOT LET YOU DIE!”

Barathesch looks at her in horror.

“REVIA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Frost stares at her.

“SUICIDE?!”

His eyes widen. Revia cries as she throws herself into the freezing light.

Murasame…

She remembers his final sacrifice.

I will protect Barathesch, no matter what.

Her hands tighten.

I love him.

“MURASAME!”

The seal across Revia’s stomach disappears. The red vanishes from her eyes. Her irises turn purple.

“PLEASE!”

A city appears within her mind. Massive stone buildings rise around an enormous clock tower. Her people fill the streets. Her mother stands among them. Murasame smiles at her.

“I WON’T LET HIM DIE!”

Purple light erupts from Revia’s body.

“MONOLITHA!”

The light tears through the atmosphere. Battlefield after battlefield appears across the sky. The entire history of the God-Kings reveals itself. Humans dominate the land. The God-Kings rise against them. A conquered Kingdom after conquered kingdom emerges until the vision finally reaches Monolitha and its colossal clock tower. Frost stares at the city in disbelief.

“That is an entirely different world…”

Old Monolitha descends over the battlefield. Its presence nullifies both attacks. The four frost beams vanish. Barathesch’s flaming Counterblade disappears with them. Frost’s transcendent wings fade. He falls from the sky and crashes onto the ground. Barathesch remains standing for a moment. A hole has been torn through his heart. Then he drops to his knees. Frost forces himself back onto his feet with the last of his strength. He looks at Barathesch.

“The beam reached you.”

Frost breathes heavily.

“I never expected her to summon an entirely different world.”

He looks toward the sky. Cracks spread across Monolitha.

“It is breaking apart.”

Frost’s expression hardens.

“So, it is only temporary,” Frost says,

He looks back at Revia’s fading world.

“Still… impressive.”

Frost raises his remaining sword.

“I am sorry.”

He looks down at Barathesch.

“You are dead, Barathesch.”

Barathesch begins to laugh. His phoenix tattoo glows. The heart within the tattoo continues to beat.

“One minute.”

Barathesch slowly rises.

“If you behead me within that time…”

His lifeless eyes focus on Frost.

“You win.”

Frost stares at him. Barathesch stands despite his pierced heart.

“The Path of Blood…”

Frost’s eyes widen.

“You mastered its power without accepting the role of a god.”

He grips his sword.

“But what are you planning?”

Frost looks around.

“Revia is no longer at your side.”

“Fistfight.”

Frost blinks.

“I still have my blades!”

He looks down.

Cracks spread across both swords. Then they shatter. Frost stares at the broken hilts.

“How?!”

“Counterblade.”

Barathesch grins.

“It’s a parry, dumbass.”

Frost stares at him for a moment. Then he bursts into laughter.

“Fine!”

He throws the broken hilts aside.

“Fistfight!”

“No mana.”

Barathesch raises his fists.

“No abilities.”

His grin widens.

“Only our fists.”

Frost removes his jacket. Barathesch takes off his scarf and wraps it tightly around his hands like a bandage. The wind carries his red jacket away. Frost raises his hand.

“Three!”

Barathesch assumes a boxing stance.

“Two!”

Frost enters a kickboxing stance.

“One!”

They glare at each other.

“GO!”

Both rush forward. Barathesch’s fist strikes Frost’s chin. At the same moment, Frost’s leg slams into Barathesch’s stomach. The impacts are so powerful that their bones crack. Barathesch jumps back. His wounds remain unchanged.

“No regeneration.”

He looks at Frost.

“Don’t tell me…”

“I wasted everything on that spell, dumbass!” Frost counters.

They rush toward each other again. Barathesch punches Frost directly beneath the chin. Frost drives his leg into Barathesch’s supporting leg. Barathesch’s leg breaks. Frost’s jaw shatters. Both crash onto the ground. They force themselves up again, completely exhausted.

“I will end this, Frost!”

“Try it!”

Both spit blood onto the ground. Frost closes his eyes. He draws back his left leg and prepares one final kick. Barathesch steadies himself. Frost attacks. Barathesch parries the kick. In that exact moment, he steps forward.

“OVER!”

His left fist crashes into Frost’s face. Then his right follows. The combination breaks sections of Frost’s skull. Above them, Monolitha collapses.

Destroyed Arena | Traxxia

Frost falls to his knees. He is dying. Barathesch remains standing. Revia runs toward him, her face filled with concern.

“Kill him, Barathesch!”

Barathesch looks around in confusion. Aurora’s body begins to fade in the distance.

“Really…”

Barathesch looks down at Frost. Frost sees his wife disappearing.

“I understand.”

His voice becomes weak.

“The world is trying to correct its course.”

He lowers his head.