Chapter 83: Dead Ground Meeting (3)
His hidden trap line drank a mouthful of death mana and pulled Garran’s red thread downward. The fire mark that should have erupted beside Robi sank into the grave ash. A dull sound came from beneath the platform.
Thump!!!
The fire vanished.
Garran’s eyes changed.
Robi’s smile widened.
"Your first trick failed."
Garran’s face twisted with anger. "That was not mine."
Robi looked at him. "Of course. The hill must have learned Velkhur fire magic."
A few Marovain guards lowered their heads to hide smiles. Celia did not smile, but her eyes became sharper with satisfaction.
Garran’s hands opened.
The temperature on the platform rose.
"You think one small preparation makes you safe?"
Robi raised his metal hand. Silver lines ran across the fake fingers.
"No. I think it makes you angry."
Garran stepped forward.
Ravencroft quickly stepped back with Adrian and Tina. He did not want his family too close if two Fifth Circle mages began fighting. Tina finally understood enough to stop looking excited. Her face became pale. Adrian’s guards pulled him behind a stone marker.
Celia raised her barrier around the Marovain side.
The two Velkhur fire mages spread to Garran’s left and right.
Robi looked at them. "Will House Velkhur need three mages to speak with one appraiser?"
Garran sneered. "You are not worth three."
He raised his hand.
"Velkhur Art. Ember Verdict."
A large flame sword formed above Garran’s palm. It was not like Dorian’s showy spells. This flame was older, thicker, and heavier. The sword dropped toward Robi with crushing heat.
Robi stepped to the side and lifted his metal hand.
"Silver Scale Wall."
Silver plates of mana appeared in the air, layered like fish scales. The flame sword struck them and exploded. Fire spread over the barrier, but the silver plates shifted and guided the heat into the ground.
The hidden trap drank a little of that heat too.
Lucard felt it from above.
The formation was working slowly, but not fully. The death mana and fire mana were beginning to mix. It was unstable, but controllable for now. He kept his finger on the stone and guided the flow.
Garran attacked again.
"Velkhur Art. Ashen Fang."
Three fire beasts shaped like wolf heads burst from his side and rushed toward Robi. Their jaws opened, each filled with burning teeth. Robi tapped the ground with his metal hand, and three silver spikes rose from the platform. Each spike pierced one fire wolf, forcing them to burst apart before reaching him.
Celia watched the fight with tense eyes.
She wanted to help, but she knew she could not enter too early. If she joined, Garran would claim Marovain came to kill him. Robi needed to show that Garran attacked first and used tricks first. Only then could Marovain control the story.
But if Robi made one mistake, he could die.
Lucard watched Garran more than the spells.
The old man’s direct attacks were strong, but not enough to kill Robi quickly. That meant the killing move would be hidden. Men like Garran liked layers. First pressure. Then insult. Then a small trap. Then direct attack. Then secret killing method when the opponent thought he understood the rhythm.
Lucard looked at the two Velkhur fire mages.
One of them had not moved much.
The man with tattooed hands kept one palm inside his sleeve.
Lucard’s eyes narrowed.
"There."
A second dirty trick.
While Garran attacked from the front, the support mage was feeding fire mana into the old stone markers behind Robi. Those markers were not ordinary grave stones. Some had old Ravencroft death marks carved on them. If fire mana entered them, they could become explosive bones of stone.
Robi might notice soon.
But soon it was not enough.
Lucard pressed his finger deeper into the crack.
A small red line moved under the hidden trap.
The death mana shifted toward the stone markers before the fire could settle. The old grave marks woke first. Instead of accepting the fire, they rejected it. The support mage’s hand shook suddenly.
"What?"
One stone marker cracked.
Cold death mana burst out and struck his arm. His fire mana twisted backward into his own sleeve.
The mage screamed as his sleeve caught fire.
Garran turned his head slightly.
That tiny distraction gave Robi a chance.
Robi stepped forward and pointed his metal hand at Garran’s chest.
"Coin Break Shot."
A flat silver disk of mana shot from his palm and struck Garran’s fire guard. The disk did not pierce through, but it pushed Garran back two steps.
Garran’s face became uglier.
"You really did prepare this place."
Robi smiled. "You are the one who taught me to never meet a cheater on clean ground."
Garran’s eyes burned.
Then he laughed.
It was not a good laugh.
"You think you know my tricks because of old stories. You think this ground belongs to you because you buried a few toys. Robi, you always were good at surviving. But surviving is not winning."
He reached into his cloak and pulled out a small black-red stone.
Robi’s expression changed slightly.
Celia’s eyes widened. "Uncle, that stone."
Robi’s voice became colder. "A Blood Ember Stone."
Lucard looked at the stone from above.
He had not heard the name before, but he could feel its nature. Fire mana mixed with old blood. It was not as pure as his blood power, but it carried violent heat and sacrifice. The stone had been made by killing something or someone with fire and trapping the burned blood inside.
Garran smiled.
"You should know this, one handed fox. I brought something special."
Robi’s metal hand opened fully.
"You are insane. If you break that here, the hill will react."
Garran laughed. "Good. Let it react."
Celia shouted, "Garran, if you use that, everyone here may die."
Garran looked at her. "Then they should run faster."
Lucard’s eyes became cold.
This was beyond a simple duel now. Garran did not care if Ravencroft men died. He did not care if his own guards died. He did not even care if Tina and Adrian were caught in the edges of it. He only cared about killing Robi and proving his revenge.