The morning sun rose coldly over the horizon, painting the jagged, black mountain ridges in a dull orange glow as the twin journeys pressed onward. Thousands of miles away, the Hero Caelum’s party moved comfortably down the standard imperial paths, completely confident after their easy victory over the forest bandits.
But deep within the dark, treacherous valleys leading directly toward the fallen borders, the Umbral Sovereignty's specialised vanguard moved at a grueling, relentless pace.
Prince Raizael rode at the head of the formation, his massive royal steed stepping heavily over the cracked stone. Sitting directly in front of him, sharing the exact same saddle, was Princess Sylphiri. Her hair brushed continuously against his chest as the horse trotted, and her long pointed elven ears were a perpetual shade of bright pink.
Raizael leaned down slightly, his deep baritone voice a low, teasing murmur right beside her ear. "You seem remarkably stiff this morning, my beautiful assistant. The moss bed beneath the elemental tree last night was exceptionally soft, yet you're riding as if you've never shared a saddle with me before. Did my touch feel that overwhelming?"
Sylphiri’s face instantly burned an explosive, chaotic crimson. She ducked her head, her fingers clutching the reins tightly as she tried to hide her flustered expression from Commander Karon and the marching dark elf assassins behind them. "R-Raizael... please," she stammered, her voice a soft, breathless tremor. "The... the soldiers are marching right behind us. It is entirely unbefitting for a high-born elven mage to be teased so shamelessly during an active military deployment... even if... even if last night was..."
TWANG! TWANG! TWANG!
The sudden, deafening ring of hundreds of bows violently shattered the morning silence. A massive, black cloud of iron-tipped arrows erupted from the high stone ridges above, raining down directly onto the vanguard line with executioner force.
"Ambush! Protect the Regent!" Karon roared, reaching for his massive war hammer.
But before a single arrow could pierce the line, Sylphiri’s tactical instincts overrode her embarrassment. She hoisted her hand, her violet eyes flashing with a blinding magical light as her crystal staff flared.
[ELVEN ART: AEGIS SHIELD]
A massive, translucent emerald-green barrier circle materialized instantly above the entire party. The incoming arrows slammed violently against the dense magical shield, sparking furiously before shattering into harmless splinters against the glowing energy.
"Is everyone unharmed?" Raizael asked calmly, his expression cold and entirely steady as he held his horse steady.
"The vanguard is untouched, Regent! The barrier held flawlessly!" Karon bellowed, his dark demonic aura flaring with intense rage as he glared up at the ridges. "Who dares ambush the Sovereignty’s line?!"
The thick mountain fog ahead slowly began to part, and dozens of slender, lethal figures glided down from the stone cliffs. They were the Serpent Kin, a predatory, isolationist race with scales tracing their cheekbones and venomous, slit-like golden eyes, carrying serrated spears and bows.
"You step no further into these lands, high-born demons," a cold, mocking voice echoed through the crags.
Stepping to the front of the ambush line were two exceptionally beautiful serpent women. The first was a bit taller, possessing an intensely confident posture, long dark hair, and sharp, venomous golden eyes. Clinging tightly directly behind her was the second woman, a shorter, more delicate serpent girl who held onto the leader's cloak, looking nervously at the massive demon army.
"This valley belongs to the Serpentine Clans," the confident woman declared, crossing her arms over her form-fitting leather armor. "Turn your horses back to your volcanic spires right now, or else every single one of you will die in this chasm today."
Karon stepped forward, his bare, muscular chest heaving as he gripped his hammer. "We have zero interest in your barren valleys, snake. Our vanguard is simply passing through to reach the Elyrian borders. Stand down and open the path, and we will leave your clan in peace."
"The Serpentine Clan does not negotiate with passing invaders," the leader hissed, her scales glistening under the morning light.
Before the situation could dissolve into a chaotic bloodbath, Raizael smoothly dismounted his horse. He walked calmly to the front of the line, his opulent dark crimson and gold royal silk robes catching the wind as he stopped right before the serpent leader, looking down at her with a lazy, dominant smirk.
"Let's avoid unnecessary slaughter," Raizael murmured, his crimson eyes flashing with absolute confidence. "Step aside and let my army pass. Trust me... trying to block my path will not end well for your people."
The tall serpent leader’s golden eyes narrowed, a look of sudden, intense intrigue passing over her face as she looked at his absolute, unbothered composure. She let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "A prince who speaks with such heavy arrogance... I like your spirit. Let’s make a deal, demon. A traditional 1v1 duel between you and me. If you can survive my blade and defeat me, my clan will permanently step aside and grant your army safe passage. If you lose... your heads belong to my wall."
"Raizael, no!" Sylphiri cried out from the saddle, her long ears twitching violently with intense worry. "Don't accept her terms! The Serpent Kin are notoriously untrustworthy! She will absolutely use hidden venom or cheat to win this match! Let Karon and the assassins flatten them!"
"Do not worry, Sylphiri," Raizael said smoothly, not even turning his head as he stepped onto the center of the dirt ring. "This will only take a moment."
The serpent leader’s eyes flared with predatory glee. Without a single warning syllable, she shifted her weight with explosive, high-speed agility, slipping forward like a striking cobra. A pair of long, wicked daggers slid out from her sleeves, their tips coated in a bubbling, jet-black neurotoxin as she charged directly toward his throat at blind velocity.
Raizael didn't even raise his arms. He simply stood completely still, his lips curling into a sharp, lethal smirk as the system interface flashed silently in his vision. It was time to unleash the arcana he had bought with his thirty thousand points.
(in-Scene illustrations of Serpent kin Women is FREE to access on my external page. Please do check it out. Thankyou for reading.)